Men In Kilts – Episode 3 Review

We’ve made it to Men in Kilts Episode 3 and that’s something to sing and dance about. Fortunately, that just happens to be exactly what the kilted duo are exploring this time. Whether it’s the skirling of the bagpipes, popular old folk songs, packed out ceilidh halls and everything in between, this is an incredibly strong part of Scottish culture

As always, this isn’t so much a Men in Kilts Episode 3 review but an analysis by a true Scotsman. I’ll give you the real Scottish insight to song and dance so you know just how authentic the TV show is. If you missed the last episode review then you can find it here.

Skye Boat Song

Episode 3 of Men in Kilts starts off in a little rowing boat, at the foot of Dunvegan Castle humming the Skye Boat Song. The joke is obviously that the Outlander theme song is an adaptation of the tune with Dunvegan being on the Isle of Skye. For those that weren’t aware, the song wasn’t actually written for Outlander.

The original version comes from around 150 years ago and is still a popular lullaby. It remembers the flight of Bonnie Prince Charlie, the loss at Culloden and Flora MacDonald’s role in the escape. You can find the original version performed by the Corries here and the lad who’s born to be King is Prince Charles Edward Stuart.

A lot of outraged Scots believe that Outlander stole the tune of the song and wrote their own lyrics. In reality, it was Robert Louis Stevenson who heard the original but didn’t like the words. He rewrote the “Sing me a song” version which was adapted for the show. It’s not bad but I prefer the lullaby from my childhood!

Gaelic Music & Speech

Around a campfire in Glencoe, the Men in Kilts meet Gillebrìde MacMillan who features in Season 1 of Outlander. He talks about his life as a native Gaelic speaker which is such an important, but misunderstood part of Scottish culture. It’s actually one of three official spoken languages of Scotland – English, Scots and Gaelic.

Gaelic is mostly spoken in the Outer Hebrides and a few other parts of the Highlands and Islands. Like Gillebrìde says, there are people who would have spoken no English until they went to school. It’s an unfortunate truth that the Gaelic language dwindled for so long but it has been making a comeback in recent years. Now it’s an option to learn in most schools and thousands of people are learning it through language apps including me!

Song is one of the main ways that Gaelic has survived in Scotland. I would bet that most people have heard Gaelic sung even if they haven’t heard it spoken. Even though I understand very few of the words, I still love listening to the songs. There are plenty of incredible Gaelic singers I could point you towards but start with Julie Fowlis and explore from there.

A quick tip to help people visiting Scotland, there is absolutely no requirement to learn any Scots Gaelic. I’ve seen plenty of advice from travel bloggers encouraging people to at least learn “please and thank you”. As much as I would encourage you to learn if you’re interested, don’t worry about language being a barrier. If you said “tapadh leat” in Edinburgh or Glasgow then you’ll probably just get a blank stare.

Bagpipes

It’s very true that as a Scotsman abroad, your ears will pick up when you hear the skirl of the pipes. The bagpipes just seem to connect with something deep down. I know that many people who have never even visited Scotland feel exactly the same. Not many people can actually play the pipes, but I’m disappointed neither of these two at least tried.

Bagpipes are by no means a purely Scottish thing. Some form of a bag with pipes for controlling the sound has existed in many countries, but Scotland is where they became famous. They were common enough by the 15th century for an Angel playing bagpipes to be included in the carvings of Rosslyn Chapel.

After the Battle of Culloden in 1746, there is a widely believed story that bagpipes were banned. The government’s Act of Proscription restricted Highland clothing and weapons of war which many have assumed includes bagpipes. There are long articles trying to prove bagpipes weren’t outlawed but to be honest, they may have been in some areas.

They aren’t specifically mentioned in the act of parliament but laws could be interpreted in different ways back then. An over zealous soldier could easily have accused the bagpipes as being a weapon of war. Thankfully the pipes, Highland dress and everything that goes with that are back and going strong.

Sword & Highland Dancing

It’s fitting that the Men in Kilts are back in Braemar to learn some sword dancing because you’re unlikely to see this outside of a Highland Games. There are plenty of origin stories for Scottish sword dancing, my favourite being attributed to King Malcolm Canmore. After defeating one of his foes in single combat, he dropped his sword on top of his opponent’s in relief. The King then proceeded to dance around the two blades with joy and the tradition started from there.

While the history of these dances goes back to male warriors showing off their athleticism, it’s a predominantly female sport today. Lots of young, primary school aged girls will learn Highland Dancing although many don’t carry on as an adult. There is absolutely nothing wrong with boys attending dancing classes but sadly they are few and far between.

I wouldn’t fancy my own chances against those swords. It takes real skill and coordination, not traits I possess. I would be much happier having a go at a Highland Fling, which is a similar form of dance but without the danger of losing any toes.

Marching Band & Military Tattoo

If you’ve visited Edinburgh then you might recognise it’s Calton Hill that these two are trying to march around. While pipe bands began life in the military, there are plenty of recreational groups out there now. The Glencorse Pipe Band that play in Men in Kilts Episode 3 are one of the very best of these groups, with plenty of awards to their name.

They mention the Edinburgh Tattoo which is an impressive sight and much more than just a marching pipe band. It’s usually held almost every night in August up on the Edinburgh Castle esplanade and encompasses displays from all around the world. Enormous stands of seats are erected and the sound of pipes and fireworks reverberate around the city for an entire month.

The word tattoo actually comes from the Low Countries in Europe. A drummer would march through the streets to give the signal for tavern owners to turn off their taps. That way the soldiers would all stop drinking and get to bed without having too heavy a night!

Ceilidh

Those soldiers might not be having a late night, but the rest of us still can. It’s been at least 18 months since my last ceilidh and I’m missing it. The Covid restrictions have now lifted enough to allow them to resume, but it may be a while before it’s safe enough to join them.

A ceilidh really is the best kind of party and you can find them all year long. It involves a band, playing music with a specific beat that matches one of many set dances. It’s actually part of our education system that “Scottish Country Dancing” is drilled into all of us. We might have hated it at the time but it comes in useful eventually.

I can 100% recommend finding a ceilidh on your next visit to Scotland. Don’t worry about not knowing the moves or being on your own! Before the music begins, somebody from the band will announce what the next dance is. They’ll then run through the steps, sometimes with volunteers showing how its done. It will be the same half a dozen moves or so repeated over and over so keep watching the other couples and you’ll be an expert in no time.

Almost every Scottish wedding involves a ceilidh, as do the best Hogmanay celebrations. In pre-Covid Edinburgh, you could easily find one every weekend as well as some weeknights. Let’s hope it isn’t long before things are back to normal and we can burl around to our heart’s content.

If you’re enjoying the series then why not read along to Episode 4 here?

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