How do you pronounce "Hal O' The Wynd"?

[Lachlan07]

I couldn't help but notice a thread on "Hal O' The Wynd".

You might want to relax and have a nice cigar or pipe for this.

He's my direct ancestor. My surname is Gow and I'm one of the Highland Perthshire/Inverness-shire Gows (my father, his father etc and since the start, all come from around Blair Atholl, Dalnaspidal etc) who are Henry's (Hal's) direct descendants. Henry got his big break at the Battle of the North Inch in 1396. Some historians believe it was a judicial clan battle between the Confederation of Clan Chattan (led by the MacIntosh chief) against long-time enemies Clan Cameron, to settle a niggling set of border feuds, Highland-style.

Other historians believe it was to settle a long-running internal superiority feud between 2 branches of Clan Chattan - Clan MacPherson and the Davidsons (Clan Dhai). Twenty years before, each had claimed the hereditary right to face the enemy on the right of the Chattan battle-line before the Battle of Invernahavon, when facing the Camerons. The Confederation of Clan Chattan was represented that day by Clan MackIntosh, Clan MacPherson and Clan Dhai. The MackIntosh chief amazingly gave the Davidsons priority that day, which really angered the MacPhersons. They quit the battle, sat on a hill and left the MacIntoshes and Davidsons, now outnumbered, to face the Camerons. After much time passed in that terrible battle and the Davidsons in particular were suffering, the MacPhersons were at at last convinced to re-join the the badly hit Clan Chattan warriors and they charged headlong into the battle-worn Camerons and turned them into so much chopped liver. Though the MacPhersons claimed to have won the battle for Clan Chattan, the badly hit Davidsons were very unhappy and it started a set of feuds.

Reaching a climax in 1396, the Scottish king was approached to stage a 30 man-a-side battle between the two feuding sides. In something like a an episode of "Gladiators", a stadium was built with royal and VIP boxes and on the day, royal and noble guests were invited from Western Europe, including the Englsih and French nobility. The local crowd was massed around the stadium in a sell-out show. Only thing was the MacPhersons had arrived a man short of the 30 required and the Davidsons wouldn't drop a man out. An appeal brought a local Perth blacksmith, the bow-legged Henry into the frame. He stated his financial terms and was accepted as a MacPherson.

The battle was spectacular ! With furious effort, Highlanders cleaved each other in half in the arena in a ferocious battle. Henry was a good swordsman and dispatched a good number of Davidsons. When the dust cleared, a handful of MacPhersons were alive and one Davidson. He quickly jumped in the River Tay and escaped.

Henry enjoyed his rewards and was inducted into Clan MacPherson. In fact, he was allowed to start his own clan "Sliochd Na Gobha Chrom" in English (the race of the bow-legged blacksmith)

The new Gobha (pronounced Go-ah) clan a.k.a. Gow (like many Highland clan surnames, ours was anglicised so tax inspectors and census takers could understand who was who - Gaelic does not have the letter "W" and to the English Go-ah sounded like Gow - rhymes with cow, so Gow it became in English language useage) would owe allegiance to Clan MacPherson and also be admitted as a member clan of the Confederation of Clan Chattan. Today, Gow still uses the clan badge of Clan MacPherson to show allegiance to them, but has its own tartans. My kilt, which I have, is in Gow tartan (Ancient). We're still part of Clan Chattan too.

If you google on Gow tartan, you'll see an example of it. Make a nice wrapper for a tin of Hal O' The Wynd !

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by Lachlan07

I couldn't help but notice a thread on "Hal O' The Wynd".

You might want to relax and have a nice cigar or pipe for this.

He's my direct ancestor. My surname is Gow and I'm one of the Highland Perthshire/Inverness-shire Gows (my father, his father etc and since the start, all come from around Blair Atholl, Dalnaspidal etc) who are Henry's (Hal's) direct descendants. Henry got his big break at the Battle of the North Inch in 1396. Some historians believe it was a judicial clan battle between the Confederation of Clan Chattan (led by the MacIntosh chief) against long-time enemies Clan Cameron, to settle a niggling set of border feuds, Highland-style.

Other historians believe it was to settle a long-running internal superiority feud between 2 branches of Clan Chattan - Clan MacPherson and the Davidsons (Clan Dhai). Twenty years before, each had claimed the hereditary right to face the enemy on the right of the Chattan battle-line before the Battle of Invernahavon, when facing the Camerons. The Confederation of Clan Chattan was represented that day by Clan MackIntosh, Clan MacPherson and Clan Dhai. The MackIntosh chief amazingly gave the Davidsons priority that day, which really angered the MacPhersons. They quit the battle, sat on a hill and left the MacIntoshes and Davidsons, now outnumbered, to face the Camerons. After much time passed in that terrible battle and the Davidsons in particular were suffering, the MacPhersons were at at last convinced to re-join the the badly hit Clan Chattan warriors and they charged headlong into the battle-worn Camerons and turned them into so much chopped liver. Though the MacPhersons claimed to have won the battle for Clan Chattan, the badly hit Davidsons were very unhappy and it started a set of feuds.

