How contemporary Scottish writers deal with the concerns of today thenational.scot - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thenational.scot Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Scots poet Len Pennie has encouraged young women to follow their dreams but warns them to be aware that doing so online will expose them to “uncomfortable” comments from men.
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Pennie was born in Lanarkshire 21 years ago, and grew up with her Scots-speaking parents and grandparents in Airdrie, and then in Dunblane. When she went to school, though, she soon realised – like Liz Lochhead, 50 years earlier – that a different language was spoken there; and that for reasons of class, the language she had learned from her grandparents was often despised. She always wanted to be a writer, though; and began putting together poems and “wee novels” in her mother tongue, almost as soon as she could write.
Len Pennie
When she was 18, she went to university in St Andrews, where she is set to complete an honours degree in Spanish this year; but in recent years, as the “warrior poet” Miss Punny Pennie, she has also built up an 88,000-strong following on Twitter for her “Scots word a day” series, and for recordings of her poems. Pennie is a strikingly charismatic performer, with a beautiful Scots voice and an avalanche of red hair; and so far
Professor Jill Belch, who set up Masks for Scotland. Pic: Kirsty Anderson THE DRIVING force behind a lifesaving campaign to get PPE to health workers during the pandemic has become the 58th Glasgow Times Scotswoman of the Year. In a virtual ceremony held in association with St Enoch Centre and streamed from the Glasgow shopping mall on social media last night, Professor Jill Belch was awarded the title in honour of her inspirational effort to support NHS staff on the frontline fighting coronavirus. Writer and campaigner Amanda Amaeshi was crowned Young SWOTY 2020 after winning the public vote. Amanda Amaeshi, 2020 Young SWOTY
Comment When I entered my teens the portrayal of much of Scotland’s culture seemed embarrassingly stuck in the past I ALWAYS look forward to this time of year as a time to enjoy one of Scotland’s greatest cultural events. Celtic Connections holds a special place in my heart not just because it offers the chance to catch up with some music but because it played a big part in my personal journey to Yes. The festival has, of course, moved online this year because of the pandemic and it’s been gratifying to see how successful the transition has been. The festival has sold more than 10,000 passes and music fans in 44 countries have booked places at a plethora of online events.