Monday 2 November 2009

The Bairn Books: Victor Vratch the Craa


Victor Vratch the Craa: Bairn Tales in Scots , was written by Sheena Blackhall in 2009, and was published by Lochlands, Maud, Aberdeenshire and printed by Thistle Reprographics, 55 Holburn Street Aberdeen. The cover is by Sìne NicTheàrlaich. All tales in their English form, were broadcast originally on Nickety Nackety, a programme for children on Radio Scotland. Frieda Morrison was the producer.

The Poems: The Ship of Fools


The Ship of Fools : Poems and Prose in Scots & English, was written by Sheena Blackhall in 2009. Published by Malfranteaux Concepts, 46 Portal Cresent, Aberdeen, and printed by Thistle Reprographics, 55 Holburn Street Aberdeen , the cover by Sìne NicTheàrlaich is copied from a Mediaeval print. Most of these poems were written during a visit to Belgium; one of the poet's ancestors, Johan Crab came from that region. see:



As part of her duties as Makar for Aberdeen and the North East, poems or songs are occasionally written, either by commission, request, or because the Makar appears at an event. Guernica, The Dust of Life & Victims, was written for ‘Peace & Prejudice’ an event organised by the group http://www.deadgoodpoets.co.uk/ and also appear in ‘One’ an anthology pub. by Malfranteaux Concepts, 2009. The Bishop is published in a regional Anthology pub. by Forward Press, to commemorate 21 years of the series. The Watchie was written at the Grassic Gibbon Centre as part of their festival. The Wickerman was written at Archeolink, during Gadifest. A Traivellin Man was written on August 7th at the funeral of Stanley Robertson. It was broadcast by Robbie Shepherd on Radio Scotland, and published by Leopard Magazine. For Rab, was written for the Stonehaven Burns Fatherland Group. The Scots Enlightenment was written for Helena Anderson Wright’s education project on Burns. Aberdeen Rap was written for the Aberdeen Convention Bureau’s Annual Ambassador’s Awards. Troubled Water was written for ‘Putting it Right’, an event at the Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival 2009. Deveronvale Perfection was requested by a Bennachie Baillie. The Rescue was written on reading an Aberdeen uni. media release. The Ship of Fools was inspired by a voyage on The Lady of the Lake, organised by Sally Evans as part of Poetry Scotland’s annual Poetry Weekend. The Social Workers’ Rant (& Lament) was commissioned by Maureen Ross for the 4th Annual Practice Learning event at RGU. Lucky was amongst the prizewinning stories in Lallans mag. 2009 competition. During 2009 the poet's son Ross Blackhall was working at St. Petersburg.

The Bairn Books: Cats in a Gale


Cats in a Gale: Bairn Poems in Scots & English
Published by Lochlands, Maud, Aberdeenshire
Printed by Thistle Reprographics, 55 Holburn Street Aberdeen
Cover: Sìne NicTheàrlaich
Cost: £5.00. Copyright: S. Blackhall 2009

Tuesday 11 August 2009

The Poems: A Visit to Planet Auschwitz

Some of these poems have already been published on-line at http://www.poemhunter.com/sheena-blackhall . The poems were written in the two weeks after the poet visited Krakow in July 27th -31st, 2009, during which time she visited Auschwitz with her son Morven. The cover is copied by Sìne NicTheàrlaich from a painting by David Bloch, a German-Jewish artist who was interned at Dachau. The linking historical data within this pamphlet is taken from various sources all on-line and in the public domain. Published by Lochlands, Maud, Aberdeenshire August 2009

Thursday 16 July 2009

The Barley Queen : The Poems

Some of these poems and pieces of prose have already been published. Growing Down , Bannockburn 1314 & Bannockburn Crow, appear on http://www.poemhunter.com/sheena-blackhall . An e-book of selected poems by Sheena Blackhall also appears on this site.
The Twa Corbies appears on-line at as part of the Scottish Book Trust’s initiative into books that changed our lives. www.scottishbooktrust.com/.../sheena-blackhalls-story-about-border-ballads
Poems from pps 1-22 were mainly written at Dhanakosa, WWW.DHANAKOSA.COM June 5-12th or on the two weeks returning from retreat there. Catriona was written at Fadlydyke, New Deer, Aberdeenshire after a tour around the livestock and crops.

As part of the duties of Makar for Aberdeen and the North East, poems or songs are occasionally written, either by commission, request, or because the Makar feels motivated to do so. The Turra Coo, A Sang o Portsoy, Doric in a Suit, The Maiden o Drumdurno & the Bullers o Buchan fall into this category.

Monday 1 June 2009

The Poems: Peacock



The Yalla Yeitie was broadcast by Robbie Shepherd on The Reel Blend, Radio Scotland. Several poems and songs were written during the poet’s time as Writer in Residence at Aberdeen University’s 09 Word Festival. Poems from pages 4- 21 were inspired by the Aberdeen Artist Society’s 75th Exhibition, (2-30th May 2009). Others were written during a retrospective exhibition of the works of James Furneaux at Peacock Visual Art Gallery (18thApril- 30th May 2009). Water of Life / Uisge Beatha was written during a workshop at the International Conference of Poetry & Childhood at the British Library, www.bl.uk run by the University of Cambridge, (20-21/4/09). The cover is copied from a traditional Mehndi pattern.

Monday 25 May 2009

The Poems: Danse Macabre: Writings Round a Festival. Poems & Songs in Scots & English


The pamphlet Danse Macabre: Writings Round a Festival:Poems and Songs in Scots and English was written by Sheena Blackhall during her time as Writer in Residence at Aberdeen University’s Word Festival 2009. www.abdn.ac.uk/word It was published by Lochlands, Maud, Aberdeenshire, and circulated at the event. Hidden Sairs featured in the Elphinstone Institute Newsletter. The Wye the Coyote Howls appears on the Elphinstone Kist www.abdn.ac.uk/elphinstone/kist. Flapper the Whale & Mister Minger are part of Nae Bad Ava, a poetry anthology for children, published by the Reading Bus. http://www.readingbus.co.uk/. The cover is a photomontage by Sine NicThearlaich of the Danse Macabre:XXII: The Priest by Holbein.