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Hope this isn't an accidental "repeat" ...

Despite his Spanish-sounding nickname, my French teacher always told us Liverpool people are good at languages because we're all "natural parrots" ...

Liverpool's maritime history is just ONE of the reasons there are so many languages spoken here

I hope my poem will explain how this came to pass .........

One Hundred Cocktails

A heady mix, bubbling with energy, sure to slake your thirst

The raw ingredients culled from every corner. Who came first?

Welsh Druids settled on the Mersey's banks, and with their songs

They made their mark and lleft their llilting llanguage on our tongues

Norse seamen chanced upon our shores and chose to settle down

Adding names like Kirkdale and Formby, parts of the growing town

Cæsar thought he could rule the world with his fearsome Roman legions

To Britain he came, and yes, he saw – but he couldn't quite conquer this region

Their lasting gift to us was surely the hypocausts: public baths and improved plumbing

A thousand years ago, who would have seen such 'mod. con.' luxuries a-coming?

Certainly not the noisy lot, our troublesome neighbours in the North

Whom Hadrian stalled with a half-built Wall to prevent them sallying forth

“Aye” and “haud yer wheesht” cannae be so hard tae unnerstan' ye'd think

Still we'll sing “Auld Lang Syne” and bid welcome the New Year with drink

Their vowels and growls rotate, mutate, becoming one more aspect

Of the local lingua franca, the proud and inimitable Scouse dialect

Enhanced by the music and laughter of the Irish, forced into exile

When Famine and Death laid waste their green and pleasant isle

The language alters subtly, sometimes from day to day

Marvel at the expresso speech of the Italians down Scottie Road way

Contrast that with the slow, thoughtful reflections handed down

By the Elders enjoying a game of Mah-Jongg in Chinatown

The oldest community in Europe – perhaps the world?

Sparkles anew every year, when banners are unfurled

To mark Chinese New Year, as the Lion Dance

Unleashes fire-breathing Dragons, and children prance

A kaleidoscope of colour, creed and culture from so many different lands

A hundred Cocktails? No! At very least, a Thousand!

Paul McDermott 07954 411613

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Interesting piece about the various languages spoken in Liverpool. What was the slogan for Capital of Culture year......the world in one city?

And what a lovely story about Graham Crowley winning the John Moores painting prize after trying since 1976!

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Disappointed you didnt research into the 'headlock' claim by the club last season.

It was totally without foundation and despite the presence of wall to wall CCTV at the club,no images of the alleged assault ever taking place.

In fact Ian Wright on MOTD apologised to Everton fans for previously going along with the unfounded story about the 'headlock ' that never happened.

At the time the senior management at the club chose to blame the many 'peaceful ' fan protests for creating an atmosphere of fear.

Since then Merseyside Police after an initial investigation, confirmed no evidence of an assault on a Board member was ever reported

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The Everton chief executive put in a headlock by a fan ? Really, your source is what ? Didn't happen. I expect proper journalism not cut and paste from the tabloids.

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'last season’s descent into madness when protests led to the club’s chief executive being put in a headlock by a fan' Come on, no proof that this ever happened.

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Very disappointed The Post has repeated the unfounded allegation that the Everton CEO was put in a headlock. I expect better!

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