Billy Kay
@billykayscot.bsky.social
Scriever/Braidcaster in Scots, English, an a wheen ither leids forbye.
Writer/Broadcaster in English, Scots and a few other languages as well. Passionate about Scottish independence, my wife, my weans and grandweans. Oh, and Scotland & Dundee United.
Writer/Broadcaster in English, Scots and a few other languages as well. Passionate about Scottish independence, my wife, my weans and grandweans. Oh, and Scotland & Dundee United.
Tonight in the opulence of the Universities Club, my pal Brian Cox will be honoured by the St Andrews Society of New York at their 269th Annual Banquet. When I was honoured at the 263rd Banquet, I was a proud man to follow in the footsteps of Mark Twain & Alexander Hamilton in addressing the Society
November 21, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Tonight in the opulence of the Universities Club, my pal Brian Cox will be honoured by the St Andrews Society of New York at their 269th Annual Banquet. When I was honoured at the 263rd Banquet, I was a proud man to follow in the footsteps of Mark Twain & Alexander Hamilton in addressing the Society
By 1928 Cunninghame Graham - Don Roberto - supported Independence & challenged his countrymen:
"The enemies of Scottish Nationalism are not the English for they were ever a great and generous folk, quick to respond when justice calls. Our real enemies are among us, born without imagination."
"The enemies of Scottish Nationalism are not the English for they were ever a great and generous folk, quick to respond when justice calls. Our real enemies are among us, born without imagination."
November 21, 2025 at 1:52 PM
By 1928 Cunninghame Graham - Don Roberto - supported Independence & challenged his countrymen:
"The enemies of Scottish Nationalism are not the English for they were ever a great and generous folk, quick to respond when justice calls. Our real enemies are among us, born without imagination."
"The enemies of Scottish Nationalism are not the English for they were ever a great and generous folk, quick to respond when justice calls. Our real enemies are among us, born without imagination."
Scotland v Argentina, 2026? Alexander Watson Hutton is the father of football there. He taught at St Andrews Scots School in Buenos Aires & the first Argentine championship of 1891 ended in a play off between St Andrews FC v Old Caledonians FC, with the St Andrews boys beating their compatriots.
November 21, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Scotland v Argentina, 2026? Alexander Watson Hutton is the father of football there. He taught at St Andrews Scots School in Buenos Aires & the first Argentine championship of 1891 ended in a play off between St Andrews FC v Old Caledonians FC, with the St Andrews boys beating their compatriots.
Commiserations to all Danes & good luck in the playoffs, but If you seek solace in church on Sunday, a gentle reminder that your best hymns were composed by Thomas Kingo, Bishop of Odense, whose father was a Kinghorn fae Crail in Fife, His 'Sorrow & Joy Wander Together' might be quite appropriate.
November 20, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Commiserations to all Danes & good luck in the playoffs, but If you seek solace in church on Sunday, a gentle reminder that your best hymns were composed by Thomas Kingo, Bishop of Odense, whose father was a Kinghorn fae Crail in Fife, His 'Sorrow & Joy Wander Together' might be quite appropriate.
Scotland are in the World Cup finals for the first time since 1998. I was there in 1974, 1982 and 1986 and I‘ve always wanted to go back with my family. We’ll be there weans. Scotland for Ever!🏴❤️🏴❤️🏴❤️
November 18, 2025 at 10:48 PM
Scotland are in the World Cup finals for the first time since 1998. I was there in 1974, 1982 and 1986 and I‘ve always wanted to go back with my family. We’ll be there weans. Scotland for Ever!🏴❤️🏴❤️🏴❤️
“We have a dream” The morra nicht micht weel decide if Scotland gaes tae the world cup next year. I wis there in ´74, ‘82 an ‘86 an cannae wait tae gae back wi ma faimily. Here’s pairt o the dream passage fae Born in Kyle. I’ll be readin mair in Saltcoats on Wednesday.
November 17, 2025 at 4:25 PM
“We have a dream” The morra nicht micht weel decide if Scotland gaes tae the world cup next year. I wis there in ´74, ‘82 an ‘86 an cannae wait tae gae back wi ma faimily. Here’s pairt o the dream passage fae Born in Kyle. I’ll be readin mair in Saltcoats on Wednesday.
Last week in Lisboa we had the christening of our baby grandson Alexander Kay Dawson. This is @joaokay.bsky.social and I in the Palácio Ramalhete before heading to the church. My son @EuanKay18 and son-in-law Andy also wore their Davidson tartan kilts. Wee Alexander’s next!
November 16, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Last week in Lisboa we had the christening of our baby grandson Alexander Kay Dawson. This is @joaokay.bsky.social and I in the Palácio Ramalhete before heading to the church. My son @EuanKay18 and son-in-law Andy also wore their Davidson tartan kilts. Wee Alexander’s next!
