Dundee Law Commemoration 2008

www.cranntara.org.uk

12-04-2008 DUNDEE LAW COMMEMORATION

About 20 or so brave souls met at Dudhope Castle in Dundee on the 12th April where John Graham of Claverhouse in1689 brought his wife to give birth We came here not to celebrate the birth of young Dundee but to commemorate the raising of the Royal Standard by Bonnie Dundee which started the Jacobite rising of 1689 . Kenny Borthwick told a tale that refutes the name Bloody Clavers given to Viscount Dundee by his enemies. Dundee was living in Glen Ogilvie to the north west in 1689. His wife was heavily pregnant so he decided to bring his wife to their castle at Dudhope as it was more comfortable and secure. On arriving at the castle one of the servants had mentioned the prisoners in the castle dungeon bellow. Mrs Dundee was a bit perturbed at the idea of prisoners in the house. She asked the servant what they had done to be in prison and why they were in their dungeon instead of in the towns. The prisoners were in Dudhope because the towns jail was in a state of bad repair so they prisoners had been moved to darker and no doubt damper Dudhope dungeon to await the hangman, their crimes were small, sheep stealing and the like. Mrs Dundee could not sleep that night and nagged her husband about the prisoners bellow .Yes Mrs Dundee was a typical every day wife. Dundee soon after went to Edinburgh to asks his Lords what should be done with these men under his guard . He was told to do what he wanted with them. He showed he was a kind man and no devil and let them go home as free men. After this story it was off up the hill for some and off to our cars for the not so young and fit. On reaching the top of the Law we were met by some late comers which swelled the numbers. Another speech from Kenny Borthwick followed by a toast to the King and Dundee. It was mentioned that around the monument on the Law there are plaques telling the history of the city of Dundee. What is disappointing is that Cromwell gets a mention but nothing not one word of John Grahame Viscount Dundee and the first of the Jacobites.

This is Bruce Ogilvie reporting for radio Crann Tara.

Read the Dundee Courier Report CLICK HERE






	Photos kindly submitted by Jim Wilson

Hi everyone, we made the Dundee Courier although brief (the girl was new)

Modern-day rebels mark historic event

Mr Borthwick at Dudhope Castle with the Grahame Standard and the Royal Standard.

A disappointing crowd joined in a one-mile walk on Saturday to mark 319 years since the raising of the standard atop Dundee Law at the start of the Jacobite rebellions.
Crann Tara, a group that celebrates Scottish culture and history, had organised the celebration but was disappointed when only about 20 people took part, compared to 75 last year.
Kenneth Borthwick, event organiser, said, “We were unsure whether to go ahead with the annual walk this year. Unfortunately, the turnout has not been anywhere near as good as last year, but it was good to see those who had come along and joined in.
“This is an important day for us. Everything we commemorate stems from what John Grahame of Claverhouse started all those years ago when he rode out of Dudhope Castle and began the Jacobite rebellions.”
Before setting off on the same route taken in 1689, from Dudhope Castle to the top of the Law, Mr Borthwick gave a brief speech about John Grahame and how he became the first Jacobite.