Weel duin tae Jim Mackintosh wha hae bin nominatit in Scots Stage Production o the Year in the Scots Language Awards. Vote now!
The 2026 Scots Language Awards tak place on Saturday 19th September at the iconic Discovery Centre, home of the RRS Discovery Ship (1pm). Reserve yer ticket here.
The awards will be a daytime event this year, making them as inclusive and accessible to as many award nominees from across Scotland as possible.
We askit Jim Mackintosh o Jim Mackintosh thae speirins.
Tell us aboot yersel or yer ootfit.
Jim Mackintosh (Me) hae bin aboot the halls, corridors an stages o Scotland’s cultural venues fer a lang time an aa the time bein a champion fer The Leid.
A makar, playwright, editor an producer wi seven poetry collections and five anthologies oan subjects fae Hamish Henderson and George Mackay Brown tae the latest Ayont the Thistle co-editit bi Jim alang wi Alan Riach an James Robertson – a gallimaufry of poems an essays markin the centenary o MacDiarmid’s iconic poem A Drunk Man Looks at the Thistle. The anthology is shortlistit fer Book of the Year.
Whit wis it got ye involvit wi the Scots leid?
Ma mither telt me it wis okay tae spik the wey Ah wis brocht up. Ah didna ken it as the Leid or oanythin else but as Ah became involvit in scrievin poems it wis a natural thing tae dae an maist important avaa tae encourage ithers tae yaise thir common language – whitivver dialect o Scots they wir comfy wi.
Why dae ye feel it is important tae use Scots in everyday life?
Fer aa thaim reasons abune. It’s ma Leid, it’s your Leid an we shidna hae tae be fechtin fowk tae be oorsels or justifyin oor leid tae thon high-heid yins o high-sniffin flettened relevance wi thir wirds at deny oor destiny. It’s no politics. The Leid is the common wealth o ordinair fowk.
Dae ye hae a favourite Scots phrase or saying?
Jings, thir’s a few.
Ah’ve bin immersed in MacDiarmid’s A Drunk Man Looks at the Thistle fer a while noo an these wirds hing aboot ma consciousness:
the less man sees the mair he is
content w’it, but the mair he sees
the mair he kens hoo little o
a’ that there is he’ll ever see.
an if Ah may, ah did an owersettin fae the Italian o the poems fae Pino Mereu’s Turas Viaggio an this extract fae the poem Spittal o Glenshee is aboot Hamish Henderson:
Sheddins o keppins, chyces, tellins
graftins: a lanely life oan
the wark-road wi his words sauf
unner his airm, a daily darg chasin licht
at reflecks an inspires
yet Ah’ve aye thocht it as guid description o the life o a scriever.
Is there a Scots speaker who inspires you?
Nane o us shid forget the importance o Hugh MacDiarmid wha raked oot the stoor o the Kailyaird an began a literary movement which he ca’d ‘a propaganda of ideas’. This movement is kent noo as the Scottish Literary Renaissance, wha’s effects are pairt o the wyve o Scotland’s literary an cultural life the day.
Today, Ah owe a huge debt tae Billy Kay – we aa shid hae muckle respeck fer his kythin o kennins an fierce defence o the Leid.
Ah cid list mony mair but ah’d be remiss no tae mention the likes o ma freend Wullie Hershaw and the Queen o the Doric Sheena Blackhall: fine Makars baith.
Do you hear Scots spoken regularly in your local area? Have you noticed any changes over time?
Ah’m aye conscious o fowk spikkin the Leid in mony weys thir aiblins no sae shair o it bein the Leid an thon’s okay. Thir’s naethin mair dreich than fowk wi a dictionair in thir mooth fu o wirds they’ve draan fae the page an yaisin thaim or makin a spew o scrievins an no kennin the source o thir endeavours.
Ony particlar career heighlichts
Ower mony tae mention but aiblins
St Johnstone Poet in Residence – first professional football club in the world to appoint one.
Create the poetry section in Nutmeg magazine – still the only sports journal in the world with a regular poetry section.
Produce Perth’s sold out Concert for Ukraine in 2022 which inspired a series thereafter.
Co-produce Glasgow for Gaza in the Royal Concert Hall – for the bairns of Gaza.
The only poet to appear at Edinburgh International, The Fringe & Edinburgh Book Festival in the same year.
Perform to a sold-out Royal Concert Hall with a full orchestra and in collaboration with Duncan Chisholm and Hamish Napier.
Shortlisted for Scots Book of the Year in 2023
Awarded Scots Writer of the Year in 2024
Shortlisted for a Celtic Media Award in 2026
Wha’s yer plans fir the days aheid?
Tae keep spinnin ower mony creative plates an mak shair they dinna crash.
Recordin a new, contemporary version o A Drunk Man Looks at the Thistle
Dae a string o events tae promote Ayont the Thistle.
Try tae finish the edit o a new collection afore Christmas.
Read more about Jim Mackintosh
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The Scots Language Awards are in Dundee on the 19th September at 1pm. There wull be some grand entertainmint includin a recitals fae Yvonne Tait an Hugh Macmillan alang wi musical performances fae Iona Fyfe and Scott Gardiner.
To attend the Scots Language Awards there are a few tickets remaining. Click here to reserve your tickets.
Join Elfie Picket Theatre for the Scots language nicht BLETHER, fur a nicht o music, poetry and stories aa celebratin Scots Leid & culture. We hae twa special guests jynin us and a wee open mic. Leadin us intae a big Dundee Fringe Ceilidh! Startin at 6pm, tickets £10.
If you would like to support Hands Up for Trad in their work with Scottish language please consider donating here.