Scotch-Irish-L Archives

Archiver > Scotch-Irish > 1997-11 > 0880328715


From: "Edward Andrews" <>
Subject: Re: Lowland Conspiracy
Date: Sun, 23 Nov 1997 23:48:30 0


> Date: Sun, 23 Nov 1997 12:20:07 -0500
> From: John Giacoletti <>
> Subject: Re: Lowland Conspiracy
> To: "INTERNET:" <>
> Cc: Scotch-Irish <>

> Perhaps Edward would be so kind as to pick up the gauntlet and share with
> us then his Macro-history view of the contributions of Highlanders to
> Ulster.
Define a Highlander, and in what context.
The policy of James VI had been the settlement of lowlanders in
places like Kintyre, Lochaber, and even Stornoway, and this, while
it was a general failure acted as a forerunner of the Ulster
Plantation.
Because of the closeness between Ulster and the Highlands there was
of course settlement each way - the McDonalds of Antrim being a prime
example.
The original question was the extend of Scots Gaelic being spoken
among the Presbyterians in Ulster, and I simply do not know, but I
would love to.
Modern Unionism often defines itself negatively as not being Gaelic,
(which produces an interesting situation when Gaelic speaking
Conservative Presbyterians of the Western Isles meet the aggressively
non Gaelic speaking Conservative "Presbyterians" of Ulster)
Our disagreement I think lies at the fundamental level of whether
people from Dumbartonshire were Highlanders or Lowlanders. Dumbarton
Castle was a choke point guarding the Northern entrance to the Clyde
Valley. It was held by Lowlanders.
The significance of Loch Lomond and the hills to the North and East
as a geographical barrier can be judged by the drove roads going down
through Stirling. Even today access to the Highlands through the West
Coast corridor is quite difficult. The claim therefore that the area
of Levenax, later Dumbartonshire was highland is rather dubious.
Edward Andrews
St Nicholas Buccleuch Parish Church Dalkeith, Midlothian Scotland
Visit our Web site http://www.btinternet.com/~stnicholas.buccleuch/index.htm
(Now in Frames with pictures, please revisit)

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