I realised one day that I had lived in the Stirling area for longer than anywhere else, and wrote this song to express my feelings about this. It is intended as a tribute to the place and its people, especially those to whom I have been close; and the meaning is as valid today as it was then.
The title was borrowed from Nigel Tranter’s gazetteer of Perthshire, Stirlingshire and Clackmannanshire, rather than from the eponymous album by Runrig; although that band has had a considerable influence on my own music, and remains a firm favourite after many years.
When local historian and fellow Skelpit Lug performer Craig Mair was producing his definitive guide "Stirling, the Royal Burgh" in 1990, he did me the honour of reproducing this song in the preface. Subsequently, I was asked for permission for part of it to be included in the entrance display at Stirling Castle, where it greeted visitors for a number of years. |
