Us Boys

Filmed over four years, this documentary follows the daily lives of Ernie & Stewart Morrow, bachelor brothers who farm Oldchurch in Glenarm, Co. Antrim. 


These two old Ulster-Scots farmers want nothing to do with the modern world and are content with a simple, traditional lifestyle (free from the interference of women).

Part 1 of 4

Wurd o tha week - Thrane

This weeks wurd is Thrane

Meaning award or stubborn
Haes as thran as Donkey
This is one of my favourite Ulster-Scots wurds.

Ma oul freen Mr Thompson suggested-
As thran as a bag o weasels or As thran es a bag o' Whutricks (Stoats)
Done oor wye it wus,  Thran es a bag o' Wullicks

Whuch brought tae mine yin anither variation A herd brave an aftin:
Crabbit as a bag o' weasels.

Wurd o tha Week - Dinnle

This weeks wurd o tha week is Dinnle oor Dinnlin
Meaning - tingle or reverbaerating

Efter Ah wus caned, ma han wus dinnlin fer hoors.

PALE AN WHITE AN RID AA IVER

Fae tha pen o an Aul Han

(This article was first published in the Belfast Newsletter on 2nd June 2012)

Pale an white an rid aa iver

Ma Granny aye said, “thurs nithin as hard on weans as tha sun.” Am thinking thur’s mony’s a yin roon tha country haes fun thon oot iver tha past wheen o days. Fer A hae loast coont o tha number o scalded folk A hae seen waakin aroon tha toon.

Noo, gettin burnt no oanythin new. A hae mine o mony’s a rid neck fae getherin prootas as a wean. Bit thurs nae caa fer it noo. Tha chemist shaps ir fair hotchin wae bricht yella bottles guaranteed tae stap tha sin fae strippin tha hide o ye. Mind ye it aye struck mae as sorta odd that tha next shelf wus fill’d wae rows o pale blue bottles tae gae ye ease efter tha yella yins haenae worked.

I hae a notion that thon wee bottles ir gan tae git a workin this week as wae aa gether tae celebrate Her Majesty’s Jubilee. Mind ye if folk can git a howl o simthin blue, aa thon rid an white airms wavin aroon wull luk quare an patriotic .

Noo fer aa tha readers o ' Fae tha pen o an Aul Han' am gan tae let ye in on an oul Ulster-Scots secret that guarantees yin hunner percent prevention o sunburn on amaist ivery pairt o tha boady. This oul remedy haes bin hand'd doon fae generation tae generation in mae femly. Ma faither swore by it, an haes faither afore thon, an whiles a locth o folk ir gan tae doot ye whun ye tell thum whut ye hae learnt ye can lee bak an think o aa tha siller ye ir savin fae no haein tae buy oany o thon yella bottles. Ye see tha secret tae avoidin sunburn iz, keep yer claes on. Ay it micht soond far fetched tae oor modern waes o thinking bit if ye gae it a go I ken ye'll bae pleased wae tha ootcum. Until next week, " Lang mae yer lum reek an yer spicket dribble".

Wurd o tha Week

Tha Wurd fer tha Week

Whammle

Meaning: upturn, fling over, over throw

Thon poor creeter haes whammled her

Wurd o tha Week

Tha wurd fer tha week:
Chullers  (occasionally - chulders)


Meaning - jowls
This poor creeter haes quare chullers

Ullans Number 12 - Solace

The good people at the Ulster-Scots Language Society were kind enough to publish two of the poems I wrote last year in the latest edition of Ullans Magazine. They were also generous enough to provide some much needed editorial advice, for which I am greatly indebted. Below I have included my poem Solace which appears on page 23 of Issue 12

                                           

Solace

Tae danner doon loast loanins

Whaur time hings thick as stoor;

An skellied een can aftimes glean

Aa that cam afore.

Tae lay agin a waarm stane waa

That croons a drumlins heid,

Betwixt tha plan o God an man

An free fae unco need.

Tae sklent tha breakers’ fickle pad,

As spate owertaks tha lan,

And ower thair bak tae learn tae tak

Solace frae tireless plan.

Tae turn yinst mair an mak fur hame

Whane’er tha day iz gan –

Oor peace new-made wi him ’at sayed

Be still, an know I am.

                                             

D. Gibson,  2011