The inspiration for James McIlhatton’s poem ‘The Old Whin Bush’ stems from reading a poem by Samuel Moore, one of the lesser-known poets of Ulster.  James is now one of the Ulster-Scots regular poetry contributors. 

We are pleased to be able to bring you James McIlhatton’s poem in both English and Ulster-Scots.

 
The Old Whin Bush

The Whin grows on a scraggy hill among course clay and stones
How does it grow in such a place, I cannot hardly say,
With bonny blossoms of yellow gold shimmering in the summer sun,
With fragrance sweeter than any rose, its wonderful this old whin,
It thrives by roads and motorways by fields and at lay-bys
And often provides good shelter when growing green and high
With jags worse that barbed wire and I’m not joking now I say,
The jags would deter both man and beast and send them on their way,
Oh the jaggiest bush you ever seen indeed everyone will say,
But the yellow blooms on the old whin will brighten the dullest day

The Oul Whun Bush

The whun gruys on a scraggy hill amang coorse cly an stanes
Hoo daes it gruy in sich a place, I cannae hardly say
Wi bonny blossoms a yellow gold, shimmerin in the summer sun
Wae fragrance sweeter than uny rose, its wunnerful this oul whin
It thrives by roads and motorways by fiels an at lay-bys
An aften gees gid shelter when gruyin green and high
Wi jags wrose than barbed wire an I’m not coddin noo I say,
These jags wud deter beth man an beast an sen them on their way
Oh the jaggiest bush ye iver seen deed ivery uin will say,
But the yellow blooms on the oul whin bush will brighten the dullest day