The Scots Independent Newspaper Online

NEPTUNE WARRIOR

This was the name of a military exercise carried out by British, French, German and US forces around the coast of Scotland from 25 February to 11 March. It is one of a new series called Neptune Warrior of which there are expected to be up to three each year. It includes naval guns firing at Cape Wrath and aircraft bombing nearby Garvie Island.

Explosion on Garvie Island It is worth noting that US shelling exercises were moved from Puerto Rico to Scotland because of local opposition following the use of Depleted Uranium shells at the Vieques range in Puerto Rico.

There was an intention (I don’t know if it actually happened, I expect that it did) to test the new Sonar-2087 submarine detection system. This is acknowledged by the UK government to be harmful to dolphins and whales. Indeed there are reports worldwide of hundreds of whales, dolphins and porpoises beaching themselves and dying in incidents where it was likely they had been disorientated by naval sonar.

whale The scenario that the war-games is based on is too detailed to be laid out here but basically “Brownia” (Scotland) has lots of problems and in-fighting. There is a terrorist group called An-Quaich whose pro-independence operatives hide out on the islands and the forces have to sort it out.

You’ve got to have a scenario for this sort of thing but some more thought should go into it. Brownia? Named after the colour, not the Chancellor of the Exchequer said a spokesperson. Aye, right!

An-Quaich, apart from being Canada’s Scotch Malt Whisky Society, bears a passing resemblance to al-Queda. We have to assume that this occurred to the writers of the scenario. Either they found it funny or they did not notice!

I find it extremely insulting. But then I am just a peace-loving girl, who likes whales, dolphins and porpoises and has a dedicated dislike of Depleted Uranium.

SNOW PARALYSES SCOTLAND

This was the headline in The Herald on Monday. What a blessing that the snow fell overnight on Saturday/Sunday. Fewer people had to go to work on Sunday. I can only speak for the city dweller – two miles from Glasgow City Centre. I can only imagine how the inhabitants of rural Scotland managed. Snow in Scotland There were six inches of snow on top of my car. But the fact that it was a Sunday gave some nice moments too. Children were off to the park with their sledges. There is a good hill in the park and they were having fun. The shops did not have such a good day. Most of the folk they would normally have had in stayed at home – like me.

It was such an extraordinary fall of snow that we can’t really blame the railway and the airports for delays. Local Authorities seemed to be doing their best with gritters and snow ploughs. What I don’t understand is how so many people were cut off from electricity. It seems that around 2000 households were without electricity because of the weather.

That was all fine until I had to go out in the evening to visit my Dad in hospital – in Stirling! Fortunately it can be done nearly all by Motorway so I only had to negotiate to and from the Motorway and that was manageable. But it was a stressful drive and I was glad to get home.

ANNIVERSARY OF HALABJA

Halabja was one of the largest districts of Kurdistan. It was a bustling Kurdish town with a busy commercial sector and a number of Government Offices. Its population fourteen years ago was 80,000 people.

On March 16^th, 1988 – fourteen years ago – Iraq (under the leadership of Saddam Hussein) attacked Halabja. Waves of air strikes occurred several times.

The first raid used napalm and phosphorous which caused things to catch fire. The raid continued for several hours. The planes flew so low one could see clearly their Iraqi markings.

After the raid people began to emerge into the street. In the dim light the people of Halabja could see nightmarish scenes. Dead bodies littered the streets, huddled in doorways, slumped over the wheels of their cars. Survivors stumbled around laughing hysterically before collapsing. The faces of the unsuspecting victims were darkened by poisonous gases.

Those who had the strength fled towards the Iranian border. Those who had been directly exposed found that their symptoms worsened and many children and elderly died on the way.

After Iraqi troops re-took the City of Halabja virtually every structure of the city was razed to the ground – there would be no homes to return to. This tragic event caused the death of over 5,000 people and injured over 20,000. It left a legacy of malformation, infertility and neurological symptoms.

In Queen’s Park, Glasgow there was a tree planted by the Friends of Kurdistan to commemorate this event. I will go, as I have done over the years, with some flowers to remember Halabja.

GROWING OLD GRACEFULLY

Not that it applies to me, of course. At least the gracefully bit. I’ve been retired for four years now and I used to laugh at the retirees who said “Sometimes I wonder where I found the time to work” but it’s true. You volunteer for this and you volunteer for that and suddenly your life is full, and then some.

They have launched a public consultation on ageing, involving people of all ages, which will be used to draw up a blueprint aimed at tackling all related issues. Good. Not before time. More people are getting older all the time and it’s time we had a “Strategy for Scotland with an Ageing Population”.

