Thae Tuk Mae Ain Tung

Charlie Reynolds

Mae name is Charlie Rannals (Reynolds) an A wus boarn weel owre fifty year ago in tha toonlan’ o Kilmail (Kilmoyle), Benverdin, Dervock, that lies tae tha North o’ tha Coonty o’ Antrim. Oor femelie moved a’ owre tha parishes o’ North Antrim, tae at last wae upped sticks an’ tuk aff tae tha big toon o’ Coulren (Coleraine).

Noo A wus aboot six year aul’ at tha time an had bain tae then blessed wae tha soun’ o’ mae ain guid Ulster-Scot Leid as wus used bae a’ mae ain yins. Lukin’ bak noo I am gled tae bae able tae min’ tha lake o’ mae granfaither takin’ aboot tha peat binks, clockin’ hens, tha aul’ soos an’ takin’ aboot hes work alang tha wee nerra gage relwye that run fornenst his hoose tae Bellykassle, a’ his takin’ wus dain in his guid aul North Antrim Dialect o’ tha Ulster-Scots Leid.

Hooiniver whun wae moved tae tha toon things changed for iver, A wus lached at deh an’ nicht aboot the wye A ta’ked. Tha maist o’ tha wains at tha schuil thocht A wus a kinna o’ an oddity frae tha Garry boag, naw that thae micht hae kent whaur tha boag wus onywye.

Things went frae bad tae worse an’ owre tha years wye tha tants o’ mae plae-mates an’ tha goulin’ tha aul’ teachers, thae tried tae tak mae ain tongue aff mae. Even mae ain yins wha still tak tha aul tongue thocht it wus better that their aff-spring got redd o’ it in tha name o’ progress. Noo am sure thae a’ meent weel enouch but it haes left mae wae mair nor a chip on mae shoother an mair nor scunnered aboot tha wye oor ain tongue wus tore frae is, an o’ coorse tha Irish Language had a bad time as weel an wus scoarned on bae tha establishment o’ tha deh.

A’m gled things ir at last beginnin’ tae change for that better an’ tha richt tae tak’ in yer ain tongue is at last baein respeected. Tha mair tha wye A tak’ noo mae hae strayed a brav bit frae tha wye mae gran’faither taked A feel mair nor proud tae lee ahint mae some o’ tha Leid that is sae bonnie tae mae an is tha Leid o’ mae sowl. An min’ ye if up in heavan thae dinnae hae a wee korner that ye kan whiles tae a danner intae an tak in yer aul tongue A wull bae soart o’ drunted.