Happy Burns’ Day

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Today, 25th Jan, is the day that Scots the world over will be celebrating our national bard, Robert Burns.

There are ample descriptions of Burns’ Suppers being held all around the world and there will be much drunken revelry, haggis quaffing and poetry reciting tonight.

The traditional Burns poems are the famous ones such as Tam O’Shanter and Address Tae A Haggis, but I wanted to quote my favourite poem; A Man’s A Man For A’ That.

Written in 1795, the poem is an appeal to common humanity but even in Burns’ day it had to be published anonymously for fear of promoting radical ideals. Burns was clearly influenced by Thomas Paine and the American Founders and it was their ideas of liberty, Equality and universal rights that shine through in this song.

It was performed at the opening of the new Scottish Parliament in 1999.

There are some fantastic renditions of the poem here.

Is there for honest Poverty
That hings his head, an’ a’ that;
The coward slave-we pass him by,
We dare be poor for a’ that!
For a’ that, an’ a’ that.
Our toils obscure an’ a’ that,
The rank is but the guinea’s stamp,
The Man’s the gowd for a’ that.

What though on hamely fare we dine,
Wear hoddin grey, an’ a that;
Gie fools their silks, and knaves their wine;
A Man’s a Man for a’ that:
For a’ that, and a’ that,
Their tinsel show, an’ a’ that;
The honest man, tho’ e’er sae poor,
Is king o’ men for a’ that.

Ye see yon birkie, ca’d a lord,
Wha struts, an’ stares, an’ a’ that;
Tho’ hundreds worship at his word,
He’s but a coof for a’ that:
For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
His ribband, star, an’ a’ that:
The man o’ independent mind
He looks an’ laughs at a’ that.

A prince can mak a belted knight,
A marquis, duke, an’ a’ that;
But an honest man’s abon his might,
Gude faith, he maunna fa’ that!
For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
Their dignities an’ a’ that;
The pith o’ sense, an’ pride o’ worth,
Are higher rank than a’ that.

Then let us pray that come it may,
(As come it will for a’ that,)
That Sense and Worth, o’er a’ the earth,
Shall bear the gree, an’ a’ that.
For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
It’s coming yet for a’ that,
That Man to Man, the world o’er,
Shall brothers be for a’ that.

 

Religion Part 2

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In this edition of the podcast we pick up from were we left off with part 1 look at the reformation of the 1560′s and the legacy of Knox, Mary Queen of Scots and her son James VI.

We also cover the two Books of Discipline which set out the theological and religious behaviours expected of all Scots.

You can listen or download the Religion Part 2 

podcast from here.

The house on the right Is John Knox’s house in Edinburgh.

Happy New Year

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A very happy New Year and best wishes for 2012 to Scots the world over.

To repeat a common refrain heard in Scotland at this time:

“Here’s tae us; wha’s like us? Damn few and they’re a’ deid!”

Scottish Movies

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There are plenty of movies set in Scotland that claim to shed a little light on our history and on the Scots as a nation of people. Some are famous and some are little known outside of these shores.

I want to concentrate initially on one of my favourite movies – Local Hero. Released in 1983, it tells the story of an American Oilman (Peter Riegert) sent from Dallas with the object of buying up the little fishing village of Ferness and the beach around its headland. His Boss (Burt Lancaster) sends him because Riegert’s character is called McIntyre and therefore “sounds” Scottish.

Along with the company’s Scottish representative, played by a young Peter Capaldi, they arrive in the village early in the morning after having to sleep in their car due to the mist covered mountains. This set up is clearly a allusion back to the famous Brigadoon musical, in which a magical Scottish village arises out of the mist every 100 years. The movie retains many references to Brigadoon such as the American in a Scottish village, torn between the simple life and his sophisticated life back home; but whereas that film was a love story between Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse, in Local Hero the love affair is between Mac and the landscape.

Mac arrives with a mission to buy up the land to build a refinery and believes the locals will not want to sell because of the history and beauty of the place. The locals do seem reluctant and Mac realises this might be harder than it looks, however the joke is, the locals cant wait to sell and are playing hardball to get a higher price.

I wont spoil the plot any more than I already have but the whole film resounds with wonderful characters, who populate the village. They are so well drawn and believable that they never fall into cliche.

What could be sentimental environmental mawkishness is safe in the director Bill Forsyth’s hands. The Scottish director’s previous films showed his talent at whimsy in the fantastic Comfort and Joy and the highly acclaimed Gregory’s Girl.

There is a You Tube link to the film here but you should try and get it on DVD for the best experience.