As long as it’s not suggesting that all pensioners will be a burden on society. As long as it talks about opportunity. It’s a great time of life for many people. You are no longer under the same pressure. You have the time to tackle all the things you wanted to do when you were working and never got round to.

It’s an ambitious project. Five “themes”, each with an advisory group have been set up, a website for contributions has been launched and focus groups to debate particular issues have been formed. Submissions have to be in by June 5 with the Strategy due to be published by the end of the year.

The Working Life of Linda Fabiani MSP

Click here to read SNP MSP Linda Fabiani's working diary.

SYNOPSIS

Friday 10 March

MACASKILL: MINISTERS FAIL TO LEARN FROM FIREARM TRAGEDIES

SCOTLAND MUST BE GIVEN POWERS TO TACKLE AIRGUNS MENACE

SNP Shadow Justice Minister, Kenny MacAskill MSP, accused Labour and Liberal Minister of not learning from past firearms tragedies in Scotland.

Kenny MacAskill Mr MacAskill was commenting as he renewed the SNP's call for immediate licensing powers over airguns to be transferred to the Scottish Parliament to allow Scotland to tackle the airguns menace. He said:

"One year on from the tragic case of Andrew Morton, who died after being shot by an airgun, and ten years on from Dunblane, ministers have obstinately refused to act in the best interests of Scotland and secure the necessary powers to tackle this menace head-on.

Barely a week goes by without some kind of airgun-related incident being reported. Yet the only action taken was last year's token airgun amnesty, which only removed 913 air weapons from the streets. Meanwhile, people continue to be injured and, in some cases, killed by air weapons, while animals are also suffering as thugs use them for target practice.

This Lib/Lab Executive cannot act and the Westminster government has failed to act to tackle the airguns menace. We need real action to combat the dangers of airgun misuse. A strict licensing scheme covering the sale, purchase and use of airguns is the only effective way of dealing with this issue. The airgun menace that afflicts Scotland must be addressed. Only by giving the Scottish Parliament full powers to deal with airguns can we deal comprehensively with this issue."

Sunday, March 12th

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS MAKE EXECUTIVE'S POSITION ON McKIE 'UNSUSTAINABLE'

Pressure for a full inquiry into the case of Shirley McKie increased further after a Labour back bencher and convener of the Scottish Parliament's Justice 1 Committee, Pauline McNeill, threatened to force a parliamentary inquiry into the McKie scandal and "hold ministers to account" unless they provide crucial answers about the case.

Nicola Sturgeon Also revelations about the Arlene Fraser case poured more pressure on the Lord Advocate as he called for an inquiry into the conviction of Nat Fraser but still refuses to accept one for the Shirley McKie case.

Commenting on the latest developments SNP Deputy Leader, Nicola Sturgeon MSP, said:

"The Labour and Liberal Democrat position on the McKie case is now unsustainable with these latest developments. If the Lord Advocate is prepared to order an inquiry into the Nat Fraser case then he has no grounds for refusing one on the ongoing cover-up concerning Shirley McKie.

If Labour backbenchers are calling for Minister to be held to account then their backbench support is crumbling. Many must be asking why they are holding to an indefensible position to protect a former LibDem Minister.

By refusing a full and public judicial inquiry the only people they will hurt are themselves and they know that as the air of cover up and duplicity permeates the public's consciousness. Democracy has a habit of catching up with the politicians who put their own narrow interests first and the Labour backbenchers know that.

Monday 13th March 2006

ANOTHER MISSED OPPORTUNITY AS SCOTLAND'S WAVE TECHNOLOGY SAILS FOR PORTUGAL

As Ocean Power Delivery's Pelamis wave energy device prepares to depart Stornoway for assembly in Portugal, SNP Shadow Energy and Environment Minister Richard Lochhead MSP accused the Labour and Lib Dem Government of missing a golden opportunity by allowing the Portuguese to score a world first by installing a commercial wave energy scheme. Pelamis will generate electricity for Portuguese homes despite the technology being developed here in Scotland.

Richard Lochhead Mr Lochhead MSP said:

If the slow-coaches in the Labour and Lib Dem administration had got their act together, the world's first commercial wave energy project could have been installed in our own waters rather than Portugal's. Instead of by-passing opportunities to invest in our environment as well as the Scottish company that has developed the technology, the Scottish Government must realise they have missed this opportunity and do everything possible to make up lost ground.

