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Lochiel's Awa Tae France

The website The Fiddler’s Companion, created by Andrew Kuntz, explains what this song is about:

'The title refers both to a father and son. The father, John, 18th chief of Clan Cameron, was a prime supporter of King James in the first Jacobite rebellion in 1715, being created Lord Lochiel in the Jacobite peerage. Upon the failure of the enterprise he fled to permanent exile in France.

'Shortly afterwards his son became acting chief. Donald Cameron of Lochiel (c 1700-1748), like his father a staunch Jacobite, became one of Bonnie Prince Charlie Stuart’s chiefs and fought under his standard at the battle of Culloden (1746). After the defeat 'Young Lochiel' (or sometimes 'Gentle Lochiel') was also forced to flee with the Prince to France. Although he had been badly wounded, Lochiel recovered to take command of a French regiment in 1747 and died in Flanders in October 1748. Lochiel did in fact urge Louis XV to mount a second landing on behalf of Prince Charlie, but it came to naught and he never returned to Scotland. Clan Cameron, however, was eventually pardoned and still retains substantial lands in Scotland.'

'Lochiel's Awa Tae France', played by Ronan Martin on the fiddle.
From Traditional Scottish Fiddling, published by Taigh na Teud, Isle of Skye.

'Lochiel's Awa Tae France', played by a group from Plockton.

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  • Lochiel's Awa Tae France

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