Episode 1 The Gaitherin

I practice about three times a week at home.

This year, there are a whole load of different competitions

and events, such as the Londonderry Tattoo,

the World Championships in Glasgow,

the Portrush competition

and other concerts along the way.

I've got all the tunes for the World Championships

and it was a bit difficult,

but hopefully I can perfect it by the time the competition comes up

'I have never been to a pipe band championship before,

'because I haven't really been in a competition band.'

I am extremely nervous, because I've never even seen a competition before

so I don't know what it's going to be like, me playing in one.

PIPES PLAY

Well, when I first got them,

they were quite hard to blow,

but now I can blow them for longer and I'm used to them now.

'I'm taking part in the All Ireland Solo Championships

'and I'm looking forward to it.'

It's different, cos it's more nervous,

cos you're playing on your own and everything.

I'm going to be making a video diary of me

practising and improving my playing for the solos.

So I'm going to be making a few videos.

'I like going to the different places and talking with friends

'and meeting up with them more often and everything.'

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Aren't they just brilliant?

Kyle and Zoe.

And, would you like to know how they're getting on?

CROWD: Yeah!

Well, do you know what?

We're going to be following them every inch of the way.

Now, Leanne, when people first came over here from Scotland,

where did they come from, why did they come, what's the story there?

Hamilton and Montgomery were two gentlemen

who had got land in this area.

They were Scottish and they needed to have people in their land,

so they gave out the land at low rents and people

came from Scotland for the chance to make a better life for themselves.

We have in the museum a series of maps from 1624 and 1625

which show just how successful it was.

What's particularly associated with this area is

the story of Eagle Wing.

Yeah, well, the thing is sometimes the grass isn't always greener.

So the people came from Scotland, bu they were seeking religious freedom.

They didn't have what they wanted here.

So they set out on a journey in September 1636, 140 passengers,

and they were going to America to seek this freedom.

The sad thing is, they were probably nearer America

than they were here, but they encountered bad storms

and decided to turn back.

Thanks very much, Leanne. Thank you.

Now, we're talking about a story from a few hundred years ago,

but, actually, we have a couple who came over from Scotland today.

Mary and Robert Erskine, hello to you both. You're very welcome.

Now, tell us about where you're from, Mary?

Portpatrick in Scotland.

OK, so only a few miles from where we are in Groomsport. OK.

And what about yourself, Robert?

Portpatrick, but I'm originally Donaghadee.

How did you meet?

We met on a ferry. Stranraer to Larne. Right.

LAUGHTER

I was going to a country and western festival in Larne

and Robert was going home to play rugby.

And what happened? Come on?

Two months later, he asked me out.

And we're still here together after 32 years.

Oh, that is lovely.

So, it was love at first sight, Robert?

Took me two months to realise it.

LAUGHTER

He's a bit of a slow mover.

Well, we are very glad to have you with us tonight.

We've got this living connection between Northern Ireland

and Scotland in the very room. So, thanks very much for joining us.

Right, time for a little bit more music.

# As I went out to take a little walk

# I came across that Wild Bill Jones

# He was walkin' and a-talkin' by my true lover's side

# I bid him to leave her alone

# He said my age is about 21

# Too old to be controlled

# I drew my revolver from my side

# Destroyed that poor boy's soul

# So pass around that longneck bottle

# We'll all go out on a spree

# For today is the last of Wild Bill Jones

# Tomorrow be the last of me

# Woo... #

# He reeled and he staggered and he fell to the ground

# He gave one dying moan

# I threw my arms around my true lov

# Sayin' "Darlin', won't you please come home?"

# So pass around that longneck bottle

# We'll all go out on a spree

# For today is the last of Wild Bill Jones

# Tomorrow'll be the last of me...

CROWD: Woo!