This week is a milestone for one of Scotland's leading edge renewables companies, but the Portuguese must be delighted that the Scottish and UK Governments were caught napping which allowed them to seize the initiative.

The company behind Pelamis has received a paltry £3m in financial support so it is no wonder it turned to the Portuguese who were ready and willing to promote the technology. Only after the Portuguese spotted an opportunity did Scottish and UK Ministers finally waken up to the potential on their own doorsteps. Yet, the UK Government bends over backwards to fund the nuclear industry to the tune of tens of billions of pounds.

If Scotland is to become a renewables powerhouse and develop clean and safe energy technologies then the departure from Scotland of ground breaking new technology must serve as a wake up call for the Labour and Lib Dem Government. It is unacceptable that Scotland has the expertise to lead the world in renewables technology but not the Government to support it."

Wednesday 15th March 2006

SCOTLAND MUST BE GIVEN GREEN CARD SYSTEM

SNP CALLS FOR SCOTTISH SOLUTION TO SCOTTISH MIGRATION CRISIS

SNP Shadow Justice Minister, Kenny MacAskill MSP, and SNP Shadow Enterprise Minister, Jim Mather MSP, renewed their calls for a Scottish Green Card system. Mr MacAskill and Mr Mather made the call as they highlighted research which follows recent "inadequate" Home Office proposals on immigration and reveals Fresh Talent to be "an abject failure".

Mr MacAskill said:

Fresh Talent has been an abject failure and the Home Office's new immigration scheme falls woefully short of tackling the specific problems facing Scotland. Ireland has already benefited from a Green Card scheme to target skilled workers. Arguably, Scotland has an even greater need. However, even without independence, powers can and must be given. In South Australia distinct powers are provided to address its specific needs and wants. The same applies in Canada with Quebec.

Jim Mather A Green Card system allows Scotland as a nation to do what Scots have done as individuals. For generations and it is still on-going - whether USA, Canada or Australia, skilled workers in Scotland have been targeted for emigration. This gives us the powers to reverse the brain drain and to recruit the skilled workers we want and our society needs. If Scotland is to compete with its international neighbours on an even playing field, then powers of immigration must be transferred to the Scottish Parliament. If we are to compete with our neighbour Ireland and recruit adequate skilled workers, then at minimum we need the powers that are available to a Canadian province or an Australian state.

A Scottish Green Card would create a targeted approach to immigration which would reflect the needs of the economy and the demographic challenges Scotland faces. Only when immigration powers are devolved will we be able to find a Scottish solution to this most serious of Scottish problems."

Mr Mather added:

"It is vitally important for Scotland's economy that we seriously address the issue of immigration and the need for Scotland to recruit and retain more people. Fresh Talent is clearly not the answer and the new immigration system from the Home Office, instead of offering a competitive advantage for Scotland puts us back on the same playing field as the rest of the UK.

We have fallen behind and are falling even further behind. The only area where we have seen any tangible success is in attracting migrants from new member states, but even there Ireland received in a year five times as many as Scotland did in 18 months.

The only way we will reach Scotland's full potential, grow our economy and respond to the demographic problems facing Scotland is with an immigration system designed for Scotland and controlled by Scotland."

Gordon & Carmen Wright

Second-hand, Fine & Rare Scottish Books.

Regular catalogues issued by email. To subscribe, email us at: Gordon.Wright11@btopenworld.com

Gordon Wright’s Scottish Photo Library

Spanning forty-five years and featuring a wide variety of illustrations in colour and black and white covering all aspects of Scottish life from Orkney to the Border country. Thousands of personality portraits.

Images for reproduction. Prints for collectors.

Gordon.Wright11@btopenworld.com

SNP Bannockburn Branch are holding a Haddie Tea in the Terraces Hotel Stirling on Sunday 19th March 2006 - 2.30 for 3 pm; tickets £10.00, include entertainment by Hame Brew from 4pm - 6 pm.

Tickets for the entertainment only are £3.00: Telephone Alastair Walker - 01786 814523.

Concert for Congo

Crossing Borders

Au-delà des frontières

Songs of France, Scotland and Ireland

The Byrnes in concert

Glasgow, 18 & 19 March

The Byrnes – Anne-Marie, Eileen, Michel and Patrick – will be in concert on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 March 2006, at 7 p.m. at the James Arnott Theatre, in the Gilmorehill G12 Centre (9 University Avenue), Glasgow.

