Billy Kay
@billykayscot.bsky.social
Scriever/Braidcaster in Scots, English, an a wheen ither leids forbye.
Writer/Broadcaster in English, Scots and a few other languages as well. Passionate about Scottish independence, my wife, my weans and grandweans. Oh, and Scotland & Dundee United.
Writer/Broadcaster in English, Scots and a few other languages as well. Passionate about Scottish independence, my wife, my weans and grandweans. Oh, and Scotland & Dundee United.
I look forward to celebrating St Andrews Day after independence, when adenoidal nonentities like Reeves never, ever again, get to pronounce upon the future Scotland.
December 1, 2025 at 9:51 PM
I look forward to celebrating St Andrews Day after independence, when adenoidal nonentities like Reeves never, ever again, get to pronounce upon the future Scotland.
If anyone would like a signed copy of Born in Kyle, Scots The Mither Tongue, The Scottish World or Knee Deep in Claret for a Christmas present, you can DM here for details or e mail me from my website: billykay.scot
Retweets welcome.
Retweets welcome.
December 1, 2025 at 4:33 PM
If anyone would like a signed copy of Born in Kyle, Scots The Mither Tongue, The Scottish World or Knee Deep in Claret for a Christmas present, you can DM here for details or e mail me from my website: billykay.scot
Retweets welcome.
Retweets welcome.
Happy St Andrews Day tae brither and sister Scots fae New York city tae John o’ Groats.
November 30, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Happy St Andrews Day tae brither and sister Scots fae New York city tae John o’ Groats.
For St Andrews Day and our qualification for the World Cup finals, a reading in Scots fae Born in Kyle set in an independent Scotland when the propaganda machine of the Anglo-British State will finally cease to exist…and we’ll aye qualify for the World Cup!🏴♥️
November 30, 2025 at 10:05 AM
For St Andrews Day and our qualification for the World Cup finals, a reading in Scots fae Born in Kyle set in an independent Scotland when the propaganda machine of the Anglo-British State will finally cease to exist…and we’ll aye qualify for the World Cup!🏴♥️
A 17th Century Diorama of the wine quay in Bordeaux, the Quai des Chartrons showing one of our ships flying the Scottish Ensign. The Epitoga given to me as an honorary member of the Jurade de St Émilion & the cover of the definitive book by Cailean & I. Contact me for a signed copy
November 29, 2025 at 8:29 PM
A 17th Century Diorama of the wine quay in Bordeaux, the Quai des Chartrons showing one of our ships flying the Scottish Ensign. The Epitoga given to me as an honorary member of the Jurade de St Émilion & the cover of the definitive book by Cailean & I. Contact me for a signed copy
Happy Birthday to our darling daughter Joanna. Always a star @joaokay.bsky.social
November 28, 2025 at 10:02 AM
Happy Birthday to our darling daughter Joanna. Always a star @joaokay.bsky.social
Jist the twa days left tae hae it at this price, sae dinna be sweirt, an dinnae taigle. Tak tent or it’s tint, friens.
November 27, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Jist the twa days left tae hae it at this price, sae dinna be sweirt, an dinnae taigle. Tak tent or it’s tint, friens.
Jist the twa days left tae hae it at this price, sae dinna be sweirt, an dinnae taigle.
Tak tent or it’s tint, friens.
Tak tent or it’s tint, friens.
November 27, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Jist the twa days left tae hae it at this price, sae dinna be sweirt, an dinnae taigle.
Tak tent or it’s tint, friens.
Tak tent or it’s tint, friens.
The sky was on fire this morning!
November 26, 2025 at 12:44 PM
The sky was on fire this morning!
Here’s a flavour o whit ye can read in the book or lug intae me readin in the Audiobook.
November 25, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Here’s a flavour o whit ye can read in the book or lug intae me readin in the Audiobook.
Nothing like an afternoon at Tannadice to suck every atom of Scotland football optimism out of the system. Very dodgy keeper, relegation level central defending, overrun in midfield and punchless up front.
