Porridge Across the Pond

This is a wee bit out of date, but the Daily Telegraph reported last month that the Golden Spurtle at the World Porridge Championships was won by an American, Matthew Cox from Milwaukie in Oregon.

The event had a Burns 250 theme and sadly, the Telegraph doesn't record any Ulster involvement. Stand up, ye Ulstermen and get your spurtles in motion for next year's event....

OK, I'm a Big Child.

Look, I know that it's not very grown up, but I really liked this:

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Ul**** Sc**s

Many of you will have seen the recent coverage on the BBC about the loss of older language from our culture. If you haven't - here's a handy link.

Have a look at it. Read through. Go on. All the way.

Now. What's missing?

Yes, that's right any mention of Ulster*****. "Hold on", you're thinking. "Surely some of the words in the actual article are fine examples of ******Scots in common usage? What gives?"

Well indeed.

What have we got instead?

Farming Words

Northern Ireland Speak

Country Words

Anything will do - just don't say Ulst** Sc**s!

Wordia

I was recently referred to Wordia by a Blogger of Note and have been having a bit of a poke round over there to see whether any Ulsterisms have yet surfaced.

Imagine my surprise when this appeared....

The Parade of the Town - Portrush

As I said a few days ago, I have been playing with YouTube and latterly with both Windows Movie Maker and iMovie. The success has been variable, but here is the first faltering attempt at an edited version of the Portrush Parade of the Town, following the North West Championships.

Interestingly, Field Marshal decided not to bother letting the folks on the street see them - and I don't remember seeing Ballycoan either, for that matter. Bearing in mind that a lot of people hung about for close on 2 hours after the last band played, you would have thought it wasn't too much to ask for the bands to take the short dander to Barry's...

I'm starting to wonder whether we would be better to impose the same sort of rule that they have at the Cowal - if you don't walk the town (over there, it is before you play) then you are out of the contest. We need to make sure that the public is kept interested in piping and drumming. Otherwise interest wains, possible players never hear the music and it ends up the preserve of wizened old compulsives like me...

Results from the Cowal

Grade 1 (MSR, 14 competed)
1st Field Marshal Montgomery
2nd St.Laurence O'Toole
3rd House of Edgar-Shotts & Dykehead
4th Strathclyde Police
5th Boghall & Bathgate
6th ScottishPower
Drumming: House of Edgar-Shotts & Dykehead

Grade 2 (medley, 18 competed)
1st Inveraray & District
2nd Dumfries & Galloway Constabulary
3rd Grampian Police
4th Phoenix Honda-Glasgow Skye
5th Lomond & Clyde
6th Mauchline & District
Drumming: Inveraray

That makes FM Supreme Champions (again) with SLOT nipping at their ghillies. Also, Grade One will be welcoming Inverary & District next year - after a clean sweep of all the Majors for them. Should be interesting to see if they can make the final at the Worlds next year....

Playing with YouTube

I got a wee Flip Video UltraHD just before going to the Worlds and spent quite a lot of time using it when in Glasgow.

This is just a few minutes of video I captured of Ravara last weekend up in Portrush. Usually, there is better opportunity to get up close with the big bands when they are tuning, rather than in the arena.

I've been posting a dose of stuff over on YouTube - and have now discovered how best to upload to make sure the stuff comes up in HD. Give this a watch - you'll like it.