Main content

Pickin' Tatties near Arbroath

Steve Byrne discusses the song 'Pickin' Tatties' at Dickmontlaw near Arbroath.

Folklorist and singer Steve Byrne sets out the concept of 'Dig Where You Stand' using an example from his home town of Arbroath on the East Coast of Scotland. Whilst digitising archive tapes from the School of Scottish Studies at the University of Edinburgh, he came across the songs of Mabel Skelton recorded by Hamish Henderson in the mid 1980s. The song 'Pickin' Tatties' struck a chord and resulted in Steve taking it back to the town and teaching it to school children. He takes us to the spot where the song was born and discusses the cultural confidence that comes from connecting local people with their own traditions. And how this concept has been utilised in other parts of the world.

Written and presented by Steve Byrne
Produced by Helen Needham
Mixed by Ron McCaskill

A 大象传媒 Audio Scotland Production made in Aberdeen for 大象传媒 Radio 3

Available now

14 minutes

Last on

Mon 24 Jun 2024 21:45

Broadcast

  • Mon 24 Jun 2024 21:45

Death in Trieste

Death in Trieste

A 1760s murder still informs ideas about aesthetics, a certain sort of sex, and death.

Watch: My Deaf World

Watch: My Deaf World

Five compelling experiences of what it is like to be deaf in 21st-century Britain.

The Book that Changed Me

Five figures from the arts and science introduce books that changed their lives and work.

Download The Essay

Download The Essay

Download all the episodes from the series and listen at your leisure.

Podcast