'FLOWER Of Scotland' has been chosen as the favourite to be the Scottish national anthem after the results of a poll were announced last night by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.
The popular rugby song, written by folk group The Corries, finished ahead of 'Scotland The Brave' after more than 10,000 people voted online.
The other three candidates were 'Highland Cathedral', 'Scots Wha Hae!' and 'A Man's A Man For A' That'.
The songs were recorded last month at a concert at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh and placed on the orchestra's website. The audience had been invited to sing along. More than 60,000 unique website visitors listened to the five contenders online.
The winner was announced last night at Last Night of the ScottishPower Proms at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.
'Flower Of Scotland' won with 41% of the vote, with 'Scotland The Brave' coming second with 29%. In third place was 'Highland Cathedral' with 17%. 'A Man's A Man For A' That' was fourth with 7%, and last was 'Scots Wha Hae!' with 6%.
The RSNO decided to run the poll following the Scottish Executive's decision to allow the people of Scotland to choose a national anthem.
Votes were cast from across the world, with the majority from the UK. A significant number responded from the US, Canada and from remote locations such as Mongolia, New Caledonia and Christmas Island.
RSNO chief executive Simon Woods said: "I am thrilled that the RSNO has been able to use its position as Scotland's national orchestra to propel forward the debate on a new national anthem for Scotland.
"The Last Night of the RSNO ScottishPower Proms was the ideal occasion to hear how these patriotic songs sound when sung by massed voices. And we were thrilled to be able to make the recordings available across the length and breadth of the nation so that the whole of Scotland will have the chance to make its choice known."
The vote was billed as the first poll of its kind in the long-running argument over whether Scotland needs its own anthem, and if so, what it should be.
The debate over a national anthem was stirred again at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, where successful Scottish athletes were saluted by 'Scotland The Brave'.
First Minister Jack McConnell later called for a national debate on an anthem to be played at sporting events, but Holyrood's enterprise committee turned down a subsequent move by Michael Matheson, a Scottish National Party MSP, to initiate the debate.
'Flower Of Scotland', traditionally heard echoing around Murrayfield, is often accused of being anti-English. The song was written by Roy Williamson in the 1960s.
'A Man's A Man For A' That' was sung at the opening of the Scottish Parliament. McConnell named 'Highland Cathedral', written in 1982, as his favourite. It has words written by Ben Kelly, from Inverness.
The full article contains 524 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
