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Song by Robert Burns: "O Kenmore's on and awa, Willie"

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Postcard of Song by Robert Burns: "O Kenmore's on and awa, Willie".

Song by Robert Burns: "O Kenmore's on and awa, Willie"

Robert Burns had a romantic attachment to the Jacobite cause. This was the struggle of the Stuarts, who claimed the British throne. James VII was deposed in 1688 in favour of his sister Mary, married to William of Orange, and was behind two unsuccessful uprisings in 1715 and 1745. This song praises Viscount Gordon of Kenmure, who led the Jacobite troops in the South of Scotland in 1715. The white cockade or white rose was the symbol of the Jacobites.

The song is sung to Willie, while Kenmure is far away fighting for the cause. Firstly, success is wished on Kenmure and his band, then the bravery of Kenmure and his men is celebrated and their health drunk. The hope is that Kenmore would soon be home "sounding victorie", but he was to be executed for his part in the rebellion. The song consists of 5 four line verses and a chorus, to be played "slowish, but with spirit".

On Robert Burns' first tour of Galloway, he and his friend John Syme spent three days at Kenmure Castle in July/August of 1793.

Record details

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Scran ID: 000-000-489-192-C
Image Rights Holder: Burns Monument Trust
Project: 0618: The Burns Manuscripts at Alloway
View all records in project
Ref: Burns Monument Trust  BMT247.01
Date: 1793 (when written)
20 February 1793 (date of writing)
Material:
Dimensions:
What:
Subject:
Who: Robert Burns (author)
Viscount William Gordon (visited by Burns)
Where: Scotland, Dumfriesshire, Dumfries (written here) | NX 975 765
Scotland, Galloway, Kenmuir Castle (inspired by)
Event:
Description: Jacobite song by Robert Burns with Viscount William Gordon of Kenmure Castle as the hero. Burns visited Kenmure Castle in1793.
References:
Translations:
 
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