DERRY City and Strabane District Council has developed a week-long programme of online events to mark Ulster-Scots Language Week, which runs from the 23rd to 27th November 2020.
Ulster-Scots Language Week aims to promote awareness of the Ulster-Scots language which is spoken throughout the City and District.
Ulster-Scots is a sister language of English and a regional dialect of the Scots language, and it came to this part of the world during the 17th century, surviving to a greater or lesser degree in areas all over Ulster.
The last census carried out in 2011 highlighted that over 5% of the population in the Derry-Strabane Council area has knowledge of the language, but in reality, everyone here speaks a wee bit of Ulster-Scots!
Looking ahead to the events, Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Brian Tierney, said:
“Ulster-Scots Language Week presents us all with a great opportunity to learn about the Ulster-Scots linguistic tradition in our local area.
“We’ve created a diverse programme of events which aims to raise public awareness of Ulster-Scots and which provides opportunities for learning and celebration.
“I’d like to encourage as many people as possible to engage with our online programme and to mark this unique week in our cultural calendar.”
The Council’s programme of events for Ulster-Scots Language Week premieres at www.derrystrabane.com/ulsterscots on Monday 23rd November and runs to Friday 27th November, 2020.
Each event goes online at 1pm each day but can be watched again after the premiere.
The programme includes language taster sessions, talks, an interactive language quiz and a newly-commissioned short film by Bready and District Ulster-Scots association about the life and legacy of local Ulster-Scots writer GP Findlay.
So, whether you just have ‘a wheen o words’ or speak Ulster-Scots day-in daily, this year’s programme has something for everyone.
You might even find out that you speak more Ulster-Scots than you realise!
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