Armistice Day reflected in two new Ulster-Scots poetry dramatisations
Date Posted: November 10, 2023
Two poetry shorts by esteemed Ulster-Scots writer Charlie Gillen have been transformed into poignant short films reflecting the stories and soldiers immortalised in Remembrance Day, by filmmaker Tristan Crowe, with support from Northern Ireland Screen’s Ulster-Scots Broadcast fund.
On Coul Blak Stayne captures the spirit and solemnity of the names of the fallen carved onto World War One memorials across Counties Antrim and Down. And filmed at the Somme Heritage Centre in Conlig with actor Richard Clements, Grief depicts a Flanders soldier facing death on foreign soil as his mother is buried back home.
By combining the haunting melodies of Dick Glasgow’s Scad the Beggar with the rich Ulster-Scots poetry of Charlie Gillen, director Tristan Crowe has crafted two visually emotive depictions that truly capture those bleak times.
“We produced a series of short films to highlight the Ulster-Scots poetry work of Charlie Gillen, alongside the music of Dick Glasgow and his Scad The Beggars band,” said Tristan. “Charlie’s war poetry can be particularly poignant and we hope that we have produced a series films that can do his work justice.”
The poems are part of a series of Charlie Gillen Poetry Dramatisations made by Sub-Culture and Negative Waves and funded by Northern Ireland Screen’s Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund. Two further dramatisations are playing in national and international festivals and will be launched in the coming weeks.
To view On Coul Blak Stayne and Grief, click this link. Both poems will also be available this weekend on The Somme Association & Somme Museum Facebook page.
