Has this been worth it? To be honest I don’t know. Maybe it has, maybe it hasn’t. Have I made a difference — even a wee bit? You decide. But right through January and February I've written these weekly posts — eight of them so far! Through March I want to think about the future … Continue reading Can you make a difference? Even a wee bit?
Ulster Scots
The love of money is the… but cash is king.
The love of money is the... but cash is king I was invited to a gathering lately — an artsy sort of thing — when I suddenly realised that I’d created more pop culture than most of the other people in the room. This was a bit of a surprise - a wild junk — … Continue reading The love of money is the… but cash is king.
Unfended: Thran survival isn’t enough! From finding our feet to finding our future.
"Ulster Scots is a linguistic paradox. It is undefended, having been abandoned by the halls of power for prestige; it is undefeated, surviving in the mouths of the folk and the rhythms of the Ards; and until now, it has been undefined, lacking the very vocabulary—like diglossia or translanguaging—needed to explain its own existence."
When Perception Isn’t Reality
When I was young — in all honesty I could have said — Irish doesn’t exist. But how? I knew no one who spoke Irish. I knew no one learning Irish. I knew no one with any interest in Irish. I knew no one with an opinion on Irish - either good or bad. And though that was my lived experience — it wasn’t correct — because Gaeilge did exist — it just didn’t exist in my context.
My mother wanted to be a writer…but she died.
I know she wanted to write because I have the creative writing course she bought for herself. I don’t remember my mum being grand or self indulgent — hatefully she knew her place — curse knowing your place — so if she splashed out on anything it must have been something she really wanted. So I can only conclude she really wanted to write. I can’t actually remember when this was, it could have been before she was sick or it could have been afterwards, but I’ve got the books and I’m going to stop writing and go and see if I can find a date.
Lost Words and Losing Words
If you’ve ever found something — it’s because someone lost it — quite possibly yourself! That twenty pound note blowing down the street — it didn’t magically appear — someone else is twenty quid down! Other things stay lost a long time before being found — normally when your looking for something else! While at … Continue reading Lost Words and Losing Words
Licht An Life Bide Ain Eenoo!
‘Licht an life bide ain eenoo.’ The idea of this poetic line is that our present reality of our licht an life — of our hope and opportunity — that they abide in this moment. All opportunities ‘bide’ — live or dwell — in this very moment — and only in it — the future is the consequence of the present. It is in this ‘eenoo’ — this even now — this very moment — this is when we have our being. We can imagine the future – plan for the future – be prepared fae ait – but everything is present — all actions are present — aye fair ir foul. I’ve written these words not meaning the future is unimportant or that it doesn’t matter – but that the present is more important – the present set the course – the present moment directs us towards all future present moments. Mind tha day yer licht a life bide ain eenoo! So groundedly make it count!
A Bearna fae the Leid: Bridging the Linguistic Gap
In Irish, Barnish means a gap—a place you can travel along. When a local family collated their unique vocabulary into a small book thirty years ago, they unknowingly created a bearna for the Ulster Scots Leid. Exploring the link between land, language, and the "seismic" impact of seeing one's mother tongue in print, this article reflects on how a niche publication became a vital act of cultural preservation.
Owning the Words We Speak: Language as a Bridge, Not a Barrier
So what does a win look like? I don’t mean a fantasy win — six numbers on the lottery or a huge inheritance from an unknown relation. So again — what does a win look like in the context of language? A win is an improved understanding and acceptance of language, accompanied by a sympathetic … Continue reading Owning the Words We Speak: Language as a Bridge, Not a Barrier
A Shared Urgency: What Manchán Magan Taught Me About Preserving Ulster Scots
A while back I came across Manchán Magan — but I’d no idea who he was. I’d no notion about his books, RTÉ documentaries, lectures, environmentalism or public speaking — it was just the odd short video clip here and there on social media — but he seemed like a pretty nice fella. But … Continue reading A Shared Urgency: What Manchán Magan Taught Me About Preserving Ulster Scots
The Week after Leid Week
I hate the week after Ulster Scots Leid week. It is so depressing. But it isn’t the low after the high. It’s the week that optimism and opportunity evaporates. Every year you get the feeling this could go somewhere quare and positive — but it never does. It’s like after Christmas — the decorations are … Continue reading The Week after Leid Week
Pictish Art
Here’s a few illustrations to whet your appetite from a project I’m working on!
