Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

Lochiel's Awa' To France

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

LOCHIEL'S AWA TO FRANCE (S8x48) 3C (4C set) RSCDS Book 15

1- 8 1s lead down the middle and back to places
9-16 2s lead down the middle for 3 steps, back to top and cast to places
17-24 3s lead down the middle for 2 steps, back to top and cast to places
25-32 1s+2s dance Allemande
33-40 2s+1s+3s dance Grand Chain
41-48 1s cross RH and cast down round 3s, lead up to top, cross and cast to 2nd places

(MINICRIB. Dance crib compiled by Charles Upton, Deeside Caledonian Society, and his successors)


Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams


Dance Information

The title Lochiel's Awa' to France refers to Donald Cameron of Lochiel, the 19th chief of Clan Cameron (circa 1700–1748), a key Jacobite leader during the 1745 uprising. Known as the Gentle Lochiel, he was one of the most influential Highland chiefs who supported Prince Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie).

Initially hesitant about joining the rebellion, Lochiel was ultimately persuaded by the prince and played a crucial role in rallying the Highland clans. He led the Camerons in battles such as Prestonpans (1745), where the Jacobites secured a decisive victory. However, after their defeat at Culloden in 1746, Lochiel fled to France, seeking refuge like many other Jacobite exiles.

His departure for France likely inspired the title of the tune Lochiel's Awa' to France, symbolising the exile of Highland leaders following the failure of the Jacobite cause. In France, Lochiel was well received by King Louis XV and granted a pension, but he never returned to Scotland. He died in exile in 1748 in the town of Bergues, near Dunkirk.

The tune itself, "Lochiel's Awa' to France", is a traditional Scottish reel, also known by titles such as "Lochiel's Rant" and "Lochiel's Reel".

The tune has been published in various collections, including Niel Gow's "Second Collection of Niel Gow's Reels" (1788) and William Gunn's "The Caledonian Repository of Music Adapted for the Bagpipes" (1848), where it appears under the title "Mac a Bhodich Ladhrich", translated as "The Hoof'd Carle's Son".

The melody is set in A Dorian mode and is traditionally played in a reel time signature. It has been a favorite among fiddlers and pipers, particularly in Scottish and Cape Breton musical traditions. The tune is also featured in the Scots Language Centre's collection, highlighting its enduring popularity in Scottish music.

George; Donald Cameron of Lochiel (1695-1748), 'The Gentle Lochiel'
Portrait By George Chalmers, West Highland Museum, c. 1776-1790


This page uses content under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, along with original copyrighted content and excerpts from Wikipedia and other sources.
Text from this original Donald Cameron Of Lochiel article on Wikipedia.
Image from George Chalmers, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

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