“Don’t use those words. They’ll hold you back.”

For writer and poet Robert Campbell, these were the warnings of his youth. The message was clear: the tongue of his folk was the mark of the “uneducated.” Yet, looking at the beautiful volume of Robert Burns on his Grandad’s shelf and listening to the rich, lyrical speech of his grandmother’s folk in North Antrim, he knew there was a deeper truth. The words were everywhere, but so much of the story was missing, hidden or untold.

Brocht Ower (Brought Over) is the result of Robert’s personal quest to fill in the “huge blanks.” It is an illustrated journey that strips away the tired “them and us” politics to reveal a shared, ancient history. From the Kingdom of Dál Riata to Argyle — the “Coast of the Gaels,” Robert integrates the fragments of our past into a single, cohesive narrative. It is a story of a language that was strategically sidelined as only used by the “low and vulgar” but one that refused to die—a language that connects Ireland and Scotland in a centuries-old ebb and flow.

What to Expect

• A Shift in Perspective: See the world differently—literally. We begin with a map of our islands turned on its head to break old habits of thinking.
• Visual Storytelling: A deep dive into history, 19th-century documents that dismissed our tongue as “slang,” and the personal family story that proves otherwise.
• Myth-Busting: Discover the “hidden” words you already know and the ancient connections between Irish and Scots Gaelic that many people know nothing about.  
• Creative Reclamation: A hands-on, verbal workshop where we stop “minding our manners.” Together, we build a story using the Leid, moving from shy reservation to a state of defiant joy.

The Outcome

This is more than a history lesson; it is a reclamation of identity. Whether you are a student, a corporate team, or a community group, you will leave with:

• A New Vocabulary: A glossary of words to take home and use.
• A Changed Lens: A fresh perspective on your own family history and the legitimacy of Ulster Scots.
• The Shared Story: A collective piece of oral or written storytelling born from the session.

`“For me, this project has been about finding a missing – a missing piece of myself! The more I’ve discover the more I realised I’d only ever known bits of the story — but the whole story is truly remarkable!”  Robert Campbell

Ready to bring “Brocht Ower” to your group?

I am currently booking sessions for schools, community organisations, and corporate events. If you have any questions or would like to discuss a tailored version of this presentation, please get in touch.

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