David Cameron answers questions from the media in East London after his speech on the importance of Scotland to the UK.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron has referenced his clan heritage in an appeal to keep Scotland part of the United Kingdom. In a speech given in East London last Friday, Cameron urged Scots and Britons to defend their shared history and heritage by voting against the upcoming referendum on Scottish Independence.

With only seven months to go before the big vote, Cameron spoke of his pride in his own Scottish roots in a major speech on the issue. Referencing his West Highland ancestry, Cameron said: “The name Cameron might mean ‘crooked nose’ but the clan motto is “Let us unite” – and that’s exactly what we in these islands have done.”

Cameron’s emotional defence of the Union also praised Scotland’s role in Britain’s military achievements, from the rich history of ship building on the Clyde to the bagpipes of Lord Lovat’s regiment which roused troops during the D-Day landings. He also stated Scotland had helped to make Britain “the most extraordinary country in history”, then used the success of Team GB at the 2012 Olympic Games to urge voters to keep together “the winning team in world history.”

While the speech made a great deal of importance of Cameron’s clan heritage, it conveniently left out Clan Cameron of Lochiel’s long history of battling the English. Described as ‘fiercer than fierceness itself’, Clan Cameron’s reputation can be summed up with their war cry: “Chlanna nan con thigibh a so’s gheibh sibh feoil!” (Sons of the hound come here and get flesh!).

Legend states that a Cameron contingent fought alongside Robert the Bruce against the English king Edward II at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, the decisive clash of the Wars of Scottish Independence. Members of the clan also fought in the front line of the Jacobite Army during the disastrous battle of Culloden in 1745. Following the defeat of Bonnie Prince Charlie, the Cameron estates were forfeited by the Government because of the support the chief had given to the Jacobite cause.

Cameron’s speech also did not mention that he has for many years enjoyed family holidays on the Tarbert estate on the Scottish island of Jura. The estate, owned by his wife Samantha’s stepfather, Viscount Astor, has 6,000 deer, which the Prime Minister has joined stag shooting parties to hunt.

Responding to the Speech, Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond called it “flimsy” and attacked Cameron as a member of the “out–of–touch Westminster elite”, stating: “This speech was a threadbare defence of the case for Westminster Tories retaining their undemocratic control over Scotland, which betrays the utter weakness of the Prime Minister’s case.”

Mr Cameron admitted people had advised him to stay quiet on independence – previously he has admitted his “Tory toff” image is an impediment – but on Friday he said “frankly, I care far too much to stay out”.

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Clachnaharry Monument overlooking the Beauly Firth

Perched atop a hill overlooking the Beauly Firth in Inverness, the Clachnaharry Monument commemorates a particularly fierce battle between Clan Munro and Clan Chattan that occurred in 1454. After a day of sunbathing (in April) in the Highlands, I decided to take advantage of the unusually warm evening and take a walk out to the monument.

Clachnaharry is situated about 2 miles from Inverness and was once a bustling fishing village. The village takes its name from the Gaelic Clach na h-Aire (Stone of the Watch), referring to an irregular stone at the top of the hill used as a look out post to spot approaching unfriendly clans from the north. Just past the high street a little path leads through some woods and up a hill to where the monument is located, also providing a spectacular view of the Beauly Firth, the bottom of the Black Isle and Ben Wyvis.

Largely thought to have occurred in 1454, the battle came about when the Munros were returning home to Easter Ross through Chattan territory following a cattle raid in Perthshire. The Munros were led by John Munro Tutor of Foulis who refused to pay the customary tax on their plunder. This safe passage fee, or ‘road collop’ was often paid in the form of a number of cattle. A dispute broke out over the amount and when no agreement could be reached the Chattans gravely insulted the Munros by cutting the tails off of their horses. The Munros left to travel north, having sent their spoils ahead, but the Chattans caught up and ambushed them at Clachnaharry.

In the fight which followed many died including the chief of Clan Chattan. John Munro was left for dead on the battlefield, but was found by an old woman of the Fraser clan who nursed him back to health. Lord Lovat, chief of the Frasers, returned John to Foulis, however his hand was mutilated in the battle. He became known as Iain Bac-lambach (John the Lame-Handed). This act signaled the start of an enduring friendship between the Munro and Fraser clans.

The monument in better days

The monument was built in 1821 by Major Hugh Robert Duff of Muirtown and originally included a figure on top of a 8m column. Unfortunately the figure fell off in a gale in 1934 and the column was blown down during a severe storm in 1954, leaving only the stump that remains today. Each side of the monument reads the two clan names, facing their respective territories. The Latin inscription is thought to read “Between these high, red rocks their bones are collected”. In recent years the monument was refurbished after it was vandalised and overgrown with foliage.

The monument is also conveniently located across the road from the Clachnaharry Inn, which provided the perfect cure (in cool, refreshing pint form) to the sunburn I received earlier in the day. You can click any of the pictures below to enlarge.

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