News

News & Latest Updates

For details of forthcoming

broadcasts and public talks

given by Billy Kay,

please click here


Meet the Author Blairgowrie, April 15 At the Heart of Europe Film Scots the Mither Tongue On Audible Time for Reflection Scottish Parliament Joâo Kay Interview TNT show Youtube Indymatters Youtube MEET THE AUTHOR St Catharine's Community Centre Blairgowrie April 15, 2pm Delighted to be going back to see the good folk at the Bookmark Book Festival In Blairgowrie for one of their meet the author events. This time I will be talking about the history of Scots, based on my book Scots The Mither Tongue, but I will also preview my autobiographical work Born in Kyle which will be published later this year or in early 2024. Ticket Details here: https://bookmarkblair.com/events/meet-the-author-billy-kay AT THE HEART OF EUROPE. I loved working with Nina Jetter and Andrea Pisauro on this short Film about Scotland's identity as an historic European nation. My pal Ally Heather also helped by filming a few pieces to camera near my home in Fife. Before and after showing the film, Nina asked me about my background and my work promoting the links. We also spoke about the European chapters in my book The Scottish World and looked forward to our future as an independent country at the heart of Europe. Here is a link to the full programme with the discussion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6dIbkSw6Lo&t=1592s This is a link to see the film on its own, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSNi0MOF8xE This is a link to the original broadcast on Indylive. Unfortunately, the film was cut off during the credits sequence of the film and it showed Nina waiting for the film to end in the studio! But it does show the reaction/Comments of the audience as it went out live. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xo5Iq8QzoTw SCOTS: THE MITHER TONGUE Narrated by Billy Kay Latest news: Over 900 copies sold! Scots The Mither Tongue is now available as an Audiobook on Audible UK : https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/B09LXPTTFY And Audible in the USA: https://www.audible.com/pd/Scots-The-Mither-Tongue-Audiobook/B09LXHX36X?qid=1637245847&sr=1-1&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1&pf_rd_p=83218cca-c308-412f-bfcf-90198b687a2f&pf_rd_r=N4K75S2Z5HW2Z0MHMZ59 Scots Promo Ower monie's the lang year, fowk hae spierit at Billy Kay whit wey he hadnae gotten roond tae record a soond version o the quair he's kent best for – Scots The Mither Tongue? His repone wis aye the same: "Kennin the wark that gaes intae recordin a seiven meinute script for the radio, I wis aye awaur o whit an undeemous darg it wad be tae dae a guid recordin o a book that's nearhaun eicht oor lang." Houaniver, like a wheen ither things, the muckle scunner o Covid cheinged things wi the lockdoon garin us aw bide langer at hame an finnd projecks that we cuid dae fae hame. "Noo's the day an noo's the oor" thocht Billy an breenged intae pittin a hame studio thegither an stertin oot on the lang awaited projeck in Januar 2021. It's noo duin, an he's vauntie aboot recordin aw the braw Scots passages that gie the quair its virr an smeddum – fae the aureate scrievin o the medieval makars in the past tae the orra street wice vyces o the urban workin clesses the day, fae the kenspeckle figures o the vernacular revival, Ramsay, Burns an Fergusson, tae the skeely prose warks o Scott an Stevenson. The chapters on the dialecks o Scots shaws variations in the leid fae aw the airts whaur fowk hae a guid Scots tongue in their mooths, fae Shetland tae Ulster wi stravaigs in the Doric hairtlands an the kintrae that gied us the Border ballads. There's humour galore as weel wi Billy recordin for posterity a story he got in the auld BBC biggin in Glesga lang syne, when a rammy atween twa cleaners there endit wi the puit doon, "Whit'll you dae for a face when King Kong asks for his erse back?" Fae the patter o Glesga tae the spik o the land, it's aw there. As a native Scots speaker fae Ayrshire wha studied the leid an its literature at Embro University, there's nae better bodie tae bring this classic quair alive for a new audience. Billy threaped "Wi the interest in Scots warld wide noo, the audio book will help full a tuim void in fowk ayont Scotland's kennin o the leid an hou it shuid be pronoonced." It will gie fowk a richer experience gin they hae the audio version an the text afore thaim as weel. Wha kens, mebbe it will stairt a Scots revival in a wheen fremmit airts discoverin the soonds o Scots for the verra first time. SCOTS: THE MITHER TONGUE Audiobook by Billy Kay English Promo Over many years, people have asked Billy Kay why he had not recorded an audio version of this classic book. Knowing what a huge undertaking it would be, he always cited time and other commitments as the main reasons. The Covid lockdown changed everything, so he finally decided to commit himself to making the historic recording. Historic? Yes, because it will be the first time that iconic passages from the great Scots literary tradition have been recorded and made available in the one place. For most people it will be the first time they have heard the work of writers from Barbour's Brus to RL Stevenson's