SCOTS Project - www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk Document : 651 Title : Dipper: 39 - Some Cumnock Burns Club Presidents: 1982 - Sheriff David B. Smith Author(s): John Reid Copyright holder(s): John Reid Text III. SHERIFF DAVID B. SMITH 1982 Nae siller staur adorns his breist, Nae weel-worn guns hing at his waist. Scots shirras dinna need sic graith, They dinna deal in life an daith, But though denied the raip an aixe This ane gies Killie's neds their paiks. Frae early days at Paisley schule He speiled the brae tae Gilmorehill Tae gether lear an classic knowledge Before gaun on tae Embro College Tae learn Scots law, baith braid an nerra - A haundy thing for ony shirra! Frae there he donned the wig an goun As advocate in Embro toun He maun hae been ane o their best Tae win promotion tae the west, An nou ilk dyvour in Auld Killie Has cause tae fear this bearded billie, Forbye a wheen North Ayrshire sinners He's sent tae pree Barlinnie dinners. Whiles, on a day o weel-earned leisure, The kintra-side will gie him pleesure, 'Mang hills an wids an flooers an ferns Or watchin huidie-craws an herons. But the roarin gemm's his favourite ploy, The birlin stane his greatest joy, An granite clints, he kens them aa, Frae Ailsa Craig tae Rubislaw. A curlin expert, dinna doot it, He's even screived a book( *) aboot it! He cairries aye a sneeshin-mull - It clears the heid an spreids guid-will. But nou his legal mind he turns Tae judge the case o Robert Bums - Nae hasty verdict, waled at random, But weel threshed oot at avizandum. * "Curling: An Illustrated History" by D.B.Smith (John Donald) ___ shirras/sheriffs raip an aixe/rope and axe paiks/deserts, punishment speiled/climbed Gilmorehill/site of Glasgow University lear/learning Embro College/Edinburgh University nerra/narrow dyvour/rogue,good-for-nothing Killie/Kilmarnock Barlinnie/well-known Glasgow prison roarin gemm/curling clint/rough curling stone Rubislaw/granite quarry in Aberdeen sneeshin-mull/snuff-box avizandum/further consideration This work is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. The SCOTS Project and the University of Glasgow do not necessarily endorse, support or recommend the views expressed in this document. Information about document and author: Text Text audience General public: Audience size: 1000+ Text details Method of composition: Handwritten Year of composition: 1982 Word count: 317 General description: Anthology of prizewinning and other Scots poems, and short stories in Ayrshire Scots. Text medium Book: Radio: Other: Audiocassette Text publication details Published: Publisher: Luath Press Publication year: 1991 Place of publication: Barr, Ayrshire ISBN/ISSN: 0946487227 Edition: First Part of larger text: Contained in: The Dipper an the Three Wee Deils: Tales and Poems in Ayrshire Scots Editor: Authors: Dr. J. A. Begg and J. Reid Page numbers: 98-99 Text setting Leisure/entertainment: Private/personal: Text type Poem/song/ballad: Author Author details Author id: 738 Forenames: John Surname: Reid Gender: Male Decade of birth: 1910 Educational attainment: University Age left school: 17 Upbringing/religious beliefs: Protestantism Occupation: Retired Head Teacher Place of birth: Dalry Region of birth: N Ayr Birthplace CSD dialect area: Ayr Country of birth: Scotland Place of residence: Lockerbie Region of residence: Dumfries and Galloway Residence CSD dialect area: Dmf Country of residence: Scotland Father's occupation: Commmercial Traveller Father's place of birth: Dalry Father's region of birth: N Ayr Father's birthplace CSD dialect area: Ayr Father's country of birth: Scotland Mother's occupation: Housewife Mother's place of birth: Beith Mother's region of birth: N Ayr Mother's birthplace CSD dialect area: Ayr Mother's country of birth: Scotland Languages: Language: English Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: Home, socially Language: French Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: As necessary Language: Scots Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: Home, socially