The ‘Poets’ Pub’ painting shows those writers known as the ‘Big Seven’ – arguably the most influential Scottish poets of the post-war era – Norman MacCaig, Hugh MacDiarmid, Sorley Maclean, Iain Crichton Smith, George Mackay Brown, Edwin Morgan and Robert Garioch.

Sorley MacLean wrote this in his grapple with the religion of his childhood. I heard a version of it tonight sung by Karen Matheson at the Beacon Arts Centre in Greenock. And though I lack the knowledge of the fair tongue, the effect was spine chilling.

And the words too…