IslayBlog.com -> 2010 ->
Diardaoin, 29/Apr/2010
OK Corner and OK Rock on Islay
Still catching up on things after my return from Islay almost two weeks ago. While I was away on Islay someone (unfortunately I don't know their name) asked an interesting question in the comments, a question I don't really have a definite answer for:
Hi Armin i would be interested if anyone can tell me why? ..ok.. was painted on the rock in Port Charlotte and at the corner of Portnahaven i was told it has something to with the war for over Forty years now and would like to hear what the locals have to say!!
Luckily another reader came to my help (unfortunately don't know their name either, so can only thank for their help indirectly here) and posted an answer:
My gran told me the locals painted it after the Americans posted on Islay during the war left. Someone repaints it every year. I suppose its a war memorial.
However, that might not be the only explanation/answer to the question. When I posted the Waves at the OK Rock, Port Charlotte picture on the Islay Pictures photoblog back in 2008 Louise McGaw told me what her father had told her:
My Dad always told me it was him and his friends that wrote the OK. on the ok rock in the 1950's!
[..] apparantly if you managed to jump onto the rock without falling in or hurting yourselk you were "OK".hence the name!!
But that's still not all, I've found yet another explanation with this picture of the OK rock:
Thanks to Gilbert Carmichael, who e-mailed me recently with further information; "This was painted on the rock when 3 brothers and a cousin, who stayed in Shore Street, went off to war. They thought that when their parents saw it every day they would know they were all right. Only 2 survived. It is touched up every year in memory of them."
I don't know which explanation is the correct one, may be there is some truth in all of them? If anyone has any further information, updates or corrections please leave them in the comments! Thank you!
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