Ballymoney author Alan Millar distributes anthologies of poems to mark 50th anniversary of Scots Language Society

Words That Sing Sae Sweit (Scots Poetry) and Wunds That Braw Sae Roch (Scots Prose) were published in 2022, to mark the 50th anniversary of the Scots Language Society, with the poems and prose pieces contained in the anthologies having been selected from the very best submissions to the society’s annual magazine Lallans, over the last 50 years.

Distributing the anthologies on behalf of the Scots Language Society, is Ballymoney man, Alan Millar, who said: “It’s an honour to have been asked to help make these wonderful collections of poetry and prose available to local people across Ulster!

“Gestures like this, remind us of the bonds of fraternity and interest in our shared languages that exist between Scotland and Ulster. It was a pleasure to present Museums NI and the Tower Museum, Derry with their copies during Ulster-Scots Language Week."

Pól Ó Frighil from Derry City and Strabane District Council’s Languages Team, who accepted the anthologies on behalf of Council said: “We are delighted to receive copies of the Scots Language Society anthologies celebrating 50 years of writing in the Ulster-Scots language.

"As part of our ongoing commitment to promoting Ulster-Scots, will be adding the anthologies to our Tower Museum library collection for use by both the public and by staff. Council would like to thank to the Scots Language Society for their kind donation.”

Also thanking the SLS, Donal McAnallen, Library and Archives Manager, with Museums NI said: "National Museums NI Library & Archives is pleased to receive these anthologies of Lallans publications. These will neatly complement the wheen of volumes of the Lallans journal on our shelves at Cultra, where we are proud to house the Ulster Language and Dialect Archive.”

The Linenhall Library, Libraries NI and Ulster University have already received copies.

One of Millar’s poems is included in the poetry anthology and anyone who can read Ulster-Scots should have no difficulty reading these books.

Anthologies Editor, William Hershaw, said: "The two anthologies, Words That Sing Sae Sweit (Scots Poetry) and Wunds That Braw Sae Roch (Scots Prose) were published in 2021/22 to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of The Scots Language Society/The Scots Leid Associe, the first body of its kind set up to protect and promote the use of Scots.

"The aim of the anthologies was to celebrate 50 years of Scots writing by presenting work from some of the best makars and screivers in that half century.

"The books were published with financial assistance from The Scottish Government and the Doric Board. The SLA are keen to donate free copies to schools, libraries and organisations who wish to promote Scots and Ulster-Scots.”

There are still a few copies of Words That Sing Sae Sweit (Scots Poetry) and Wunds That Braw Sae Roch (Scots Prose) left so if any school or organisation is interested in receiving one of the anthologies, please contact Alan Millar by emailing [email protected]