True Scotsman Podcast

Douglas Haig, the Butcher Haig as he's sometimes called, is widely considered to have been a general who callously threw away many soldiers' lives to little effect but is there more to him than this? In this episode, Fraser seeks to understand a few of the facts which drove Haig's decisions.

Host Fraser Horn (@haggispope) looks into Halloween to look into if it has Scottish origins or if it began elsewhere. The answer will shock you (it's sort of Scottish)

This episode is about Scotland's Stone of Destiny, how true it is and why the stories told about it matter

This episode is about a Scottish woman who organised the defense of a castle against the English.

This episode is about Scotland's rugby team and what it means to a country to have a national team made up of players from around the world.

This episode signals a restarting of the podcast with brand new content.

In this episode the gang embark on a quest to get to the route of the Scottish language from its history and literature. 

Presented by Fraser Medvedik-Horn

Co-Hosted by Roisin Caird and Johnney Rhodes

Music by Adam Logan

In this episode, the gang discuss Christmas in Scotland, from early celebrations through to banning and the comeback.

Featuring

Johnney Rhodes

Roisin Caird

and Fraser Medvedik-Horn

Music by Adam Logan

Ryan Hume, the silky voiced Canadian, joins Fraser Medvedik-Horn and Johnney Rhodes in an episode about the Black Death

Music by Adam Logan

Edited by Fraser Medvedik-Horn

In this episode 'the boys' discuss haggis and whether or not it is a Scottish icon.

Presented by Fraser Medvedik-Horn and Johnney Rhodes

Music by Adam Logan

A one-man adventure into the wonderful world of Bovril.

Presented by Fraser Medvedik-Horn

Additional Noises by B. Medvedik-Horn

Music by Adam Logan

In this episode the gang talk about Scotland's other national drink

Cast

Rosin Caird

Johnney Rhodes

Fraser Medvedik-Horn

Music by Adam Logan

Roisin tells us all about the Edinburgh 7, the first group of matriculated undergraduate female students at ANY British university. Surely all the male staff, teachers and students at the university would respond to this with dignity and respect? (Narrator: they did not)

Listen for more!!

This week the gang delves into the fascinating life of Thomas Cochrane, sea captain, adventurer, politician and terrible father, who helped found the Chilean navy and went on to inspire the Russel Crowe film Master and Commander.

In our first episode since shifting to our fortnightly schedule, we've got a fascinating episode on Mary Barbour, Scottish political activist, local councillor, bailie and magistrate, perhaps most well known for her role in leading the Glasgow Rent Strikes during WW1. With special guest Trish Caird (Roisin's mum) and featuring the music of Alistair Hullet, "Mrs Barbour's Army.

Cast: Fraser Horn, Patricia Caird, Johnny Rhodes, Roisin Caird.

Music: Alistair Hullet, Adam Logan.

In this episode the gang talks about Stuart Christie, the Partick-born anarchist who tried to blow up Franco.

Cast

Roisin Caird

Johnney Rhodes

Fraser Medvedik-Horn

Music by Adam Logan

This week Johnney Rhodes and Fraser Medvedik-Horn look into the complicated life and legacy of Scot, Alexander Graham Bell.

Presented by Johnney Rhodes

Edited by Fraser Medvedik-Horn

Outro by Roisin Caird

Music by Adam Logan

In this episode, the boys discuss the history of tartan and kilts in Scotland.

Cast

Fraser Medvedik-Horn

Johnney Rhodes

Music by Adam Logan

In this episode the gang tackles a brief biography of Adam Smith, inventor/discoverer of capitalism, and evaluates his place in Scotland's history.

Presented by Johnney Rhodes

Roisin Caird

Fraser Medvedik-Horn

Music by Adam Logan

In this episode the gang tackles the history of Edinburgh's Festival Fringe and discusses ways to fix it.

Cast

Fraser Medvedik-Horn

Johnney Rhodes

Roisin Caird

Music by Adam Logan

Full interviews for the episode Gealic in Modern Scotland.

NOTE: There is an editing error in the audio here where the interviews are introduced, but an extra bit of what was inserted before them by accident, so for a moment it sounds as though they have been skipped. Apologies for that.

This week the gang take on the pretty hefty topic of Scots Gaelic, it's history, rise and fall, and its place today in modern Scotland with testimony from Gaelic speakers from across the country. With special thanks to Kenneth MacKenzie, Liam Crouse, Anne Macauley, James Sinclair and Àdhamh Ó Broin. Music by Adam Logan.

In this episode, the gang talk about the Abolition of Slavery, the motives behind it and some of the key people involved. 

Cast

Johnney Rhodes

Fraser Medvedik-Horn

Roisin Caird

Music by Adam Logan

During a three minute break whilst Roisin uses the bathroom, Johnny and Fraser make some surprising discoveries about actor and comedian Seann William Scott

This week the Gang investigates Glasgow's connections to the Slave Trade, the leftover relics within the city today, and what modern day attempts their are to reckon with an uncomfortable truth.

This week the topic is the connection between Scotland and Canada. 

Guest host: Ryan Hume

The regulars: Fraser Medvedik-Horn

Roisin Caird

Johnney Rhodes

Music by Adam Logan

A few weeks ago JK Rowling shook the tourism industry of Edinburgh with the revelation that she was not inspired by any of the places she wrote or visited in the city, despite writing all of the books here. What are three currently not working Harry Potter Tour Guides to do but record a podcast about it? We ask ourselves, who is the author, who do the stories belong to, and does any of it matter anyway? Also we make fun of the books A LOT. Enjoy!

NOTE: This episode was recorded on June 8th 2020. We are of course aware that JK Rowling as tweeted a lot of things during this period. To be clear, the episode was recorded a few days after the "Ickabog Incident" but before JKR's blog post which doubled down on her transphobia. It also was before the vile article in the Sun which gave a front page interview with her abuser. This podcast alludes to some of these events but is *not* about them. We would like to express solidarity with all survivors of abuse, as well as with the trans community.

Wolves, beavers, bears, oh my! This week Johnny leads the gang in discussing Scottish animals over the last 2000 years, from species which have been wiped out (thanks, humans) to those which have been introduced (Wallabies??) and asks the question; will wolves ever roam the forests of Scotland again? 

In this episode, the gang discuss the Porteous Riots. A dramatic event in Edinburgh's history which started with the Town Guard firing into a crowd and ended in the lynching of Captain John Porteous.

CW. Lynching.

Cast

Fraser Medvedik-Horn

Johnney Rhodes

Roisin Caird

Music by Adam Logan

This week, the Gang investigates the Gorbals Vampire, an intriguing tale of mass hysteria, censorship, and a weird old witch who eats babies.

In this episode, the gang look into the Battle of Bannockburn. A high point of the Wars of Scottish Independence and one of the most key battles in the history of the British Isles. 

Cast:

Fraser Medvedik-Horn

Roisin Caird

Johnney Rhodes

Music by Adam Logan

This week we delve into the Celts, specifically questioning - who were they, and who are they now? Roisin hosts, Fraser and Johnny interact and music, as always, by Adam Logan.

Note: The first five minutes of the original recording were lost due to issues with Zoom, so rather than re-record Roisin has added a quick recap at the start of the show.

Enjoy!

In the first episode of True Scotsman Podcast, the history and current affairs podcast of three Scottish tour guides, the gang delve into Scottish whisky with an eye to understanding who else in the world is like us Scots.

Cast

Fraser Medvedik-Horn

Roisin Caird

Johnney Rhodes

Music

'Skies of Rain' by Adam Logan