# They put me in jail for 20 long years

# This poor boy longs to be free

# For Wild Bill Jones and that longneck bottle

# They've made a ruin of me

# So pass around that longneck bottle

# We'll all go out on a spree

# For today is the last of Wild Bill Jones

# Tomorrow be the last of me... #

# So pass around that longneck bottle

# We'll all go out on a spree

# For today is the last of Wild Bill Jones

# Tomorrow be the last of me. #

CHEERING

Brilliant. Thank you very much.

Obviously, it's gone down very well with our audience.

Very, very well.

So, Wilson Davies, just tell me a little bit about this

connection there is between Irish Scots music and bluegrass.

So, what is the story of that?

Basically, when they emigrated out to America,

at first it was actually called old-timey music.

Still going, mind you.

And then it developed into the bluegrass.

and, more importantly, their music out with them.

And they liked the sound of the bagpipes, the drone of the bagpipes.

They were actually expensive and hard to make, bagpipes,

and hard to keep in tune.

So they actually cross tuned the fiddles.

Why were they difficult to keep in tune?

Well, just the humidity and what have you

and, probably, we're talking quite a long time ago as well.

They actually developed a fifth string on the banjo,

which gave the banjo a drone.

So it was a drone that they were looking for? That "vrrr" sound?

Yes. They're looking for the drone.

And so we can actually demonstrate some of the music that went across.

We'll play first of all a tune that probably left from here

Americans developed it or adapted it.

And they generally will go up a key and play it a lot faster.

THEY PLAY MID-TEMPO FOLK TUNE

There. Great sound. Now, how did it change, what did it sound like?

Well, again, what they'd do is they'd up the key,

and this is how it goes.

THEY PLAY UP-TEMPO FOLK SONG

AUDIENCE CLAP ALONG

Oh, it's just... CHEERING

That is lovely.

It just explains the difference so well. Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Now, we're going to move from music to poetry,

because Anne Morrison-Smyth

took herself off to Kesh Primary School in Fermanagh.

She went there to teach the young primary-school children

how to perform Ulster-Scots poetry,

so let's see how they got on.

CHILDREN: Hello, Anne. Hello, weans.

Our second name, Archer,

is an Ulster-Scots second name.

My relatives spoke in Ulster-Scots,

so I'm kind of used to Ulster-Scots.

Well, the language is different,

and it's a different texture to what you usually are saying.

They use different words and they...

They always make sense.

I think it'll be really fun.

So, weans, the poem that we're going to do the day is Yin Tae A Hunner.

There's some very difficult words in this poem,

and you know the sound that I like to hear in Ulster-Scots poetry.

And what is it?

CHILDREN: Echt! Echt!

We like to get that good guttural sound, don't we?

And whenever we're listening to your poetry,

that's the sound that everybody listens for

in good Ulster-Scots speakers.

Does everybody understand the poem?

No. OK, what do yous not understand.

What's "a'll coont ocht at ye a" mean?

Well, "a'll" is I will.

"Coont" is count.

"Ocht" is a funny word, isn't it?

CHILDREN: Yeah.

"Ocht" means anything.

Anything.

"I can count to anything, you all."

What does "Hi, am I naw quare an nifty" mean?

"Hi, am I naw quare an nifty."

That means "I'm the girl, or I'm the boy.

"I can count!"

What does "it's getting a weethin wechtie" mean?

"It's getting a weethin wechtie."

Well, that comes whenever you get to the length of "echty"

here in the poem.

"But at saxty, seiventy an echty

"It's getting a weethin wechtie."

"Wechtie" means it's getting a wee bit too much now.

Well, he listened to you for you started counting at one,

and now we're at 80, so we're getting a bit "mmm".

So that's what it means. A wee thin waity. Waity.

So if I count you in,

will you read through the poem for me? OK?

Yin, twa, three.

ALL: "Yin Tae A Hunner."

