The Luggie from This is Coconut Island on Vimeo.

Words: Brian Sweeney

Luggie is a derivative of an ancient scots word for pot.

The Luggie is a little known tributary of the great River Clyde, probably only known to generations of children from Cumbernauld new town as a playground, nothing has been written or noted about it bar the scathing to indifferent remarks of an Ordnance Survey mapper and a beautiful eulogy- of some 59 pages- from the obscure poet David Gray.

His main poem “The Luggie” written in the mid 1800s is an incredible and understated appreciation of the beauty of the river and one that still holds true to today. His life echoes mine some 150 years later; heading for London to seek a living for his passion whilst still holding the memories of the river close,and eventually returning back to relive them.

The Luggie today, remarkably, in parts has not changed in those 150 years. I’ve seen pine marten, mink, roe deer, kingfishers, dippers on its banks, whilst fishing for 2 pound ‘broonies’ or just walking the dog.

I think David Gray would smile if he saw it now.

This is Coconut Island are Brian Docherty, Brian Sweeney and Jamie Vincent Wolf Gillespie, a filming cooperative founded in 2014 in a field in Cowie central region Scotland.