Sunday 21 October 2007

Hear the Wizard!

One man who knows his Ulster Scotch is North Antrim's own Charlie "The Wizard" Gillen from Dervock. If you missed him having a chat on Radio Ulster's Kist O Wurds show, why not go on Radio Ulster online and click on the Kist O Wurds to hear him talking to Will McAvoy from Co Down. The yarn is not only highly entertaining but also raises some very important points about the Ullans leid and the issue of regional variations. Tune in!

Friday 19 October 2007

Plantation? Whit Plantin R Ye Oan Aboot?

A'm sure A'm no tha only yin amang iz that heared certain revisionists, political mooths an tha lake puttin it ower that iz Ulster Scotch landed here in a boat an tuk ower lan, hooses an aa. Aye deed, we hae bin writ aff as invaders an aa soarts. The Toon Rhymer begs tae differ a bit frae that wye o thinkin.

It's Wur Hame An Aye Wus
They keep taakin aboot a plantation.
They say wae invaded this lan.
They think we're misguided Irishmen!
Wie a fool loyalty tae an oul Rid Haun.
Revisionists, historians an ither yins
Wud mak iz feel that wae dinnae belang
But gie mae a minute tae A show ye
That they cudnae bae oany mair wrang.
Wur Dalriada forefaithers leeved here
As they had done fer hunners o years
They wur persecuted but kept oan gan
Tho it cost them aa sufferin an tears.
Eventually they set sail ower tha water
(They wur caa'd Scots in thar new plaice)
Tha wye they wur forced oot o Ulster
Wus naethin shoart o a disgrace!
They settled in the Lallans,
An wrocht hard in thur new domain
Aaways hopin, prayin an thinkin
That they micht see oul Ulster again.
Centuries later King James tuk a notion
O settin Ulster bak oan hur feet
An sae he sent the Lallan fowk hame again
Determined this time they'd niver bae beat.
Sae its no a 'plantation', it's a hamecomin
Bak tae tha plaice whur we leeved afore
An this time we're no gan tae lee it
As they did in bygone days o yore.
Here's a toast tae the Ulster Scotch!
A'm gye proud tae bae here the day
Fer whither the rest lake it ir lump it,
It's in Ulster that we're gan tae stay!!

FUSE FM COMES TO THE TOON!

The acclaimed FUSE FM radio station will be coming to Ballymoney in the first two weeks of December! For the first time ever, Ballymoney will have it's very own cultural radio station based in the town. The hosts will be the Kingdom of Dalriada & Stranocum Ulster Scots groups and it is hoped that local musical and literary talents will be broadcast to the people of the Borough through this important medium.

Details of the programme will be posted on the blog nearer the time so keep an eye out for titles featuring FUSE FM.

Friday 12 October 2007

Dunaghy Flute Band Centenary

DUNAGHY FLUTE BAND
1907 CENTENARY 2007
On Friday 2nd November 2007, Dunaghy Flute Band will present an Evening of Ulster Scots Music & Entertainment in Ballymoney Town Hall.
Attending will be two of Northern Ireland's top flute bands in the form of Mourne Young Defenders from Kilkeel and Ballykeel Loyal Sons of Ulster from Ballymena. Both bands are renowned for their musical ability. Also in attendance will be another of Northern Ireland's finest ensembles, Dunloy Accordian Orchestra. Finally, storyteller and rhymer Charlie Gillen and musician Elaine Allen will provide a more traditional Ulster Scots feel to the evening. Compering the event will be Coleraine comedian and actor, Robert Ramsey.
A spokesman for the band said he was looking forward to the evening and felt that there was an excellent variety of acts. He said: "It would be hard for us to better the performers who will be attending the Town Hall on the 2nd. Bands like the Mourne, Ballykeel and Dunloy are at the top of their categories whilst Charlie Gillen, Elaine Allen and Robert Ramsey are proven entertainers in their own right".
Doors open at 7pm with a start time of 8pm on the night and the band spokeperson explained that tickets are on sale. "While people can simply come along on the night, we are encouraging everyone to purchase a ticket beforehand from either a band member or by contacting the following mobile numbers: 07730609282 or 07852162816".

Get Writing!

The Ulster Scots language has survived down through the centuries as a largely oral tradition. The Ulster Scots speaking communities preserved the language by speaking it on a daily basis, telling stories and through the medium of poetry. Indeed, we are more than fortunate to have Charlie Gillen and Charlie Reynolds amongst us. They have been engaged in preserving and promoting the Ullans language long before it secured legal status as a language.

Perhaps you would like to be amongst the growing numbers of Ulster Scots writers who are committing poetry and stories to print? You may be apprehensive about doing so because you would not feel confident about writing in Ulster Scots. If so, stop right there!

