Poetry and photos from the Hebrides

The Spirit of the Hebrides combines poetry and photography to explore the land and seascapes of the islands in all seasons and weathers. It does this whilst paying homage to the Gaelic poet Sorley MacLean. This is a lovely book that will bring an instant sense of tranquility every time you decide to delve into…

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Artists hook up with promoters at Celtic Connections

MORE than 100 international promoters, agents, and record label executives are gathering online for the 21st annual “Showcase Scotland” exposition. The trade show runs alongside the Celtic Connections music festival. Artists usually generate around £3 million in gig bookings and album sales on the back of the industry event. Megan Henderson, who plays fiddle in…

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Foraging guides and films launched

A SERIES of guides and films to encourage increased responsible foraging in Scotland has been launched following the Foraging Fortnight project. There are guides to foraging for wild food, guides aimed at children, and guides translated into Gaelic. The videos feature highlights from Moray, Forth Valley and Lomond, Lanarkshire, Orkney, and Fife. The resources have…

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Winners of writing awards unveiled

A POET based in Newcastle was last night named as the winner of the £1,500 Wigtown Prize. Anna Woodford, whose work was entitled Portrait of My Grandparents as Souvenirs, said: “My poem is concerned with my family history, specifically my grandfather’s experiences of having to flee wartime Poland to make a new life in Nottingham,…

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Blue Skye Thinking: Now is the time to visit The Misty Isle

I’m calling it 20/20 vision. As we clamber into autumn after six surreal months, I realise that seeing Scotland through fresh eyes has been 2020’s almighty silver lining. For many Scots, acquainting themselves more fully with all that this country has to offer has proved unexpectedly enlightening. Entranced by the wildly romantic coasts, crystal-clear waters…

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Caledonia on my mind

Like many of those born outside Scotland to avowedly Scottish families, Dugald Bruce-Lockhart has a complicated relationship with the mothership. “WITH a name like Dugald Alastair Roddick Bruce-Lockhart, you must be Scottish,” says the casting director, studying my CV with a frown. It’s a good question – and one I’ve never known quite how to…

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Organic distillery fills ‘Hope lies in dreams’ casks

A DISTILLERY on the Morvern peninsula is marking 2020 by launching 60 limited edition casks. Nc’nean, named after the Gaelic queen of the spirits, will stencil each of the barrels with the phrase “Hope lies in dreams” to mark the coronavirus pandemic and its impact. The casks will be filled with spirit distilled this year.…

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Haunting memories of Culloden

To mark the 274th anniversary of the Battle of Culloden on Thursday 16 April, the National Trust for Scotland has shared rare snippets of haunting Gaelic songs inspired by the Jacobite cause online. The original audio recordings are of a series of Gaelic songs collected by noted Gaelic archivist John Lorne Campbell from Canna. The…

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How the BBC continues to bring us the news

Reporting on a pandemic while trying to keep staff safe is a huge challenge. With Scotland in lockdown with the coronavirus, we all want to know the facts about what is happening, not just here, but across the UK and indeed the world. That is proving to be a challenge to BBC Scotland, who are…

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When you discover a murderer in the family

When writer Cal Flyn discovered the dark secret in her family’s past it started a long but cathartic investigation. In the summer of 2011 I made a discovery about my family history that has dominated my work and thoughts ever since. I learned that I was the great-great-great niece of Angus McMillan, who left Scotland…

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