100 years on: Is ‘A Drunk Man Looks at the Thistle’ still relevant today?

Hugh MacDiarmid was a controversial poet and political figure throughout his lifetime, and nearly 50 years after his death, his words still have the capacity to enthral, shock and astonish.

Now a century after the publication of MacDiarmid’s book-length poem, A Drunk Man Looks at the Thistle, this Curious talk revisits what is often regarded as MacDiarmid’s Scots masterpiece.

Hear from renowned poets as they unpack the poem’s reputation today. What do artists, academics and the public think about it now? And does his work still hold relevance in today’s world?

This illustrated talk will place the poem in its cultural, political and biographical context. We’ll also hear readings of select passages, accompanied by short readings from Ayont the Thistle, a new book with more than 70 essays and poems responding to MacDiarmid’s poem.

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Important points to note

• This event is suitable for age 16+
• Event format: This event is a talk and will involve some speakers sharing talking followed by a Q&A. There may be some interactive parts of the event but you can just sit back and enjoy listening.
• Content Warning: This work was written in 1926 so may include some specific or outdated perspectives and language that don't align with modern times or views.

• Filming: Livestreaming and photography may take place at this event. Please let a member of the RSE Public Engagement team know if you do not want to be photographed. Recorded events will be made available on the RSE YouTube channel.

SPEAKER

Poet and novelist

James Robertson is a poet, translator, and writer of fiction. His novels include Joseph Knight, The Testament of Gideon Mack, And the Land Lay Still and News of the Dead. From 1993 to 1995 he was writer-in-residence at Brownsbank Cottage, near Biggar, the final home of Hugh MacDiarmid. In 2002 he co-founded Itchy Coo, an imprint for books in Scots for young readers, and remains a contributing editor. He is currently writing a short history of Scotland for Yale University Press.

SPEAKER

Professor of Scottish Literature, University of Glasgow

Alan Riach is a poet and Professor of Scottish Literature at Glasgow University. Born in Airdrie, he studied at the Universities of Cambridge and Glasgow, then worked at the University of Waikato, New Zealand, 1986-2000, and returned to Scotland in 2001. His books of poetry include The Winter Book, Homecoming, Wild Blue: Selected Poems and The MacDiarmid Memorandum. Works of criticism include Representing Scotland, Hugh MacDiarmid’s Epic Poetry and, co-authored with Alexander Moffat, Arts of Resistance: Poets, Portraits and Landscapes of Modern Scotland. His 734-page Scottish Literature: An Introduction (2022) was described in The Times as ‘magisterial’.

SPEAKER

Poet

Jim Mackintosh’s seven collections include Flipstones and We are Migrant. His multimedia collaborations include Beyond the Swelkie with Duncan Chisholm & Hamish Napier and The Banes o the Turas with Ali Hutton. His residences include St Johnstone FC, The Hampden Collection, Cateran EcoMuseum, Bioregioning Tayside, and Makar of Federation of Writers Scotland. Jim was shortlisted for the Scots Book of the Year in 2023 and named Scots Writer of the Year in 2024.

CHAIR

Broadcaster and author, BBC Scotland

Sally Magnusson is a journalist, novelist and broadcaster. After starting her career on The Scotsman and the Sunday Standard newspapers, she presented a host of TV and radio programmes, including Sixty Minutes, BBC Breakfast, Songs of Praise, Daily Politics and most recently Reporting Scotland, which she anchored until 2025. She has written a variety of non-fiction books including Where Memories Go, a Sunday Times best-selling account of her mother’s dementia, which has been credited with improving understanding of this widespread brain disease, and four novels, The Sealwoman’s Gift, The Ninth Child, Music in the Dark and The Shapeshifter’s Daughter. In 2013 she founded the music and dementia charity Playlist for Life, which advocates personally meaningful music as a means of bringing joy and connection to people with dementia. She has an MA in English Language and Literature from the University of Edinburgh, and honorary degrees from the universities of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Stirling, Glasgow Caledonian, as well as the Open University. She received an MBE in 2023 for services to people with dementia and their carers.

About the Curious festival

The RSE’s free Curious festival of knowledge is back, from Saturday 5 − Sunday 13 September 2026!

Curious is Scotland’s annual festival of knowledge. Across its seven-year history, Curious has welcomed over 10,000 attendees into its yearly programme of talks, workshops, discussions and exhibitions – all covering different topics and subject areas. There’s no need for you to have any prior specialist knowledge before coming along, just bring your curious self! With plenty of events both in person and online, you can take part from anywhere.

You can check out the full programme of events here.

Accessibility

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• Step-free access: Ramped access for visitors is available via 26 George Street through Lakeland. Upon arrival, please call 0131 240 5000 and a member of staff will meet you and guide you to the event. Please note that the entrance ramp has a steep gradient (1:12).

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