The Ullans Academy

The roots of the Ullans (Ulster Scots) Academy go back to the establishment of the Ulster Dialect Archive established at Cultra Manor, the headquarters of the Ulster Folk Museum and to the pioneer work of G. B. Adams, J. Braidwood, P. L. Henry and R. J. Gregg. Following a visit to the Friesian Academy in 1978 and again in 1980 with a group of community activists, including my friend Andy Tyrie, who came with me, I used their book Ulster Dialects (1964) to form the basis of the chapter “The Language of Ulster” in my Identity of Ulster (1981). I followed this up throughout the 1980’s as Secretary of the Farset organisation. I liased with the Ulster Folk Museum and the Institute of Irish Studies at Queen’s University, Belfast in order to develop an interest in language and oral history in the local community. This work was supervised by Réne Frechét, Professor of Irish Studies, Université de Paris III, Sorbonne Nouvelle. The intended object was the creation of an Ulster-Scots Academy at Cultra Manor. The Ullans (Ulster Scots) Academy was eventually founded in July 1992 following a meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada between Professor R J Gregg and myself. In December of that year the Ulster-Scots Language Society (USLS) was founded in Craigavon House with myself as Chairman.

At a meeting of the USLS in Craigavon House on Friday 28th May, 1993 I suggested that an  Ulster Scots Academy might be required to act as a Teaching and Resource Centre for the USLS. The first formal meeting of the Academy Senate was held at my home on Monday, 10th January 1994 with myself as Founding Rector, this position being immediately offered to Prof R.J. Gregg. At this meeting I suggested that my publishing concern could distribute James Fenton’s  regional Dictionary of Ulster Scots, with the help of my friend David Adamson. Since then the Academy has continued to exist as a community based voluntary organisation. Despite its close founding links with the USLS, it was represented separately on the Executive of the Ulster-Scots Heritage Council established by Nelson Mc Causland. The Academy’s  prime aims were to campaign for academic research into Ulster-Scots and for equality of status as a European “Lesser-Used” or regional language as well as to establish Craigavon House as the centre of excellence for Ulster Scots studies in Ireland.

Craigavon House was the former home of James Craig JP, MP who became Lord Craigavon, the first Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and has been associated historically with the beginning of the Northern Ireland State. Apart from Parliament Buildings, Stormont, it is perhaps the most important heritage site from a Unionist standpoint in Northern Ireland. Craig also thought of himself as an Ulster Scot in the broad sense and, as an indigenous Ulster person, was conscious of his Ulidian heritage, deeply rooted in Ireland. Craigavon House is presently owned under lease by the Somme Association, of which I was also the founder and Chairman, now Vice-President. This Association grew out of Farset, following a Press Conference arranged by my friend Rev Dr Ian Paisley on 1st July 1986.

In 1992 I published under my imprint Pretani Press the “Folk Poets of Ulster” series to bring before the public some of the finest pieces of literature in the Ulster-Scots language by James Orr, Hugh Porter and Samuel Thompson. In February 1994 I asked Mr Jim Nicholson MEP, to raise the issue of an Ullans Academy in the European Parliament at Strasbourg. This was followed up by Mr David Trimble MP. In December 1995, I also asked my friend Rev Dr Ian Paisley to arrange for members of the USLS including myself to meet the NIO Minister, Michael Ancram, to put forward a comprehensive proposal for a core-funded Academy. The costed and itemised proposal then included details for a language development programme and an Ulster-Scots Language Resource Centre. Without any funding being awarded, the Academy managed to complete some aspects on a purely voluntary basis. These outputs included the regional Dictionary (Fenton, 1995), which was published under the imprint of the Ulster Scots Academic Press from my premises in 12 Main Street, Conlig, Co Down and is the most important record yet produced of current Ulster Scots speech. In association with the USLS, numerous contemporary Ulster-Scots writings and re-prints of traditional literature have also been published, including an Ulster-Scots Grammar book (Robinson, 1997).