Tickets: £12 (concession £6)
from box office: 0141 330 5522
boxoffice@gilmorehillg12.co.uk

The four musicians will perform songs from France, Scotland and Ireland, their countries of origin, and accompany themselves on guitars, keyboards, whistles, mouth organ and drums (bodhrán, djembe and cajón). The programme will include a variety of types of music: traditional and more recent songs, in French, English and Gaelic.

The proceeds of both evenings, entitled 'Crossing Borders – Au-delà des frontières', will go to a reconstruction project in Kinkala, in the part of Congo-Brazzaville worst hit by successive civil wars between 1997 and 2003. Sales of the Byrne family's CD, also entitled 'Crossing Borders' (September 2004), have so far raised a total of over £12 000 for the same project.

In the concerts on 18 and 19 March, which are sponsored by the Alliance Française de Glasgow, the Byrnes will be accompanied in some pieces by Elodie Malanda (from Luxembourg) on the flute and Orna Gilchrist (from Edinburgh) on the fiddle. The programme will include songs from their 'Crossing Borders' CD, but also a number of other items from their multicultural repertoire.

* * *

Anne-Marie, Michel and Patrick Byrne, whose mother is French and father Scottish/Irish, were born and bred in Glasgow. With their four other brothers and sisters, they began at an early age to sing songs and play music from their three countries of origin and to perform in public. Although the three of them see less of each other nowadays, scattered as they are (Anne-Marie in the Lake District, Michel in Edinburgh and Patrick in Luxembourg), they haven't lost the urge to sing as a group. They have got together at regular intervals over the last few years to work on new material and to devise their own arrangements. Patrick's eldest daughter, Eileen, who grew up in Luxembourg, joined them for the first time on stage in 2003 and is now a fully-fledged member of the group

16 March 2005
It was announced that Jenners, Edinburgh’s most famous store, was to be sold to its rival House of Fraser, ending the family-run institution’s 167 years of independence. Jenners was set up by Charles Jenner and Charles Kennington in 1838, trading as Kennington & Jenners. From 1881 the store was under the control of the Douglas Miller Family and was renamed Jenners in 1924.

17 March 1927
Death of James Scott Skinner, ‘The Strathspey King’, noted fiddler and composer, at Aberdeen.

Tom Weir in 2003 17 March 1996
The Queen visited Dunblane to meet the families of victims of the school massacre and lead the country in a minute’s silence at 9.30am in memory of the 16 children and a teacher who died.

18 March 1983
The Oliver Brown Award was presented for the first time to the climber, naturalist, explorer and writer Tom Weir. The Award is presented annually by the Scots Independent newspaper.

19 March 1707
Official copy of the Act of Union between Scotland and England was signed by the Scottish Chancellor.

“The independence and sovereignty of the Kingdom, both with this dispising and contemning remark ‘Now there’s ane end of ane old song’.”

Lockhart of Carnwath Papers I. 223.

19 March 1813
Birth of Dr David Livingstone, missionary and legendary African explorer, at Blantyre.

20 March 1141
Birth of Malcolm IV, The Maiden, King of Scots, eldest of the three sons of Earl Henry (died 1151) the only son of David I. He succeeded his grandfather in 1153 at the age of 12. He died at Jedburgh in 1165 and was succeeded by his much more forceful brother William I, The Lion.

22 March 1994
Electors in Strathclyde voted overwhelmingly in a referendum to reject Westminster Government plans to take water out of local authority control in Scotland.

23 March 2003
Scott Harrison retained the WBO Featherweight title with a comprehensive 12 round points win over former WBC Bantamweight champion Wayne McCullough, Ireland, at Braehead.

See Dates in History in our Features Section

SCOTTISH QUOTATIONS

I like to have quotations ready for every occasions - they give one's ideas so pat and save one the trouble of finding expression adequate to one's feeling.

Robert Burns

We continue our new Feature in this section of the Flag - Scottish Quotations - statements in prose and verse which reflect all aspects of Scottish life and outlook from the 13^th century to the present day. New quotes added every week. The quotations are not restricted to native Scots but include observations from abroad which help us, in the words of our National Bard, Robert Burns, "To see oursels as others see us!

Anonymous (13^th Century)

Quhen Alessandre oure King wes deid
That Scotland lede in luf and le'
Awa wes sonse of aill and breid,
Off wyne and walx, of gamyn and gle;
Oure gold wes chngeit into leid,
The frute wes falyeit fra everie tree'
Christ, born into virgynyte'
Succour Scotland and remeid,
That stad is in perplexitie !