We would love to have you join us as a writer and we would love to read your work. No one will be judged by us and no one will be made to feel patronised. If you need a wee jag of confidence, look out a copy of the Hamely Tongue by James Fenton and take your text from it. Let NOTHING put you off from writing in Ulster Scots. So, if you do commit to paper, send it to my email address and everyone who does will be guaranteed a reply devoid of judgement.

So get writing!

Thursday 11 October 2007

Attention Ulster Scots!

The University of Ulster Institution of Ulster Scots Studies will be holding a six week course based at Northern Regional College (Ballymoney Tech) beginning on Monday 22nd October 2007. The classes will run from 7:00 - 9:oopm and everyone is welcome to attend.

The programme, supported by the Ulster Scots Agency, will run as follows:

Week 1
Ulster and Scotland from earliest times to 1700

Week 2
Ulster and Scotland 1700-2000

Week 3
The Language and Literature of the Ulster Scots

Week 4
The Language and Literature of the Ulster Scots

Week 5
The Music and Song of the Ulster Scots

Week 6
The Legacy of the Ulster Scots

This is a golden opportunity for us, the people from Dalriada, to learn more about our rich history and culture. For too long our presence, language and contribution to society in general has been ignored or suppressed. The Ulster Scots Journal & News would encourage EVERYONE to attend the series of classes, not just to learn, but also to contribute to the talks and debates that will flow from the structured series in the programme above. Having spoken to writer, lecturer and consultant, Alister McReynolds, I can confirm that attendees may enrol on the first night though to be sure of a place, contact Sharon Adams, The Continuing Professional Development Unit on 028 9036 6680 or email the Unit at cpdu@ulster.ac.uk where you will find assistance and advice. The course will cost £30:00 or £15:00 for the entire six week course. As we would say up here in Dalriada, Whur else wud ye get it; sure it's naethin but a fiver a nicht!

Monday 8 October 2007

Forgotten Heroes & Heroines

All too often, society overlooks those who were the real heroes and heroines of the past. We are far too inclined to regale those who became famous and forget all about those who did greater things but in a humble manner. One example of this is the Bell family.

Matthew Bell was born in Kirkconnell, Nithsdale in Dumfriesshire, Scotland. He moved from his native land to Ulster settling in Ballymoney where he had two sons, John and Matthew. Although there is little known about Matthew jnr, John was born somewhere between 1678 and 1679 and eventually sailed for America around 1719.

After about a year in America, John travelled back to Ballymoney to collect his wife Elizabeth and their two daughters. As they sailed back to America, a remarkable incident took place which should have guaranteed Elizabeth's place in history. It was 1772 and the ship the Bell family were aboard was typical of the time and for many it was a maritime morgue, known commonly as a "coffin ship" given the number who died before they reached the far side of the Atlantic.

The captain of the ship was given to bouts of intemperance and "hit the bottle" with little regard for his duties as skipper. As the ship neared America, he slipped into delirium tremens and was unable to steer the ship any further. Of all the passengers on board, only Elizabeth came forward to take control. She did so with confidence and brought the ship, it's passengers and all aboard safley to Boston.

So Elizabeth Bell was not a literary giant nor a painter or actress. She played no part in politics nor did anything of great significance before or after the journey to America. But did she have to? Did saving the lives of those on board the ship not mean that she was a very special lady who deserved to be remembered? I think so and if you agree, post a comment and let's not let this fine Ulster Scots woman be forgotten.

Sunday 7 October 2007

Teach our youth Ullans

All too often, the Ullans language has been misrepresented as a local accent thereby denying it centuries of history and the fact that it is in reality a language in its own right. As parents, we have a duty to encourage our kids to speak Ullans and show them the distinction between our ancient language and its English counterpart. Ir, in ither wurds .................

A Wurd Tae Wur Ain Yins
It haes niver bin aisy fer an Ulster Scot
Makin his wye through schule,
Gien that cas o tha wye he taaks,
He's apt tae bae seen as a fool.
His teachers wull caa it an accent
They micht mock him tae git him tae stap
Taakin in his ain tongue
Whur yinst they'd hae threatened him wie tha strap.
His class wull tak their cue frae tha maister
An goad an jeer tha wean
Fer they hae changed tha wye they taak
Because they're shalla an vain.
So if your wean haes pride in his roots
An wants tae use the Ullans tongue
Then dae aa ye can tae encourage him
Scream Ulster Scotch frae his lungs
Fer he'll fin hissel up agin it
But he haes tae withstaun tha misery
Cas the leid he's taakin is pairt
O hunners o years o history.
Ma ir Da hear these wheen o wurds
An play yer pairt in keepin tha leid alive
Fer wi'oot yer help tha Hamely Tongue
Wull neither keep gan nor thrive
Join iz tha believe in tha Ullans
An git yer weans tae dae tha same forbye
An atween iz aa tha Ulster Scotch
Wull niver iver die.