Alastair McDonald - Harlaw

Harlaw by Alastair McDonald, from the album "Battles and Ballads of Scotland".
"The Battle of Harlaw" is a traditional Scottish ballad about the Battle of Harlaw which took place in 1411 between the armies of Donald of the Isles and the Earl of Mar. The battle was indecisive for both sides, but is remembered as one of the bloodiest battles fought on Scottish ground.
Lyrics
And cam ye frae the Hielans man?
And cam ye a the wye?
Saw ye MacDonald and and his men
As they cam in frae Skye?
Chorus:
Wey a darum, a droo and a dree and a drum
Wey a darum, a droo drum drae
And cam ye near and near eneuch
Did ye their numbers see?
Come tell to me John Hielanman
What micht their numbers be?
It's I cam in by the Garioch land
And doon by Nether Ha'
And I saw MacDonald and his men
A-marching tae Harlaw
And I cam near and near eneuch
And I their numbers saw
There were forty thoosand Hielanmen
A-marching tae Harlaw
The Hielanmen with their lang swords
Fell in at us fu' sair
And they drave back wir Lawlanmen
Three acres breadth and mair
Lord Forbes tae his brother did say
Oh brother, dinnaye see?
They've drave us back on ilka side
And we'll be forced tae flee!
Oh na, na, na, my brother dear
This thing it maunna be
Ye'll tak yer guid sword in yer haun
And ye'll gang in wi me
Then back tae back the brothers brave
Gaed in amang the thrang
And they struck doon the Hielanmen
Wi swords baith shairp an lang
The first blow that Lord Forbes struck
The sword ran in an ell
The second blow that Forbes struck
The great MacDonald fell
Sic a cry frae among the Hielanmen
When ye see their leader fa
They cairtit him and buirit him
Alang by fair Harlaw
Gin anyun should speir at ye
For them that's gade awa
Just tell them plain and unco plain
They're sleepin' at Harlaw

[@eoinnofallamhain8936]

From Ireland with Grá. Éire agus Alba go bráth.

[@celtichistory]

Tiocfaidh ár lá

[@eoinnofallamhain8936]

Sean Kennedy cínnte 😂

[@mrkitcatt2119]

Last country to invade Ireland was Scotland

[@roberttamatea1996]

my Mackay ancestors fought for clan MacDonald at the Bloody Battle of Red Harlaw

[@cam553]

That would mean there were Mackays on both sides if correct, but it wouldn’t be the only time.

[@GM-jt3sh]

From one McDonald to another...Great tune. 👍

[@bennybigiron8471]

Aye, another MacD cousin here

[@garethmcdonald1352]

Nice one GMcD 👊🏼

[@michaelharper8407]

I'm a McLachlan and proud our clans fought side by side at culloden💪

[@gallantscotland8590]

Clan Mcleod here

[@Hardrada88]

Thumbs up from the Stuart’s

[@nicolettaretico7668]

Veramente bella

[@TheVinceLyons]

YOU'LL TAE YER GOOD SWORD IN YER HAND!

[@kimmccabe1422]

To divide is to conquer...

[@roddypampa3906]

Scottland will rise again!!!!

[@vinnyveducci4657]

NASA JET PROPULSION LABORATORY hahahahaha dude let em dream you’re an asshole

[@roddypampa3906]

NASA JET PROPULSION LABORATORY im not even scottish.. im russian and support scottish boys. Run english run, like in marseille.

[@silliestsususagest3276]

@@roddypampa3906 yeah dude you have no clue what you talk of so haha

[@mojowwwav4357]

this song is about a battle between the people of scotland.....

[@knutclau705]

Bluidy Harlaw... When the Gael might hae driven the Lawlan folk awa... 😢

[@paulsmith5752]

"an ell", not "an hale" - an ell was roughly 18 inches.

[@Rikki0]

Excellent rendition. Rivals the version from Old Blind Dogs. Huzzah!

[@wilhelm992]

Yeah I like this one a lot, I was never a fan of some parts of the old blind dogs one but its still nice. Sorta funny with this guys name being MacDonald as well lol.

[@sauron8838]

420 likes: *nice*

[@seastorm1979]

Freedom and Liberty!!!!!

[@INVERLOCHY1]

Be nice if permission was asked before stealing my copyright image!!!!

[@clifffaceledge]

Where's the photo from?

[@peterwerninck9529]

I think its Glencoe if I am not mistaken. The mountains are the Three Sisters. Ive been up a few times, its a really gorgeous place if a little damp and midgey infested! That pic looks like it was taken between late autumn and early spring sometime. Snow rests on the peaks of them from about November to March. Its beautiful in summer too, its incredibly green and rolling and there are red deer prancing through it in great herds. Only downside about the Highlands in winter is that the sun rises at about 9 and sets about 4 :( . So little light. Although you get amazing dark skies. Probably the best in the UK since the Highlands are sparsely populated. Could be wrong, there are quite a few places in the Highlands that look like that. I am like 91% sure.

[@charlestaylor8566]

Certainly not Harlaw , that near the town of Inverurie in Aberdeenshire , I used to live near to it ! There is a monument on the site of the battlefield .

[@charlestaylor6085]

Two quarter pounders then,lol

[@joecat916]

Imagine the power of this song played by pipes and drums!

[@w.reidripley1968]

Didn't the Corries do this one also? Featuring their signature two-bodhràn percussion.

[@seosamh.forbes]

Makes me swell with pride as a Forbes with a brother. LONACH!

[@yonikeshet7629]

Love this song, I prefer the version by Battlefield Band

[@wboyle9721]

Scots must learn from the past rule and divide