Redshank Surnames in the Laggan District

 I have been doing research on the 1630 muster roll taken in the Portlough precinct of the Laggan District in east Donegal.  This is an important area because it was where the Redshanks of Fionnaula Níc Dhónaill settled.  She is also known in history as the very famous Iníon Dubh, a major player in Irish history.  She was a Scottish princess, the daughter of Seamus Mac Dónaill, Taoiseach of Clann Dónaill and Anna Chamibeul, daughter of the Earl of Argyll. 

Below is a list of the men on the 1630 Portlough precinct muster roll.  This list is particularly important as according to Crown records, as late as 1628, this precinct was described as not being planted yet, meaning to English eyes it was still very Gaelic and Irish, but in fact, it had been planter after a fashion, but by Scottish Gaels from Argyll, the Hebrides, and Ayrshire.

For those who are researching via DNA testing, the list below particularly important.  If as your match group forms, and if you find a geographic link to the Laggan, this list may contain your ancestor on it.

Almost all the surnames on the list are Scottish.  Most from mid Argyll, but quite a few from the Lennox, and western Ayrshire.  Many of the names are of obvious Caimbeul sponsored Redshanks who came with Iníon Dubh to Donegal circa 1569 into the late 1590s.  The Caimbeul clan recruited Redshanks from not only their base in mid Argyll, but also from allied clans in the Lennox, from Arran, Bute, Mull, etc.

I have left the spellings as they appeared on the original list, which some modern forms in parenthesis.  On a personal note, I was surprised to find my own ancestor on the list.  Not only is he remembered in the oral history of my family here in the New World, but there are still McCains living in Donegal right where he reported for the muster roll.  Which is illustrative of how to combine DNA testing, oral family history, and primary source documents, to recover lost family history.

I am now working the Scottish point of origin of all the Redshank surnames on the list.  This will be offered in the hard copy version of A History of the Laggan Redshanks, 1569-1630 which will be out this summer.


