"Ah canna thank abidy enough fir reading it ih’ dee": Hairst Machar readings praised
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READINGS from Huntly's one and only Machar, Margaret Grant, were a key part of this year's Hairst.
Margaret's son Ronald Grant said it is "fantastic ti' see her works still getting oot there".
Work from the Machar, who passed away aged 77 in 2015, echoed throughout the Square to an audience drawn from near and far during Hairst (September 2).
Hosted to coincide with the reprinting of her books – written in Doric and often putting the spotlight on local people, places and events – poems were read by Doric advocate Donald McKenzie.
“The range of poems is amazing," Donald said.
“Some ah them yi’ could read at Remembrance, but aithers wid work at birthdays and celebrations."
Praising the readings of his mum's works, and the efforts of Huntly Writers and Orbs Bookshop in keeping them alive, Ronald said: “It’s – well – it’s quite emotional really.
“Ah canna thank abidy enough fir reading it ih’ dee.
“They keep asking us fir permission tae keep it gaun and it’s fantastic ti’ see her works still getting oot there.
“And I’m grateful fir Huntly Writers keeping her poems gaun."
Margaret was closely involved with the Huntly Writers and was a dedicated committee member.
The group, which published her final book Young at Hert in 2017, also paid for the recent reprint of all of her works.
Orbs Bookshop stocks the full range of Margaret's reprinted works.
Ronald, also at Hairst representing Historic Scotland, who he works for at Huntly Castle, said Margaret's work highlighted the importance of preserving and spreading Doric in the north east.
“On the back eh' that book, the remarks she maks are so important," he said.
“The wauy we spik, Doric, is fa’ we understan life.
“Doric is something that shid be in schools.
"It shid be part ah education, an part ah the system in the north east."
He added it was important the local language not be forgotten about during the current increase in the prominence of Gaelic.
“Ah dinnae hae onything against ih’ Gaelic, but we hae ti’ recognise the importance ah Doric," he said.
“Some fowk dinna like ih' term Doric, and they think it’s aa jist Scots.
“But, ken, there’s variation. There’s lowland Scots and there’s Doric.
“An there’s variations wi' Doric, it changes far ivver yi go, fae Aiberdeen Doric across ti’ eh Moray Doric, and it shid be in schools in ih' north east."
He added that he enjoyed using the opportunity of his day job to help advocate and push for the language.
“Ah work at Huntly Castle in ih' summer, and ah dee eh' kid’s quiz in ih' Doric," he said.
“An ah like to git certain fowk to be able to dee the tours in eh Doric an aa'.
“Course, you hae a’ adapt ti’ yir audience
“Bit, if you’ve git fowk from roon aboot, there’s nae reason fa ye shid hae ti’ dee it in English."
Donald also thanked Maureen Ross and Mary Burghout for their efforts in making the readings happen during Hairst, and for their support of Margaret's work.
"Ah’d like ti’ thank Maureen Ross an Mary Burghout," he said.
“Maureen Ross wid’ve been running Huntly Writers, fan Margaret wis a member eh aat group.
“They wid’ve been the anes ti' encourage her into publication."
Margaret was born and brought up at Kinnoir and began to write Doric poetry in primary school.
Releasing first book Jist for a Lauch in 1999, she went on to publish Anither Keckle and The Last Lauch in 2003 and 2008 respectively.
Margaret often received commissions from Huntly folk, to mark important personal, workplace and community moments.
She received the Machar honour at the first Huntly Book Festival in 2013, having lived in the town with husband Hamish, known as Dan, since 1966.
At the time of Margaret's passing, the pair had 12 grandchildren.
Dawn Finch, from Huntly Writers and Orb's Bookshop, said Margaret's work is: “So beautiful.
"After the last print run went with money to the family and they said: ‘Why don’t you keep it in print?’
“So they put that money back, and it has sold really well.
“It’s great. It is so beautiful and so accessible to everybody.
“It’s really humbling to be able to keep that part of Huntly’s culture alive and keep it going.
“It is good, wonderful in fact, and Donald is the perfect person to do this."
Hairst chairperson Pat Scott said: “It was moving to have Margaret’s family standing right there during the poems.
“I think they found that quite emotional, and I think they were quite chuffed with it as well."
Orb's Bookshop also hosted a range of activities during Hairst including a quiz and two author events, one featuring Aaron Gale and Jackie Ross, from Doric Books, and another from Highland thriller writer TS Westbrook.
Mr Westbrook said the "brilliant" Hairst was the perfect setting for the author events.
"It's great everybody came, and it's always good to talk about books."
He added that the next novel in his series of thrillers about RB McGhee is coming soon, following on from May 2023 debut novel S6.
Orb's has been shortlisted for the business of the year award, at the Scots Language Awards.
And Speaking Back, a poetry anthology from the Huntly Writers, is to be published next month.
