On 9 September 1925, exactly 100 years ago, William Blackwood & Sons published Sangschaw, a collection of 31 poems, all but two of them written in the Scots language. The poet was one Hugh M’Diarmid [sic], and this was the first book to be published under that name. In fact it was the nom-de-plume of Christopher Murray Grieve, a 33-year-old journalist living and working in Montrose who had a plan to drag Scotland into the modern era.

The publication of Sangschaw, which contained now famous poems such as ‘The Watergaw’, ‘The Bonnie Broukit Bairn’ and ‘The Eemis Stane’, was a breakthrough event in 20th century Scottish culture. Chris Grieve and his alter ego Hugh MacDiarmid kickstarted and then drove forward the Scottish Renaissance, and throughout the 1920s Montrose was the centre of this literary and artistic movement, which continues to work its effects a century later.

A complete reading of the poems in Sangschaw will take place at the Montrose Playhouse on 9 September 2025. There will be an introductory talk, setting the scene and explaining why this wee book is so significant, and an opportunity for discussion after the reading.

Please come and join writers and performers James Robertson, Matthew Fitt, Sheila Mann,
Chris Grieve (grandson of the poet) and Jane Grieve for this special event.

Book your ticket now.