Adam (Adam, Adams, McAdam)
McAdowe (MacCow)
Aickeene (Aitken)
McAlexander, Alexander
Allan, Allen
Allyson (Allison)
McAndrew (Andrew)
Arnott
McArthur
Ballintyne
Barbor (Barbour)
Barkly
Barlaine, Barlone
Baruzathyn (Brabazon)
McBaxter
Beare (Barry)
Boyd
Boyes
Boyill, (Boyle)
Bredyne, Bredene (Brendan)
Brice
Brittein
Browne
Buchanan
Bullesine (Ballentine)
McCadame (MacAdam)
Callhow
Calmeris, Calmeris
Calwell
McCamy
Campbell
McCan (MacCann)
McCahey
Carlell (Carlisle)
Carr
McCarslaire
McCawly (McCauley)
McCleane, (MacClain, MacClane, MacLain)
McClaney
McCleary
Cock
Cokeran  Cocheran
McCole, McColl
Colmories
Colquphone,  Mcquchowne (Calhoun)
McConnell (MacDonald, MacDonnell)
McConochy
Cooke
McCorkill
McCredy (McCready)
Crawfford (Crawford)
Cruse (Cruise)
Conningham  (Cunningham)
McCullagh (MacCullough)
McCurid
Davidson, David, Davison
Davye, Davy
Denniston, Denyston
McDonnell
Douglas
Dromond (Drummond)
Dyne
McEmmory (McEmery, Amory)
Enery
McEuan
Ewing
Mcffarlen (MacFarlane)
Mcffay (MacFay)
ffife, (Fife)
ffoulton  (Foulton)
ffulloone, (Folane)
ffynlagh (Finlay)
Gafeth
Galbreath (Galbraith)
Gall
Gambell (Campbell)
Gamill
Galey
Garvance
George
Gibb
McGillione
Gillmore
Gillrew
McGilrouse
Glass
McGourden
Graham
Greire (Greer, Greir)
Giffin
Gillaspy (Gillespie, Archibald)
Gulilan
Haldin
Hamilton
Hamond
Harper
Hasta
Henry
Hewes (Hughs)
Highgate
Hinman
Home, Hoomes (Holmes)
Horner
Hourd
Hunter
Hururence
Hustone, Houston
McHutchon (MacCutchen)
McIldonagh
McIlman
McIlhome
McIltherne (Mac Elheron)
McIlwane
Johnston (Johnston, Johnson)
McKaire
McKan (MacCann)
Makee, (MacGee, MacKey)
McKeeg
McKaine (MacCain, MacKane, MacKean, McKeen)
McKeene, (MacCain, MacKane, MacKean, MacKeen)
Keine (Cain, Kane, Kean, Keen)
Kelly
Kennen
Kenedye, Kenedy, Kenedy, Henedy (Kennedy)
McKennye, McKenny
Kennan
McKergour
Killy (Kelly)
McKirdly
Kilsoe (Kelso)
Knox
McKyndely, (MacKenley)
McLentock (MacClintock)
Lars
Laughlan (MacLachlan)
Lawder
Leackye, Lackye, Lackye, Leaky
Leag
Leman (Leaman)
McLenochan (MacLenachan, MacClenahan)
Logan
Lokehart (Lockart)
Lowrye
Lyndsey  Lyndsay,
McLynienie
Lyone
Marshell (Marshall)
Martin
Michell (Mitchell)
Miller
Morison
Moire, Moore
Muntgomery (Montgomery)
Mure (Muir)
mcMuyre (McMurry)
Muthey
McNair
Naught (MacNaught)
McNeron
McNichol
McNit (MacNitt)
McNevin, McNiven
Noble
Or
Parmenter
Patterson
Peacock, Pecock
Pearce
McPeter
Porlerm (Parlan)
Porter
Pots
Quahone (MacCone)
Ralston (Raulston)
Ramsey
Ranckein, Rankin (Rankin)
Reed
Reroch
Richye, Richey
Richmoule
Roger (Roger, Rodger)
Robinson
Rothes
Royare (Rory)
Royer
Sempell
Scot
Smyth, (Smith)
Smeally
Snodgarse
Speare
Speney
Squire
Staret (Starret)
Steavenson (Stevenson)
Steward
Stole
Swayne, Swaine
Symison (Simpson)
Toes
Thomson, Thompson
Thromble (Trumble)
Mctyre (MacIntyre)
Valentyne
Walker, McWalker
Wan
Watson
White
Willy
McWilliam (Williams)
Wilson
Wood
McWrick (MacRirick)
Young

Donnchadh Mór, Redshank Captain

burial stone of Donnchadh Mór Mac Eáin Mhic Lachlainn

It is often difficult to link any of the magnificent Gaelic burial stones in Argyll with historical figures, but in the case of the stone above, history has been kind to us and Donnchadh Mór appears several times in the primary sources of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.  He was active from the mid 1400s until circa 1515 and so the stone above was probably carved in 1515.   While the stone is much weathered today, fortunately, it was surveyed and a transcript was made of the text on the stone in 1875, by the well know writer Captain T P White, and appears in his Archaelogical Sketches in Scotland, Knapdale and Gigha.  Donnchadh Mór is an important figure in the history of the Redshank migration to Ulster in the 1500s because he and his descendants were captains and bailiffs for the powerful Earls of Argyll and it was these Earls that orchestrated the movement of so many Redshanks to Ireland.

The inscription on the stone is in Latin, and reads Hic iacet Duncanus Mor M'Cane.  Captain White commented, 'This appears to be one of those rare instances where we are enabled to identify a mediaeval tombstone in the West Highland with a substantive individual of who there is documentary record.'  Indeed so, Donnchadh Mór appears in the Scottish crown records and in the Caimbeul family records several times. Also on the stone, across the top is the 'clan' name Lachlan.

Donnchadh Mór was the son of Ailean Mac Eáin Riabhach Mhic Lachlainn of the House of Dunadd.  Ailean was granted extensive lands in what is now Kilmichael Glassary Parish in 1434.  He had four sons and each establish their own House within the parish.  The four Houses and their locations were 1) Dónal of Dunadd, the ruling line, 2) Donnchadh Mór of Dunemuck, 3) Eáin Riabhach of Killiemuchanock, and 4) Giolla Críost of Creig an Taribh. 

