"LOONS AN LASSIKIES, AULD INTAE NEW"
CELEBRATES THE KININMONTH LASSIE ANNIE SHIRER, FA COLLECTIT HUNNERS O RHYMES, SANGS, SAYINS AN RIDDLES FAE AA AROON THE MINTLAW AREA.

She collectit rhymes an sayins tae send tae the Rymour Club doon in Edinburgh fur tae be publishit. The Club ca'd her the Marchioness Of Mintlaw.

She also gaithert an sent the wurds o hunners o sangs tae Gavin Greig fa wis collectin fae the Northeast wi Reverend Duncan, bit Annie didnae sing hersel, so she'd recommendit fur him mony ither singers tae gie him th tunes. He ca’d her A Kininmoth Lassie when he thankit her every twa wiks in the Buchan Observer newspaper.

But she’d keppit aa that an mair that she hid collectit in her kist at hame. Her great-nephew Jim Shirer rescued an publishit mony riddles an proverbs she hid in the kist afore her family clearit the hale lot oot.

Annie (right) with her cousin Maggie and Uncle Kenneth

Doric Translated:
Our LOONS AN LASSIKIES* SCHOOL PROJECT is working to preserve knowledge of the old Doric rhymes collected by Annie Shirer in the North East over 110 years ago.

Sponsored by The Doric Board and conceived by Ewan McVicar, this project is taking her almost forgotten work to Creative Writing workshops in North East primary schools. The humour and liveliness of her collected work is inspiring new Doric rhymes and celebrating the rich cultural heritage of the Mintlaw area.

This website shows of the rhymes and drawings created in the workshops ran by Pauline Cordiner as well as providing resources for any other schools interested in taking part.

To find out about running your own workshops, or having a visit to your own school, have a look at "Workshops" above.

"LOONS AN LASSIKIES, OLD IN TO NEW"
CELEBRATES THE KININMONTH LASSIE ANNIE SHIRER, WHO COLLECTED HUNDREDS OF RHYMES, SONGS, SAYINGS AND RIDDLES FROM ALL AROUND THE MINTLAW AREA.

She collected rhymes and sayings to send to the Rymour Club down in Edinburgh to be published. The Club called her the Marchioness Of Mintlaw.

She also gathered an sent the words of hundreds of songs to Gavin Greig who was collecting in the Northeast along with Reverend Duncan, but Annie didn't sing herself, so she'd recommend many other singers to give him the tunes. He called her A Kininmoth Lassie when he thanked her every two weeks in his column in the Buchan Observer newspaper.

But she kept all that and more that she hid collected in her kist (Scots word for a chest, usually used for storing clothes and linen) at home. Her great-nephew Jim Shirer rescued and published many of the rhymes, riddles and proverbs she had kept in her kist before the family threw it all out.

*The Doric for boys and girls is usually "loons and quines." Lassikies was used in the Northeast, although it has now dropped out of use. It can be found in the local rhyme/song "Gae Tell The Torry Lassikies" also recorded by the Rymour club.