Another undiscovered Ulster-Scots poet

Crawford Gribben

Editor’s note. Some of our more long-standing members may remember Crawford as the engaging and informative keynote speaker at the launch of A Blad o Ulstèr-Scotch frae Ullans in the Linenhall Library in the summer of 2003. Now back on this side of the Irish Sea after a spell teaching in Manchester, Crawford has kindly sent us the following short poem. The introductory note is his own.

This poem was discovered among a packet of writings by my greatgrandmother, Margaret Crawford (nee McRoberts).

Margaret was born at Dickeystown Farm, Glenarm, on 31st August, 1870. She married John Hamilton Crawford at Buckna Presbyterian Church on 31st December 1891, and set up home at College Farm, Carnlough. It was here that her family of eleven were raised before their final move to Thornhill Farm, near Antrim. She died on 23rd February 1950.

Among her writings were some interesting specimens of poetry written at the end of the 19th century. While most of her poetry appears to be written in English, the following is a good example of her interest in Scots, and evidently discusses a marriage proposal.