Page 7 - What's In A Name - The Barry Pipes Canon

WHAT’S IN A NAME? The Barry Pipes Canon • 2005 - 2018 The Montgomeries’ Rant 013-2008-January-Set&Link
As natives of Normandy in France, the Montgomery(ie) fore-bears were very much part of England’s invasion by William the Conqueror around the time of 1066 (and all that!). The name likely derives from mont, the French word for hill upon which their castle sat, and either a Roman general named Gomericus or a 9th-century Viking named Gomeric, who must surely have been interrelated somehow. Whichever, La famille de Montgomerie, also referred to back then as “Mundegumerie”, hailed from an area of Basse-Normandie that is now known as Calvados after the superb apple brandy which is distilled there.
Roger de Montgomerie was granted lands in Britain, probably shouldering a lot of Saxons out of the way to do so. He also invaded Wales, where still there exists the town of Montgomery in the Welsh Border country. Roger’s descendants then went on to acquire further lands in Scotland, until by marriage, the family owned the Ayrshire lands of Eglinton and Ardrossan, creating the Earldom of Eglinton.
Clan Montgomery became notable for their ongoing support of Royalist causes, and for their bitter feud with the Cunninghams. In fact, through the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries the Montgomeries always seemed to be in the forefront wherever a war or rebellion was going on. This might support the juxtaposition of their name with the bellicose word “Rant”.
The Balgeddie Reel 014-2008-February-Set&Link
Just north of Kirkaldy in the Kingdom of Fife, one finds the community of Glenrothes. Currently the administrative headquarters of Fife, Glenrothes was built as “a new city” back in the 1950s to take advantage of the local coal mining industry. Not a clever move in retrospect, as the mines suffered from underground seepage and water damage, causing them to be abandoned in 1961.
Prior to this, however, the area was part of the Earldom of Rothes, the estates of which contained a number of grand old manors such as Leslie House (a home of Clan Leslie), Balgimie House, and Balgeddie House. Fortunately, the name
“Balgeddie” still survives as The Balgeddie House Hotel, a well-
From Set&Link, newsletter of RSCDS Toronto
The Montgomeries’ Rant came to light in RSCDS Book 10 during the mid-30s. It is a most exuberant reel, well suited to be danced either at the end of a Ball or just before an intermission, as you will experience at the January 2008 Monthly Dance. ◼︎
Eglinton Castle, ancestral seat of the Montgomerie chiefs, and site of the 1839 “Eglinton Tournament”, a romantic revival of the medieval sport of jousting.
established tourist hostelry on the outskirts of Glenrothes.
A local resident, who I understand was born at the aforementioned Leslie House, ultimately became a skilled Scottish country dance deviser. Her name is Mary Brandon, née Shoolbraid. She put together a book of dances called Memories of Fife that included not only The Balgeddie Reel, but also another dance well-known to us called Fife Ness. For the past many years, Mary has been very significant to the
promotion of Scottish Country dancing, not only around Los Angeles and San Francisco, but also in Hawaii.
Word has it that Mary has never been particularly happy with the treatment meted out to The Balgeddie Reel over the years, due to the addition of cheeky hand and arm movements that she had not intended, and that she felt turned the dance into a “hoedown”. Nonetheless, The Balgeddie Reel is a great five-couple dance.
The Balgeddie House Hotel, located on the outskirts of Glenrothes, is close to the golfing shrines of
St Andrews, Gleneagles, and Carnoustie.
Mary Brandon
...Barry Pipes – With much
appreciation for the research assistance of Georgina Finlay.◼︎