Yin twa an three

Coontins nae bother tae me

Fower, five an sax

A'll coont ocht a ye a

Seiven echt an nine Aa the nummers A hae mine

Ten, eleiven, twal

Cud coont fae a cud cral

There's thirteen, fowerteen an fifteen

Saxteen, seiventeen an echteen

There's nineteen, twonty an mair

But shair A dinnae care

Thurty, fowerty an fifty Hi, am I naw quare an nifty

But at saxty, seiventy an echty

It's getting a weethin wechtie

At ninety an a hunner

A'll stap-afore A scunner.

CHEERING

Abi. Abi, that was absolutely fantastic.

Do you enjoy doing Ulster-Scots poetry?

Of course, because I like saying, like,

all the "A'll stop-afore A scunner" and stuff!

Aren't they the most brilliant words? Yeah. I know.

And, you know, you just perform it so well.

How is it that you manage to do that?

Do you talk Ulster-Scots at home?

Yes. My relatives used to speak Ulster-Scots.

Yeah. People like? My great-auntie and my great-uncle.

So you've heard it, and here you are performing it now.

Do you know, you're so good at it.

When there's family gatherings, do they say, "Come on, Abi,

we want to have a wee bit of Ulster-Scots poetry?" Sometimes.

Yeah, they better.

Because they're in for a treat. It's absolutely lovely,

and we are just delighted to have her with us this evening. Thank you.

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

Now, Leanne, every time I come round the back here

I see these lovely little cottages.

They're called cockle cottages.

Cockle Row, yes. They are old fishermen's cottages.

We don't really know the age of them

Some historians say they're from the 17th century,

which would be exactly the time of the Plantation

and the people coming over here. But, yeah, they're lovely.

So we new they were old, cos they've got little, small windows,

if you look at them, they're tiny. The walls are very thick as well.

Can you imagine living in Groomsport 400 years ago?

So they needed to be protected against the elements.

Now, you could have lost them altogether, couldn't you?

But they were saved. Yeah, the sad thing is,

obviously, developments happen so they destroy old buildings.

But in Groomsport, after a lot were destroyed,

the community got together.

So Bangor Art Club got together in the '60s

and had a campaign to save the cottages.

And yeah, they even had people thatching

and had people from the local school rebuilding it. Super. Right.

Every time we go to a different location

we want to come up with some nice little quirky fact.

So, what can you come up with?

In the Bronze Age people used to travel across

and cook in the area, so there were old cooking pits found

So, basically, it's a hole in the ground, lined with wood.

You would heat stones in a fire,

you would then put it into a water pit, in the trough,

and heat your meat on it. Cook a joint.

Cook a joint. Yeah. Or fish and chips.

It all started here. Indeed. Obviously.

LAUGHTER

Right. That's wonderful. That's the Groomsport fact.

Now, I wonder if a few months ago

you saw the most fabulous documentary that was on television,

where Tim McGarry, the comedian, he traced his Ulster-Scots roots?

Well, have a look at this.

I want to find out about an identity about which

I know virtually nothing - Ulster-Scots.

I think on occasion in future I will embrace my inner Ulster-Scot.

Isn't it brilliant that Tim McGarry's embracing

his Ulster-Scots heritage?

He's actually doing stand-up in the pub here,

so I think the time is right to give him an Ulster-Scots challenge.

It's a pleasure to be here. I am a political nerd.

I'm on Facebook and I'm on Twitter. I have a few thousand friends.

You know your life is going wrong, ladies and gentlemen,

when you have 217 mutual friends with Jim Allister.

That's not good.

And you think that's bad, and then you go on Twitter

and you find out that you're being followed by Gerry Kelly.

And not the nice one, the scary one. You know the fellow from UTV?

Ladies and gentlemen, it's been a pleasure talking to you.

Enjoy the rest of your evening. Thank you very much.

APPLAUSE

Tim... Helen Mark off the telly! Thanks very much!

Listen, you were in cracking form up there. It was brilliant.

Had them eating out the palm of your hand.

But I have a bit of a challenge for you. Right...

I would like you to do a bit of stand-up comedy again,

but this time I want you to deliver it in Ulster-Scots.

