Is Scotland empty?

[Seabedsurfer]

Good morning everyone; so I was talking to my Canadian friend and she said that members of her husband's family spoke Scot's Gaelic because they came from Nova Scotia. She also mentioned that the songs from there are very melancholy because -and I promise not to talk too much- their great great somethings from the Scottish Highlands were scopped up, thrown onto boats -the marine equivalent of a bin lorry rather than a limo- and shipped over to Canada. Is that why the Highlands are so depopulated today? I thought how sad that there was ethnic genocide and yet another destruction of Celtic culture on our doorstep. God bless S'bed    

[shaneystar]

There is a good article here
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/state/nations/scotland_clea rances_01.shtml
I watched Coast the other night and there was a bit about the Highland clearances.I thought it was very sad.

[mycatis]

You're not seriously saying you had never heard of the Highland clearances are you?

[shaneystar]

I most certainly have heard of the Highland clearances.
History of any sort is one of my interests.
Just the fact that watching Coast brought it to life and I felt it was sad and shocking how these people were treated.
Mind you this sort of thing still goes on today in various parts of the world.
Or...are you referring to seabedsurfer.Perhaps he/she is not from the U.K. and just want's to know more about it.

[mycatis]

Sorry shaneystar I did mean Seabedsurfer  , but you have a fair point, sorry. shouldnt post when I'm in a bad mood

[shaneystar]

That's alright mycatis .We all have our off days.
Especially when we have people like "whisper" janegrove to frighten us.!!! No probs!!
I just found it so terribly sad the way these people were driven from their homes.I read a book about this years ago by John Prebble ..I think it was....and I thought the way the chieftans of the clans betrayed their own people was dreadful.This must resonate even today amongst the Scots.

[mycatis]

Yeah, it's still a weird thing for us (Scots) to get our heads round. I still remember the first time I was ever told about it (in primary 5) and I was quite horrified. Though I think it's the english landlords that get the brunt of the blame lol. Cheers for accepting apology :)

[dothawkes]

Not jane grove, NOBODY mentions jane grove!

[Kingaroo]

I don't konw where seabed surfer lives, but speaking as a yank who paid attention in world history class, I don't remember ever hearing about this. We learned about the Irish potato famine, but not this.

[shaneystar]

Bit like the American Indians who had their lands confiscated and ended up on reservations.