On Slaimish

JAMES FENTON, born in 1931, grew up in the adjoining townlands of Drumadarragh and Ballinaloob. Educated at Stranmillis College and Queen's University, he spent his working life as a teacher and principal in Belfast, and now lives in Glengormley. He is the author of The Hamely Tongue (1995; new editions, 2000, 2007).

The Hamely Tongue gave us a comprehensive record of contemporary Ulster-Scots; now, in the poems and prose of On Slaimish, the writer's native language comes vividly alive. From this vantage point he stands, and takes his stand, 'On the hoovin hairt o Antrim'.

CONTENTS

On Slaimish
Anither worl
It's ill tae mine
Dinnis
The grunt
Rosie
Leein
The en o a dream
If iver Bab
The epple-tree
Words
The pooers
Him an hir
Dailygan
Mag an Tam
Dunloy
Heatherbleat
Killagan
Jeerin the jum
A nighber wumman
The watter quail
Blue-a-knowe
Threshin
The hare
The owl wumman
The howdie
The weeda
Yins
The set
Stanes
Bae Cranny fals
Pilgrim
It's lukkin blue
The watter
He'd awa
This an that
On Tullaghans
The road frae Belnamore
Antrim 1798
The Gift o Tongues
Shakespeare in Belnaloob Thonner an thon