Bout ye!  We bid ye welcome tae Ulster-Scotch Online where we scrieve the aul tongue an leid alang wi promoting an fostering understanding of it`s attendant music, history, culture and heritage.  We are primarily focused on Northern Ireland and and the border Counties of the Republic but also across the island of Ireland and especially the various Irish and Scotch-Irish diasporas around the world..

We have just updated the website with new software to resolve some ongoing problems with the old software.  However all users and passwords should be carried across.  Please let us know what you think of the new look and please be aware it is still a work in progress in terms of aesthetics, with logos and links and such like still to be implemented.  Expect the blog to be more active with working software and a new blogging team asweel.  Speaking o which, anyone interested in blogging on Ulster-Scotch Online please drop us a line.

 

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Feel free to add any upcoming events. Please note that the software uses the American date format of Month/Day/Year and not the Day/Month/Year format. Please feel free to come into the forums for some discussion. You can also add your own comments to any articles you see here by clicking where it says "comment" at the bottom of an article.

Please also feel free to subscribe to the Yahoo email group / forum.  Please be advised that this is a high load email list and you are advised to set an email filter to filter to a new `ulster-scots` folder so as not to clog your inbox (alternatively you can alter settings at Yahoo to receive a daily digest or read soley via the web ).

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What is the future of Ulster?

An independent Ulster
A devolved Northern Ireland within the UK (as now)
A devolved Northern Ireland within a United Ireland
A United Ireland (no devolution)
A federal four province Ireland
A federal British Isles
Integration with the UK / Direct Rule (no devolution)

-- poll results --

In this week of Burns, the debate over whether Scots is a language or a dialect continues both in Ulster and in Scotland. A recent study by The Scottish Government shows that whilst 85% of Scots admit to using `Scots`, two thirds do not think of it as a language. Whilst a majority want to see it taught is schools.

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A full itinerary & YouTube footage can be viewed at www.maidencityfestival.com www.maidencityfestival.com

Week long celebrations at Maiden City Festival
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/

The annual Relief of Derry parade takes place next Saturday

Published Date: 01 August 2009
LONDONDERRY is set for another fantastic celebration of culture and music with the week-long Maiden City Festival getting under way on Saturday.
As the programme for the famed festival explains: "The Maiden City Festival is a flagship celebration of diversity in Northern Ireland.

"The Maiden City Festival 2009 combines favourites and friends, alongside new shows and new ideas. We have been able to expand elements of the festival this year and believe the line-up provides a home for all those who wish to celebrate music, song or dance - just for the love of it, in a politics-free, baggage-free environment."

The festival offers something for everyone, and works hard to bring pride and tourist trade to the City of Londonderry. It is being billed as the highlight of the city's August holiday period and a major visitor attraction on the North West's summer calendar.

"We have organised the programme to offer ideas for days out that explore every aspect of the City. The experience of visiting the City will be enhanced with our new Siege Heroes Trail, aimed at casual visitors taking a walk around the historic Walls," the programme reads.

Revellers can either print the map and tour guide before they leave home or follow the trail with their web-enabled mobile phone.

"The Maiden City Festival is a showcase for Protestant culture of tolerance and openness, and for the heritage that is entrusted to the Apprentice Boys of Derry.

"The Maiden City Festival is the way in which the Protestant community of Londonderry, a minority community, is able to make a contribution to the life of the city and to the diversity of cultural expression."

Among the events is the Apprentice Boys Museum and Exhibition that runs in the Memorial Hall Museum for the duration of the Festival, from 10am-5pm daily.

Or why not learn about the history of the Guns Of Londonderry in the Memorial Hall Garden in Society Street today and throughout the week from 11am-2pm daily and by request.

The Old Fountain Tour is also a must and will be presented by the Bob Harte Memorial Trust Thiepval Gallery, George Street from Monday, August 3 to Friday, August 7 at noon.

Local historian William Temple takes a walk down memory lanes and streets of the old Fountain, pointing out how it would have been in past times.

There is no charge for this event, but a small minimum donation of £1 to the Bob Harte Memorial Trust would be appreciated.

And last but not least, The Siege Story will be told at St Columb's Cathedral today and from Monday, August 3 to Friday, August 7 at 1pm and 3pm.

