Iain Ruadh Stiùbhart (3)
I’m going today to conclude my account of the famous Jacobite from
Strathspey, John Roy Stuart. He was a fugitive after Culloden. He got a
message from the Prince, Young Charles, to go and visit him in Cluny’s
Cage – over Ben Alder way in Badenoch. Apparently, it’s a place that
was built of wood. It was covered with holly foliage and moss. It
wasn’t easy to see at a distance. The Prince was hiding there.
Shortly after John Roy had been in the Cage, he and the Prince sailed
to France together on board a French vessel from Loch nan Uamh. John
died in France six years, but there’s no certainty where.
There is, however, a place in Strathspey where he is still remembered.
There is a memorial to him close to his birthplace in Kincardine.
And, every year in August, some people walk to the summit of Cairn Gorm
to fly the Kincardine flag in his memory. They are following a James
MacIntyre who was responsible for the green flag of Kincardine at
Culloden. James made certain that the redcoat soldiers did not get hold
of it.
.......Every year after the Battle of Culloden, on the 19th of August,
James would go to the summit of Cairn Gorm. He would raise the flag as
a memorial to John Roy and the other men from Strathspey who rose in
the cause of the Prince.
In addition to his poem ‘The Day of Culloden’, John Roy wrote another
poem about the battle. It’s called ‘Another Song about the Battle of
Culloden’. Some people sing the song – or part of it – to this day.
Here is one verse of it:
Of beloved Prince Charlie,
rightful heir to the crown,
He knows not which way to turn,
The virtuous royal blood, being
forsaken at this hour,
And a bastard son rising with a host.
John Roy Stuart (3)
Tha mi a’ dol a chur crìoch an-diugh air mo chunntas air an t-Seumasach
ainmeil à Srath Spè, Iain Ruadh Stiùbhart. Bha e na ruagalaiche an dèidh
Chùil Lodair. Fhuair e fios bhon Phrionnsa, Teàrlach Òg, a dhol a chèilidh
air ann an Cèidse Chluainidh – Cluny’s Cage – taobh Beinn Eallair
ann am Bàideanach. A rèir choltais, ʼs e àite a bha ann a chaidh a thogail
de dh’fhiodh. Bha e air a chòmhdachadh le duilleach cuilinn agus còinneach.
Cha robh e furasta fhaicinn aig astar. Bha am Prionnsa am falach an sin.
Goirid an dèidh do dh’Iain Ruadh a bhith sa Chèidse, sheòl e fhèin agus am
Prionnsa don Fhraing còmhla air bòrd soitheach Frangach à Loch nan Uamh.
Chaochail Iain anns an Fhraing sia bliadhna an dèidh sin, ach chan eil
cinnt ann càite.
Tha, ge-tà, àite ann an Srath Spè far a bheilear ga chuimhneachadh
fhathast. Tha carragh-cuimhne ann dha faisg air àite a bhreith ann an Cinn
Chàrdainn.
Agus, a h-uile bliadhna anns an Lùnastal, bidh feadhainn a’ coiseachd gu
mullach a’ Chùirn Ghuirm airson bratach Chinn Chàrdainn a chur an-àirde mar
chuimhneachan air. Tha iad a’ leantainn air fear Seumas Mac an t-Saoir a
bha an urra ri bratach uaine Chinn Chàrdainn aig Cùil Lodair. Rinn Seumas
cinnteach nach fhaigheadh na saighdearan dearga grèim oirre.
Gach bliadhna an dèidh Blàr Chùil Lodair, air an naoidheamh latha deug dhen
Lùnastal, bhiodh Seumas a’ dol gu mullach a’ Chùirn Ghuirm. Chuireadh e a’
bhratach an-àirde mar chuimhneachan air Iain Ruadh agus na fir eile à Srath
Spè a dh’èirich ann an adhbhar a’ Phrionnsa.
A bharrachd air an dàn aige Latha Chùil Lodair, sgrìobh Iain Ruadh
dàn eile mun chath. ʼS e an t-ainm a tha air Òran Eile air Latha Chùil Lodair. Bidh feadhainn a’ gabhail an
òrain – no pàirt dheth – chun an latha an-diugh. Seo rann dheth:
Mu Phrionns’ Teàrlach mo rùin,
oighre dligheach a’ chrùin,
ʼS e gun fhios dè an taobh a thèid e,
Fuil Rìoghail nam buadh, bhith ga
dìobairt san uair,
ʼS mac dìolain le sluagh ag èirigh.
