Quote Self-promotion Unquote

[daibhidc]

Just heard yesterday's Quote, Unquote on Listen Again. And I was mentioned!

In the last series they quoted the alleged William McGonagall poem that starts "The chicken is a noble beast..." and I wrote in to say that it didn't sound like McGonagall, and I suspected it was one of Spike Milligan's. And in this episode they read out my letter, and confirmed that the poem comes from Milligan's The Great McGonagall. So that was a nice surprise.

(On the subject of McGonagall, I noticed recently that the Gellions [a venerable Invernesian pub] now has a blue plaque outside announcing that McGonagall once performed there. And, in smaller letters, that some other, and evidently less significant, poet once stayed in the hotel across the road. I forget his name, but I think it was his birthday last week...)

Comments

[sloopjonb.livejournal.com]

There's a lot of research failure going on atm. We had haggis in honour of the Ayrshire Rabbi. What should one have to honour the Topaz of Dundee, d'you think?

And have you ever considered how much the poem about haggis sounds distinctly McGonagallish?

[daibhid-c.livejournal.com]

I'd guess mince'n'tatties or pie'n'chips. Something very Scottish, but not nearly as ceremonial as a haggis (but to be treated with all due ceremony nonetheless, of course). Alternatively, both "Lines in Praise of the Lyric Club Banquet (http://www.mcgonagall-online.org.uk/poems/lpglyric.htm)" and "The Heatherblend Club Banquet (http://www.mcgonagall-online.org.uk/poems/mpgblend.htm)" mention beef and potatoes.

(I don't know what I'd have. If it's pie and chips, I'll go for that symbol of Scottish vegetarianism, the macaroni pie.)

To drink: Irn Bru, Strathmore water and Scottish Blend tea (McGonagall was a temperence campaigner (http://www.mcgonagall-online.org.uk/poems/lpgdrink.htm). Facing an evening of his poetry sober may seem cruel, but that's what seperates the men from the boys).

And, nah, the Address scans...