Enjoyed a wonderful evening of Scottish music, dance, story and song in the old town hall in St Andrews yestreen with an appreciative audience of 200 local folk. A highlight for me was King Creosote’s singing of The Piper o Dundee. Superb!
November 15, 2025 at 9:58 AM
Enjoyed a wonderful evening of Scottish music, dance, story and song in the old town hall in St Andrews yestreen with an appreciative audience of 200 local folk. A highlight for me was King Creosote’s singing of The Piper o Dundee. Superb!
Just finished one of the few RL Stevenson novels I hadn’t read The Master of Ballantrae. Part of it is set in America and recalled for me our trip to Calistoga in 2018, when @joaokay.bsky.social and I visited the monument to him at Silverado. What a wonderful storyteller, what a great Scot.
November 13, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Just finished one of the few RL Stevenson novels I hadn’t read The Master of Ballantrae. Part of it is set in America and recalled for me our trip to Calistoga in 2018, when @joaokay.bsky.social and I visited the monument to him at Silverado. What a wonderful storyteller, what a great Scot.
Delighted to contribute to this great evening in St Andrews organised by my friend Marion Mason. All the profits will go to local charities. 177 tickets sold but there's room for some more of you. I'll be talking about my books & my travels in the Scottish World. Signed copies will be available.
November 12, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Delighted to contribute to this great evening in St Andrews organised by my friend Marion Mason. All the profits will go to local charities. 177 tickets sold but there's room for some more of you. I'll be talking about my books & my travels in the Scottish World. Signed copies will be available.
Just back from Lisbon where it was a pleasure to stay in the Palácio Ramalhete, the setting of one of the greatest Portuguese novels of the 19th Century, Os Maias.
November 11, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Just back from Lisbon where it was a pleasure to stay in the Palácio Ramalhete, the setting of one of the greatest Portuguese novels of the 19th Century, Os Maias.
Ma intro tae the chapter Hame in Born in Kyle - A Love Letter tae an Ayrshire Childhood. Folk fae the Irvine Valley will ken the sang Derval Dam that I quote fae, but theres local versions o it in a wheen airts in lowland Scotland & Ulster. Ye can lug intae me narratin the haill book on Audible.
November 9, 2025 at 10:25 AM
Ma intro tae the chapter Hame in Born in Kyle - A Love Letter tae an Ayrshire Childhood. Folk fae the Irvine Valley will ken the sang Derval Dam that I quote fae, but theres local versions o it in a wheen airts in lowland Scotland & Ulster. Ye can lug intae me narratin the haill book on Audible.
A passage from Scots The Mither Tongue on Scots abroad - this one recalls the speech of Mary Slessor in Calabar, Nigeria.
November 6, 2025 at 10:43 AM
A passage from Scots The Mither Tongue on Scots abroad - this one recalls the speech of Mary Slessor in Calabar, Nigeria.
“A Scottish poet maun assume
the burden o his peoples doom
And dee tae brak
Their livin tomb”
MacDiarmid
the burden o his peoples doom
And dee tae brak
Their livin tomb”
MacDiarmid
November 6, 2025 at 10:24 AM
“A Scottish poet maun assume
the burden o his peoples doom
And dee tae brak
Their livin tomb”
MacDiarmid
the burden o his peoples doom
And dee tae brak
Their livin tomb”
MacDiarmid
Tae be yersel an tae mak that worth bein
Nae harder job tae mortals has been gien.
Hugh McDiarmid
Nae harder job tae mortals has been gien.
Hugh McDiarmid
November 4, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Tae be yersel an tae mak that worth bein
Nae harder job tae mortals has been gien.
Hugh McDiarmid
Nae harder job tae mortals has been gien.
Hugh McDiarmid
Amang guid companie. See ye in Saltcoats.
November 4, 2025 at 8:07 AM
Amang guid companie. See ye in Saltcoats.
Scots is rooted in our land, people, culture & history. Along with words like gemütlichkeit in German, or saudade in Portuguese, words like scunner, shuilpit, sonsie and nyaff are impossible to translate accurately, and any attempt to do so will be peelie wallie compared to the original.
November 3, 2025 at 10:40 AM
Scots is rooted in our land, people, culture & history. Along with words like gemütlichkeit in German, or saudade in Portuguese, words like scunner, shuilpit, sonsie and nyaff are impossible to translate accurately, and any attempt to do so will be peelie wallie compared to the original.
Like Petter Dass in Norway, a famous Danish Scot is one whose name is immortal due to the 85 hymns he composed which are sung in the church today. Thomas Kingo (1634 - 1703) was Bishop of Odense and a renowned baroque poet whose father was a weaver called Kinghorn from Crail in Fife.
