Discover Ulster-Scots Rhythms: The New BBC Radio Series Tracing Centuries of Music
Date Posted: August 15, 2025
Ulster-Scots Rhythms
Sunday 17 August, 6.30pm
BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Sounds
The new radio series Ulster-Scots Rhythms celebrates the rich musical heritage of the Ulster-Scots community – past and present.
Made with support from Northern Ireland Screen’s Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund, the series explores how Ulster-Scots music has shaped, and been shaped, through traditional tunes, contemporary voices, and stories spanning centuries and continents.
Across four episodes, presenter Lisa Flavelle takes listeners on a journey from the Lowlands of Scotland to rural Ulster and the Appalachian Mountains, tracing the roots and evolution of a vibrant musical tradition. Lisa meets musicians, artists, historians and cultural custodians to unearth the untold stories of migration, resilience, creativity, and community.
From wartime bands to chart-toppers, fiddle sessions and synth beats, the series reflects on the enduring power of Ulster-Scots culture through sound.
Ulster-Scots Rhythms, made by Scots Irish Media, starts Sunday 17 August at 6.30pm on BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Sounds. The full series is available on BBC Sounds from Sunday 17 August.
Richard Douglas MBE and Lisa Flavelle
