Ullan’s article

Boys A had what some yins wid caa a big birthday tha ither dey. Aye, A hae made it through tae tha three score an ten merker. But dae ye kno this am far ower young tae bae this oul.

Ye see A kno richtly am gettin slower in mae step than a ustae be bit mae feyther is still leevin in hes ninety third year sae ye kan unnerstaun why a diinne think am oul. Onywye noo-a-deys A think ouler folk ir naw geen thaur richtfa place in this hell for leather wye o leevin that noo seems tae bae tae tha fore noo-a-deys. Whiles A think wae ir mair in tha road nir onythin else. Some o tha young yins wid cope ye, ach aff coorse thauts naw them aa thaur ir some guid youngsters aboot. But thauts eneuch o mae bletherins here is a wee rhyme frae tha Bard o Ballyabanagh Sandy Robinson it is caa’ed Oul Age.

I seldom go tae dances noo..... I’m getting far o’er oul,

Forbye A hate t’ stay oot late .... A canny stan tha coul,

Mi legs ir no’ as soople for mi joints ir stiff an’ dry

‘Am bate ta swing the heilan fling, nae metter hoo A try.

Oul tunes I hear delicht my ear... the music soons sae sweet,

A want tae dance .. but canny get the message tae my feet,

But lang ago it was nae so, when I wus at my peak

Before I met the wife I went tae twa ir three a week.

We ether rid a bike ir waaked, tae Bl’easton ir Tildarg

But places like Glenarm ir Larne.. we hired Matt Meharg,

An’ mony a happy nicht wae had, A dancin roon the floor

Nae odds a lang a dance wid last, A alwyes wanted more.

We done the lancers an the setts, the polka an the reels

‘Twas great tae hear the tappin feet, an the rattlin o the heels

Some watch them glide frae side tae side as roon the floor they came

While ithers dance tae get the chance tae see their partner hame.

The young yins say that’s past an gone, we live in a different age

The country dance is oot o date ... the disco’s a the rage

I know they’re cute withoot gane oot ... it’s on TV at hame

Wha knows .. in fifty years frae noo .. they say the very same.

Sandy Robinson.

Aa tha best fir noo, keep it ullans

Tha Poocher October 2014.