(Quoted by Andrew Wyntoun – Orygynale Cronykill of Scotland)

Giuseppe Mazzini (1805-1872)

Wallace stands forth from the dim twilight of the past as one of the High Prophets of Nationality to us all. Honour him; worship his memory; teach his name and deeds to your children.

Sir Henry Morton Stanley (born John Rowlands) (1841-1904)

Dr Livingstone, I presume?

(How I Found Livingstone 1872)

Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson (1850-1894)

To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive, and the true success is to labour.

(El Dorado)

Sir William Wallace (c1270-1305)

When I was a lad in charge of my uncle the Priest of Dunipace one proverb more precious than all the riches of the world he taught me which has ever lived in my memory :-

                        Dico tibi verum; Libertas optima rerum
                        Nunquam servili sub nesu, vivito fili!
                                    My son, I tell thee soothfastlie
                                    No gift is like to liberty.
                                    Then never live in slaverie.

(Words attributed to Sir William Wallace – John of Fordun)

See Scottish Quotations in our Features Section

SING A SANG AT LEAST
(compiled by Peter D Wright)

"That I for poor auld Scotland's sake
Some useful plan or book could make
Or sing a sang at least ........"

- Robert Burns

THE DONIBRISTLE MOSSMORRAN MINING DISASTER
James R Murray

The Dinibristle Mossmorran Mining Disaster

On the twenty-sixth of August, our fatal moss gave way.
Although we did our level best, its course we couldn’t stay.
Ten precious lives there were at stake,”Who’ll save them?” was the cry;
“We’ll bring them to the surface, or along with them we’ll die.”

There was Rattery and McDonald, Hynd and Paterson.
Too well they knew the danger and the risk they had to run.
They never stopped to count the cost; “We’ll save them,”was the cry;
“We’ll bring them to the surface or along with them we’ll die.”

They stepped upon the cage, they were ready for the fray.
They all meant business as they belled themselves away.
Soon they reached the bottom, far from the light of day,
And went to search the workings, and Tom Rattery led the way.

They lost their lives, God help them. Ah, yes it was a fact,
Someone put in a stopping and they never did get back.
Was that not another blunder? My God, it was a sin.
To put a stopping where they did, it closed our heroes in,

We never shall forget them, though they have lost their lives,
So let us pay attention to their children and their wives.
It simply is our duty now, and let us all beware.
Their fathers died a noble death and left them in our care.

Footnote: A poignant song remembering a mining disaster in Fife. The Donibristle Mossmorran mining disaster occurred on 26 August 1901 when part of the Mossmorran peat bog near Cowdenbeath collapsed on sixteen miners 360 feet underground. Four miners were lost as was the four-strong rescue party honoured in the song. At the time there were numerous ballads written regarding the disaster, but this one has stood the test of time and was written by James R Murray of Cowdenbeath.

See the SING A SANG AT LEAST in our features section

TRIBUTE TO UILLEAM MacCALUIM / WILLIAM McCALLUM (1947-2005)

Celtic League member Bill McCallum passed away on 2 September 2995. Bill was interested in Home Rule for Scotland and for all other fourth world nations from a young age. He traced much of his interest to an article which appeared in the Daily Express in the 1950s about a fluent Cornish speaking couple who married through the medium of the language.

UILLEAM MacCALUIM / WILLIAM McCALLUM Bill studied law at Glasgow University and worked at Glasgow Corporation (and later Glasgow District Council) in the town Clerk’s Conveyencing Department from 1967 until taking early retirement in 1996.

Bill had many different interests. He was interested in history, politics and world affairs. He loved books and had an extensive library. He was passionately interested in languages. He especially loved Esparanto which he spoke fluently and Gaelic which he learnt to read and write fluently. He was interested in all the Celtic languages and had a particular soft spot for Cornish. He was strongly opposed to linguistic imperialism and to the worldwide spread of the English language.

Since he retired he had been working on an extensive Gaelic dictionary which his son A;asdair is going to complete. Just before his death, he had been learning Chinese, Latin and Ancient Greek.

Bill was a member of the Scottish National Party and of the Celtic League since he was a boy. He frequently wrote articles for Carn on Gaelic related issues and said that the happiest day of his life was 11 September 1997 when Scotland voted decisively for Home Rule. He also believed firmly in the rights of all stateless nations worldwide and supported the autonomy movements and language movements for all small and endangered nations worldwide whether close to home such as Wales, Cornwall or the Isle of Man or further afield such as the Baltic States and Kosova. Bill was also committed to a range of other progressive causes related to the environment and social justice.

