A quare wheen o’ events as Mid and East Antrim celebrates Ulster-Scots Leid Week 2025

A packed and varied programme of events has been unveiled by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council to celebrate Ulster-Scots Leid (Language) Week 2025, taking place from 24 to 28 November.

The week-long celebration — supported by the Ulster-Scots Agency — will see communities across Ballycarry, Ballymena, Carrickfergus, Cullybackey, Larne and Whitehead come together to honour the borough’s linguistic and cultural heritage through music, poetry, film, storytelling and discussion.

Organisers say the diverse schedule aims to highlight both the historic roots and the living tradition of the Ulster-Scots language — from the 17th-century settlers who shaped it to the contemporary voices keeping it vibrant today.

“A proud legacy worthy of celebration”

Speaking ahead of the week’s festivities, Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Jackson Minford, said:

“We have a rich Ulster-Scots linguistic tradition in the Borough, and it is a proud legacy worthy of celebrating.

“All those who lived in this area in bygone times, would have used words and phrases which came with their forefathers from Scotland when thousands of Scots migrated to the area during the 17th-century, bringing their language, culture and their faith.

“The programme of events celebrates the long-standing heritage of Ulster-Scots here through spoken and written word, music and scran.”

Councillor Minford added that the events would “not only honour the legacy of those who came before, but help a new generation discover the depth, warmth and humour that characterise the Ulster-Scots leid.”

Exploring local legends and literary heritage

Ulster-Scots Leid Week 2025 opens on Monday 24 November with a guided heritage walk along the Weaver’s Trail in Ballycarry, tracing the life and work of James Orr, widely known as The Bard of Ballycarry.

Orr was one of the most celebrated of the Ulster-Scots Weaver Poets of the 18th and 19th centuries, whose verses captured the rhythms of everyday rural life and the political currents of his time.

That evening, attendees can head to Whitehead Community Centre for the preview of a series of short films by filmmaker Tristan Crowe, each exploring key moments in Ulster-Scots history and folklore. Among the highlights is “The Witch of Glentow”, a haunting retelling of a traditional County Antrim poem featuring local poet Charlie Gillan.

Also premiering is “From Carrick to the Carolinas”, which follows Elizabeth Hutchinson Jackson, the mother of the seventh US President Andrew Jackson, on her emigration journey from Carrickfergus to the New World.

The screening will take place at the Jackson Centre and US Rangers Museum, connecting local heritage to transatlantic history.

Completing the evening’s offering, a Northern Visions Television documentary titled “The Man Who Fell into the Muttonburn Stream” will tell the story of William James Hume, a poet whose humorous 1930s folk song about a stream near Ballycarry became a local classic.

The song has endured for decades, recorded by notable performers including Richard Hayward, Houl Yer Whist, and the Ulster-Scots Folk Orchestra.

Panel discussion, poetry and local ‘scran’

On Tuesday 25 November, Larne Town Hall will host a lively Ulster-Scots discussion evening, bringing together voices from both sides of the Atlantic.

Panellists include broadcaster Laura Spence, American linguist Dayna Jost, and Ulster-Scots poets and writers Charlie Gillan and Davy Moore.

The discussion will explore themes such as how the Ulster-Scots language has evolved, its place in modern literature and education, and how it connects Northern Ireland’s communities to the Scottish and North American diasporas.

Live traditional music from the Alastair Scott Ceilidh Band will accompany the evening, ensuring a blend of intellectual discussion and lively entertainment.

Midweek, on Wednesday 26 November, the historic Arthur Cottage in Cullybackey — the ancestral home of US President Chester Alan Arthur — will host “Weavers and Scrievers”, a relaxed afternoon event running from 12 noon to 3pm.

Visitors can enjoy live readings, baking demonstrations, and discussions celebrating the written word and culinary traditions of Ulster-Scots communities.

The literary programme will spotlight local “bardic” poets, including David Herbison (The Bard of Dunclug), James Orr (Bard of Ballycarry), and Samuel Thomson (Bard of Carngranny) — three figures who defined the Ulster-Scots literary revival of their day.

‘Dailygan’ Concert: Music at Sunset

The week’s celebrations will draw to a close with the ‘Dailygan’ concert — the word dailygan meaning “sunset” or “the end of daylight” in Ulster-Scots — at The Braid’s Studio Theatre in Ballymena on Thursday 27 November at 7.30pm.

The evening will bring together music, song and storytelling, headlined by Stonewall, a band whose name honours General “Stonewall” Jackson, descended from County Armagh ancestry. Their set will blend lively traditional tunes with Ulster-Scots favourites, reflecting the shared heritage of the region and its diaspora.

Joining them will be piper Duane Johnston, a veteran of the Royal Irish Regiment Pipe Band and Broughshane and District Pipe Band, along with acclaimed storyteller and singer-songwriter Colin Urwin from Glenarm.

Urwin’s works, including The Madman’s Window and Dalriada Folk Tales, have earned him praise for reviving oral storytelling traditions that connect people to place and memory.

Preserving the Language for Future Generations

Ulster-Scots Leid Week, which is celebrated annually across Northern Ireland, aims to promote understanding and appreciation of the Ulster-Scots language — recognised under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages — and its influence on local dialects, literature and cultural identity.

By blending traditional and contemporary forms, the 2025 programme underscores how Ulster-Scots remains a living, evolving expression of community pride. Council officials have said the events are designed to engage all ages, from school groups and families to lifelong learners and cultural enthusiasts.

How to Take Part

Further information about all Ulster-Scots Leid Week 2025 events in Mid and East Antrim can be obtained by emailing Members.Services@midandeastantrim.gov.uk.

Tickets for the Dailygan concert at The Braid can be booked online via The Braid Arts Centre’s ticketing platform: www.thebraid.ticketsolve.com.