Joshua Burnside and The Bard of Moneyrea

Helen Mark presents BBC Radio Ulster’s weekly Ulster-Scots magazine show this week alongside Jonnie Crawford and Willie Hill. Helen meets up with renowned Lisbane musician Joshua Burnside and Library & Archives Manager at National Museums NI - Donal McAnallen to take in a unique event at the Ulster Folk Museum in Cultra. Joshua was commissioned to select poems written The Bard of Moneyrea – Robert Huddleston. He talks about exploring the archive and why he chose two very different pieces to put to music. We also hear performances of the tracks including a incredibly profound repurposing of ‘Mary on the Brain’ which Huddleston wrote about his late daughter.
Meanwhile, Willie hears about UIster-Scots language classes in Ballymena and the organisers determination to “climb cringe mountain”! There’s also a reflective piece opening the show as Kintra marks Remembrance Sunday.
As always, listeners are invited to contact the programme with a good Ulster-Scots yarn or event to talk about. The easiest way to do that is by email – [email protected]