Goraidh Mac Eachann MacAlasdair (,

anglicised Anglicisation or anglicization is a form of cultural assimilation whereby something non-English becomes assimilated into or influenced by the culture of England. It can be sociocultural, in which a non-English place adopts the English language ...

''Godfrey MacEachan MacAlester'', or ''Gorrie'') was born c. 1570-1580s, he became 5th of Loup, Chief of

Clan MacAlister Clan MacAlister is a Scottish Clan. The clan is the earliest branch to have split off from Clan Donald, claiming descent from Alasdair Mòr, son of Domhnall founder of Clan Donald. From Alasdair Mòr the clans takes its surname ''MacAlister''; t ...

in 1587. He died in c. 1636 at

Tarbert Tarbert () is a place name in Scotland and Ireland. Places named Tarbert are characterised by a narrow strip of land, or isthmus. This can be where two lochs nearly meet, or a causeway out to an island. Etymology All placenames that variously s ...

Argyll Argyll (; archaically Argyle; , ), sometimes called Argyllshire, is a Shires of Scotland, historic county and registration county of western Scotland. The county ceased to be used for local government purposes in 1975 and most of the area ...

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

Biography

Gorrie MacAlester became Chief of Clan MacAlister at a young age in 1587 and was placed under the tutorage of Charles McAlester of Tarbert. During this time, Gorrie would have learned the skills and abilities capable of becoming chief. A dispute arose when Gorrie became romantically linked with a young woman, who Charles wished to link with one of his sons and prevented their union. After Gorrie became aware of the involvement of Charles, Charles fled for his life. Upon the return of Charles MacAlester in 1598, he was slain by Gorrie. The sons of Charles fled to

Askomill House Askomill House, also known as ''Askomull House'', was a fortified house north east of Campbeltown, Kintyre, Argyll and Bute, Scotland. History 16th century Angus MacDonald, 8th of Dunnyveg, while at his Kintyre house in 1598, was surrounded b ...

, Kilkerran,

Kintyre Kintyre (, ) is a peninsula in western Scotland, in the southwest of Argyll and Bute. The peninsula stretches about , from the Mull of Kintyre in the south to East Loch Tarbert, Argyll, East and West Loch Tarbert, Argyll, West Loch Tarbert in t ...

, the residence of Angus Macdonald, 8th of Dunnyveg. In Gorrie's quest to capture and put to the sword the sons of Charles, he sought the support of Sir James Macdonald, in dispute with his father Angus MacDonald. Askomill House was surrounded by between two or three hundred armed men and upon refusal of the surrender of the Charles's sons, the house was set on fire. James MacDonald who was aware that his father and mother were in the house, refused to let the fire be extinguished and took his father prisoner. It is unknown whether Gorrie participated in the

Battle of Traigh Ghruinneart The Battle of Traigh Ghruinneart or in Scottish Gaelic ''Blàr Tràigh Ghruineart'' or sometimes called the Battle of Gruinart Strand was a Scottish clan battle fought on 5 August 1598, on the Isle of Islay, in the Hebrides. It was fought betwe ...

in 1598 with the members of Clan MacAlister who were sent as reinforcements to help Sir James Macdonald. Two years later Clan MacAlister attacked the estates of

Clan Montgomery Clan Montgomery (also Montgomerie) is a Scottish clan of the Scottish Lowlands. History Origins of the Clan The Montgomeries emigrated from Wales to Scotland in the 12th century with the FitzAlans. The Cambro-Norman family derives its surname ...

on the

Isle of Arran The Isle of Arran (; ) or simply Arran is an island off the west coast of Scotland. It is the largest island in the Firth of Clyde and the seventh-largest Scottish island, at . Counties of Scotland, Historically part of Buteshire, it is in the ...

, where everything belonging to the Chief John Montgomery of

Skelmorlie Skelmorlie is a village in North Ayrshire in the southwest of Scotland. Although it is the northernmost settlement in the council area of North Ayrshire it is contiguous with Wemyss Bay, which is in Inverclyde, and has a PA zone postcode unl ...

was seized including £12,000 worth of possessions.

Family

He married a daughter of Allan MacDougall of Raray in 1578 and had the following issue: * Eachann Mac Goraidh MacAlasdair (Hector), 6th of Loup *Finovola, married Hector Maclean, 4th Laird of Coll *Isabel, married Archibald Campbell of Glen Carradale

References

{{end Clan MacAlister People from Argyll and Bute Scottish clan chiefs