| Here is the text of the Irish Times article which was the basis for the
entry in the Irish Emigrant. (Reprinted without permission from the
Irish Times 25-Mar-1994)
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'Dying' Ullans in search of funding
By Paul Cullen, Educational Correspondent
The Ulster Unionist councillor best known for saying that the legend
of Cuchulainn proves the historical independance of Ulster is now
seeking #1 million in EU [European Union] funding to prevent the
extinction of a little known language which is a mixture of Gaelic,
Norse, English and Norman.
Dr Ian Adamson, a Belfast city councillor and amateur historian,
claims that Ullans is understood by up to 300,000 people in the North
and Donegal, mostly Catolics living in the countryside. He also
believes the language will die out if it does not receive parity of
funding with Irish.
Ullans includes words such as "sheugh" for ditch, "thole" for
endure and "alblins" for maybe, which are in everyday use in the North.
Other words, such as "paustie" for strong or "kirk" for church, are
more directly traceable to Scottish origins.
Dr Adamson says the language has been marginalised throughout its
history. 'Ullans is the language of the countryside, but it isn't
spoken much outside the home. People laugh at it or think its vulgar.
Maybe this is because the schools never promoted it and the Bible was
never translated into Ullans' he says.
Dr Adams and his colleagues in the Ulster-Scots language society
are now looking for EU funding to create an Ullans academy, draw up a
standard grammar, translate the Bible and to provide teaching in
schools.
The promotion of Ullans is apolitical and non-sectarian, he
insists. Most speakers would be Catolics, and many are in Donegal. 'Our
hope is that studying Ullans will draw people together in appreciation
of their shared cultural heritage.'
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