My progress in promoting the Ulster-Scots Academy is fully documented in press reports and correspondence throughout 1993 to 1997. (East Belfast Herald and Post July 22, 1993 (Helen Carson); Irish News January 25th 1994 (Conor McCauley); Belfast Telegraph 1994 (Vincent Kearney). On 9th November 1998 he raised the issue in the New Northern Ireland Assembly (Official Report Hansard, Volume 1 page 235). In 1998/9, Government funded the USLS to produce a development plan for the Ulster-Scots Language. The “Edmund Report” was produced in July 2000 by a consultant, John Edmund, “Strategic Plan for the Promotion of the Ulster-Scots Language”. It provided an updated, detailed language development proposal as a model for the work of the Ullans Academy. This Report again provided detailed costings for a core-funded Academy. The language development proposals in the Edmund Report re-emphasised the following priorities:

· Progress a tape-recorded survey of native speakers by native speakers (long identified as the most urgent priority).
· Create an electronic text base of Ulster-Scots literature.
· Develop a comprehensive two-way Ulster-Scots/English dictionary programme.
· Develop a process for agreeing standardised spellings and an accredited translation service (including a translation of the Authorised Version of the Bible).
· Set up an Ulster-Scots Language Resource Centre.
· Develop Ulster-Scots Language courses and classes.
· Conduct research programmes.
· Publish and broadcast in Ulster-Scots.

With the establishment of the Ulster-Scots Agency and Tha Noarth/Sooth Boord o Leid under the Belfast Agreement of 1998, and the formal recognition of Ulster Scots as a European Regional Language by the UK government in 1999, the implementation of the Academy’s Language Development Plan has become a government imperative.  The resourcing of the critical elements of the Academy’s Language Development Plan was agreed by government and approved in the 2000-2003 Corporate Plan for the Ulster Scots Agency. However, after three years operation of the North/South Body, none of the agreed £1,500,000 expenditure on the language plan was processed.
In September 2002 the Agency held its first formal meeting with the Ullans Academy. It was agreed that the Academy would re-constitute itself as a Company Limited by Guarantee, in order that the existing voluntary programme of the Academy and USLS could be properly resourced and established.

In October 2002 the Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure, Michael McGimpsey, responded to the repeated representations from the Ulster-Scots community for resolute action by government to promote Ulster-Scots more effectively. His Department (DCAL) organised a three-day “Future Search” conference to agree the way forward between statutory bodies, government and the Ulster-Scots community. A number of language-centred policies were signed up to by all present, including:

· Full and immediate implementation of the Edmund Report recommendations for strategic development of the Ulster-Scots language.
· The establishment of a fully functioning Ullans (Ulster Scots) Academy.
· Equality of Resourcing, Respect, Recognition and Representation for the Ulster-Scots and Irish languages throughout both jurisdictions in the island of Ireland.
· Measures to be taken by government to ensure Stage 3 status and ratification for Ulster-Scots under the terms of the European Charter for Regional Minority Languages, within 3-5 years.
The purpose of the Ullans Academy therefore was to conserve, develop and promote the Ulster-Scots language in the context of its attendant history, culture and moral philosophy. The Ullans Academy would be capable of delivering:

· A regulation and standardisation of the language for modern usage. These standards will be agreed by and for the Ulster-Scots community, and be academically sound.
· The previously agreed but delayed language development programme.
· Progress to stage 3 for Ullans (Ulster Scots) under the terms of the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages.
· Equality of status and respect with the Irish language.
· An Ulster-Scots Resource Centre to make Ulster Scots materials accessible to researchers and the community.
· Accredited language classes and courses for speakers and non-speakers.
· Status-building measures for the language.
· Expert advice and an authoritative linguistic service to the Ulster-Scots Agency, Government and Statutory Bodies.

In the context of Ulster-Scots as a recognised “European Regional and Minority Language”, the Ullans Academy was modelled on the Friesian Academy in the Netherlands. However it would also promote the interrelationships between Ulster Scots, Ulster English, including Belfast English, and Ulster Gaelic (Gaeilic), as well as the study of Northumbrian English in general. The Academy’s research interests would also extend beyond language and literature – to historical, cultural and moral philosophical themes such as the life and works of Francis Hutcheson and C S Lewis, and studies in the history of Ulidia in general, especially Dalriada, Dalaradia, Dal Fiatach and Galloway. The Scotch Irish Diaspora also provided a particular focus on the American dimension, but emigration studies would also be necessary for the countries of the Commonwealth and other countries.

The Academy was closely associated with a “Heirskip Bilfawst” project, which is a proposal to reconstruct a living history and traditional crafts centre based on the 18th century Ulster-Scots town of Belfast at the time of the American war of independence. This project has many parallels with the leading American attraction at Colonial Williamsburg. It is significant that another philosophical model for the Academy is the College of William and Mary at Williamsburg, Virginia (founded 1693).This project was envisaged to be the first of several ” Heirskip Villages” throughout Ulster.

