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Tha mi a’ dol a chur crìoch an-diugh air mo chunntas air an t-Seumasach ainmeil à Srath Spè, Iain Ruadh Stiùbhart. Bha e na ruagalaiche an dèidh Chùil Lodair. Fhuair e fios bhon Phrionnsa, Teàrlach Òg, a dhol a chèilidh air ann an Cèidse Chluainidh – Cluny’s Cage – taobh Beinn Eallair ann am Bàideanach. A rèir choltais, ʼs e àite a bha ann a chaidh a thogail de dh’fhiodh. Bha e air a chòmhdachadh le duilleach cuilinn agus còinneach. Cha robh e furasta fhaicinn aig astar. Bha am Prionnsa am falach an sin.

Goirid an dèidh do dh’Iain Ruadh a bhith sa Chèidse, sheòl e fhèin agus am Prionnsa don Fhraing còmhla air bòrd soitheach Frangach à Loch nan Uamh. Chaochail Iain anns an Fhraing sia bliadhna an dèidh sin, ach chan eil cinnt ann càite.

Tha, ge-tà, àite ann an Srath Spè far a bheilear ga chuimhneachadh fhathast. Tha carragh-cuimhne ann dha faisg air àite a bhreith ann an Cinn Chàrdainn. 

Agus, a h-uile bliadhna anns an Lùnastal, bidh feadhainn a’ coiseachd gu mullach a’ Chùirn Ghuirm airson bratach Chinn Chàrdainn a chur an-àirde mar chuimhneachan air. Tha iad a’ leantainn air fear Seumas Mac an t-Saoir a bha an urra ri bratach uaine Chinn Chàrdainn aig Cùil Lodair. Rinn Seumas cinnteach nach fhaigheadh na saighdearan dearga grèim oirre. 

Gach bliadhna an dèidh Blàr Chùil Lodair, air an naoidheamh latha deug dhen Lùnastal, bhiodh Seumas a’ dol gu mullach a’ Chùirn Ghuirm. Chuireadh e a’ bhratach an-àirde mar chuimhneachan air Iain Ruadh agus na fir eile à Srath Spè a dh’èirich ann an adhbhar a’ Phrionnsa.

A bharrachd air an dàn aige Latha Chùil Lodair, sgrìobh Iain Ruadh dàn eile mun chath. ʼS e an t-ainm a tha air Òran Eile air Latha Chùil Lodair. Bidh feadhainn a’ gabhail an òrain – no pàirt dheth – chun an latha an-diugh. Seo rann dheth:

Mu Phrionns’ Teàrlach mo rùin, oighre dligheach a’ chrùin,

ʼS e gun fhios dè an taobh a thèid e,

Fuil Rìoghail nam buadh, bhith ga dìobairt san uair,

ʼS mac dìolain le sluagh ag èirigh.

I’m going today to conclude my account of the famous Jacobite from Strathspey, John Roy Stuart. He was a fugitive after Culloden. He got a message from the Prince, Young Charles, to go and visit him in Cluny’s Cage – over Ben Alder way in Badenoch. Apparently, it’s a place that was built of wood. It was covered with holly foliage and moss. It wasn’t easy to see at a distance. The Prince was hiding there.

Shortly after John Roy had been in the Cage, he and the Prince sailed to France together on board a French vessel from Loch nan Uamh. John died in France six years, but there’s no certainty where.

There is, however, a place in Strathspey where he is still remembered. There is a memorial to him close to his birthplace in Kincardine.

And, every year in August, some people walk to the summit of Cairn Gorm to fly the Kincardine flag in his memory. They are following a James MacIntyre who was responsible for the green flag of Kincardine at Culloden. James made certain that the redcoat soldiers did not get hold of it.

Every year after the Battle of Culloden, on the 19th of August, James would go to the summit of Cairn Gorm. He would raise the flag as a memorial to John Roy and the other men from Strathspey who rose in the cause of the Prince.

In addition to his poem ‘The Day of Culloden’, John Roy wrote another poem about the battle. It’s called ‘Another Song about the Battle of Culloden’. Some people sing the song – or part of it – to this day. Here is one verse of it:

Of beloved Prince Charlie, rightful heir to the crown,

He knows not which way to turn,

The virtuous royal blood, being forsaken at this hour,

And a bastard son rising with a host.