Donald Farquharson--
"How in the noon of night that pibroch thrill
Savage and shrill! But with the breath which fil
Their mountain pipe, so fill the mountainee
With the fierce native daring which insti
The stirring memory of a thousand years." --Byron
The Piobrachd, as its name implies, is properly a pipe tune and is usually the Cruin-nea,chadh, or gathering of a Clan, being a long piece of music composed on occasion of some victory or other fortunate circumstance in the history of a tribe which, when played, is a warning for the troops to turn out. There is, however, little attention now paid to the distinctions, and a piobrachd may
be described as an extended piece of music adapted for the bagpipe, composed for the celebration of a battle where the Clan was successful, or before a conflict commenced, to excite the warriors to heroism. It was often played in the midst of a battle as an inspiration. These pieces become consecrated in the Clan to all succeeding enterprises of war and occasions of festive enjoyment.
The Cath-ghairm or rallying cry of Clan Farquharson was Carn na Cuimhne, the cairn of remembrance, an artificial heap of stones in Strathdee, around which the Clan assembled and on which the bard chanted the Brosnu cha' ca' or incentive to battle, before they departed.
The Farquharsons, according to Duncan Forbes, was "The only Clan family in Aberdeenshire." Their estimated strength was five hundred men, and they were among the most faithful adherents to the House of Stuart, and throughout all the struggles in its behalf, constantly acted up to their motto "Fide et fortitudine," by faith and fortitude.
Donald married a daughter of Robertson of the Calvene family, and had an only son, Farquhar Beg (Gaelic for little)
Child of Donald Farquharson is:
Farquhar 19 Beg, born in Scotland; died in Scotland.
