Here, at long last, is the sound of a Dreg Song sung by the good folks of Port Seton’s Boatie Blest. Leading the song are Gareth Jones and Archie Johnston with Shelley Jones, Angus McDonald, Lucy Hyde, Carmel Daly, Robin Abbey, Eilish Guy, Martine Robertson, Bernadette (Berni) Goslin, Stuart Mack and John Johnston. Tom Donaldson…

Many thanks to Gavin Akin – it was he who first put folks from Row Porty (the Portobello rowing club) in touch with me and it was that contact which led to the whole Dreg Songs Project. Here is a link to his website and his report of the project. Thanks, Gav!

BBC Radio Scotland’s programme ‘Out of Doors’ broadcast last Saturday and Sunday included the Dreg Songs Project. You can listen to it here. The Dreg Songs portion of the programme begins at 1:18:45.  Enjoy!  

HUGE thanks to everyone for an unforgettable evening! The singing, the rowing, the hospitality – unparalleled. A lovely crowd of locals and visitors gathered on the beach as five skiffs from the three clubs rowed into view. The groups brought the boats onto the beach and sang for the crowd who enthusiastically cheered and applauded.…

Thanks to Graham Weir students from Edinburgh Napier University’s MA Sound Production Programme will be recording the Dreg Songs on Wednesday overseen by Dr. Paul Ferguson. One way or another I’ll try to get some samples online following the event. If the Port Seton group’s radio performance last week is any indication, there’ll be some…

Just one week from today the Dreg Songs Project will restore to the Firth of Forth the nearly-lost songs of the local oyster fishery. From 7:30 PM, just off Portobello Promenade near the Dalriada Bar three Scottish Coastal Rowing Clubs will offer their interpretations of these unique traditions both in their boats (weather permitting) and…

Just to whet your appetite, Michael Pollington wrote that he’ll be getting oysters from a fine fishmonger between the Dalriada and Cockenzie. Don’t know the source the oysters, but the shop’s location is extremely appropriate, don’t you think?  I’m getting hungry just thinking about them! Michael sent along this photo of his van. Look for…

Bob Hogg from Inveralmond Brewery sent this artwork for the Dreg Songs Ale pump clip. For those not familiar with real ale (my preferred style of beer, as it happens), the beer is pulled from the cask using a pump with a long handle to which a clip identifying the beer is attached. Here is…

Are you curious about the Dreg Songs? Come along to Celtic and Scottish Studies at the University of Edinburgh on Friday, 22nd June where Bob Walser will present “Dreg Songs: Out of the Archive and on to the Firth“. This talk will trace the history of the dreg songs from the earliest descriptions and images,…

Gareth Jones of the redoubtable Port Seton rowers made the trek over to Anstruther to visit the Scottish Fisheries Museum in search of an oyster dredge. Here is the photo he sent of a large dredge that matches the one drawn by a student at the School of Scottish Studies back in the 1960s –…