Thrawn Janet read out loud by someone steeped in that tradition, who has a deep knowledge of Scots as both a living and a literary language. The combination is powerful with memorable moments from e.g. MacDiarmid and the Border Ballads, from Burns only letter in Scots and from rich examples of every Scots dialect from Shetland to Ulster via the Doric heartlands of the North East. Scots and Scottish literature enjoy a global following, but outwith Scotland few people know how the language sounds, so this will fill a big gap in those people's knowledge and appreciation of a great tradition. As a presenter of countless series of award winning documentaries on radio and television over the years, Billy has built up a substantial following for his work and recognition for his distinctive take on Scottish history and culture. This is Rachel McCormack's description of Billy's voice from her book Chasing the Dram. "It's a deep, low, warm, authoritative voice, like an old sherried single cask malt. It's a voice that when broadcast over the airwaves on Radio Scotland, the fish in the deepest waters near Ullapool recognise as Billy Kay. If God ever chose to reveal himself to mortals at the top of a Scottish mountain his best chance of convincing atheists of his existence would be to use Billy Kay's voice" Time for Reflection Scottish Parliament April 26th I wis gey vauntie tae be invitit tae gie the Time for Reflection speech in Scots by Emma Harper MSP. It created quite a stooshie, wi the majority luein it, an ultra unionist Scots deniers foamin at the mooth ower it's inclusion! Their ignorance is as deep as Loch Ness. Tae thaim I gie ye the words o Burns. The mair they talk, I'm kent the better, E'en let them clash; An auld wife's tongue's a feckless matter To gie ane fash. It was a privilege to lead the Time for Reflection in the Scottish Parliament on April 26th, and to create a bit of history. This was almost certainly the first speech delivered in Scots since the pre Union parliament of 1707. Ye can see whit I said by clicking here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=am1MCJsEGYA Here is the Scots text: Thenk ye, Presidin Officer, for giein me this honour o addressin oor National Pairlament. I'll stairt wi a kenspeckle quote fae Hugh MacDiarmid, ane o the skeeliest makars in Scots leiterature's thoosan year history: Tae Be Yersel's an tae mak that worth bein/Nae harder job tae mortals has been gien. It's maybe even harder for MSPs – for you cannae jist be yersel for yersels – but for aw the sels, aw the sowels, aw the brither an sister Scots fae Maidenkirk tae Johnny Groats and ayont, that ye represent, amang whilk theres ower 1.5 million Scots speakers. Noo's the day an noo's the oor tae rax oot an bring their words scrievit on the waws ootside the pairliament intae the hert o this chaumer, words perfit for debate like SPEIR inquire THREAP assert JALOUSE suspect, TAK TENT take care OR IT'S TINT its lost, OR gin ye dinnae want tae be douce ye can hae a FLYTIN – for it's a leid hoatchin wi gleg insults - glaikit gawkit gowk In daein sae ye'll raise the international profile o this airt wi words fae fremmit leids that touch us hame - French se facher - dinnae fash yersel – Dutch hunkers, Scandinavian lugs, an Latin dispone. Ye'll be howkin as weel fae a gowden seam in yer ain histories MacDiarmid wis a foundin faither o the National Pairty - Fellae makar Cunninghame Graham an his frien Kier Hardie the Labour Pairty The chiel wha first defined oor democratic intellectualism wis the Conservative Walter Elliot…. The Liberal Gladstone – wis oreiginally Gled Stane, Gled bein Scots for the bird o prey the kite. An the Greens are thirled tae oor ayebydand land whaur Scots words like smir, caller, haar or gloamin seem tae arise oot the yird itsel an haud oor herts. But mair important than thon ye'll gie a signal tae weans in the schuil that the culture o their hame is valued bi fowk electit by their mithers an faithers. Bairns like the quaet wee lass in P2 in Fawkirk wha ran an lowped intae her teachers airms lauchin an greetin wi joy when she furst heard her mither tongue in cless, or the sweirt learners in Dundee, dour teenage boays wha gaed tae the tap o the cless for the first time when the langage they yaised ilka day cam intae the schuil in books they then devoured …an never luikit back. Scottish weans transformed learnin a Scottish leid. A nation whaur naebody's excludit and awbody kens they belang – shuirly, dear Members o the Scottish Pairliament, thon's weel worth bein yersel for. TNT Show on Indylive Joâo interviewed by John Drummond I am so proud of my beautiful wife and her brilliant expression of the Scottish cause on The Nation Talks. Wonderful too to hear her quote from the poem by Pessoa at the end which is so relevant to where Scotland stands politically just now. Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i14oGJKBFtU Indymatters Anyone in search of my programmes when they are no longer available on BBC Sounds, should head over to the Youtube channel Indymatters. They have uploaded a number of my archive series, so you might well find what you are looking for there: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8pvizzdWKWWNqaTIZirHyg/playlists?disable_polymer=1