In Ulster-Scots?! Yeah. Would you do that?

I thought that was Ulster-Scots. Pure proper Ulster-Scots? Yeah.

Learn it and all? Yeah, learn it. Three minutes roughly.

Stand-up comedy, Ulster-Scots. Would you do that for us?

I could do that for you no problem at all. That would be brilliant!

I know you're looking at me and you're going, "You know what?

"If we could put that fella in a dress

"we could definitely win next year's Eurovision."

Here I am with Ian Parsley.

Ian, you are an author and a linguist

all to do with Ulster-Scots.

I wonder is Tim going to be able to manage this challenge

that I've set him?

Well, I have to say, it took me 14 years to research and draft

in Ulster-Scots grammar, so doing this in 14 weeks is some task.

Do you think he'll manage it, though?

Well, we're going to try to help him do it.

The first thing he will have to try to grasp is that language

is a crossroads and language is always a mixing.

And right here in Groomsport,

we probably have a very good example of that.

I grew up in the Brae, which is a Scots word for a slope near water.

I turned left to come here down the hill, which is

an English word obviously.

If I'd turned right I would've gone into Ard Na Ree

the height of kings in Irish.

So we are right here at a linguistic crossroads,

and that's what Ulster-Scots is and that's what he'll have to play with.

Because no language happens in a vacuum, does it?

You think of the centuries, how language developed.

Some of the words that we use now are very distinctive to hear,

but they've come from far away. From, what, Germanic languages...

Absolutely. If I say today was a braw day I can say it in Scots

but I can say it in Danish.

If I say, "We want to fecht," that's German as well as Scots.

There are lots of words like that, and then there are words

unique to Scots, like right behind us we have a lovely gloamin.

Oh, roamin' in the gloamin. Roamin' in the gloamin, yes, indeed.

So there are lots of words like that.

There are also words which have slightly different meanings

in Ulster-Scots.

You can starve with a cold as well as with hunger.

If you say "I doot it'll rain," it means you think it will rain,

not that you think it won't.

And there are some words which just sound so good,

like "slaister." I love that one. "I'm scunnered." The task is...

Absolutely scunnered. The task is to be a comedian,

and I think he's got plenty to play with there.

You can "hae a gunk," you can "tak' a scunner,"

you can have "scallions with hallions,"

you can have all sorts of fun with lots of good words like that.

I think you're going to be a really great help to him. You are.

You'll help him along the way? Well, I'll certainly try,

but to use one of those words that has slightly different meanings

in each language, in English and in Ulster-Scots he's a brave man.

He is a brave man, and you know we love him for that.

Thank you, Ian Parsley. Thank you.

Right, time for a little bit more music from The Broken String Band.

This time you're going to play Midnight On The Highway.

Take it away, boys.

# Midnight on the highway

# And the stars are all aglow

# And it seems I'm always drivin'

# And I miss my darlin' so

# Midnight on the highway

# Big bright moon above

# It lights the white lines for me

# On way home to my love... #

Right, well, that's all we have time for from Groomsport,

and I'd like to thank everyone in the Walter Nelson Hall tonight

for joining us. It's been absolutely wonderful.

Our next stop is Glenarm

when we will be previewing the Dalriada Festival,

and we'll be meeting this couple who are hoping to plan a wedding,

but they want to do it Ulster-Scots style.

I hated him.

We just never... We never did...

Just never really got on that well...

Will they make it to the altar? We'll have to wait and see.

All the best. Bye!

# Can you hear the wheels a hummin'

# As we roll on through the night

# My desire is to hold you

# And I'll be home 'fore daylight

# Midnight on the highway

# Big bright moon above

# It lights the white lines for me

# On my way home to my love

# Now the shadows quickly fadin'

# As a town comes into view

# A few more hours my journey's over

# And again I'll be with you

# Midnight on the highway

# Big bright moon above

# It lights the white lines for me

# On my way home to my love

# On my way home to my love. #

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE