Davaar Cave Painting vandalised !!!

[Annie]

Guevara, Che

(Ernesto Guevara), 1928—67, Cuban revolutionary and political leader, b. Argentina. Trained as a physician at the Univ. of Buenos Aires, he took part (1952) in riots against the dictator Juan Perón in Argentina, joined agitators in Bolivia, and worked in a leper colony. In 1953 he went to Guatemala, joined the leftist regime of Jacobo Arbenz Guzmán, and when Arbenz was overthrown (1954) fled to Mexico, where he met Fidel Castro and other Cuban rebels. Guevara became Castro's chief lieutenant soon after the rebel invasion of Cuba in 1956, in which he proved to be a resourceful guerrilla leader. As president of the national bank after the fall (Jan., 1959) of Fulgencio Batista he was instrumental in cutting Cuba's traditional ties with the United States and in directing the flow of trade to the Communist bloc. He served (1961—65) as minister of industry. At heart a revolutionary rather than an administrator, he left Cuba in 1965 to foster revolutionary activity in the Congo and other countries. In 1967, directing an ineffective guerrilla movement in Bolivia, he was wounded, captured, and executed by government troops. Guevara wrote Guerrilla Warfare (1961), Man and Socialism in Cuba (1967), Reminiscences of the Cuban Revolutionary War (1968), and The African Dream (2001), a forthright account of the failed Congo rebellion.

[Bruce]

Does knowing about Che Guevara help in any way? Nope, I didn't think so

[Fiona_R]

This mindless act of vandalism only seeks to hurt and anger the wee toon folk. I do not live in Campbeltown any longer, but I still care what happens there. I am shocked at what seems premeditated and spiteful vandalism. I would urge/appeal to anyone who knows who did this, or who knew who did this to come forward.

[Kintyre Lad]

Totally disgusted by the mindless act of vandalism.

Its like rain on your wedding day

It's a free ride when you've already paid

It's the good advice that you just didn't take

Its Che Guevera, On jesus's face

And who would have thought...it figures


Ah well the painting will be restored and it got on the news, that cant be a bad thing. Every cloud and all that.

Was there a point to your posting? In particular your last sentence which appears to ridicule the vandalism?

[petewick]

There's a bit more on this in the Press and Journal today.

[Bruce]

I have now seen the Reporting Scotland segment (thanks to my sister for emailing that to me) and reckon a comment made by the reporter made a lot of sense - once the painting is restored (and I reckon it will be) the act of vandalism will soon be forgotten! At the end of the day, the person that did this will have been nothing more than a minor irritation and while he might be on his way looking for something else to destroy he certainly hasn't scored a great victory... but hopefully when he is caught he is brought back to Campbeltown and given some sort of sentence there - that way you'll all get to see what he looks like and be ready for him if he returns!

[Beachcomber]

I'm prepared to build the stocks if the council is prepared to let me put them up on the green.

[Kintyre Forum News]

There's a bit more on this in the Press and Journal today.

Article;

CAVE IMAGE OF CHRIST DESECRATED BY VANDALS
Be the first reader to comment on this story
MOIRA KERR

08:50 - 02 August 2006

A Famous cave painting of Christ on the Cross has been desecrated by vandals who have sprayed over it to create an image of famous revolutionary Che Guevara.

Guevara, who was born in Argentina in 1928, is idolised in Cuba, where his face appears on billboards across the island.

The rebel's image has now been meticulously spray-painted, in red and black, over two-thirds of the large cave painting on Davaar island, near Campbeltown. The painting of Christ was completed in secret in 1887 by Campbeltown teacher Archibald MacKinnon, who was reportedly acting on instructions he received in a dream.

Inspector David Lavery, of Campbeltown, said: "The image has been so well done that we believe the culprit or culprits used a stencil to achieve a perfect image."

Davaar is accessible by foot over a shingle causeway from Campbeltown at low tide.

Insp Lavery said: "At this time of year the chance of being discovered is fairly big so maybe someone has gone across at low tide, concealed themselves and stayed overnight, waiting until there was nobody else about."

The first visitor to the island at 7.40am on Friday reported that the painting had been defaced. The paint was dry indicating the image was done overnight.

Police are anxious to talk to a man who was seen leaving the island at that time. He is described as 6ft, in his mid-30s, with longish, dark brown hair."

Joe Turner, of Kildalloig Farm, Campbeltown, who has owned Davaar since 1962, is offering a £100 reward for information which leads to a conviction of the person responsible.

The entrance of the cave is marked with a small plaque on the cliff face and by the many small cairns and wooden crosses made by visitors and pilgrims to the site.

Mr Turner said: "It is viewed by some as similar to a church and is certainly a place on contemplation and serenity, a place where a lot of people get a lot of peace. It's appalling, this is literally like vandalising a church."

And he added: "I gather it has been done with care, it isn't some young children who have just happened to find a tin of paint, this has required malice of forethought, to take the stencil and stuff over there.

"The policeman who went over said he couldn't touch most of it because it was so high, so they must have constructed some kind of platform to do it.

"It's upsetting, it has upset a lot of nice, ordinary people in Campbeltown. I just can't think why anyone would do this."

He said the two island caretakers are the only residents of Davaar, but they live on the other side of the 67-acre island from the cave. Mr Turner now intends to seek professional advice about the possibility of having the original painting, which has been restored several times over the years, renovated. Anyone with information about the incident should telephone police at Campbeltown on 01586 862200.

[Hadrians hiring!]

Whew!!!!!!!!

Loads of coverage for a piddlin issue!

What the most of youse have forgotten is that the the painting IS graffiti itself, spoiling a perfectly nice cave. If I mind right, the artiste himself did not claim credit for a while due probably to ''stocks on the green, balls cut off'' and other laughable threats/rants on here. (and if the culprit is a lassie - the latter threat wouldnae hold up)

If it isnae washed off surely that would not be a bad thing as in 100 years time it in itself would be a tourist attraction??????????????

[Ross]

Whew!!!!!!!!

Loads of coverage for a piddlin issue

You must be havin a laugh, this painting is a important piece of art work which for many has spiritual conections how you can compare this to an act of vandilism is beyond me

[Bruce]

Ross, the previous post wasn't worth responding to, his opinion just shows that not everyone cares what has happened - and that doesn't matter when there are plenty of people (in Campbeltown and outside) that do!

[general jack o'niell]

deleted due to apathy on my part

[Malky]

I see someone has already updated wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davaar_Island

Malky

[Wired 2 The Moon]

vandalism is so pointless

[general jack o'niell]

deleted due to apathy on my part