Meet the Author Blairgowrie, April 15

At the Heart of Europe Film

Scots the Mither Tongue On Audible

Time for Reflection Scottish Parliament

Joâo Kay Interview TNT show Youtube

Indymatters Youtube

MEET THE AUTHOR St Catharine's Community Centre Blairgowrie April 15, 2pm

Delighted to be going back to see the good folk at the Bookmark Book Festival

In Blairgowrie for one of their meet the author events. This time I will be talking about the history of Scots, based on my book Scots The Mither Tongue, but I will also preview my autobiographical work Born in Kyle which will be published later this year or in early 2024. Ticket Details here:

https://bookmarkblair.com/events/meet-the-author-billy-kay

AT THE HEART OF EUROPE.

I loved working with Nina Jetter and Andrea Pisauro on this short Film about Scotland's identity as an historic European nation. My pal Ally Heather also helped by filming a few pieces to camera near my home in Fife.

Before and after showing the film, Nina asked me about my background and my work promoting the links. We also spoke about the European chapters in my book The Scottish World and looked forward to our future as an independent country at the heart of Europe.

Here is a link to the full programme with the discussion:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6dIbkSw6Lo&t=1592s

This is a link to see the film on its own,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSNi0MOF8xE

This is a link to the original broadcast on Indylive. Unfortunately, the film was cut off during the credits sequence of the film and it showed Nina waiting for the film to end in the studio! But it does show the reaction/Comments of the audience as it went out live.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xo5Iq8QzoTw

SCOTS: THE MITHER TONGUE Narrated by Billy Kay

Latest news: Over 900 copies sold!