In 2003 I was instrumental in ensuring that the Joint Declaration of the British and Irish Governments would indicate that the British Government would take steps to encourage support to be made available for an Ulster Scots Academy. However, differences in philosophy continued. The original Ullans Academy wished to be associated with An Culturlann McAdam/O Fiaich and the Gaeltacht quarter of West Belfast. It was envisaged that the Heirschipe Village concept, initiated by the Ullans Academy, with its focus on cultural tourism, should also be developed under the remit of the Ulster-Scots Agency.

The Ullans Speakers Association of Ballymoney, County Antrim, the United Ulster History Forum and Portavogie Culture and Heritage Society of the Ards Peninsula, County Down and the Monreagh Project, County Donegal, were encouraged to be Friends of the Academy and an Ullans Centre of Academic Excellence would be established between the University of Glasgow, Queen’s University, Belfast, and the University of Ulster. Dr Paisley and I first travelled to see Professor John Corbett at Glasgow University on Saturday, 21st June, 2008 to facilitate this. Relations with the Sorbonne were maintained through Professor Wesley Hutchinson. Ideally, however, a prestigious location in Belfast was still required for the Ullans Academy but that is a continuing story.

Version:1.0 StartHTML:000000220 EndHTML:000016392 StartFragment:000008080 EndFragment:000016318 StartSelection:000008080 EndSelection:000016305 SourceURL:http://www.ianadamson.net/2016/03/22/the-ullans-academy8/The Ullans Academy: 5 | Dr. Ian Adamson OBE

On 23rd March 2010, as Culture, Arts and Leisure Minister Nelson unveiled his plans for the way forward of the Ulster-Scots Academy. Speaking at North Down Museum in Bangor – home of the Raven Maps, a key artefact from the 1600s –  in a speech cleverly written in Departmental language, Nelson emphasised how important Ulster-Scots is as one of Northern Ireland’s main cultural traditions. I attended on the invitation of the Ulster-Scots Agency, of which I was a member.

“Last year, a major independent survey showed that Ulster-Scots continues to be widely recognised, across both sections of our community, as an integral part of the cultural fabric of Northern Ireland,” Nelson said.

“As such, and as part of a shared future, it is only right and proper that we continue to support and promote this important aspect of our culture.”

He outlined “a number of measures to ensure the evolution and enhancement of Ulster-Scots, as well as ways of recognising and maintaining its history and heritage.”

“Among a range of plans are the establishment of a Ministerial Advisory Group to develop an Academy strategy and priorities for the CSR period. Alongside this there are various Ulster-Scots projects which reflect the diversity of the sector. My aim has always been to build confidence, capacity and credibility within the Ulster-Scots community and the way it is perceived in the wider society. I believe these plans are the way to secure mutual respect and growth at the wider community level.”

“The initiative has three strands: Language and Literature; History, Heritage and Culture; and Education and Research. I believe great damage has been done to the development of the sector by opponents who have sought to characterise this as being all about the status of the Ulster-Scots language. Clearly, it is about much more than that – this is a rich and vibrant culture which has shaped many aspects of life in Northern Ireland.”

And so it came to pass that Nelson announced the appointment of a Ministerial Advisory Group for the Ulster-Scots Academy.

Following open competitions for the appointment of a Chairman and four new Members, these were appointed with immediate effect for a period of up to four years. Yet another four members to “represent the Ulster-Scots Sector” were appointed by the Minister himself. As it turned out, however, the group was actually a very good, indeed excellent, one, although whether it was capable of producing a statutory Ulster-Scots Academy remained to be seen.

The Chairman of the Ministerial Advisory Group was Dr Bill Smith, and the Members of the Ministerial Advisory Group were Dr Caroline Baraniuk, Dr John McCavitt, Dr David Hume MBE, Dr Ivan Herbison, Tom Scott OBE, Iain Carlisle, and John Erskine.

At the launch of the “ MAGUS”, Nelson thanked the Chairman and Members for agreeing to sit on the Ministerial Advisory Group, and added: “This group has been established to provide advice on the strategic development of the Ulster-Scots sector and to rapidly build confidence within the sector by progressing projects under the three streams of activity for the proposed Ulster-Scots Academy, i.e. Language and Literature; History, Heritage and Culture; and Education and Research.

“Each of the new appointees has skills and experience which will make a valuable contribution to the work of the Ministerial Advisory Group.” Appointees are to serve for a period of up to four years with immediate effect.