The Siege Story is a series of five monologues that each explore different aspects of the Siege Story 1688-1689. The story is of the young apprentice, of the military man, of the people, of the church, and of life and love in war.

The performance starts at the main entrance door of the Cathedral, moves through the Cathedral and lasts approximately 45 minutes.

Maiden City Festival Event highlights
www.maidencityfestival.com
week ending Saturday 8th August 2009

Today (Saturday)
- The Guns of Londonderry (also taking place on Monday and Friday: 11am and 2pm and by request) - Go back in time with a tour round the historic Walls on the Seige Heroes Trail.
- The Siege Story at St Columb's Cathedral (also taking place Monday and Friday at 1pm and 3pm). This is a series of five monologues that each explore the different aspects of the Siege story. The performance starts at the main door of the Cathedral and last around 45 minutes.
- Fountain Community Day at Fountain Green from l-5pm.

Monday
- Highland Dance and Skirl of the Pipes at Double Bastion (also taking place all week up until Friday at 11.30am and 2.30pm). A performance of highland dancing, piping and drumming presented by the Sollus Centre, Bready.
- Good Afternoon at the Mem -Tea Dance at the Memorial Hall (Also taking place until Thursday at 2.30pm and 4.30pm).

Tuesday
- Kids' Pop Concert at the Memorial Hall from 8-10.30pm. A family event, including karaoke for the parents and a night of music and entertainment from the Garth Fulton Show.
- Fireworks - what could be more perfect to end the day than
a noisy and exciting fireworks display above the city walls?

Wednesday
- The 6th Maiden City Scottish Highland Dance Competition at the Memorial Hall from 10.30am - 3.30pm.
- Crimson Players Variety Show at the Memorial hall from 8-10pm. Everyone taking part in this relaxed and fun show is local, and sketches will include references to familiar local characters. The night will end on an upbeat note with a glittering Boogie Night Fever disco.

Thursday
-¦ The Bands of Londonderry: Exhibition and Guide at the Thiepval Gallery, George Street from 2.30-4.30 pm and 5.30 -7.30pm.
- A Tribute to William Love at Cathedral Youth Club, at the Fountain at 3pm. Trie Londonderry born man was a prolific composer of many types of popular music.

Friday
- That Friday Sound at the Memorial Hall from 2-6pm. Remo and Session Beat will be providing an afternoon of light entertainment on the Memorial Hall.

Saturday, August 8
- The highlight of the week -the Relief of Derry Commemorations

Maiden City Festival YouTube Channel

St Patrick`s 2009 & 2008, Curran Flute Band

http://www.ulster-scots.co.uk
http://www.orange-order.co.uk

Saint Patrick`s Day concert by Curran Flute Band in Magherafelt High School, County Londonderry / Derry, Northern Ireland. Ulster-Scots / Scotch-Irish music, culture and heritage.

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From the Ulster-Scot, December 2008 edition (as given away with the News Letter)
If you live outside NI then you can receive a copy for free by emailing the Ulster-Scots Agency with your name and address requesting to be added to the Ulster-Scot mailing list!
info@ulsterscotsagency.org.uk
http://www.newsletter.co.uk

Preview of the Homecoming Scotland year ahead
www.homecomingscotland2009.com

A spectacular calendar of events will mark Scotland's first-ever Homecoming year and all Ulster-Scots are invited! Homecoming Scotland 2009 will celebrate some of Scotland's great contributions to the world (golf, whisky, ancestry, great minds and, of course, Robert Burns) with a year-long country-wide programme of exciting and inspirational events and activities. The festivities begin on January 25, the 250th birthday of one of Scotland's most famous sons - national poet Robert Burns, and will run until St Andrew's Day (November 30).

The main events listed are:

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2009 marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns, the bard of Scotland and the Scottish Government is using it as part of the Homecoming 2009 initiative which seeks to foster Scottish emigrant links.

A delegation from Visit Scotland were in Northern Ireland last week promoting Burns events in the Province in an effort to coordinate a record number of Burns suppers. The Ulster-Scots Agency and Visit Northern Ireland are also helping organise a plethora of events in the coming weeks, including the Belfast-Burns 250 Programme. The American Folklife Center in Washington will be holding a Symposium at the Library of congress in February.

[read more]