While the Heiland Clearances is weel kent, the Lawland anes is isna. But it is fact that thay gaed on. As runrig wis convertit tae muckle sheep ferms, as hedges wis plantit, an whit wis aince common grund taen an inclosed bi lairds an lords that haed nae clear claim, mony fowk wis pit aff the land. Mony ferm touns an hail villages haes disappeart fae the Lawlands. The fowk that haed nae mair wark affen gaed beggin, whiles fund thairsels cryed sturdy beggars, an affen whippit oot a toun. The greed o the heritors for mair land, tae pey mair tax an risin intress rates, caused mony social ills an the landward fowk haed tae gae intae the thrang an croodit cities, like Aiberdeen, Dundee, Embra, an abuin aw the lave, michty an ower populate Glesca whaur condeetions wis affa coorse for the poor fowk. Thay cam speakin the sindry tongues o thair hame airts an a new city patter sprung up alang wi the risin younkers.

It wad be a crouse cheil that tried tae sinder Irland an Scotland gien hoo melled the twa haes been ower mony hunner year. Throu the Middle Ages kin groups mairried on baith sides o The Sheuch while a common Gaelic wrutten staundart wis aince kent fae Lewis doun tae Cork until the 17t century. Gaelic-speakin men o weir fae the Heilands an isles – the Ridshanks - focht an sattled in Irland in the 15t an 16t centuries follaed bi Scots-speakin Lawland men that sattled Ulster in the 17t century. In the 18ct an 19t centuries Earse fowk, an the affspring o thae Scots incomers, cam tae sattle in Scotland in turn. The ugsome human mishanter that wis the Famine o 1845-1850 seen a million Earse fowk sterve tae deith, an anither million lea Irland, mony for the kintra that wis nearest an maist like thair ain - Scotland. This same famine hut the Heilands an Isles o Scotland an gart mony fowk lea thae pairts an-aw.  

Mony Scots faimlies nooadays – mibby maist Scots faimlies – can redd back twa-three lines til Irland forby. Gin ye’r sprung fae fowk that spent ony length o time in or aboot Dundee, Embra, or Glesca, whaur Earse fowk cam tae bide an wirk in muckle nummers fae the 18ct century onwards, ye’ll likely coont kin wi them. Sae aince ye stert tae redd yer kin, ye’ll find that, in actual fact, we’r aw ae oo.