Born and raised in the Laggan valley of East Donegal, a traditional Ulster-Scots speaking area, I, Alan Millar, am currently based in Ballymoney, Co Antrim. I spend my days crafting verses and prose, working as a poet, writer, and journalist. In 2021, to my surprise and delight, I was honored with the SLS Hugh Macdiarmid Tassie for my poem ‘Wee Weaver Birdie’. This humble achievement marked the first time an Irish person had received this award.
Stories and articles….
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Ulster- Scots more than ‘a lock of words wouldn’t get you through the day’ indeed, more than just a language
LETTER composed in response to an article in the Belfast Telegraph on Tuesday July 26 by Malachi O’Doherty ‘Why Ulster Scots of today doesn’t reflect language of my father’ They declined to publish this version, but may consider a shorter one. Dear Sir Malachi O’Doherty’s recent piece trashing the idea of an Ulster-Scots language, highlights…
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Granny Smith sens her gye guid wee byke o attercaps an puddocks efter Porkers, Uggers an Laggers
GRANNY Smith turnt tae ‘er wee byke o attercaps, puddocks an ither wannabae owerlurds an axed: “See thon aule term Porkers, Uggers an Laggers, aye kent as PUL, whar did sic a name cum frae, it’s gye bad. Ah hates it turrible. “Mon noo mae wee attercaps an puddocks, awa an fin oot whar it…
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Henry Joy McCracken – moving away from heroic death, towards glimpses of something else
224 years ago today, the famed Irish Patriot Henry Joy McCracken was hanged outside the the Market House in Belfast. His persona overwhelmingly dominates the United Irishman narrative, to the detriment of other large, medium and small players, many of whom did as much or more; gave as much or more, as he did, and…
Opinions creatively 