Flowers of the Forest

This #SlowAirSunday, Flowers of the Forest is played with meaning and great respect for the many who have fought in Battles and paid the ultimate price. The act of giving your life for another is a true act of Bravery and heroism. Today I am dedicating this Slow Air to two men that paid the ultimate sacrifice to save another. In honor of Firefighter Patrick Jones, age 25 and Captain Ray Figueroa age 35 were killed while fighting the Porterville Library Fire on February 18, 2020. On February 28th many gathered to honor these two heroes. My husband and I were honored to be in the Pipe and Drum ranks with Firefighters from Canada, and all over California to walk the families of the fallen into the ceremony. Our hearts go out to the families, the Porterville Fire Department and the City of Porterville during this hard time. We mourn with you.

After leaving the ceremony we passed by these fields of flowering fruit trees and felt inspired to play this mournful Air in memory and dedicated to these two firefighters. May they rest in peace.

-Memorial for Firefighter Patrick Jones and Captain Ray Figueroa:
   • Porterville memorial celebrates lives...  

Tune History:

The song, written in Scots, is also known as The Floo'ers o' the Forest (are a' wede away) and describes the grief of women and children at the loss of their young men. In some ways the song echoes the Old Welsh poem by Gododdin about a similar defeat in about 600.

Powerful solo bagpipe versions of the song are used at services of remembrance, funerals, and other occasions; many in the Commonwealth know the tune simply as "The Lament" which is played at Remembrance Day or Remembrance Sunday ceremonies to commemorate war dead.

Flowers of the Forest, or The Flooers o the Forest, is an ancient Scottish folk tune commemorating the defeat of the Scottish army of James IV at the Battle of Flodden in September 1513. Although the original words are unknown, the melody was recorded c. 1615–1625 in the John Skene of Halyards Manuscript as "Flowres of the Forrest", although it might have been composed earlier.


Filmed on location in Porterville California
Filmed by Mukmuk Produkt
Performed by Tress Maksimuk, Dark Isle Piper

www.darkislepiper.com