Scots The Mither Tongue is now available as an Audiobook on Audible UK : https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/B09LXPTTFY

And Audible in the USA:

https://www.audible.com/pd/Scots-The-Mither-Tongue-Audiobook/B09LXHX36X?qid=1637245847&sr=1-1&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1&pf_rd_p=83218cca-c308-412f-bfcf-90198b687a2f&pf_rd_r=N4K75S2Z5HW2Z0MHMZ59

Scots Promo

Ower monie's the lang year, fowk hae spierit at Billy Kay whit wey he hadnae gotten roond tae record a soond version o the quair he's kent best for – Scots The Mither Tongue? His repone wis aye the same: "Kennin the wark that gaes intae recordin a seiven meinute script for the radio, I wis aye awaur o whit an undeemous darg it wad be tae dae a guid recordin o a book that's nearhaun eicht oor lang." Houaniver, like a wheen ither things, the muckle scunner o Covid cheinged things wi the lockdoon garin us aw bide langer at hame an finnd projecks that we cuid dae fae hame. "Noo's the day an noo's the oor" thocht Billy an breenged intae pittin a hame studio thegither an stertin oot on the lang awaited projeck in Januar 2021.

It's noo duin, an he's vauntie aboot recordin aw the braw Scots passages that gie the quair its virr an smeddum – fae the aureate scrievin o the medieval makars in the past tae the orra street wice vyces o the urban workin clesses the day, fae the kenspeckle figures o the vernacular revival, Ramsay, Burns an Fergusson, tae the skeely prose warks o Scott an Stevenson. The chapters on the dialecks o Scots shaws variations in the leid fae aw the airts whaur fowk hae a guid Scots tongue in their mooths, fae Shetland tae Ulster wi stravaigs in the Doric hairtlands an the kintrae that gied us the Border ballads. There's humour galore as weel wi Billy recordin for posterity a story he got in the auld BBC biggin in Glesga lang syne, when a rammy atween twa cleaners there endit wi the puit doon, "Whit'll you dae for a face when King Kong asks for his erse back?" Fae the patter o Glesga tae the spik o the land, it's aw there.

As a native Scots speaker fae Ayrshire wha studied the leid an its literature at Embro University, there's nae better bodie tae bring this classic quair alive for a new audience. Billy threaped "Wi the interest in Scots warld wide noo, the audio book will help full a tuim void in fowk ayont Scotland's kennin o the leid an hou it shuid be pronoonced." It will gie fowk a richer experience gin they hae the audio version an the text afore thaim as weel. Wha kens, mebbe it will stairt a Scots revival in a wheen fremmit airts discoverin the soonds o Scots for the verra first time.

SCOTS: THE MITHER TONGUE Audiobook by Billy Kay English Promo

Over many years, people have asked Billy Kay why he had not recorded an audio version of this classic book. Knowing what a huge undertaking it would be, he always cited time and other commitments as the main reasons. The Covid lockdown changed everything, so he finally decided to commit himself to making the historic recording. Historic? Yes, because it will be the first time that iconic passages from the great Scots literary tradition have been recorded and made available in the one place. For most people it will be the first time they have heard the work of writers from Barbour's Brus to RL Stevenson's Thrawn Janet read out loud by someone steeped in that tradition, who has a deep knowledge of Scots as both a living and a literary language. The combination is powerful with memorable moments from e.g. MacDiarmid and the Border Ballads, from Burns only letter in Scots and from rich examples of every Scots dialect from Shetland to Ulster via the Doric heartlands of the North East. Scots and Scottish literature enjoy a global following, but outwith Scotland few people know how the language sounds, so this will fill a big gap in those people's knowledge and appreciation of a great tradition.

As a presenter of countless series of award winning documentaries on radio and television over the years, Billy has built up a substantial following for his work and recognition for his distinctive take on Scottish history and culture. This is Rachel McCormack's description of Billy's voice from her book Chasing the Dram. "It's a deep, low, warm, authoritative voice, like an old sherried single cask malt. It's a voice that when broadcast over the airwaves on Radio Scotland, the fish in the deepest waters near Ullapool recognise as Billy Kay. If God ever chose to reveal himself to mortals at the top of a Scottish mountain his best chance of convincing atheists of his existence would be to use Billy Kay's voice"

Time for Reflection Scottish Parliament April 26th

I wis gey vauntie tae be invitit tae gie the Time for Reflection speech in Scots by Emma Harper MSP. It created quite a stooshie, wi the majority luein it, an ultra unionist Scots deniers foamin at the mooth ower it's inclusion! Their ignorance is as deep as Loch Ness. Tae thaim I gie ye the words o Burns.

