Maid Of Norway Remembrance Rally - Johnny McCloskey

Johnny McCloskey of The Scottish Resistance & Citizens Not Slaves speaking at the Maid of Norway Remembrance event 24/9/17

[@JgMcCloskey]

Here's what I said roughly : September 26 1290 Queen Margaret, Maid of Norway ("Eiriksdotter") died, en route from Norway to Scotland. Alexander III : Born 4 September 1241 Roxburgh Castle, Roxburghshire Died 19 March 1286 (aged 44) Kinghorn Ness, Fife Burial Dunfermline Abbey As Alexander left no surviving children, the heir to the throne was his unborn child by Queen Yolande. When Yolande's pregnancy ended, probably with a miscarriage, Alexander's seven-year-old granddaughter Margaret, Maid of Norway, became the heir. Margaret died, still uncrowned, on her way to Scotland in 1290. The inauguration of John Balliol as king on 30 November 1292 ended the six years of the Guardians of Scotland governing the land. The death of Alexander and the subsequent period of instability in Scotland was lamented in an early Scots poem recorded by Andrew of Wyntoun in his Orygynale Cronykil of Scotland. Quhen Alysandyr oure kyng was dede, That Scotland led in luve and le, Away was sons of ale and brede, Of wyne and wax of gamyn and gle. Oure gold was changed into lede, Cryst, born into vyrgynyte, Succoure Scotland and remede, That stat is in perplexyte. "In the final agreement, the Scots got a clear statement safeguarding their independence. Edward promised that Scotland should remain ‘free in itself, and without subjection from the kingdom of England’." Sigdrifa's Prayer : [Old Norse] "Heill Dagr! Heilir Dags synir! Heill Nott og nift! Óreiðum augum lítið okkur þinig Og gefið sitjöndum sigur. Heilir Æsir! Heilar Àsynjur! Heil sjá in fjölnýta fold! Mál og manvit gefið okkur mærum tveim Og læknishendur meðan lifum. [English] Hail to the Day, Hail to the sons of Day! Hail to Night and her daughters! With loving eyes look upon us here And bring us victory. Hail to the sky gods, hail to the sky goddesses, Hail to the bountiful earth! Eloquence and native wit bestow on us here And grant us healing hands while we live." WILD THISTLES [Rising With The Dawn] On a cold and dark storm filled night, A King set forth in reckless flight, But disappeared beyond the shore, What trouble lies in store? Oh Margaret dear, Princess and child, The Maid of Norway should recide, Upon the Stone of Destiny, The Ragman Rolls will be - Hush now my child, Please don't you cry - It won't be long, Wild Thistles, Rising with the dawn - The infant Queen, short was her reign, Six Guardians ruled in her name, The Hammer would not be upstaged, Her marriage was arranged - The Maid of Norway was so frail, Sad was the day that she set sail, To disappear beyond the shore, What trouble lies in store? All Hell broke loose upon the shore, From men of greed who wanted more, Announced their names, upheld their claims, While Scotia stood in chains - Arrived one son of Elderslie, Declared his country should be free, To stand together, one and all, They rallied to his call - Hush now my child, Please don't you cry - It won't be long, Wild Thistles, Rising with the dawn - The Rebel was in time betrayed, His quartered body was displayed, At corners of a broken land, The Hammer's final stand - But still the Scots would not be crushed, A new King called and they rushed, Across the field at Bannockburn, To watch the tables turn - Hush now my child, Please don't you cry - It won't be long, Wild Thistles, Rising with the dawn - Wild Thistles, Rising with the dawn - Seán Gearárd McCloskey