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Bha mi ag innse dhuibh mu Anndra Moireach. Bha e beò o chionn seachd ceud bliadhna. Bha caisteal aige faisg air Abhach anns an Eilean Dubh.Ìý

Anns a’ Chèitean dà cheud deug, naochad ʼs a seachd (1297), bha coinneamh chudromach ann an Caisteal Inbhir Nis. An làthair, bha ceannardan Sasannach ann an ceann a tuath na h-Alba. Nam measg, bha Constabal Caisteal na Sròine – no Caisteal Urchardain, faisg air Druim na Drochaid. B’ esan Sir Uilleam Fitzwarine. Bha e fhèin is càch a’ bruidhinn mun ar-a-mach, anns an robh Albannaich an sàs, an aghaidh an riaghladairean Sasannach.Ìý

An dèidh na coinneimh, chaidh Fitzwarine agus a chompanaich dhachaigh. Bha Anndra Moireach agus bàillidh à baile Inbhir Nis – Alexander Pilche – agus an luchd-taic’ a’ feitheamh riutha. Faisg air ceann a tuath Loch Nis, thug na h-Albannaich ionnsaigh air Fitzwarine. A rèir beul-aithris, thachair e ann an àite ris an canar Innis a’ Chatha.

Theich Fitzwarine le a bheatha. Lean am Moireach e gu Caisteal Urchardain, ach cha robh e comasach air ballachan a’ chaisteil a bhriseadh. Thug e ionnsaigh air a’ chaisteal air an oidhche, ach cha robh e soirbheachail. Thill e a Mhoireibh, far an do ghabh e thairis a h-uile caisteal a bh’ ann an làmhan nan Sasannach.Ìý

Bha Rìgh Eideard a’ call a smachd air Alba. Aig deireadh an t-samhraidh, cha robh ach aon chaisteal na làmhan tuath air a’ mhachair Ghallta. B’ e sin Dùn Dè. Thàinig na feachdan aig Anndra Moireach agus Uilleam Uallas còmhla agus chuir iad Caisteal Dhùn Dè fo shèist.Ìý

ʼS ann an uair sin a chuir Iarla Shurraidh armailt ri chèile. Rinn e air Sruighlea. Chaidh am Moireach agus Uallas gu ruige Drochaid Shruighlea airson coinneachadh ris. Dh’inns mi dhuibh mun chath sin, agus mar a bhuannaich na h-Albannaich, ann an Litir mìle, naochad ʼs a ceithir (1,094).

ʼS dòcha gun robh am Moireach a cheart cho cudromach ri Uilleam Uallas ann an iomairt na neo-eisimeileachd. Carson, ma-thà, nach eil e cho ainmeil ri Uallas? Uill, ma dh’fhaoidte gur e as coireach ri sin nach robh Anndra Moireach beò fada an dèidh Cath Drochaid Shruighlea. Tha cuid dhen bheachd gun do chaill e a bheatha anns a’ chath sin.

Chan eil a’ chùis soilleir. Chuir ceannardan na h-Alba dà litir a-mach còrr is mìos an dèidh a’ chatha. Bha Anndra Moireach air ainmeachadh anns na dhà mar fhear de cheannardan na h-Alba. Ach, an dèidh sin, cha bhi ainm a’ nochdadh a-rithist. ʼS dòcha gun deach a leòn aig Cath Drochaid Shruighlea agus gun do chaochail e beagan sheachdainean às dèidh làimhe. No ʼs dòcha gun deach a mharbhadh sa chath, ach gun robh e feumail gu poilitigeach do Uallas ainm a chur gu feum mar gun robh e beò fhathast.

Anns an latha an-diugh, thathar a’ cuimhneachadh Uilleim Uallais gu mòr ann an Alba. Tha carragh-cuimhne dha air cnoc os cionn Sruighlea. Agus rinn Mel Gibson gaisgeach dheth anns a’ film Braveheart. Ach cò nach do nochd idir ann am Braveheart? Seadh, Anndra Moireach. Cha robh sgeul air sa film. Agus chan eil carragh-cuimhne ann dha. Ma tha feadhainn airson carragh-cuimhne a thogail dha, chanainn nach biodh àite na b’ fheàrr air a shon na Caisteal Abhaich ri taobh Linne Mhoireibh.Ìý

Faclan na Litreach: Anndra Moireach: Andrew de Moray; an làthair: present; bàillidh: baillie; Innis a’ Chatha: Battlefield; Dùn Dè: Dundee; Iarla Shurraidh: The Earl of Surrey.

Abairtean na Litreach: faisg air Abhach anns an Eilean Dubh: near Avoch on the Black Isle; air aithneachadh ann am Beurla mar: known in English as; a’ Ghàidhlig cheart air an daingnich: the correct Gaelic for the fortress; Constabal Caisteal na Sròine – no Caisteal Urchardain, faisg air Druim na Drochaid: the Constable of Castle Urquhart, near Drumnadrochit; bha e fhèin is càch a’ bruidhinn mun ar-a-mach an aghaidh an riaghladairean Sasannach: he and others were speaking about the rebellion against their English governors; anns an robh Albannaich an sàs: in which Scots were involved; cha robh e comasach air ballachan a’ chaisteil a bhriseadh: he wasn’t able to break the walls of the castle; thug e ionnsaigh air a’ chaisteal: he attacked the castle; bha Rìgh Eideard a’ call a smachd air Alba: King Edward was losing his control of Scotland; na làmhan tuath air a’ mhachair Ghallta: in his hands north of the Central Belt; a cheart cho cudromach ri Uilleam Uallas ann an iomairt na neo-eisimeileachd: just as important as William Wallace in the campaign for [of] independence; bha X air ainmeachadh anns na dhà mar fhear de cheannardan na h-Alba: X was named in both as one of the leaders of Scotland; feumail gu poilitigeach do Uallas ainm a chur gu feum mar gun robh e beò fhathast: politically useful for Wallace to use his name as if he were still alive; tha carragh-cuimhne dha air cnoc os cionn Sruighlea: there is a memorial to him on a hill above Stirling; cò nach do nochd idir?: who didn’t appear at all?; nach biodh àite na b’ fheàrr air a shon na Caisteal Abhaich: that there won’t be a better place than Ormond Castle.

Puing-chànain na Litreach: ma dh’fhaoidte gur e as coireach ri sin nach robh Anndra Moireach beò fada an dèidh Cath Drochaid Shruighlea: perhaps it is that Andrew Murray was not alive long after the Battle of Stirling Bridge that is responsible/the reason for that. Note that if you are using this common idiom, you must use the correct verb. The expression begins with the assertive verb ‘is’ and not the verb ‘to be’. ’S e Murchadh as coireach ‘Murdo is responsible’; an tu fhèin as coireach ‘are you responsible?’; chan e Màiri as coireach ris ‘Mary is not responsible for it’.

Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: chuir iad Caisteal Dhùn Dè fo shèist: they put Dundee Castle under siege.