DORIC COLUMN ROBBIE SHEPHERD

Silver darlings on Aberdeen quay Brought by the fishermen Home from the sea.

SILVER DARLINGS–HALFIN/ MCLEAN

I’m a peer eater – a picker – at the best o times bit losh last wikk, the first time for a fyle, I sat doon tae a juicy herrin in oatmeal an new tatties. Fit a treat an hid me myndin on an aul sayin: it’s best tae hae fresh herrin ony month athoot an “r” in’t – at bein June, July an August.

As the sang goes, silver darlings on Aiberdeen quay bit fan last did ye see herrin boats comin in the pier at Fittie an hearin o anxious wives an sweethairts starin oot throwe the haar as the Torry Coo bellow’t oot its ain plea for a safe return? Alas, for Fittie folk an city folk noo, aa in the memory – the steer o fish landins maistly up the Buchan coast, the lure o the ile an the thocht o cruiseships seein the lichtie fadin on fit wis, an still is in some quarters, a thrivin, close-knit community.

I masel hae reason tae thank the fishin industry for een o the main roadies I wis tae tak in ma ain career, startin as assistant accountant at Macfisheries at Poynernook Road afore jynin Claben jist ower Victoria Bridge – a country loon comin tae toon an nivver regret a meenit o the 50 odd eer mang fisher fowk fae aa ower.

I’ll nae dauchle mair on at the day bit tak tae mair shalla waaters an pit salmon on the menu on bein fair teen on bi a new beuk “The Summer Crew” bi John Bennett – an here I digress as it jist so happens at Claben wis named efter twa fish merchants, Clark an Bennett.

Ye’ll hae read excerpts o’t the last twa wikks in es magazine an I hae cocht up noo on the novel, set in the 1980s on a sma crew o a coble boat – a hanfu o regulars an students – nettin grilse at the moo o the Spey at Garmouth mang the pools aneth the shadda o the aul railway brig in fit wis a short bit gye hectic simmer season.

The aathor, brocht up in Kingston-upon-Spey an bidin doon in London noo, wirkit as an oar fin a student on’s simmer holidays for a season at the eyn o the 1980s an taks in sae weel the hale feelin o anither wye o life fest fadin awa – the lanscape, the hard day’s darg, the characters, alang wi the gran use o the hameower Doric tongue in aa its droll humour jist bringin aathing tae life.

Fyles yer coopit up in the bothy wi a half dizzen chiels spannin a feow eers atween them, different backgruns an conter-opinions on life, roon a welcomin stove an fyles teen oot the kintraside bringin in local history like a day at the annual Maggie Fair held at Garmouth, aathing sae skeely pit thegither in sic a presentable package.

Para Handy comes tae myn, the beuk jist cryin oot for a TV series wi sae mony different ferlies brocht up in ilka chapter an the central character wid be Sandy, the skipper, haudin coort sookin aye at’s pipe keepin aathing in order wi a cannie souch. Een o the students nicknamed Neap wid surely hae a pairt. He wis teen on wi a grudge haein a reputation o bein a lazy layaboot afore bein timmer’t in aboot an as a crew member said “the only time his hands left his pooches wis fan he wis pittin food in his moo”.

The Morayshire accent wid be vital an nae queel’t doon or ye tyne the hale feel o’t aa. It comes throwe weel in the eeseless banter on bein hem’t in thegither in the bothy shelterin fae the “Bailies o Banff ”. Work at een oot for yersel for ere’s wordies new tae me an at’s fit wye I used “cocht” earlier as catch’t oot. The Summer Crew, a must in my ivver-expandin library.

See ye neist wikkeyn.