Tip - Top - Ography
(a poem by R. J Muir, H.M. Inspector of Schools, 1912)
Oh, glory a' ye bairns o' Angus and the Mearns
And glory to the places where ye live and love and sing;
For they run in ready rhyme, tintintabulate in time
And in a runic resonance reverberate and ring.
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Some Angus names are tribal, some were lifted from the Bible.
There's Zoar and Padanaram, and there's Jericho quite near,
Feredith was beaten grandly by King Alpin at Pitscandly
Near where Brudi battered Egfrid on the shores o' Nectansmere.
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There's Unthank and Gowanbank, and the mountain o' Black Shank;
Braedownie and Balgownie and the house o' Balnamoon,
There's Torry and Glascorry, Little Kenny and Finglenny,
Ochterlonie and Auchronie, and the Bonnie Hill o' Doune.
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There's Milldewan and Pitewan, and the Burnside o' Inshewan;
The house o' Balmakewan; Western, East, and Middle Drums,
On the coast we have the Slainges - through the shire a lot o' Granges
And the city that is known to the universe as "Thrums".
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The Hill o' Catterthun looks across to that of Dun.
Further north there lies Bogfun, not far from Badentoy;
Then go from Ashintully up the river to Tilquhillie,
Or by Tewel and Brown Jewel to the shootings of Glenmoy.
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Seek for water Bachnagairn, and for whisky Fettercairn;
While Torwhappie and Dunlappie vie in music to the ear;
Then leave the bold Balgillo for Balwyllo and Balnillo,
Singing Rossie and Balmossie on the top o' Tipperweir.
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Hail Dumbarrow and Pitarrow, give a thought for Balnagarrow;
Linlathen and Lintrathen and the valley o' Strathmore;
Little Fithie, Nether Scithie and the city of Auchmithie,
Arbikie and Monikie and the house o' Balintore.
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At Clova there's a Milton, near the shore we find a Hilton;
There's Carroch and Aucharroch and there's lonesome Auchnacree,
There's East and Wester Balloch and the bog o' Asnagalloch
There's Monega and (they tell me) a Bodgeda in Dundee.
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There's Glenqueich and Balnabreich and the hill o' Scaurenreoch;
Bogardo and Boldardo, simple Ardo and Finlarg.
There's lowly Bowriefauld and stately Dunninald
Little Lour and Balfour, Ellinsuir and Ballindarg.
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There's the Mill o' Inverarity, the water o' Pitcarity
And then there's Inverquharity, Turfachie and Turfbeg;
Cross country from Pitcairlie to the Bonnie Hoose o' Airlie,
Or by Ogle and Shaksbogle to Glenprosen's Craigiemeg.
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Sing the Mansion o' Kinblethmont and the moorland o' Montreathmont,
Aberlemno and Rumkemno, Horniehaugh and Rashiebog,
There's Cleikimin and Cleikheim and the Mains o' Friock and Friockheim,
Reswallie and Glencally and the hills o' Cat and Dog.
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There's the Mansion House o' Gallery and the Lair o' Auld Aldararie;
Carlungie and Balhungie and the Castle o' Gardyne.
You may journey from Carnoustie to the lofty Ley o' Boustie,
Or by Tayock and Inchbrayock to the Craigs o' Cattertine.
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Ardownie and Balrownie call in cadence to Carsegownie.
Pitmudie and Ashludie sing the praises of Abbeythune.
While the half estranged Bandirran looks with sighs to brown Ben Tirran
And Ballunie, Doonie, Ewnie doff their bonnets to Duntrune.
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Broughty Ferry and Balkerrie greet the Cotterton of Derry,
While Kinnordy and Balzeordie are as foils to Monifeith.
And while tenderness in Tealing touches all the soul with feeling,
Invergowrie and Findowrie sink in silence to Drumgeith.
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Stracathro and Craignathro clink in chorus to Corathro.
Lednathie and Balcathie blind the soul in silken chain.
Bogincaber and Kinnaber seem to hint the end of labour
So my Pegasus I'll check though he's tugging at the rein.