Ballymoney writer Alan is nominated for Scots Language Award

Poet, writer and journalist and a native Ulster-Scots speaker, born in East Donegal and now residing in County Antrim, Alan Millar is nominated for Scots Writer o the Year at this year’s awards.

In 2021, he was honoured with the SLS Hugh Macdiarmid Tassie for his poem ‘Wee Weaver Birdie’ – the first time an Irish person had received this award. Alan is among over 60 nominees in the running across 12 categories at the annual awards ceremony.

The ceremony will take place at Johnstone Town Hall, in partnership with Renfrewshire Council, on Saturday, September 16, showcasing the very best of Scots language and culture. The awards, which were first started in 2019, celebrate the importance of Scots language within arts and culture but also within daily life, education, and business.

Voting for this year’s Scots Language Awards will be open until Sunday, September 10. There will be a host of incredible entertainment on the night, including a recital from Renfrewshire’s poet laureate poet Shaun Moore, who was appointed as the region’s Tannahill Makar last year, talks from esteemed Scottish writers Cat Cochrane and Shane Strachan, and musical performances from celebrated brother duo Euan and Lewis McLaughlin, and talented folk singer Iona Fyfe.

Alan Millar said: “A'm frae yin o tha Ulster-Scots 'hairtlan' airts, Tha Laggan district o East Donegal, an aye had an interest fur as lang as Ah can min. Mae interest in tha posey o tha Ulster-Scots tradeechion, makers lik United Irishmen James Orr, an Samuel Thomson, wha visited Rabbie Burns in 1794 sterted aboot 15 year ago. Ah foutered at Scots leid scrievin, but maistly scrieved English tae aboot 2016. Noo, Ah scrieve maist o mae posey in Ulster- Scots.”

Scotland’s traditional culture, music and arts organisation Hands Up For Trad organise the annual event, and organiser Simon Thoumire said: “We ur delichtit tae let ye ken the number o nominees fir the Scots Leid Awards submitit ower aa the sindrie categories haes bin jist grand! An its bin wunnerfu tae lairn aboot aa the fowk, some names we already kent, ithers new tae us, ettlin tae mak shuir oor braw Scots leid steys in guid hert. It haes nivver been mair importint tae acknowledge the fowk whaes wirk is keeping the leid tae the fore baith in thir daily lives an in its cultur, music an wirds. Sae mony nominations tae mak ye prood, an submitit as weel fae aa pairts o Scotland and beyond!

“Aince votin stairts, its ower tae the public tae mak thir chuisins. The winners wull be anooncit at a ceremony in Johnstone Toon Ha’ Johnstone Renfrewshire oan Seturday 16th September. It wull be a haurd joab tae chuise fae sae mony amazin nominees. Sae mak shuir ye get yer votes in!”

Voting for the Scots Language Awards closes on September 10 and votes can be cast at www.scotslanguageawards.com. Best of luck to Alan!