Tributes have been paid to the Tannahill Makar Brian Whittingham, who has passed away.
Brian was appointed as the first Tannahill Makar in 2018 to write poems marking important events in the local area.
Already an accomplished and well-regarded poet, Brian worked with schools, libraries and community groups to encourage interest in poetry, often choosing to write additional poems inspired by his daily work and the people he met.
A former shipyard worker for John Brown’s, Brian, 71, made poetry his full-time job after being made redundant from his job as a draughtsman. He leaves behind his two children, Debbie and Craig, and partner Cathie.
Provost Lorraine Cameron worked closely with Brian and paid a warm tribute to him.
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She said: “Brian was one of the loveliest men I ever met. He and I became fast friends and enjoyed many walks together as I took him on the Tannahill trail in the Gleniffer Braes, or around various places of interest in Renfrewshire.
“He was already familiar with the area having brought his children up in Renfrew, but there was so much more for him still to explore and write about.
“He was a very talented man and we were lucky to have him as our very first Makar. He threw himself into the role and went above and beyond what was required of him, gaining many friends and admirers in the process.”
Brian wrote about the many characters he met during his work as the Makar. He also wrote movingly about his recovery from a stroke he had in 2019.
He also recorded a video of his lockdown poem, Dain Ma Box In on RenTV, where he sympathises with parents stuck with their lively children during lockdown.
Provost Cameron added: “Brian told me that being the Tannahill Makar was the honour of his life and that the role had come to him at the right time in his life.
“It is such a pity that his work has been cut short – but he has left us with some wonderful writing which will be recorded in Renfrewshire history.
“My sincere condolences go to his family, who loved him very much. It is a very sad time for them indeed.”
Brian kept a blog containing many of the works he wrote during his time as Makar, inspired by Renfrewshire’s events, landscapes, and the groups he worked with.
To read them, go to https://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/TannahillMakarBlog
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