Rhyming in Ulster Scots with 
a beautiful meandering river

Regular Roamer-readers perused some wonderful yarns from his most recent book ‘Nine Rhymes’ when it was published almost 12 months ago and when Covid-19 arrived earlier this year Liam turned his poetic pen to the pandemic with a ringing Ulster Scots endorsement of the social-distancing rules.

“Stay at hame

Keep yersel tae yersel

Young yins daenae be near oul yins”

An email from Liam last week afforded me several spectacularly beautiful journeys through our local countryside, much enhanced by Ulster Scots poet Charlie Gillen, and all in the restful comfort of my home.

“Here’s a wee treat for you,” wrote Liam, further tempting me with a link to a film on Northern Visions Television (NVTV), a local public service community television station based in Belfast.

The film was billed as “Bush River: From Source to Sea” presented by Liam and starring “rhymer Charlie Gillen, travelling along the River Bush starting at the Altnahinch Reservoir and ending at the North Antrim Coast.”

There is a special viewing for News Letter readers tonight (Wednesday September 2) available at the link at the end of this page, at 21.50pm.

Charlie Gillen is a retired Water Service engineer and a published poet from Dervock, and Roamer was thoroughly enthralled by his poem, woven around with incredibly beautiful pictures and music. The scenic aerial footage above the meandering river was shot by retired British Airways Captain Mick Crossey whose film company is aptly named Airborne Pixels. Directed by Tristan Crowe with captivating music from NVTV’s music library, the film is “a celebration of one of our most iconic rivers” Liam told Roamer, adding “it’s a hidden gem and a lure for anglers right along its length.”

Charlie Gillen’s hugely evocative poem about the river begins with two introductory verses.

“Ye hae hard aboot the Danube the Shannon an’ the Clyde,

They’re a weel knowed rivers that ir sung aboot wae pride,

But whun ye talk o’ rivers, there is only yin for me,

She flows oot through north Antrim, on hir wye doon tae the sea,

She rises in the muntins awa abane Loughgiel,

An she flows through fermin’ country an’ villages as weel,

She haes a special quality, for the man wha loves tae fish

She is that famous water folk ca (call) the river Bush.”

The poet’s words, the panoramic footage and the music, with Liam’s gently authoritative presentation, make this special river flow from the screen into the viewer’s soul. “It is vivid and eloquent and heart-warming,” Liam explained, describing Charlie Gillen as “the poet laureate of North Antrim.”

Mr Logan reckons we don’t normally hear enough about “the discreet charm of North Antrim’s River Bush. The film endeavours to correct this deficit and show it to us in all its beauty, in all its diversity and colour. Charlie Gillen offers a proper poetic tribute of his own, reminding us that Ulster Scots is the voice best suited to take us on our journey across the Antrim Plateau, ending in the Wild Atlantic near Portballintrae.”

“She starts hir journey doon Glenbush, fae the dam at Altnahinch,

Ir tinklin music there she plays, as she trevils inch bae inch,

She flows bae Magherahoney, tae the village o’ Armoy,

Alang hir brews in the gloamin the girls mak trysts wae boys

“Then she flows doon through a valley, beside a stately hall,

An’ she adds hir ain wee magic touch tae the beauty over all,

An’ if ye axed the emigrant whut wus he’s fondest wish,

He’ll sey tae stan on Stranocum brig an watch the river Bush,

“Fae there she keeps on flowin tae she passes through Bellisle,

An then on oot tae Conagher, she flows in perfect style,

Aboot a mile fae Dervock village, the Blackwater joins the flow,

On the ither side o’ Conagher rins burn Gushey dark an slow.

“She’s gettin near hir journeys en’ whun passin through Seneirl,

Through the toonlans leadin tae Bushmills she glissens lake a pearl,

She taks the Walkmills in hir stride she’s gyely in Bushmills,

A lang an weary journey fae the peat an heather hills,

“An at last tae Neptunes kingdom she maks a final rush,

Where the tireless Atlantic meets the famous river Bush.

Noo I hae niver fun the spot whur I wud rether spen mae time,

Than on the brews o the river Bush, wae fly an rod an line

“Oul Isaac Walton lang ago these wurds he’d whiles recite,

He dee’t in sixteen eighty three, an still his words are right

O’ for the gallant fisher’s life

It is the best of any,

‘Tis full of pleasure void of strife,

And is beloved by many”

“An noo mae pen I’ll set aside an gie ye some advice,

An heed mae wurds baith young an oul ye dinnae pass here twice

Wull ye tak a break fae yer busy life, in this worl o shove an push,

An sit an lissen tae the music o mae ain oul river Bush.”

NVTV broadcasts on Freeview Ch7 across the Greater Belfast area, and on Virgin Ch159 where available in Northern Ireland. The link for the film is: https://www.nvtv.co.uk/shows/bush-river-from-source-to-sea/