Reaching a climax in 1396, the Scottish king was approached to stage a 30 man-a-side battle between the two feuding sides. In something like a an episode of "Gladiators", a stadium was built with royal and VIP boxes and on the day, royal and noble guests were invited from Western Europe, including the Englsih and French nobility. The local crowd was massed around the stadium in a sell-out show. Only thing was the MacPhersons had arrived a man short of the 30 required and the Davidsons wouldn't drop a man out. An appeal brought a local Perth blacksmith, the bow-legged Henry into the frame. He stated his financial terms and was accepted as a MacPherson.

The battle was spectacular ! With furious effort, Highlanders cleaved each other in half in the arena in a ferocious battle. Henry was a good swordsman and dispatched a good number of Davidsons. When the dust cleared, a handful of MacPhersons were alive and one Davidson. He quickly jumped in the River Tay and escaped.

Henry enjoyed his rewards and was inducted into Clan MacPherson. In fact, he was allowed to start his own clan "Sliochd Na Gobha Chrom" in English (the race of the bow-legged blacksmith)

The new Gobha (pronounced Go-ah) clan a.k.a. Gow (like many Highland clan surnames, ours was anglicised so tax inspectors and census takers could understand who was who - Gaelic does not have the letter "W" and to the English Go-ah sounded like Gow - rhymes with cow, so Gow it became in English language useage) would owe allegiance to Clan MacPherson and also be admitted as a member clan of the Confederation of Clan Chattan. Today, Gow still uses the clan badge of Clan MacPherson to show allegiance to them, but has its own tartans. My kilt, which I have, is in Gow tartan (Ancient). We're still part of Clan Chattan too.

If you google on Gow tartan, you'll see an example of it. Make a nice wrapper for a tin of Hal O' The Wynd !

I couldn't be more impressed someone would take the time to scribe this in our forum. Fantastic first post - thanks for sharing this slice of history and your place in it. So then...

1. Do you smoke a pipe; and
2. How do YOU pronounce Hal O' The Wynd"?

[dmkerr]

Originally Posted by Mister Moo

1. Do you smoke a pipe; and
2. How do YOU pronounce Hal O' The Wynd"?

Yeah, and how about Old Gowrie? Gow, as in ow... or Gow, as in Go? I've heard it both ways.

Funny... I smoke 'em both and don't know how to pronounce either one! Now Black Virginia... THAT one I think I have a handle on!

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by dmkerr

Yeah, and how about Old Gowrie? Gow, as in ow... or Gow, as in Go? I've heard it both ways.

Yeah. Where's Lachlan07 when you need more than a history lesson, him being Gow-related and all?

[Ed Anderson]

I cannot post a link as I'm a new member but just google "Hal O' the Wynd Poetry" go to the first hit - www "dot" williamsoutar.com/poems/hal.htmland you can click "play" and hear how it's pronounced.

[MarkC]

Blast it; we still need to know how to pronounce "Gawith" so I can call various dealers and see when they're getting FVF back in stock!

[indigosmoke]

I sent a message to the Gawith company and just received this reply:

Dear John, thanks for your question.

Gawith is phonetically pronounced as “GOWITH!

Regards

Bob Gregory

[MarkC]

I'll be damned. That sounds better than the way I was pronouncing it. Plus, it'll make recommending FVF a lot easier...

[DubintheDam]

Originally Posted by Mad Hatter

Its that clan shite, man. I grew up in a small town with mostly scotch/irish families, including my mom's. Geez, talk about with us or against us

As a Dubliner of Scots/Irish ancestry I couldn't agree more...that's one of the many reasons I don't live there anymore...I love my Rattrays blends though

[Zeabed]

Originally Posted by RichieR

I've been smoking it for a few days, now, and it's a really really good one! But, my Queen's English is not so good!

Is "Hal" like "hail" ...falling from a stormy sky? Or is it "Hal" as in the "Hal 2000" computer from the movie 2001?

AND...Is "Wynd" pronounced "Wind", as in, "wind" blowing on a cold stormy night? Or is it "wind" as in, winding up my pocket watch?

I like the smoke so much that I want to recommend it to others, but I need to pronounce it right...otherwise, I'm going to feel like a total idiot, if I get it wrong.

Hal O' The Wynd was the nickname of Henry Gow, an armorer or blacksmith in the Walter Scott tale "The Fair Maid of Perth." The wynd pronounced like winding a watch, as someone already noted, refers to the fact that he would work the bellows (the wynd) to build up the smithy fires.