November 3, 2025 at 10:28 AM
Like Petter Dass in Norway, a famous Danish Scot is one whose name is immortal due to the 85 hymns he composed which are sung in the church today. Thomas Kingo (1634 - 1703) was Bishop of Odense and a renowned baroque poet whose father was a weaver called Kinghorn from Crail in Fife.
I saw Average White Band in Honolulu in 1975 when Pick up the Pieces was No 1 in the American charts. With my Scots voice I managed to talk my way backstage to meet them. Great then to be able to dance to them 50 years on out in Dundee tonight with @joaokay.bsky.social
November 1, 2025 at 9:07 PM
I saw Average White Band in Honolulu in 1975 when Pick up the Pieces was No 1 in the American charts. With my Scots voice I managed to talk my way backstage to meet them. Great then to be able to dance to them 50 years on out in Dundee tonight with @joaokay.bsky.social
The saiciont o twa passages fae Born in Kyle set in a recently independent Scotland. It’s comin yet for aw that 🏴. Ye can get the book on Amazon or Kindle, order signed copies fae me or lug intae me narratin it on Audible. I’m also readin fae it in Saltcoats on November 19th.
November 1, 2025 at 9:19 AM
The saiciont o twa passages fae Born in Kyle set in a recently independent Scotland. It’s comin yet for aw that 🏴. Ye can get the book on Amazon or Kindle, order signed copies fae me or lug intae me narratin it on Audible. I’m also readin fae it in Saltcoats on November 19th.
Ane o twa passages fae Born in Kyle set in an independent Scotland whaur an auld tartan army man celebrates Scotland’s byordnar contribution tae warld fitba and lues brekin the chains o the wanchancie covenant - the unfortunate union. I narrate the haill quair on Audible. Lug in!
November 1, 2025 at 9:03 AM
Ane o twa passages fae Born in Kyle set in an independent Scotland whaur an auld tartan army man celebrates Scotland’s byordnar contribution tae warld fitba and lues brekin the chains o the wanchancie covenant - the unfortunate union. I narrate the haill quair on Audible. Lug in!
Live fae the auld brig ower the Doon. Staunin here tae get a guid sicht o Tam o Shanter at the witchin oor when his guid mare Meg gets claucht by the rump, tines her tail an’s left wi scarce a stump by that carlin Nannie. Cannae wait! Tak tent the nicht, fowk, it’s Halloween.
October 31, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Live fae the auld brig ower the Doon. Staunin here tae get a guid sicht o Tam o Shanter at the witchin oor when his guid mare Meg gets claucht by the rump, tines her tail an’s left wi scarce a stump by that carlin Nannie. Cannae wait! Tak tent the nicht, fowk, it’s Halloween.
A passage from the introduction to Scots The Mither Tongue on the tension that arises when Good Scots is perceived as Bad English! Lots more in the book, Kindle and Audiobook.
October 30, 2025 at 3:47 PM
A passage from the introduction to Scots The Mither Tongue on the tension that arises when Good Scots is perceived as Bad English! Lots more in the book, Kindle and Audiobook.
3 weeks tae go till the @natlibscot.bsky.social
Scriever Taylor Dyson an I veisit Saltcoats as pairt o
@scottishbooktrust.bsky.social tour o aw the airts. I'll be readin fae ma memoir Born in Kyle - A Love Letter tae an Ayrshire Childhood. See ye there. www.scottishbooktrust.com/book-week-sc...
Scriever Taylor Dyson an I veisit Saltcoats as pairt o
@scottishbooktrust.bsky.social tour o aw the airts. I'll be readin fae ma memoir Born in Kyle - A Love Letter tae an Ayrshire Childhood. See ye there. www.scottishbooktrust.com/book-week-sc...
October 29, 2025 at 3:44 PM
3 weeks tae go till the @natlibscot.bsky.social
Scriever Taylor Dyson an I veisit Saltcoats as pairt o
@scottishbooktrust.bsky.social tour o aw the airts. I'll be readin fae ma memoir Born in Kyle - A Love Letter tae an Ayrshire Childhood. See ye there. www.scottishbooktrust.com/book-week-sc...
Scriever Taylor Dyson an I veisit Saltcoats as pairt o
@scottishbooktrust.bsky.social tour o aw the airts. I'll be readin fae ma memoir Born in Kyle - A Love Letter tae an Ayrshire Childhood. See ye there. www.scottishbooktrust.com/book-week-sc...
Thinking of the people of Jamaica as the storm approaches & recalling my interview with the son of the man who designed its saltire flag, the Reverend William McGhie, a Scots Presbyterian minister from Shettleston. John recalled the independence day party and looked forward to the Scottish one.
October 28, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Thinking of the people of Jamaica as the storm approaches & recalling my interview with the son of the man who designed its saltire flag, the Reverend William McGhie, a Scots Presbyterian minister from Shettleston. John recalled the independence day party and looked forward to the Scottish one.