Falkirk of Moray
You will be familiar with a town called Falkirk – An Eaglais Bhreac in Gaelic. But did you know there was another ‘town’ in Scotland that was called Falkirk? It’s a farm. It’s next to the River Divie in Braemoray [the upland of Moray].
I came across it when I was researching the writings of the author Thomas Dick Lauder. Lauder wrote an account of the floods in Moray in 1829.
Lauder was familiar with Moray. He went among people there after the floods. He found out about the damaged they did [had done].
He heard about the last wolves in the area. Two brothers were living in Falkirk. They knew that there was a den in a ravine near Knock of Braemoray.
The brothers kept an eye on the den. The pups’ parents left to hunt. One of the brothers entered the den. He had a dirk. His brother remained outside as a lookout.
The one in the den killed the pups. But before he got out, the adult wolves returned. The lookout was frightened out of his wits and he fled. He didn’t even warn his brother.
He was ashamed at what he did [had done]. He wounded himself with his dirk. When he returned home, he lied to the local people. He said that the wolves had discovered the two brothers inside the den. The wolves killed his brother.
However, when the people went to bring his brother’s body home, he was still alive. He told them what had happened. The adult wolves returned without his knowledge. Although he defeated them, he was injured. His lying brother, who had abandoned him, was executed by hanging.
Although the farm is called Falkirk on old maps, it’s Feakirk that is on today’s maps. I imagine that came from the Gaelic Fèith [na] Circe ‘the bog of the grouse’.
‘Falkirk’ Mhoireibh
Bidh sibh eòlach air baile ris an canar Falkirk – An Eaglais Bhreac ann an Gàidhlig. Ach an robh fios agaibh gun robh baile eile ann an Alba air an robh Falkirk mar ainm? ’S e baile-fearainn a tha ann. Tha e ri taobh Abhainn Duibhidh air Bràigh Mhoireibh.
Thàinig mi tarsainn air nuair a bha mi a’ rannsachadh nan sgrìobhaidhean aig an ùghdar Tòmas Dic Lauder. Sgrìobh Lauder cunntas mu na tuiltean ann am Moireibh ann an ochd ceud deug, fichead ’s a naoi (1829).
Bha Lauder eòlach air Moireibh. Chaidh e am measg dhaoine an sin an dèidh nan tuiltean. Fhuair e a-mach mun sgrios a rinn iad.
Chual’ e mu na madaidhean-allaidh mu dheireadh anns an sgìre. Bha dithis bhràithrean a’ fuireach ann am Falkirk. Bha fios aca gun robh saobhaidh ann am mòr-chlais faisg air Cnoc Bràigh Mhoireibh.
Chùm na bràithrean sùil air an t-saobhaidh. Dh’fhalbh pàrantan nan cuileanan a-mach airson sealg. Chaidh fear de na bràithrean a-steach don t-saobhaidh. Bha biodag aige. Dh’fhuirich a bhràthair air an taobh a-muigh mar fhreiceadan.
Chuir am fear san t-saobhaidh às do na cuileanan. Ach mus d’ fhuair e a-mach, thill na madaidhean mòra. Ghabh am freiceadan eagal a bheatha agus theich e. Cha tug e eadhon rabhadh do a bhràthair.
Bha e air a nàrachadh mu na rinn e. Rinn e lotan air fhèin le a bhiodaig. Nuair a thill e dhachaigh, dh’inns e breug do mhuinntir an àite. Thuirt e gun robh na madaidhean-allaidh air an dithis bhràithrean a lorg am broinn na saobhaidh. Mharbh na madaidhean a bhràthair.
Ge-tà, nuair a chaidh na daoine ann airson corp a bhràthar a thoirt dhachaigh, bha esan fhathast beò. Dh’inns e dhaibh mar a thachair. Thill na madaidhean mòra gun fhiosta dha. Ged a rinn e a’ chùis orra, chaidh a leòn. Chaidh a bhràthair breugach, a bha air a thrèigsinn, a chrochadh gu bàs mar pheanas.
Ged as e Falkirk ainm a’ bhaile air seann mhapaichean, ’s e Feakirk a tha air mapaichean an latha an-diugh. Tha mi an dùil gun tàinig sin bhon Ghàidhlig Fèith [na] Circe ‘the bog of the grouse’.