November 22, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Nothing like an afternoon at Tannadice to suck every atom of Scotland football optimism out of the system. Very dodgy keeper, relegation level central defending, overrun in midfield and punchless up front.
Tonight in the opulence of the Universities Club, my pal Brian Cox will be honoured by the St Andrews Society of New York at their 269th Annual Banquet. When I was honoured at the 263rd Banquet, I was a proud man to follow in the footsteps of Mark Twain & Alexander Hamilton in addressing the Society
November 21, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Tonight in the opulence of the Universities Club, my pal Brian Cox will be honoured by the St Andrews Society of New York at their 269th Annual Banquet. When I was honoured at the 263rd Banquet, I was a proud man to follow in the footsteps of Mark Twain & Alexander Hamilton in addressing the Society
By 1928 Cunninghame Graham - Don Roberto - supported Independence & challenged his countrymen:
"The enemies of Scottish Nationalism are not the English for they were ever a great and generous folk, quick to respond when justice calls. Our real enemies are among us, born without imagination."
"The enemies of Scottish Nationalism are not the English for they were ever a great and generous folk, quick to respond when justice calls. Our real enemies are among us, born without imagination."
November 21, 2025 at 1:52 PM
By 1928 Cunninghame Graham - Don Roberto - supported Independence & challenged his countrymen:
"The enemies of Scottish Nationalism are not the English for they were ever a great and generous folk, quick to respond when justice calls. Our real enemies are among us, born without imagination."
"The enemies of Scottish Nationalism are not the English for they were ever a great and generous folk, quick to respond when justice calls. Our real enemies are among us, born without imagination."
Scotland v Argentina, 2026? Alexander Watson Hutton is the father of football there. He taught at St Andrews Scots School in Buenos Aires & the first Argentine championship of 1891 ended in a play off between St Andrews FC v Old Caledonians FC, with the St Andrews boys beating their compatriots.
November 21, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Scotland v Argentina, 2026? Alexander Watson Hutton is the father of football there. He taught at St Andrews Scots School in Buenos Aires & the first Argentine championship of 1891 ended in a play off between St Andrews FC v Old Caledonians FC, with the St Andrews boys beating their compatriots.
Commiserations to all Danes & good luck in the playoffs, but If you seek solace in church on Sunday, a gentle reminder that your best hymns were composed by Thomas Kingo, Bishop of Odense, whose father was a Kinghorn fae Crail in Fife, His 'Sorrow & Joy Wander Together' might be quite appropriate.
November 20, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Commiserations to all Danes & good luck in the playoffs, but If you seek solace in church on Sunday, a gentle reminder that your best hymns were composed by Thomas Kingo, Bishop of Odense, whose father was a Kinghorn fae Crail in Fife, His 'Sorrow & Joy Wander Together' might be quite appropriate.
Scotland are in the World Cup finals for the first time since 1998. I was there in 1974, 1982 and 1986 and I‘ve always wanted to go back with my family. We’ll be there weans. Scotland for Ever!🏴❤️🏴❤️🏴❤️
November 18, 2025 at 10:48 PM
Scotland are in the World Cup finals for the first time since 1998. I was there in 1974, 1982 and 1986 and I‘ve always wanted to go back with my family. We’ll be there weans. Scotland for Ever!🏴❤️🏴❤️🏴❤️
“We have a dream” The morra nicht micht weel decide if Scotland gaes tae the world cup next year. I wis there in ´74, ‘82 an ‘86 an cannae wait tae gae back wi ma faimily. Here’s pairt o the dream passage fae Born in Kyle. I’ll be readin mair in Saltcoats on Wednesday.
November 17, 2025 at 4:25 PM
“We have a dream” The morra nicht micht weel decide if Scotland gaes tae the world cup next year. I wis there in ´74, ‘82 an ‘86 an cannae wait tae gae back wi ma faimily. Here’s pairt o the dream passage fae Born in Kyle. I’ll be readin mair in Saltcoats on Wednesday.
