RARE audio of Gaelic songs inspired by the Jacobite cause has been shared online to mark the anniversary of the Battle of Culloden.
The bloody battle ended the third Stuart push to recover the throne on April 16, 1746.
That struggle, which had restarted with the 1745 rebellion, and its legacy were captured in the songs of Gaelic poets.
But many of these were never recorded in any way until archivist John Lorne Campbell, from the Isle of Canna, captured them in his 1933 book Highland Songs of the Forty Five.
Now National Trust for Scotland (NTS) has released a short film featuring excerpts from that book and vintage audio of the laments it has protected for posterity.
Audiences can hear the voices of Ruaiaridh Iain Bain and Annie Johnston of Barra. They performed the songs for Campbell and his wife Margaret Faye Shaw, who was also an archivist specialising in Gaelic materials.
READ MORE: The poetry of the Battle of Culloden and what it signified
The Culloden anniversary has been marked for centuries with public gatherings at the battle site, which is owned by NTS.
More than 3000 people attended a procession and commemoration at the site last year.
However, the coronavirus means that’s not possible in 2020.
NTS said that has moved the memorial activity to its www.nts.org.uk website, where a number of articles have also been posted.
Raoul Machin-Curtis, NTS operations manager at Culloden, said: “The anniversary of the Battle of Culloden is a significant date for so many and while we can’t be onsite today, we know that people will want to pause, reflect and remember.
“These beautiful songs reflect the haunting beauty of battlefield, one of Scotland’s most special places, so powerfully. We feel it is fitting to share them on this poignant day.”
Next year will mark the 275th anniversary of the pivotal battle, which triggered devastating events such as the brutal Pacification of the Highlands by the government in London and its Red Coat troops.
As many as 300,000 people visit Culloden each year, according to NTS figures.
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