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This short film, is the first of two to feature on this year’s programme by Ulster-Scots poet Robert Campbell, and tells the story of the River Foyle down through time, exploring the global significance of the river to local and world history. The poem reflects on the role of the river at seminal points in history beginning with the story of St Columba, leading on to the Plantation story including the Siege of Derry and reflecting on the river within the context of the Ulster-Scots’ migration to the New World during the reign of Queen Anne. The poem will also examine the story of the Foyle during the period of emigration as a result of the Great Famine, and on the German U-boat surrender which brought global attention to the river. The poem closes with the contemporary story of the Foyle as a backdrop for hospitality and leisure. Robert Campbell is a native of East-Antrim and is married with three sons. He has had a lifelong connection to, and interest in Ulster Scots. His debut collection of Ulster-Scots poetry ‘Lock Doon Poyams’ features a selection of poems, and a short story written during the Covid-19 lockdown. The poems deal with the realities of life, educational underachievement, and the challenges people face but also draw inspiration from nature, wildlife and the seasons. The book is written in the hamely tongue as the author remembers it. Poetically the words and cadence of speech used is described as: “Inver an Ollar, wi aa touch oo Mo’side.” The Inver River flows through Larne, the Ollar is the old name for the Sixmilewater River which flows through Ballyclare, Doagh and Templepatrick, while Mosside is in North Antrim, the home village of the author’s maternal grandmother. It is from these places that the author’s residual understanding of Ulster Scots springs. Robert’s second book of Ulster-Scots themed stories, ‘Tales Frae tha life o James Finlay Bruce’ was published at the end of October 2021.

The 1718 migration has special relevance for the Lagan and the Foyle area. This short educational film explores the relevance of the migration to the Ulster Scots people, and illustrates the nature of the life they left behind and what lay in store for them on the shores of America. This piece, which is suitable for audiences aged between 9-12, features two central characters; Margaret - a young girl, who does not wish to go to America, and Robbie - a young boy on board the ship heading to America whose experiences on the voyage will be documented. The film will be accompanied by a glossary of Ulster Scots words and their meanings with onscreen visual explanations to aid understanding. Andrew Tinney studied Drama and English and has an MA in English Literature and Creative Writing. He has been working as an Ulster-Scots tutor with schools in Northern Ireland and in the Republic of Ireland since 2017 and has worked extensively with the Ulster-Scots Agency over the past four years delivering drama and language lessons to children in an educational setting to further enhance their knowledge of Ulster-Scots language and heritage. Recently, he has worked with a range of partners on projects for young people including the delivery of an Ulster Scots drama performance exploring Partition with Derry and Raphoe Action; an Ulster Scots Summer Drama Camp for The Schomberg Society in Kilkeel; and an Ulster Scots summer scheme for children on behalf of the Lagan Ulster Scots Association.

Ulster-Scots writer Robert Campbell reflects on the natural and social history of Brooke Park, a familiar and well-loved landmark in the Derry City and Strabane District Council area. This short film features an original poem narrated by the Gnarly Tree in the park which shares the memories it holds. The Gnarly Tree will tell the story of the trees and the wildlife which call the park home and will reflect on the involvement of two local philanthropic benefactors in the history of the park: John Gwyn who left the bulk of his wealth to the establishment of an orphanage on the site and James Hood Brooke who subsequently gave his name to the park and who decreed in his last will and testament that it should be retained for posterity as a place for the working man to enjoy a walk on the Sabbath day. Robert Campbell is a native of East-Antrim and is married with three sons. He has had a lifelong connection to, and interest in Ulster Scots. His debut collection of Ulster-Scots poetry ‘Lock Doon Poyams’ features a selection of poems, and a short story written during the Covid-19 lockdown. The poems deal with the realities of life, educational underachievement, and the challenges people face but also draw inspiration from nature, wildlife and the seasons. The book is written in the hamely tongue as the author remembers it. Poetically the words and cadence of speech used is described as: “Inver an Ollar, wi aa touch oo Mo’side.” The Inver River flows through Larne, the Ollar is the old name for the Sixmilewater River which flows through Ballyclare, Doagh and Templepatrick, while Mosside is in North Antrim, the home village of the author’s maternal grandmother. It is from these places that the author’s residual understanding of Ulster Scots springs. Robert’s second book of Ulster-Scots themed stories, ‘Tales Frae tha life o James Finlay Bruce’ was published at the end of October 2021.

Ulster-Scots poet Steve Dornan presents ‘McBane’s Skull’, a supernatural tale about a girl who is cursed by a carved stone skull in a local kirkyard. The poem, which was originally published in ‘Tha Jaa Banes: An Ulster-Scots Collection’ – is written in a rhythmic, narrative style using braid Ulster-Scots and blends traditional ghost story tropes with modern ones. This short film will also include some additional explanations around the Ulster-Scots vocabulary and content. Steve Dornan grew up in Comber and Newtownards, Co Down, and was educated at RBAI and the University of Aberdeen. In 2005 he undertook a PhD in Irish, Scottish and Ulster-Scots poetry. He has studied and written widely on the Ulster-Scots literary tradition and has published poetry in Ulster-Scots in ‘Irish Pages’, ‘The Honest Ulsterman’ and ‘Modern Poetry in Translation’. He has had a number of academic essays and articles published on Ulster-Scots writers such as James Orr and James McHenry. His poetry collection ‘Tha Jaa Banes: An Ulster-Scots Collection’ was published by the Ulster-Scots Academy Press in 2020. He lives and works in Aberdeenshire.