The Creative Act of Presentation
Often, I merely describe my creativity as: “I make stuff.” This is simultaneously self-deprecating and true. I do make stuff - both in the physical and literary sense. I put words together to tell stories. I put lines and colours together to make pictures. I put images together to make films. And now I’ve put … Continue reading The Creative Act of Presentation
Imagination – a division no one seems to care about
A lot of my story making workshops are with children. So when I go into a school all I see is a class room of kids. They’re from all sorts of backgrounds - please insert your divisions of choice - then give your conscience a bit of a shake. But the biggest division I sees … Continue reading Imagination – a division no one seems to care about
Serendipity Strikes Again
‘By Bluidy Cairn’ So serendipity strikes again. Last week the battle of Culloden wasn’t high up on my list of things of interest. But now it is, well post battle changes are. My dyslexic mind loves juxtaposition, so a passing reference in a presentation I’m making, and an interesting fact someone happened to tell me, … Continue reading Serendipity Strikes Again
Featured
#Leid25 – Starting Now
This might just seem a wee bit early; as the year hasn’t turned; but I’ve started working on my main project for Leid Week 2025, (or perhaps before it). So far, I’ve: A wheen oo thoughts jotted doon. A few lines of prose, poetry an even lyrics. A wheen oo melodies worked oot. A few … Continue reading #Leid25 – Starting Now
Old Ways on the New Web – people who believe in you.
I’m an old guy and can remember old style blogs, blogs with blog lists of other people’s blogs on the side bar. This was amazing for finding cool or interesting new stuff. No algorithm, no advertising, just personal unpaid endorsements, can you imagine a world like that!
When the process works – keep doing it!
…imagine a piece of ground that is really fertile, but it is really fertile because you have a structure for looking after it: feeding it, weeding it, draining it, watering it and a whole heap of other things you need to do to it. But then you assume the ground IS fertile rather than having been made fertile. You stop doing. You assume. You get on with other things. The residual fertility keeps it going for a while but then fertility of the ground quickly fades and you’ve no idea why!
Ulster Scots Design Work (Part1)
I’ve started to create a flyer / livery for my #UlsterScots materials (books, poetry, spokenword, EDM, art). I wanted to record my progress and the evolution of the various ideas. The background is a skull (death), Bible (wisdom) and an hour glass (shortness of time / life) This kind of iconology is very common on … Continue reading Ulster Scots Design Work (Part1)
Foundations – unthought of but vital
Wednesday Recap #6 22.05.24 Thought Foundations are unseen, aesthetically ugly, and controlling of shape. But they are also vital, formative and give structural integrity! Foundations are vital for everything we do or hope to do. Foundations are easy to dig when we are building something. However foundations are amazingly difficult to rectify once built on. … Continue reading Foundations – unthought of but vital
‘To Another Mouse’ Burns Night 25th January 2024
A Dander Through Narnia
Here’s the Blurb for my new spoken word production ‘A Dander Through Narnia.” Wednesday 22 November 2023Whittaker Suite, Guildhall, Derry6:00pm-8:00pm Whether you’re young, or auld, or somewhere in between join us for, A Dander Through Narnia. This new production by Robert Campbell pays homage to the mystical world of Narnia, created by Northern Irish author … Continue reading A Dander Through Narnia
I can’t say much, but let’s talk about Narnia!
The good news is the project got accepted but the bad news is…well there actually isn’t any bad news. However, I’m still not giving much away as things are still being put in place. So as I can’t say much, but let’s talk about Narnia! Wink-wink, nudge-nudge, know what I mean. I love the Chronicles … Continue reading I can’t say much, but let’s talk about Narnia!
My mother’s typewriter
Last year I produced a poetry exhibition. The exhibiting bit took a lot of thought. Outside of books and spirited performances the exhibition of poetry can be tricky. Anyhow one of my tricks was to use my mother’s typewriter, it gave so much - authenticity, hand production, aesthetic beauty, and familial bounds to my long … Continue reading My mother’s typewriter
Poetry Day Ireland 2023
Poems by contemporary Irish writers Angela Graham, Al Millar, Steve Dornan, Anne McMaster and myself in the medium of Ulster Scots, to mark Poetry Day Ireland 2023. https://thehamelypen.wordpress.com/2023/04/26/poetry-day-ireland-2023/
RobertCampbell.me 