Tributes are paid to Newtonmore’s well loved ‘Dondo’
Tributes have been paid to a well-loved man who was an authority on the history of his home village of Newtonmore.
Donald Kennedy - widely known as Dondo - recently passed away aged 94.
His funeral service at St Brides Church in Newtonmore on March 28 was full to capacity to celebrate his long life.
Nearly all but a few of his years were spent in the village working hard, marrying and raising a family of four sons - Colin, Ross, Cameron and Gordon - with his late wife Ivy.
He was a much loved and well respected father-in -law, granddad and great granddad.
The funeral service covered Mr Kennedy’s early life including his National Service, employment and his fight to recovery after a serious accident in 1977 building stone cairns on the moors behind Craggan and his resumption to work which he continued with until retirement.
It was in his retirement he took to walking the hills, moors and roads around Newtonmore on a daily basis which would continue irrespective of rain, hail or snow for the next 25 years and more.
In the earlier days he was always accompanied by his pet dog but in recent years he walked alone.
Dondo was an authority on the history of Newtonmore and in particular the village’s buildings and people.
Thankfully he put much of this knowledge down on paper including the names of houses, why they were so named and much more local history.
Over the years his daily walks in Glenbanchor led him to becoming a well known figure to many hundreds of people from all over Britain and abroad who also enjoyed walking the glen.
Dondo was laid to rest in Banchor Cemetery.
There have been many tributes on social media.
Davy Holt stated: “Sad news. Off the back of directions from Dondo I’ve visited many places up Glen Banchor and Stone that few people know exist.
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“Very few, if any, knew the hills, glens and cairns around Newtonmore like Dondo did.”
Dawn Cheyne-Miller poste: “For many in Newtonnmore - especially on Clune Terrace - Dondo was an ever-present as we grew up.
“He knew us all by name and by who we belonged to.
“Meeting him then and right up until the last time I spoke with him was always a pleasue- you came away happier.
“He will be dearly missed.”
Jodie Irvine said: “Such sad news. I always enjoyed the chat with Dondo. He took such an interest in folk and he had such knowledge of the area.”
Gaz Young posted: “What a massive loss to Newtonmore. Dondo was one in a million.”
Janette Haig said: “A lovely man, so friendly and chatty.”
A friend who contacted the Strathy said: “He will be missed by many regulars who only knew him as ‘The Man with the stick, glasses and oil skin jacket’.
“We just knew him as Dondo.”
Contributed in part.
