iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 25/06/2025

"On behalf of Scotland, we are sorry." Thinking of friends in the Traveller / Nawken community today. Long overdue, and such a deeply traumatic experience which has persisted for generations. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

bbc.co.uk

John Swinney apologises to travellers for 'Tinker Experiment'

The first minister has said sorry to Gypsy Travellers who were forcibly resettled by Scottish authorities.

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Reposted by Steve Byrne

Jamie Fairbairn @drfairbairn.bsky.social · 02/02/2025

Fair tricket at my wirdies popped oot in e Sunday Times aboot Tee names an nicknames in Scotland. Howp ye aa hid a graan wikkeyn.

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Reposted by Steve Byrne

Esbjörn Wettermark @esbwet.bsky.social · 27/01/2025

Last episode of Folk Arts, Cultural Policy and the Convention out on Wednesday. Talking with @byrnesong.bsky.social, and we listen in to a discussion about the UNESCO ICH Convention with all organisations featured in the podcast plus Cornish Lowender. accessfolk.sites.sheffield.ac.uk/activities/p...

accessfolk.sites.sheffield.ac.uk

Podcast

Season 2

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Reposted by Steve Byrne

Billy Kay @billykayscot.bsky.social · 29/12/2024

An artistic highlight of 2024 was the revival of Fergusson’s Auld Reikie for the poet’s 250th anniversary at a packed Reid Concert Hall in November. A privilege to appear with Karine Polwart, Gary West @byrnesong.bsky.social & Sarah Hoy. Hoping to do it again in 2025

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 01/12/2024

Congrats @handsupfortrad.bsky.social on another fabulous celebration of our trad scene. Folk were asking about my lapel last night: a hairst knot, traditional straw work made by Elaine Lindsay. Bothy loons wore something similar when seeking a fee. A wee nod to my pal, the late Joe Aitken. #NaTrads

A white man with short red hair and beard wearing a dark blue jacket and waistcoat with white open necked shirt, and a looped decoration made from straw on his left lapel

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 23/11/2024

New followers here will be seeing my previous posts from the other place all dated within the last week. @en.blueark.app seemed to be pulling them through ok in initial transfer but now that it's complete, the dates haven't come with them. An imperfect archive, alas, maybe it will update eventually.

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 14/11/2024

Intangible Cultural Heritage meets the legislature 😄👏

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 13/11/2024

1/ Soooo before the crazy space guy arrived at the other place, I was the folklorist honeycomb beehive debunking guy. Here's a revisit of my thread from the summer of 2020 - it was amplified by the likes of @jimmfelton.bsky.social & @iflscience.bsky.social ...and somewhat plagiarised by others! 😂

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 18/10/2024

A folklorist's note on the musical aspect of Alex Salmond's return to Scotland today. Widely reported that "Freedom Come All Ye" was played by piper Connor Sinclair of Crieff, in fact the first tune (hard to make out amongst the airport noise) was the "Flooers o the Forest" 1/

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 12/10/2024

"Let us govern our country wisely and fairly, Let each man and woman work with a will, And Scotland will flourish secure in the knowledge, That we reap our own harvest and ring our own till" youtu.be/-pp5hWBI5EU?si=EIIvjWfXb2S…

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 09/10/2024

Here I am again this October championing the campaign for #neeps #neeplanterns #tumshies #Halloween An old story but a handy guide... www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-high… Top tip: buy a neep next week already and keep it in the hoose to soften...

bbc.co.uk

Do turnip lanterns still haunt Halloween?

Does the years' old tradition of making lanterns from tur...

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 16/09/2024

Morning @edinhelp, is there any word on how long Chalmers Close from the Leonardo Hotel up to the Royal Mile will be closed to pedestrians? Heras fencing seems to have been erected by contractors a few days ago. Can't see any kind of signage giving dates.

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 16/09/2024

Morning @NetworkRailSCOT - is B1377 near Drem closed due to works on line / bridge nearby that you're undertaking? If so, pls put an extra sign at junction with B1347 saying "no access to station". Currently says local access only. Missed train, assumed station still accessible.

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 02/09/2024

Morning @NetworkRailSCOT @ScotRail, any info on what the works are that mean Drem station car park is half closed? Been like this for a couple of weeks and not seeing much work progressing. Has a knock on effect with capacity at Longniddry too.

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 05/08/2024

Really really poor whataboutery by Kaye Adams on @BBCRadioScot this morning, essentially giving credence to the "ah but" brigade. Completely not what the national broadcaster should be doing in this moment. Thank goodness for the clear pushback from the contributor.

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 25/07/2024

Morning @ScotRail - is there any information on how fares are calculated? Travelling from one stop further down the line this morning, intrigued as to why rtn from Longniddry is £7, Drem is £8.70, N Berwick £8.80. Drem is approx halfway between the two. 1/2

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 19/07/2024

Just seen this in Glasgow Central and genuinely hope it got its name because it's used tae "cairry" folk aboot 😂 (gie it a sec!)

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 05/07/2024

C'mon Arbroath 😴🥱🤞

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 04/07/2024

Going by the ability to secure a decent A-Board, @LynJardineSNP is the only candidate left standing in Athelstaneford 😅 #VotedSNP

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 25/06/2024

Huge thanks to @HelenNeedham for invitation to present @BBCRadio3 essay on #digwhereyoustand - the power of local songs for community confidence in everyday culture, language & local distinctiveness as a way of bringing people together. V proud of this!...

