麻豆社

In Magherafelt, Conal Gillespie attends an awards presentation at a thriving Highland Dance class where about thirty young dancers aged 4-12, taught by Gillian Jones, are getting their Certificates of Achievements. Conal chats to George Holmes, Director of Culture with the Ulster Scots Agency, who is giving out the awards; to two of the dancers, Hannah and Pamela about their enjoyment of Highland Dancing; and to their mums, Claire and Molly who discuss the success of the groups and the support for the tradition within the community. Dance teacher, Gillian Jones, also talks about her work across Ulster and about the formation of the Ulster Scots Dance Alliance.

Conal chats to Brian McLaughlin, a Glenarm man who works in QUB, about the development of Ulster-Scots - drawing parallels with what happened with the Irish language, as well as discussing neologisms and the importance of authenticity. They give some thought to spelling standardisation in Ulster Scots and the role of native speakers, as well as the need for a tolerance for Ulster Scots in schools.

The Primary Schools teaching project, being put together by Stranmillis College, is being piloted in a number of schools across Northern Ireland. At Maguiresbridge Primary School in Fermanagh, Conal listens to Willie Drennan rehearsing with the P1 to P4 children for the school concert: there鈥檚 music from the children; and Andrea Gilbert of the Stranmillis Ulster Scots project talks about their piloting of the materials in schools. Teacher, Christine Rusk, describes how the project develops the self-esteem and self-confidence of the children.