Bill suffered from a neurological condition which affected his mobility from the late 1980s onwards and for which he had major surgery in 1988. This meant that his daily activities were restricted and that he was unable to undertake all the things he would have liked. However, he contented himself at home with his books and computers. Unfortunately, over the last year, his general health deteriorated, culminating in his admission to the Royal Infirmary at the end of August. He is survived by his wife Maureen and children Alasdair and Mairead.

Alasdair MacCaluim

Reprinted. with thanks, from CARN – magazine of the Celtic League – Number 132 Winter 2005

SCOTTISH FOOD, TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS

See our Scottish Food, Traditions and Customs in our Features section

A KIST O FERLIES
A Keek at the Guid Scots Tung

By Peter & Marilyn Wright
(Note: All words underlined in this section are RealAudio links)

camsteerie: giddy ; unruly ; wild
cornkister: farmworkers' song
dunt: blow ; bump ; knock
mishanter: accident ; calamity ; mischance
preses: chairman ; president
stey: steep

Tak a guid bucket: Be a heavy drinker

Quhen Alessandre oure King wes deid
That Scotland lede in luf and le'
Awa wes sonse of aill and breid,
Off wyne and walx, of gamyn and gle;
Oure gold wes chngeit into leid,
The frute wes falyeit fra everie tree'
Christ, born into virgynyte'
Succour Scotland and remeid,
That stad is in perplexitie !

frae Wyntoun's Original Chronykil - Andrew Wyntoun ( 1350? - 1425?)

GOLDEN AGE WREATH-LAYING
SUNDAY 19 MARCH 2006

Saltire wreath

A wreath in memory of Alexander III, King of Scots,(1249 - 1286), and The Golden Age of Scottish History will be laid at the Alexander III Monument, Pettycur, Kinghorn, Fife on Sunday 19 March at 12 noon.

Alexander tragically died on a stormy night 720 years ago on 19 March 1286 as he returned from a meeting in Edinburgh to Kinghorn Castle. Building on the sure foundation laid by his father, Alexander II, Alexander The Peacable secured Scotland's frontiers and left a heritage of peace and prosperity.

Poets and historians have looked upon his reign as The Golden Age of Scottish history.

COMPLETE POEMS

Aince Mair
by Peter D Wright

Fir Hamish MacQueen

Click here to listen to this in Real Audio read by Peter D Wright
Aince mair we tryst at The Bleck Stane
Fir ti mynd o Alexander's byous gowden ring.
Aince mair we lig a Saltire wraith
Fir ti mynd o Scotland's byornar 'Gowden Age'.

Aince mair we tryst at The Bleck Stane
Fir ti mynd our fella Scots o days langsyne.
Aince mair we herk at spikkars braw
Fir ti mynd o Scotland - Independent an Fre.

Aince mair we tryst at The Bleck Stane
Fir ti mynd o hou Alexander keppit Scotland Fre.
Aince mair we think oan his smeddom an ingyne
Fir ti mynd o hou he wadna bou ti thraldome.

Aince mair we tryst at The Bleck Stane
Fir ti mynd o hou Alexander biggit Scottish unitie.
Aince mair we tak tent tae spiks o lown an bienness
Fir ti mynd o huo our forefowk bacam Scots leal.

Aince mair we tryst at The Bleck Stane
Fir ti mynd at Scotland maitters abune aw.
Aince mair we tak, ilka ane, a hinmaist thocht
Fir ti mynd at Scotland aye neids remeid.

Peter D Wright
6 April 2005

See Scots Language in our Features Section
for other poems, stories, songs, sayings, jokes and words in the Scots language

SCOT WIT

Enjoy a Scottish Joke every week and listen to it as well

Practical Solution

Young John was noted in the village and beyond as a staunch and rabid tee-totaller. To the genuine surprise of his parents - who were equally strict where 'drink' was concerned - he had announced his engagement to a young lady who had recently succeeded to a thriving public house.

But young John faced a problem. He explained to his father that he would be required to live in the business premises and had as 'mine host' to join his customers in an occasional friendly drink. Here was a dilemma - and what did his father think?

John senior nodded slowly and promised to give the problem careful thought. The next day he announced that he had seen the light.

"Weill John" he said "yir mither an me kin see whit a sair temptation it wull be wi sae muckle drink aboot. Bit we baith ken fine that business is business an we see nae hairm in yir haen a bittie drink whiles wi the customers - as lang as ye dinna enjoy it!"

Click here to listen to this joke

Read and listen to Jokes in our Scot Wit section