'Isolated' Scottish dialect showcased in award-nominated folk album
The album is the only Scottish work to be nominated for the Folk Album of the Year Awards.
When folk musician Grace Stewart-Skinner listened to recordings of poems her grandfather had written in the unique dialect of the family’s home visit, she knew she wanted to use them in her music.
Now, her album, which feature’s her grandfather’s words, as well as other conversations in the dialect of Avoch on the Black Isle, is the only Scottish nomination at next week’s Folk Album of the Year Awards.
Ms Stewart-Skinner, who plays the clàrsach, recorded other speakers of the dialect in conversations for her album Auchies Spikkin' Auchie, as well as commissioning her father to record a new poem to complement those by her late grandfather.
“My boba, who has sadly passed away now, wrote two poems in the dialect,” she said. “Thankfully, someone recorded them years before. That’s what gave me the idea.”
Ms Stewart-Skinner did not grow up speaking the dialect, however, she remembers her father and her grandfather speaking it together.
A fishing community in an area dominated by agricultural communities, Avoch's dialect developed in isolation. A traditionally Gaelic speaking area, it is believed speakers of Scots emigrated to the area to work in the fishing industry and the two languages merged.
“It’s a dialect that is really spoken only in the village, it was quite isolated,” said Ms Stewart-Skinner. “The Scots speakers came in to work in the fishing industry, but but they didn’t really integrate with the wider Black Isle so much.”
She added: “I really wanted to capture it in its most authentic setting. So although I did kind of interview them, really, I just wanted them to talk to each other.”
She added: “Nowadays, the dialect is really not used much, which is why I did my album because I wanted to capture it before it’s completely gone.”
The three older members of the community she chose to interview were two men who had worked in the fishing industry and the wife of a fisherman.
“I also got my dad to write and record a poem to complement those of my boba,” she said. “It rounded it off well.”
Spelled Avoch, the name of the village is pronounced Auch as the “v” is always silent.
Auchies Spikkin’ Auchie, which also includes three other musicians - Rose Logan on fiddles, Rhona MacDonald on double bass and Ewa Adamiec on drums - was awarded £10,776 from The National Lottery via Creative Scotland’s Open Fund in 2024. Ms Stewart-Skinner also received £4,000 in Crowdmatch funding.
The Folk Album of the Year Award from Folk on Foot in partnership with Sound Roots take place in Rochdale Town Hall on Tuesday.
Folk legend Peggy Seeger makes the inaugural award shortlist at the age of 90 with Teleology, which has been billed as her “absolutely final album”.
The shortlist also includes albums by Poor Creature, Barry Kerr, Joshua Burnside, Cynefin, Spafford Campbell, Gigspanner Big Band and Edith WeUtonga.
The album submission process received 146 entries. The shortlist was selected by a jury of performers, music and media professionals, chaired by folk singer-songwriter and executive producer of BBC Radio 2’s The Folk Show, Kellie While.
“It is very exciting,” Ms Stewart-Skinner said.
She added: “I entered it, really not thinking anything of it. I was so surprised to get through.
“I am honoured and humbled to have the only Scottish album in the mix, alongside some incredible talent.”
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