Happy Birthday!

Matt McGinn

was born

Jan 17, 1928
(d. Jan 6, 1977)

"McGinn was one of Scotland's most colourful characters; singer, songwriter, humorist, ranconteur, novelist, and playwright, as well as a prominant player in the British folk and protest movement of the 60s and 70s. His songs have been recorded by many others."
        [thanx Kevin Sheils who got it from James McGowan who is said to be building a McGinn website.]

The above is very true and may be the best one can say. But it doesn't give a shred of the experience one had of being in the same room with him.

Perhaps a small quote from "McGinn of the Calton : the life and works of Matt McGinn,
1928-1977" by Matt McGinn, Pub: Glasgow District Libraries, 1987, © Janette McGinn.

                                                SAMSON

        As you know, in Scotland, we have the highest standard of education
in the world.
        This is a fact which is universally acknowledged, and admitted as
well, in places as far apart as Kirkcaldy and Carnoustie - it's even
admitted in Kirkcudbright. And you know, I am well qualified to talk on
this matter because I am the only man in Britain who ever taught English
through an interpreter - and one day, there I was dealing with the children,
you know, preparing them for their Z levels - when this Inspector came in to
see if I was doing my job, you see.
        And he said, 'Mr McGinn, have you been doing your job?' And Ah
says, 'You ask the weans. Any question you like, you'll see Ah've been
daein' ma job.' So he said to this wee boy, 'I want you to tell me - who
was it who put his hands around the pillars and pulled them till the roof of
the Temple crushed?' The wee boy says, 'Look it wisnae me. Ah was in the
hoose a' last night. Cannae blame me.' So he says, 'What goes, Mr. McGinn?'
Ah says -'Well, if wee Jimmy says he didnae dae it -? Naw, a good wee boy he
was. Ah knew him very well. He widnae tell a lie.
        So - 'Oh,' he says, 'Ah'll have to take this to the Headmaster.' Ah
says, 'Ah'll go wae ye tae the Headmaster', ye see? So we went to the
Headmaster and explained tae him. So the Headmaster, a very decent man, he
says, 'Well Mr McGinn's been with us a very long time. Five weeks easy,' he
says,' and he's got a very good understanding of children,' and he says, 'If
he thinks the boy didnae dae it-?'
        So he still wisnae satisfied, this man, ye see? So he took it to
the Education Committee, Lanarkshire Education Committee, ye see'? So they,
after he'd explained it to them, they locked themselves up wi' a couple of
bottles of whisky, in behind, ye know? And they had a talk about it. And
later the Chairman came out and says to this Inspector, he says, 'Look Mr
Inspector,' he says, 'we've discussed this, and talked about it, and
deliberated upon it, and everything', he says, 'and if you're prepared to
forget all about this, we'll send round two bricklayers in the morning and
get the whole thing fixed up.'

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