2nd Causeway Dulcimer Festival
Bushmills, Co. Antrim, Ulster
2nd to 4th June - 2006
hdd
[Nat Magee's copy of John Rea's Dulcimer]
[Photo by Rick Davis]
 
Patron - Hector MacDonnell cbg Glenarm Castle Co. Antrim
 
PERF3PERF1PERF4STBCGPERF2PERF5
 
North Antrim Rhymes
 
Revival
 
In the past ten years or so, there has been a revival of interest in Ulster-Scots culture and language is well. People are recognising that a form of speech once used in the countryside, and often described as "poor English" in the classroom, is a legitimate and vital part of their heritage.
English is the main language used by people living in Northern Ireland, but the language, or dialect, of folk in rural areas of County Antrim is a little more colourful than BBC English.
Ulster-Scots, or Ullans, is actually a variant of the lowland Scots language, or Lallans.
 
James Fenton
 
If you would like to read more, check out James Fenton's book 'The Hamely Tongue'
James Fenton spent the first 18 years of his life in the countryside a few miles south of Ballymoney, where the great majority of the people speak broad Ulster-Scots. His book is a dictionary of sorts, a collection of Ulster-Scots words and phrases currently in use in Country Antrim.
James published his first collection of poetry 'Thonner an Thon' in 2001 (also published by Ullans, the publishing house of The Ulster-Scots Language Society)
 
James Orr, the Bard of Ballycarry
 
The weaver poet James Orr, the Bard of Ballycarry, was one of the leaders in historic Ulster-Scots Literature. He was the finest of Ulster’s weaver poets. His finest poem is entitled ‘The Irish Cottier’s Death and Burial’.
 
Ulster-Scots Language Society
 
For the last decade, the Ulster-Scots Language Society has promotedthe Ulster-Scots language in literature and native speech.
 
Twa North Antrim Rhymers:
 
Here's a wee Rhyme, Charlie Gillen wrote to celebrate the launch of our wee group, 'Scad the Beggars', which promotes North Antrim Music, Song & Rhyme.
The following rhyme won North Antrim Rhymer a prize, in 'The ULSTER SCOT' paper:
   

'SCAD THE BEGGARS'

WE’LL TAK YE BACK TAE GRANNY,
WAE HER SKILLET ON THE CROOK,
THE RECIPES O’ YISTERYEAR,
THEY NIVIR LEEV’T WITHIN A BOOK.

CHORUS
SCAD THE BEGGARS, MEALIE CRUSHIE,
YE CAN CA’ IT WHAT YE CAN,
OATEN MALE AN BACON CREESH,
TASTY FRYIN IN THE PAN.

WE HANNAE GOT THE OAT MEAL,
NOR HAE WE A FRYIN PAN,
BUT WERE HERE TAE ENTERTAIN YE
WI THE SCAD THE BEGGARS BAND.

COME BACK IN TIME A DANNER ,
JOOST COME WAE US FOR A WHILE,
TAE HEAR THE TUNES AN SANGS AN STORIES ,
THAT ARE SURE TAE YE BEGUILE.

HOOCH, CLAP AN JOIN THE FUN ,
AN WATCH YER CARES A' FLEE AWA’,
AN GIN YE’D AYE KEN THE CHORUS ,
THEN YE AW CAN SING AWA’ .

SHUT YER EEN AN DRIFT AWA ,
FOR MEMORIES O’ TIMES LANG GAN ,
ON THE SHIP O' DREAMS COME SAILIN ,
WAE THE SCAD THE BEGGARS BAND.

Charlie 'The Wizard' Gillen

WAE GOD ON THEIR SIDE

Thae left hame in hunners wae nae thochts o' fear,
An tha hale countryside cum oot for tae cheer,
These young men o' Ulster their ain kith an kin,
Wha wae God on their side thae kent thae wud win.

A wheen cum bak hame in wee dribs an' drabs,
Tae silent sad faces an tha soun o' oul weeman's sabs,
For sae mony wur slachtered wae God on their side,
But thae a dee'd brav heroes tae stap Deil's tide.

But that wus lang sine an folk shane forgot,
Nae time for remembrance, nae time for regret,
Naw even twa minits o' their silence tae spare,
For wae God on their side shure thae dinnae care.

Charlie 'Tha Poocher' Reynolds
 
 
 

If you would like to read more of their poems, visit my rhyme page at: cbg North Antrim Rhymes
 
Or visit their website at: Or visit their website at: cbg The Twa Charlies - Gillen & Reynolds
 

EXPLORE THESE LINKS TO LEARN MORE:

Ulster-Scots Agency cbg

Ulster-Scots Online cbg

The Ulster Scots cbg

European Registration Form

cbg3 E-mail Dick Glasgow

cbg2 Back to C D F Home

cbg1