Articles

Here is a small sample of published articles with a Dumfries and Galloway flavour.

Robin Yassin-Kassab
Having explored the Arab World, Robin Yassin-Kassab has written a well-received first novel and moved to Castle Douglas to write full-time. He tells Mary about his favourite themes – religion, faith and identity.
 

Margaret Elphinstone
New Galloway-based author Margaret Elphinstone's latest novel brings the
hunter-gatherer people of Mesolithic Scotland back to life.
 
 

Barbara Dickson
Barbara Dickson's remarkable singing and acting career spans more than 40 years. Now she only does what she enjoys – and that includes performing live in Dumfries. She talks about folk songs, hit shows – and a special shirt box.
 

Matt Baker
Sculptor Matt Baker likes nothing better than to surprise visitors with pieces of
land art hidden in the Dumfries & Galloway countryside. He talks about his long road to success in the art world, via architecture – and the circus.        
 

Tom Pow
The poet and writer Tom Pow has recorded the struggle of disappearing rural
communities across Europe. He tells Mary about a way of life that's vanishing fast.
 

Tales of the farm
The prolific Mouswald writer Gwen Kirkwood, whose romantic sagas, set in the farming community, continue to delight her readers.

Still Game
Anyone who has ever wondered about what work a gamekeeper actually does on Scotland's estates will find all the answers in John Cowan's book, Advice from a Gamekeeper.

The Crichton
In 1839, the Crichton opened its doors to its first psychiatric patients. More than 150 years on, the site is now home to a host of facilities ranging from a campus to a hotel.

Penninghame House
Ray and Marie Butler have restored Penninghame House, near Newton Stewart,
and transformed it into a residential centre offering physical and emotional
wellness programmes.

William Nicholson - the packman poet
William Nicholson has been badly overlooked. He was a true poet of Galloway but has been eclipsed by Burns, though once he was considered the Ayrshire bard’s equal

Glenkiln Sculpture Walk - country walk with an artistic twist
Dumfries & Galloway is building itself a reputation for leading the way in siting artworks in the landscape. Take a visit to one of the region’s open air galleries at Glenkiln.

The Wee Kirk at Kirkandrews
The wee kirk at Kirkandrews is an absolute delight and this article describes some of the efforts being made to restore it.
 

James Clerk Maxwell
It’s thanks to this man and his ability to express all the fundamental laws of light, electricity and magnetism we have colour photography, radio, television, mobile phones…He was James Clerk Maxwell who lies buried in Parton churchyard in Dumfries & Galloway