NEXT year marks the 250th anniversary of Borders poet James Hogg’s birth and plans to mark the milestone are underway.

And it is hoped the celebrations will bring the self-taught novelist back to the fore.

Dr Adrian Hunter of Stirling University is joining forces with the Ettrick and Yarrow Community Development Company (EYCDC) to honour the Ettrick Shepherd.

Hogg was born in the Ettrick Valley and worked almost all of his life as a shepherd.

His best-known works include The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner in 1824, and two years earlier The Three Perils of Man: or War, Women and Witchcraft.

The Ettrick Shepherd became internationally known during the 19th century.

He had 39 volumes published during his lifetime and was well-known on both sides of the Atlantic.

Hogg was popular amongst academics, especially in North America, with many of them circulating his books.

In British and Scottish literature, he is highly regarded, however, over time awareness of his work has decreased.

It is hoped the anniversary celebrations will rectify this by promoting his work as well as drawing Hogg enthusiasts to the region from across the UK.

Dr Adrian Hunter is a senior lecturer of English Studies at Stirling university.

His role within the Hogg society is to raise public awareness of the poet.

Dr Hunter told us: “It is really important to celebrate James Hogg as he is one of the great literary geniuses of the 19th century whose work is just as relevant now as it once was.

“Hogg was an equal to poets in his day and by celebrating this anniversary we hope to raise him to the same level of recognition as Burns and Scott.

“We are in conversation with writers and performers from across the Borders and want a big emphasise on his music, as it was a major part of Hogg’s work.

“This event has great potential to boost local tourism by bringing people to the Borders to celebrate the life of Hogg."

Hogg has many connections across the Borders that the team hope to emphasize.

His local pub was the Gordon Arms hotel in the Yarrow Valley, and he was one the founders of the St Ronan's Border Games which have been held every July since 1827.

The James Hogg exhibition in the Ettrick Valley, which contains many artefacts and originals donated by Lady Steel of Aikwood, and the Hogg monument at St Mary’s Loch have been celebrating the Ettrick Shepherd’s life for many years.

The Borders celebrations will take place over 2020 to mark the anniversary. No concrete dates have been set as the event is still being finalised. However, local people and businesses are encouraged to get involved to help promote Hogg’s Borders legacy.

Internationally, the anniversary will be celebrated in Washington DC.

Enthusiasts can attend an event held in the Library of Congress where they will be talking about Hogg’s life and Border’s traditions.

Stirling University is known as the world centre of Hoggs work.

And they are currently doing a project to collect all the poets work and republish it. So far, 39 volumes of Hogg’s work have been collected, and 27 have been published.

The project started in the mid 90s and the estimated finishing date won’t be till 2030.

The programme of events is still in the planning stage and the organisers are currently raising money to hold the celebrations around the Borders and in Stirling.

They are currently applying to various sources for a six-figure sum to honour the literary great.

If you would like to get involved or find out any more information, then contact Dr Adrian Hunter at adrian.hunter@stir.ac.uk or EYCDC Vicky Davidson at vicky@ettrickandyarrow.org.uk