Friday, 31 December 2010
The Kilt In Ireland
Liam Neeson portraying Rob Roy wearing the large kilt, of filleadh mórWhy the kilt came into fashion can only be speculated on, perhaps it was the changing climate, which was growing colder in the late 1500s and the full kilt offered warmth, or perhaps it was improved small looms that could produce more woolen cloth, or perhaps just a fashion trend indigenous to the Gaels of Scotland. For whatever reason, the kilt became popular and fashionable among Gaels in certain parts of Scotland and would be brought to Ireland by Scottish Gaels that settled there in the late 1500s.
The filleadh mór is comprised of a very long piece of material called a plaid, which is belted in the middle. The upper part could be arranged in various ways depending upon the temperature of the day. The part below the belt was folded in the back to make pleats and came down to the knees.
There is a pseudo history about the creation of the smaller kilt, the filleadh beag, which is the form of kilt still very much in use today. At some point prior to 1690s, Gaelic tailors began to cut the filleadh mór in half. It was an organic fashion development within the Scottish Gaelic community. The upper part became a separate plaid and the lower part had the folds sown into it. This way the lower half, the kilt, could be worn separately from the plaid.
Sean Connery wearing the small kilt, or filleadh beag
A false story has long circulated about the creation of the small kilt that maintained two English tailors invented this form in 1727. However, in Gaelic oral history it was known that the small kilt predates this time. The English creation myth persisted in some circles until writer Clifford Smyth produced an illustration of the small kilt in use in 1690 and put an end to the pseudo history of the small kilt.
18th Century illustration on how to wear the kilt
In Ireland the full kilt and small kilt were worn in those areas settled by Highland and Hebridean Gaels. There are eyewitness descriptions of the kilt being worn as early as the 1590s in Ulster. Originally it was worn in the Redshank communities in east Donegal, northwest Tyrone, and north Antrim. Its popularity has waxed and waned over the years, but more and more the small kilt can be seen in Ireland worn at weddings and parties, by hill walkers, and sportsmen. This growing popularity of this very old Gaelic garment is natural and part of the heritage of Ulster.
Wednesday, 29 December 2010
Friday, 24 December 2010
Wednesday, 22 December 2010
More North Antrim Snow Views
Tuesday, 21 December 2010
Wintry Scenery in Magherintendry
another photo from Nevin Taggart in north Antrim of the recent snow
Thursday, 16 December 2010
Wednesday, 15 December 2010
Kist O Wurds Program Interview
William Rouston (left) and Barry R McCain
The Ulster Heritage Project's Barry R McCain is interviewed by Dr William Roulston in this week's edition of the Kist o Wurds program on BBC Northern Ireland. To listen on line go to this link : A Kist O Wurds
The broadcast can also be heard via radio in Northern Ireland and Ireland; broadcast schedule is:
- Wed 15 Dec 201019:30
- Wed 15 Dec 201019:30
The program will also feature an interview with small pipe player Alan Wade and poet Willie Laverty.
Historian, Barry McCain from Oxford, Mississippi has had a life-long passion for tracing his Ulster-Scots roots – he started when he was 12! He talks to Dr William Roulston of Belfast’s Ulster Historical Foundation - who is also a distant relative! Barry uses DNA testing at a laboratory in Houston, Texas. He has traced relatives from Ireland and in other parts of the USA – including Senator John McCain - and has uncovered family roots as far back as the early 17th century in Scotland.
Musician Alan Wade specializes in playing the Scottish Small Pipes or as they are also called, Scottish Lowland Pipes. He lives in Stranocum outside Ballymoney and fell in love with these small, beautiful pipes some years ago. His pipes were made in Scotland to his own specifications.
Poet, Willie Laverty lives in Ballymoney and describes his poetry as just what he thinks of at any given moment. It’s unusual yet heartfelt - and his own melodic voice gives it an authentic sound.
Friday, 3 December 2010
New England Scots-Irish Research Project
21st Century Scotch-Irish in Northeastern U.S.
Permit me to introduce myself. My name is Michael Roe. I am a teacher at Seattle Pacific University and a research fellow at the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland. I also have Scotch-Irish roots in the eastern/northeastern U.S. With Clan Crawford ties in Scotland, my family lived in County Armagh, Ireland, and then immigrated to Philadelphia in the middle 1800’s. For the past decade or so, I have been doing research on present day Scotch-Irish in the U.S.; and I am currently beginning the fourth in a series of studies.
This new study is designed to “listen” to personal and family stories of Northeastern Scotch-Irish. I am looking for men and women, 18 years of age or older, to participate who are (1) of Scotch-Irish ancestry, (2) consider themselves to be Scotch-Irish, (3) are interested in their Scotch-Irish history and family stories, and (4) are willing to describe their experiences—to be storytellers in fine Scotch-Irish tradition.
