Ulster-Scots: A Brief History of Dialogue

Since the period of the Gaelic Revival at the end of the 19th century, a lot of work has been done to establish the inclusive, cross-community credentials of the Irish language and Gaelic culture. Ulster-Scots language and culture, on the other hand, are often still perceived as “belonging” to the Protestant, unionist community. The article challenges this simplistic depiction by looking at the many cross-overs and exchanges between Ulster-Scots and the Catholic, nationalist community over the past hundred and fifty years. Focusing on two moments of heightened political tension –the Home Rule period and the period from the beginning of the Troubles to today-, the article shows how literary material deserves particular attention as it contains evidence of a much more subtle, open, less schematic representation of the Ulster Scot than is to be found in other sources.