Last week in Lisboa we had the christening of our baby grandson Alexander Kay Dawson. This is @joaokay.bsky.social and I in the Palácio Ramalhete before heading to the church. My son @EuanKay18 and son-in-law Andy also wore their Davidson tartan kilts. Wee Alexander’s next!
November 16, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Last week in Lisboa we had the christening of our baby grandson Alexander Kay Dawson. This is @joaokay.bsky.social and I in the Palácio Ramalhete before heading to the church. My son @EuanKay18 and son-in-law Andy also wore their Davidson tartan kilts. Wee Alexander’s next!
Enjoyed a wonderful evening of Scottish music, dance, story and song in the old town hall in St Andrews yestreen with an appreciative audience of 200 local folk. A highlight for me was King Creosote’s singing of The Piper o Dundee. Superb!
November 15, 2025 at 9:58 AM
Enjoyed a wonderful evening of Scottish music, dance, story and song in the old town hall in St Andrews yestreen with an appreciative audience of 200 local folk. A highlight for me was King Creosote’s singing of The Piper o Dundee. Superb!
Just finished one of the few RL Stevenson novels I hadn’t read The Master of Ballantrae. Part of it is set in America and recalled for me our trip to Calistoga in 2018, when @joaokay.bsky.social and I visited the monument to him at Silverado. What a wonderful storyteller, what a great Scot.
November 13, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Just finished one of the few RL Stevenson novels I hadn’t read The Master of Ballantrae. Part of it is set in America and recalled for me our trip to Calistoga in 2018, when @joaokay.bsky.social and I visited the monument to him at Silverado. What a wonderful storyteller, what a great Scot.
Delighted to contribute to this great evening in St Andrews organised by my friend Marion Mason. All the profits will go to local charities. 177 tickets sold but there's room for some more of you. I'll be talking about my books & my travels in the Scottish World. Signed copies will be available.
November 12, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Delighted to contribute to this great evening in St Andrews organised by my friend Marion Mason. All the profits will go to local charities. 177 tickets sold but there's room for some more of you. I'll be talking about my books & my travels in the Scottish World. Signed copies will be available.
Just back from Lisbon where it was a pleasure to stay in the Palácio Ramalhete, the setting of one of the greatest Portuguese novels of the 19th Century, Os Maias.
November 11, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Just back from Lisbon where it was a pleasure to stay in the Palácio Ramalhete, the setting of one of the greatest Portuguese novels of the 19th Century, Os Maias.
Ma intro tae the chapter Hame in Born in Kyle - A Love Letter tae an Ayrshire Childhood. Folk fae the Irvine Valley will ken the sang Derval Dam that I quote fae, but theres local versions o it in a wheen airts in lowland Scotland & Ulster. Ye can lug intae me narratin the haill book on Audible.
November 9, 2025 at 10:25 AM
Ma intro tae the chapter Hame in Born in Kyle - A Love Letter tae an Ayrshire Childhood. Folk fae the Irvine Valley will ken the sang Derval Dam that I quote fae, but theres local versions o it in a wheen airts in lowland Scotland & Ulster. Ye can lug intae me narratin the haill book on Audible.
A passage from Scots The Mither Tongue on Scots abroad - this one recalls the speech of Mary Slessor in Calabar, Nigeria.
November 6, 2025 at 10:43 AM
A passage from Scots The Mither Tongue on Scots abroad - this one recalls the speech of Mary Slessor in Calabar, Nigeria.
“A Scottish poet maun assume
the burden o his peoples doom
And dee tae brak
Their livin tomb”
MacDiarmid
the burden o his peoples doom
And dee tae brak
Their livin tomb”
MacDiarmid
November 6, 2025 at 10:24 AM
“A Scottish poet maun assume
the burden o his peoples doom
And dee tae brak
Their livin tomb”
MacDiarmid
the burden o his peoples doom
And dee tae brak
Their livin tomb”
MacDiarmid