Teacher Joseph's Sound Archive
Audio, video and spoken communication.
Neil McTaggart’s Crossing now has its own permanent home. Read and listen to the complete story so far, follow every chapter in order, and continue the journey from Scotland to Canada.
After a break, Neil McTaggart's Crossing is returning.
Continue reading “1222 Neil McTaggart’s Crossing Returns | A New Home for the Story & Audiobook”
What is an Orange parade? Learn the history of the Orange Order, the Battle of the Boyne, Protestant tradition and why Orange marches continue today.
What exactly is an Orange parade, and why do these marches still take place today?
Continue reading “1221 What Exactly Is an Orange Parade? History, Purpose and Tradition Explained”
Teacher Joseph remembers the victims of the Paisley Witches, Scotland’s last witch trial, and explores the local history of Paisley and Renfrewshire.
Teacher Joseph tells the story of the Paisley Witches and remembers the victims of Scotland's last witch trial. This episode explores Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scottish history, local memory, witch trials, folklore, and the dark history behind one of Scotland's most haunting local stories.
Continue reading “1210 The Paisley Witches: Remembering the Victims of Scotland’s Last Witch Trial”
Part 9 of Neil McTaggart’s Crossing. Neil visits town, meets Mrs Brant, and begins to feel that Canada might become home. A historical fiction audio story about Scottish emigration, Canada, family, and belonging.
The frost had lifted a little by the time Robert said,
“You’d best come with me to town today, lad.”
Part 8 of Neil McTaggart’s Crossing. A dead deer and a warning at the door expose danger around Thomas and the Keating conflict. A historical fiction audio story about Scottish emigration, Canada, family, and belonging.
The morning began with a strange sound.
It was not the stove, or the wind, or birds.
It was something heavy, bumping against the front door.
Part 7 of Neil McTaggart’s Crossing. Neil struggles to write home, receives Esther’s help, and learns the wound behind Thomas’s anger. A historical fiction audio story about Scottish emigration, Canada, family, and belonging.
News of Joseph Brisco’s departure rippled through the settlement like a thawing stream. By the month’s end, he would sail east across the Atlantic, returning to Scotland on family business. He had agreed to carry letters for anyone who wished to send word home, and the announcement stirred the community.
Continue reading “Neil McTaggart’s Crossing (7): A Story of 1920s Scottish Emigration to Canada (Podcast 1113 )”Part 6 of Neil McTaggart’s Crossing. Neil attends the Gaelic kirk and sees faith, language, and community binding the emigrants together. A historical fiction audio story about Scottish emigration, Canada, family, and belonging.
Sunday broke with a sharper cold than the day before, a frost that glittered over every fence post and pine bough. Neil woke to the sound of voices moving quietly in the kitchen, the muted clatter of crockery, and Agnes’s low tones urging the children into their best clothes. By the time he came down, the house was alive with the preparations of Sabbath.
Continue reading “Neil McTaggart’s Crossing (6): A Story of 1920s Scottish Emigration to Canada (Podcast 1110 )”Part 5 of Neil McTaggart’s Crossing. Neil hears Gaelic again, meets the MacLeods, and begins to feel the pull of shared heritage. A historical fiction audio story about Scottish emigration, Canada, family, and belonging.
Saturday came with a softer light, a pale sun hanging low over the snowy fields. The usual rhythm of boots on floorboards and tools clattering was absent; instead, the household moved with an easy quiet. Agnes set bread to warm on the hearth, and Robert announced, over the steaming mugs of morning tea, that there would be no work today.
Continue reading “Neil McTaggart’s Crossing (5): A Story of 1920s Scottish Emigration to Canada (Podcast 1106)”Part 4 of Neil McTaggart’s Crossing. Neil begins farm work, senses the family’s grief, and takes his first steps toward writing. A historical fiction audio story about Scottish emigration, Canada, family, and belonging.
The small back room smelled faintly of pine boards and woodsmoke. Its single window was frosted at the edges, letting in only a sliver of moonlight. A narrow bed, a wooden chair, and a shelf were all it held, but after the ship’s hard benches and the cold hall in Halifax, it felt like his own corner of the world.
Continue reading “Neil McTaggart’s Crossing (4): A Story of 1920s Scottish Emigration to Canada (Podcast 1104)”Part 3 of Neil McTaggart’s Crossing. Neil reaches Robert Jefferey’s farm and meets the family who will shape his new life. A historical fiction audio story about Scottish emigration, Canada, family, and belonging.
Part 3: The Road to Halton Hills
Continue reading “Neil McTaggart’s Crossing (3): A Story of 1920s Scottish Emigration to Canada (Podcast 1101)”