Galoway Irish?

[madammagician]

My father kept telling me that his ancestors from Penninghame, Wigtonshire were Galoway Irish, Were thay origionally from Ireland?I am not sure what he ment?

[sandheadlass]

Hi, hopefully I can help you with your query.

I, myself, am galloway irish.  The term is one we locals give to ourselves for our accents.  We are totally Scottish having been born in the Galloway area but because of our location (so close to Ireland) our accents have an irish "twang".

I hope that this is of some help.

[madammagician]

sandheadlass thank you so much for the explanation! 

[DG8]

Because Stranraer is the shortest sea route between Scotland and Ireland many Irish came to the Wigtownshire area during the Irish potato famine.

Over a period of time day dialect spoken in the took on a distinct Irish influence thus Galloway Irish. It has nothing to do with where you were born. I have lived in Wigtownshire all my life, my mother was Scottish (from Wigtownshire) and my father was Scottish (from Edinburgh) so therefore I'm Scottish with an Galloway Irish brogue.

[Skoosh]

Gaelic was still being spoken in parts of Galloway  into the 1800s, hence the Gallowa Eerish, the  issue's explained in a book called "Galloway Gossip" by Trotter 1901, if you can get hold of a copy! a great read, maybe reprinted? .........Skoosh.

[DG8]

That sounds an interesting read - I am 61 years of age and to be honest that is the first time I had heard the explanation - Thanks for the lead.

[Skoosh]

Levellar,  Amazon currently out of stock, hunt around, how about the "book toon"is it Wigtown?...Skoosh.

[DG8]

Aye the book toon is Wigtown but there is that many where would one start?

[Skoosh]

A bit of a delay here, just discovered Amazon has this book.       Skoosh.