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Mary Irvine’s Blog: Writers’ Meetup West Dunbartonshire

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Three Cornered Meet of Writers

The Leven Litts of Alexandria, the Helensburgh Writers’ Workshop and the Clydebank Life Story Group came together at The Artizan Hub, Dumbarton on the evening of June 3^rd to share readings from the writers’ latest publications with each other and members of the public. The Vale-ites offered a selection from ‘A Miscellany’, their tribute to Margaret Harrison. Two of the pieces read were Margaret’s ‘Iona’ and ‘A Farewell to Dumbarton’.

Helensburgh’s book ‘2014’, celebrating a very special year, gave a very Scottish flavour to the evening, whilst their readings from ‘Images’ with writings inspired by paintings from the Anderson Trust showed co-operation between the two arts. ‘Clydebank Memories’ gave us very personal accounts of a bygone age, and a reading of a certain 1976 Hampden match provided both pride and laughter.

Local author, Saskia Tepe, spoke movingly of her personal memoire, ‘Surviving Brigitte’s Secret’, reading a stark extract which displayed Man’s inhumanity to his fellows.

A rich and varied mixture of fact and fiction, poetry and prose a very informal evening was enjoyed by all present. Lots of chatting took place during the refreshment break and it was rewarding that people lingered after the closing of the readings. Both writers and public felt it would be worthwhile to repeat the event in the not too distant future.

Farewell to Dumbarton

I’ll be sorry tae huv tae leave

The toon beside the Clyde

Wi it’s rock and castle

And much else beside

But it’s ma freens I’ll miss the maist

For they are the real gold

Especially noo I’m 95

And really feelin’ old

I wis born across the road

But the buildin’s been knocked doon

Dumbarton has been guid for me

For it’s a friendly toon

I’ve many happy memories

For when I go away

I was very lucky

In whaur I had tae stay

So Dumbarton by the Clyde

I’ll aye hold ye dear

Remembering the many freens

I am leavin’ here

A true daughter o’ the Rock

I’ve been proud tae be

An a pairt o’ this auld toon

Which means sae much tae me

Margaret Harrison          

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