Bill Smith was an independent professional adviser on issues of public policy, strategic planning and governance. He has worked extensively with a range of organisations in the public and voluntary sectors. He was a Senior Research Fellow in the School of Politics, International Relations and Philosophy at Queen’s University Belfast, and has recently completed a major research project for the US Institute of Peace. He was a member of the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland; Board Chairman of Early Years, the organisation for young children; and a non-executive Director of Volunteer Now. No political activity was declared.

Dr Caroline Baraniuk had a doctorate in Ulster Scots literature, from the University of Glasgow, which focused on the poetry of James Orr. She worked in the Ulster-Scots Curriculum Development Unit at Stranmillis University College for four years. The Unit produced school curriculum materials designed to teach Ulster- Scots language, history and culture. She had also published essays on Ulster-Scots literature in academic journals. Dr Baraniuk had taught extra mural courses on the history of the Ulster- Scots community, contributed to radio and television programmes and had presented papers on Ulster-Scots literature at academic conferences. No political activity was declared.

Dr John McCavitt was a teacher with almost twenty five years experience. He has engaged in research on early seventeenth century history, a “formative period” for the “Ulster Scots”. He was historical consultant to the Ulster Scots Agency for the Hamilton and Montgomery commemoration, 2006. Dr McCavitt’s first book was a biography of Sir Arthur Chichester, often referred to as the ‘Architect of the Ulster Plantation’. He had since authored books on The Flight of the Earls and was an historical consultant to BBC N.Ireland’s three part television series on the subject. His current research focused on General Ross, a famous British soldier from Rostrevor, who fought with and against many of his fellow countrymen in the USA during the War of 1812. This conflict highlights the extraordinary contribution of the “Ulster Scots” during what has been termed as the ‘Second War of Independence’. He had also worked with a number of councils on cultural heritage. No political activity was declared.

Dr David Hume had been involved in Ulster- Scots community activities for many years and was co-founder of the Broadisland Gathering Festival in Ballycarry, Co. Antrim, the longest established Ulster- Scots festival. He had published books and research papers on Ulster- Scots history, people and events as well as contributing to radio programmes and journal and delivering talks on Ulster- Scots language and heritage. These include the Plantation of Ulster and Ulster- Scots emigration to America among others. Dr Hume had devised and delivered courses on the Ulster- Scots history and related topics, including community development in Ulster- Scots communities. In 2007 Dr Hume was awarded an MBE for services to the community in Larne and Ballycarry, including Ulster Scots activities. No political activity was declared

Dr Ivan Herbison had nearly thirty years experience as a university lecturer. Dr Herbison had been engaged for many years in researching the poetic traditions of Ulster- Scots, with particular reference to the work of the weaver poets.He had a special interest in the revival of the Ulster- Scots literary tradition, including contemporary poetry. He had written extensively on Ulster- Scots poets and their expressions of cultural identity. Dr Herbison had worked collaboratively towards the establishment and refinement of an orthographic policy for Ulster- Scots and had contributed to an elaboration of the principles upon which it is founded. No political activity declared.

Tom Scott was the Chair of the Board of the Ulster-Scots Agency. He was until 2005 a Northern Ireland senior civil servant latterly with Department for Employment and Learning with responsibility for skills, management development and youth training policy. In November 2005 he became Chairman of the Greater Shankill Partnership Board in Belfast leading the partnership on neighbourhood regeneration strategy. Tom was a board member of Ormeau Enterprise Ltd, a local enterprise agency, a board member of Intertrade Ireland and is involved with several private and public sector bodies. He was also involved in youth issues through Scouting, Belfast Activity Centre and the Gerry Rogan Initiative Trust. Tom was awarded an OBE in the 2008 New Years Honours List for services to the community in Northern Ireland. No political activity was declared.

Mr Iain Carlisle was currently the Acting Director of the Ulster-Scots Community Network (the successor of Nelson's Ulster-Scots Community Council). He had acquired a comprehensive knowledge of the Ulster-Scots community through close involvement with a wide range of projects and events. No Political activity was declared.

Mr John Erskine was currently the Acting Head of Library and Learning Resources in Stranmillis College. He was a member of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals. Mr Erskine research interests included aspects of Scottish cultural influence in the north of Ireland and the bibliography of Irish Presbyterianism and of Ulster Scots language and literature. His external interests include membership of Presbyterian Historical Society of Ireland and of the Ulster-Scots Language Society, although he is not a native speaker. He was a former member of the cross border language Body. No political activity was declared.