The lovely lass o' Inverness,

                                                Nae joy nor pleasure can she see;

                                            For e'en and morn she cries, alas!

                                                And ay the saut tear blin's her e'e.

                                            Drumossie moor - Drumossie day -

                                                A waefu' day it was to me!

                                            For there I lost my father dear,

                                                My father dear, and brethern three.

 

                                            Their winding-sheet the bluidy clay,

                                                Their graves are growing green to see;

                                            And by them lies the dearest lad

                                                That ever blest a lover's e'e!

                                            Now wae to thee thou cruel lord,

                                                A bluidy man I trow thou be;

                                            For mony a heart thou has made sair,

                                                That ne'er did wrang to thine or thee!

 

Footnote : From memory it was the great Scottish folksinger Jean Redpath whom I first heard singing this lovely song by our National Bard which very well captures the anguish following the Battle of Culloden. I will take the opportunity to revisit Drumossie Moor during next week's Scottish National Party 68th Annual National Conference in the Eden Court Theatre, Inverness (25th-28th September 2002).