Participants will be responding in writing to a series of questions about their family roots and their present day activities, opinions and identity as Scotch-Irish. Confidentiality, of course, will be maintained. The entire experience should take no more than one hour, although all are encouraged to write in as much detail as possible, so some may decide to spend more than an hour on their responses. Feedback from past participants indicates that most enjoyed describing their Scotch-Irish roots, and so our expectation is that this study too will be a motivating and enjoyable experience for all.
In my previous studies, I found that the Scotch-Irish participants were primarily locating their family histories and traditions in the South. It will be an important contribution to understanding Scotch-Irish identity and to the wider literature on the Scotch-Irish to have a strong contingent of participants whose roots are in the Northeast.
Please contact me at the email address, mailing address, or phone number below.
Thank you. Michael
Michael D. Roe, Ph.D.
Dean and Professor of Psychology
Seattle Pacific University
Seattle, WA 98119 U.S.A.
Phone: (206) 281-2252
Fax: (206) 281-2695
Email: mroe@spu.edu
IRB #091002001R. Exp date: 8 June 2011
Mark Thompson's Ulster Scots Verse
Here are two quick poems I wrote tonight (when I should have been doing real work) and when panged with guilt looking at the iPod I hardly ever use any more. These are in my best pigeon Ulster-Scots, and inspired by Gary Blair, who was rightly complaining that Ulster-Scots has more to it than prootas and kye. (potatoes and cows)Address to an iPod, version 1
Fair fa' yer fancy, shiny face
Chief gadget o the modern race
Aboon them a' yer thumpin' bass
Through white ear plugs
The status symbol o' the tasteful
An the smug
(that was with apologies to Robert Burns)
..............................
Address to an iPod, version 2
A langed tae buy an iPod
For aa ma favourite sangs
A wud pit aboot ten thoosant on't
Tae listen a' year lang
A seen ither fowk wi iPods
So A wanted yin masel
Wi wee white wires hanging fae mae lugs
Amang the sproots o' hair
Oh hoo A yearned for an iPod
A thocht A wus missin' oot
Wi' adverts on the television
iPod fowk aa jumpin' aboot
So A bocht masel an iPod
It wasnae very big
A cud pit it in ma pokit
Wi room for 80 gigs
Boys A loved ma new wee iPod
It haed a colour screen
It wus wee an black an shiny
An powerfu' on the een
Admirin' ma new iPod
A thocht A wus some boy
A footer't at it, och, for oors!
It wus my pride an joy
But, the coast o' ma new iPod
Weel it was far fae chape
Three hunner poun' A pairted wi'
Tae be redd o' CDs an' tapes
So for weeks A fill't ma iPod
Wi' aa' o my CDs
A burnt an burnt and fill't it
Tae the gills wi MP3s
But efter weeks an' weeks o' wantin'
It wusnae lang afore
A loast the notion o' ma iPod
Noo it sits here, getherin' stour
Noo A niver luk near ma iPod
A jist dinnae hae the time
Weel thon wus yin dear Aipple!
Three hunner poun'? A wusnae wise!
Burns he wrote o' the haggis
An Orr o' prootas an hills
But siccan a waste o' money!
O' gadgets A hae had ma fill
Yinst we jist haed grapes and prootas
Noo Ulster-Scots hae iPods forbye
But we irnae ony mair content
For we hinnae ony time.
Ulster History & Genealogy Summer School
The Summer School is run in partnership with the University of Ulster. Participants will be able to register as part time students of the University for the duration of the school. This will allow access to the University’s library, computer suite and also its extensive range of electronic resources.
For details and rates visit: Ulster History & Genealogy Summer School
Thursday, 2 December 2010
Year End Price Reduction on DNA Test!
Starting tonight, and until December 31st, we will reduce the price of our YDNA37, YDNA67, mtDNAPlus, and Family Finder tests.
| Price for NEW KITS: | Regular Price | Promotional Price |
| YDNA37 | $149 | $119 |
| YDNA67 | $239 | $199 |
| mtDNAPlus | $159 | $129 |
| Family Finder | $289 | $249 |
| Price for UPGRADE: | ||
| Family Finder | $289 | $229 |
Orders must be in and paid for by Dec. 31, 2010, to receive this offer.
IMPORTANT: since this promotion will run through the month of December, we encourage you to spread the word starting now, as the natural tendency is for people to order at the last minute, and we will not extend it beyond 12/31/2010.
We thank you for your continued support and look forward to the sustained growth of the Family Tree DNA matching database.
To Join the Ulster Heritage DNA Project use this link: ULSTER HERITAGE
Cré na Cille on DVD
A DVD of Cré na Cille (Graveyard Clay), the feature film adaptation of Máirtín Ó Cadhain’s celebrated Irish language novel, has been released by ROSG. +44 7766555891