Skirving was a farmer at "Prora" but he was not keen to write and spent much of his time playing golf, socialising and visiting the horse races. Skirving died in April 1803. He was buried at Athelstaneford.
His reputation rests on two Jacobite ballads on the Battle of Prestonpans, one of which, Hey, Johnnie Cope, are Ye Waking Yet?, whilst very far from an accurate narrative, is popular enough to be found in many collections of Scottish songs.
Skirving wrote the words to a well known tune.