06 November, 2008

Fightin' Scots

Is Scotch a drink or a person from Scotland?

My friends from north of the Tweed would have a pretty firm answer about that question. But for some reason, when waves of immigrants came to the States from Northern Ireland, the Ulster Scots became the Scotch Irish. Many Americans can trace their ancestry back to the those who participated in the Plantations of Ireland.


In looking at things I want to do before the end of 2008, I hope I will be able to up myself to New York City for the Black Watch, a National Theatre of Scotland play about the Royal Highland Regiment's experience in Iraq.

Studio 360, a public radio show in the States, just ran a captivating interview with Gregory Burke, the play's writer.

4 comments:

Paddy in BA (Quickroute) said...

It's interesting that the "troubles" in Northern Ireland boil down to Protestants with Scottish heritage and Irish Catholics yet we the Irish consider the Scottish in general to be our Celtic brothers and more trustworthy than "the invaders" who we deem to be English

Baino said...

Never call a scot 'Scotch' . . that's a drink and they get quite narky!

TCL said...

quick - I've never been to any part of Ireland and don't know what it's like on the ground, but I'm glad the "troubles" are past us. But as a rule I always root for the Celts against England during 6 Nations rugby

bainie - I do that to my Scottish friends whenever they're on the piss and I want to taunt them. Scotch is evil. That's why I drink so much of it. I'd adopt quick's continental Irish breakfast except don't think it'd help on too much on my runs.

Megan said...

Me da likes to deny any relationship with the Scots, but the fact remains that boatloads of our relatives went "that way" instead of to Liverpool. More fool they? The jury is still out.

Have you ever read the book that I am thinking of that I'll think of its name in a minute?

Sigh.