The mair they talk,

I'm kent the better,

E'en let them clash;

An auld wife's tongue's a feckless matter

To gie ane fash.

It was a privilege to lead the Time for Reflection in the Scottish Parliament on April 26th, and to create a bit of history. This was almost certainly the first speech delivered in Scots since the pre Union parliament of 1707.

Ye can see whit I said by clicking here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=am1MCJsEGYA

Here is the Scots text:

Thenk ye, Presidin Officer, for giein me this honour o addressin oor National Pairlament.

I'll stairt wi a kenspeckle quote fae Hugh MacDiarmid, ane o the skeeliest makars in Scots leiterature's thoosan year history:

Tae Be Yersel's an tae mak that worth bein/Nae harder job tae mortals has been gien.

It's maybe even harder for MSPs – for you cannae jist be yersel for yersels – but for aw the sels, aw the sowels, aw the brither an sister Scots fae Maidenkirk tae Johnny Groats and ayont, that ye represent, amang whilk theres ower 1.5 million Scots speakers.

Noo's the day an noo's the oor tae rax oot an bring their words scrievit on the waws ootside the pairliament intae the hert o this chaumer, words perfit for debate like

SPEIR inquire THREAP assert JALOUSE suspect, TAK TENT take care OR IT'S TINT its lost, OR gin ye dinnae want tae be douce ye can hae a FLYTIN – for it's a leid hoatchin wi gleg insults - glaikit gawkit gowk

In daein sae ye'll raise the international profile o this airt wi words fae fremmit leids that touch us hame - French se facher - dinnae fash yersel –

Dutch hunkers, Scandinavian lugs, an Latin dispone.

Ye'll be howkin as weel fae a gowden seam in yer ain histories

MacDiarmid wis a foundin faither o the National Pairty

- Fellae makar Cunninghame Graham an his frien Kier Hardie the Labour Pairty

The chiel wha first defined oor democratic intellectualism wis the Conservative Walter Elliot….

The Liberal Gladstone – wis oreiginally Gled Stane, Gled bein Scots for the bird o prey the kite.

An the Greens are thirled tae oor ayebydand land whaur Scots words like smir, caller, haar or gloamin seem tae arise oot the yird itsel an haud oor herts.

But mair important than thon ye'll gie a signal tae weans in the schuil that the culture o their hame is valued bi fowk electit by their mithers an faithers.

Bairns like the quaet wee lass in P2 in Fawkirk wha ran an lowped intae her teachers airms lauchin an greetin wi joy when she furst heard her mither tongue in cless,

or the sweirt learners in Dundee, dour teenage boays wha gaed tae the tap o the cless for the first time when the langage they yaised ilka day cam intae the schuil in books they then devoured

…an never luikit back.

Scottish weans transformed learnin a Scottish leid.

A nation whaur naebody's excludit and awbody kens they belang – shuirly, dear Members o the Scottish Pairliament, thon's weel worth bein yersel for.

TNT Show on Indylive Joâo interviewed by John Drummond

I am so proud of my beautiful wife and her brilliant expression of the Scottish cause on The Nation Talks. Wonderful too to hear her quote from the poem by Pessoa at the end which is so relevant to where Scotland stands politically just now.

Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i14oGJKBFtU

Indymatters

Anyone in search of my programmes when they are no longer available on BBC Sounds, should head over to the Youtube channel Indymatters. They have uploaded a number of my archive series, so you might well find what you are looking for there:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8pvizzdWKWWNqaTIZirHyg/playlists?disable_polymer=1