TULLOCH TALK August 2005
Talk November 2005 by Marina Dennis
There is no doubt that the ‘Reel of Tulloch’, along with ‘Speed the Plough’ and ‘Lord MacDonald’s Reel’, is one of the very best reels ever composed. In fact, it was known as ‘Righ nam Port’ – the King of Tunes. It was composed around 1636 and we in Tulloch claim it as our own despite spurious challenges from other Tullochs in the country.
And of course there is a fascinating story behind the composition. The tune might easily have been called the ‘Tulloch Tragedy’, as events leading up to the final curtain had all the ingredients of a modern television crime drama. There was romance, love, family dispute, theft, dangerous liaisons, vicious battles, guns and finally murder.
There are several versions of the story but I prefer this traditional one. Iseabel dubh, or black-haired Ishbel, was the only daughter of Allan Grant of Tulloch. When she was born it was claimed that all the guns in the house went off together. This was usually considered a good omen but the sceptical midwife who was obviously spooked by this incident declared it predicted bloodshed and death. She was of the opinion that the child should be suffocated with pillows. But Ishbel was spared and grew up to be a beautiful and strong-willed woman.
Ishbel’s secret lover, John MacGregor or Black John, was an outlaw in his own territory. Her family disapproved of course, their preferred choice being a Robertson. But the brazen Ishbel was never going to kowtow to her family when her prize was the bold bandit from Glen Lyon. John MacGregor had a price on his head in Perthshire but had evaded arrest and fled to Tulloch where he was given shelter by Ishbel in a byre. She smuggled as many guns as she could into the byre for the inevitable shoot-out.
Eventually Black John was tracked down to Tulloch by an officer of the law who, along with 12 men, surrounded the byre. He put up a brave fight, ably assisted by Ishbel, who loaded the muskets as quickly as John discharged them at the men outside. And so he disposed of the official arresting party, including Ishbel’s treacherous brother. John MacGregor emerged from the byre elated by his victory and seized a set of pipes, whereupon he celebrated the occasion by playing a new dance tune, which, it is said, he composed in a moment of fierce inspiration.
Black John was on the run again after the battle of the byre and was eventually shot at Ballindalloch. As a somewhat grisly act of revenge his head was brought to Ishbel in Tulloch, at the sight of which she died of shock and grief. She was buried at Kincardine churchyard under a plain, nameless slab. The men shot by John MacGregor were buried in Tulloch under the knoll Torran a’ Mhuirt, The Knoll of the Murder.
Of course there is an official version of events which is a trifle boring and not nearly as interesting as the traditional account apart from the actual date of the tragedy – Christmas Day, 1636.
I have often heard the Reel of Tulloch played in both kitchens and ceilidhs in Tulloch and it is without doubt a splendid tune, but not an easy tune to play. I have a rather echo-y recording of the tune played by a Tulloch native, Johnnie Grant of Cullochie, at a ceilidh in the kitchen here on the croft in the mid 1960s. He was a fiddler of some repute and played better with a dram at his bowing elbow! Being a ceilidh there was other talk going on in the background but you can clearly hear Johnnie explaining the Tulloch origins of the Reel of Tulloch. He loved to play the tune on his fiddle and it is all thanks to Black John MacGregor, who fought such a bloody battle before composing the Reel of Tulloch. You can only admire his ability and musical prowess in producing such a stirring and famous tune and we in Tulloch are justly proud of it.
I had a visit from a geologist from the British Geological Survey who was carrying out a ground survey in Tulloch. While chatting he said he wished he could have seen the ground 40 years ago when there were far fewer trees. I had to agree that we are almost overwhelmed with trees, especially birch. But that does mean there is more cover for species like roe deer and I have been delighted recently to see both does and bucks in numbers. Last week in the crisp, early morning heat of a June day I was startled by the bough! bough! rasping bark of a buck from the forest edge. The dogs are always momentarily surprised, but I am always delighted with this territorial message. He later emerged into dappled sunlight and I recognised the bleached tips of his antlers and his dullish grey/brown coat. He is a resident and no intruder. He clinked his antlers on the galvanised metal gate and nonchalantly scratched his ear with a spindly but elegant back leg. This display is almost brash and definitely confident and is sending out a clear message. That message is that in my hay field lies a dinky, brand new fawn – his fawn. And eating only a leap or two away from his leggy, spotty bundle is the sunken-bellied doe, anxious, edgy, a rowan leaf caught in her startled mouth.
About Marina Dennis
My family have lived on a croft in Tulloch since being cleared from the Braes of Castle Grant in 1809. I am an active crofter both at a practical and strategic level having been a Commissioner at the Crofters Commission for 10 years as well as involvement in other land based agencies. Like most crofters I have other jobs which include running a very successful self catering business on my croft which gives me the opportunity to tell visitors about the history and culture of Tulloch.