The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #13349   Message #2753875
Posted By: Santa
27-Oct-09 - 04:49 PM
Thread Name: Origin: I Will Go / Land of MacLeod
Subject: RE: Origin: I Will Go / Land of MacLeod
The redcoat is a fairly strong hint he was not going to fight for Charlie. Although I can't say that there were no red coats worn on the Jacobite's side - who can? - such a brief reference has to be to the red coat of the British soldier. Similarly, the King's son has to be Charlie, to be understood in any such brief reference. As the Clearances don't fit either case, I have to agree that the English words have merged three separate times, and it is those who are trying to force fit the English version into the Gaelic original that have a case to make.

I don't think it is really right to compare the suppression of Border brigandry with the Clearances, and I've not seen the term used for it. As a Graham on my mother's side, I'll point out that they were as much English as Scottish, and made so much trouble in Ireland that they were deported back!