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 11/06/2024

UK formally welcomed at @UNESCO through adoption of resolution at the General Assembly for ICH in Paris. @DCMS @culturescotgov @TRACScot

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 11/06/2024

Multiple welcomes for UK at @UNESCO as one of three new signatories of the #ICHConvention along with Libya and San Marino, now 183 countries signed up. @dcms @culturescotgov. Pleased to meet with NGO colleagues from 🇳🇱 + 🇫🇮 so far.

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 11/06/2024

Great to be in Paris with @dauvitf on behalf of @tracscot at @UNESCO to see UK have a seat at the Intangible Cultural Heritage table for the first time officially with the Convention in force. @DCMS @culturescotgov @AngusRobertson

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 08/06/2024

Practising what I preach! Local Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) in the form of summer town galas around East Lothian - today's parade in East Linton.

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 07/06/2024

I'm a D-Day Dodger, gone home from Normandy, To get upon your screen-o, to make you vote Tory Macron and Biden's no for me; I'd rather be on the TV. I am the D-Day Dodger, gone home from Normandy (after Hamish Henderson & comrades; h/t @AnGarraiDubh for the inspiration!)

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 03/06/2024

Chuckled as I dandered through East Linton today, thinking on election fever, manifestos and parties verbally tearing lumps out of each other in @ScotParl We've aye been greetin aboot brigs and sic like. Plus ça change! Thocht ye'd like this, @billykayscot

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 30/05/2024

The criminally under-recognised national singing treasure, Rod Paterson, of Jock Tamson's Bairns, The Easy Club, and Ceolbeg, passed away this morning. An iconic voice, who did a power of work for our Scots song heritage. RIP. youtu.be/eIJZnfC2MhA?si=zXo4AvBW8JF…

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 12/05/2024

The junior minister role for Culture within @scotgov is a relatively new invention, but nevertheless its abolition without clear narrative alongside isn't helping the arts & culture sector keep the heid. My thoughts in @ScotNational -...

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 08/05/2024

Not sure whether to be concerned or heartened by apparent lack of appointment of Minister for Culture under Cab Sec Angus Robertson, now that Kaukab Stewart has moved to Equalities. Given what's ahead in five months' time, I'm rather baffled, @brianjaffa...

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 07/05/2024

Sitting next to some folks on @ScotRail flexing their railcards, I'm reminded of this again. Very much enjoying off peak pricing but still no Railcard option for folks aged 31-49 who regularly commute, such as the @DB_Bahn #BahnCard system. (cc @FionaHyslop and colleagues :))

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 21/04/2024

Occasional reminder, now that it's doing the rounds again this week 😅

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 28/03/2024

Any chance @NetworkRailSCOT @scotrail that the car park at #Drem could be sorted now that the dates have passed? Such small capacity as it is, this is something like a fifth of spaces.

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 26/02/2024

Pleased to speak to @MScougallSP of @Sunday_Post about @TRACScot's work with #ICH #IntangibleCulturalHeritage after our visit to #Finland looking at how @UNESCO #ICHConvention has been implemented there. @DCMS consultation on UK ratification closes 29 Feb:...

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 24/02/2024

Pals around Ainster and the East Neuk, well worth looking in on this event today organised by @scotfishmuseum for @sngaidhlig, looking at the songs Gaelic speaking herring gutters brought with them round the coasts.

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 31/12/2023

It's thon time o year, when the picnic gramophone comes oot, the annual Sir Harry Lauder Rehabilitation Society meets (membership of one) tae celebrate Arbroath and Portobello's finest! Hae a braw ane, freens, may 2024 bring ye sangs aplenty.

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 23/12/2023

The team at @TRACScot is very pleased indeed by this long-awaited news, we look forward to helping safeguard the future of local traditions as part of Scotland's ICH Partnership with @MuseumsGalScot @HistEnvScot @CreativeScots...

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 23/12/2023

A great Christmas gift. After 20 yrs being conspicuously one of several anglophone non-signatories, the UK Govt will now ratify the UNESCO Convention on Intangible Cultural Heritage! For local traditions across the UK, this is seriously good news....

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 02/12/2023

This past year, a @malinkyfolk song in which I have a 20% writer credit was played over 522,000 times. How much should I get for that? What other product can you access 522,000 times and the creator receives next to nothing? #brokenrecord

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 01/12/2023

Same old same old. You still can't convince me Sp*tify is worth it for small musics. From next year the record is even more broken. #brokenrecord...

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 30/11/2023

Could @BBCNews clarify to which parts of the UK this applies? My experience of continuity of care in Scotland is quite good, even though I see diff GPs regularly, IT system seems to have all relevant info on file (I've done access records requests before)...

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 08/11/2023

People have heard me before on #Spotify, and this was only a matter of time. If you are involved with minority musics, you really need to ask what this platform does for you now. Abysmal....

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Steve Byrne @byrnesong.bsky.social · 01/11/2023

Dull Q, @ScotRail but often the platform tap in machines are out of use at Waverley. I ask the guard to check me in on the train, which they do, but upon trying to tap out at my destination, it shows "journey started". It's messing up the Flexipass legs. Tips?

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