While the clan association of this family was Clann Mhic Lachlainn, the surnames used by these related families followed Gaelic traditional patronymics.  In several records the family is referred by the name Mac Eáin Riabhach, after the father of Ailean, who obtained the original grant of land.  Some of the surnames associated with this family are Mac Ailpín, Mac Dónaill, Mac Donnchaidh, Mac Eáin, and Mac an Leagha (anglicised forms McAlpin, McDonald, Duncan, McKean, and McLea).

The family was closely associated with the Earls of Argyll and appear in Caimbeul family records.  Their main function were Captains, but each House had other duties as well such as Tacsmen (administrator lands, in this case lands of the Earl of Argyll) and physicians.   As military captains they served both in Argyll and in the many places the Caimbeul hand reached in the 1500s. 

 

The Redshanks in Donegal and Tyrone

I am working on a supplement to the Laggans Redshanks book that will have an analysis of every Redshank man that appears in the 1630 muster roll for the Portlough Precinct in east Donegal.  Where possible, I will identify the point of origin in the Scottish Highlands of the man's surname. Most of the names come from two districts, Argyll and Lennox.  These lands where either Caimbeul lands or under the influence of Clann Chaimbeul's power Taoiseach, the Earl of Argyll.  Many families of Highland Scottish ancestry used alias, certain anglicised forms, of pet Gaelic names.  Many Highland Scottish families did  not use 'clan' surnames, but with research I have been able to link many of the Redshank surnames with their clan affiliation.  For example, in Donegal and Tyrone, the name Allen, McAllen, McKean, Duncan, etc., are linked to Clann Chaimbeul and these families point of origin is mid Argyll. 

The supplement will be out in a few weeks and available on the Ulster Heritage website and also available in an expanded version of  A Short History of the Laggan Redshanks, 1659-1630.  For men that have participated in the Ulster Heritage DNA Project this will provide insight into the ultimate point of origin of their families.  For example, if you have a DNA match to a surname or kinship group in Ulster, one can then look for the point of origin of that family on the 1630 muster roll.  An example, the Ulster Heritage Project has located some 'Ferguson' i.e. Mac Fearghusa families with links to the Laggans and DNA analysis has linked this family to the island of Mull in the Hebrides and the Clann Mhic Giolla Eáin.  This clan was indeed one of the main sources of Redshanks supplied by the fifth Earl of Argyll to the Ó Dónaill ruler and his wife, Iníon Dubh.  This allows these Ferguson families to not only confirm their Highland Scottish origins and to also have a very good idea of exactly where their family originated and when they migrated to Ulster.  

MacFarlane in Ulster

Members of the MacFarlane Highland Scottish clan settled in Ulster in the sixteenth century, as did many other families from the Scottish Gaeltacht.  The MacFarlane, or more properly, Mac Pharláinn, families were native to the lands west of Loch Lomond.  Many of the Mac Pharláinn families that settled in Ulster were in the Redshank colony in the old Portlough precinct in east Donegal. The Redshanks in the Portlough precinct were part of an elaborate plan initiated by the fifth Earl of Argyll, Giolla Easpuig Donn Caimbeul.  His niece was the famous Iníon Dubh, mother of Aodh Rua Ó Dónaill, and it was on her lands that many Caimbeul sponsored Highland Gaels settled. 

The ruins of Iníon Dubh's castle near Porthall; photo copyright  Jim McKane 2012

In the sixteenth century  Clann Chaimbeul spread from their homelands in mid Argyll extending their bases and influence in both the Highlands and Lowlands of Scotland.  Clann Chaimbeul was the most successful kinship group in early modern Scotland.  Their great advantage was they were Gaels, but could operate not only in their traditional Gaelic society, but also in the emerging British world, including the Scottish Lowlands. The earls' (of Argyll, head of Clann Chaimbeul) main base was Inveraray on Loch Fyne, and there they had access to the Firth of Clyde and the western seas including the North Channel passage to Ireland.  The Mac Pharláinns of Arrochar were drawn into Lord Argyll's elaborate network of allies and they were one of the many Redshank families that settled in east Donegal.

For more information of Mac Pharláinn families in Ulster follow the link below.


Link:  Mac Pharláinn in Ulster

The Laggan Redshanks

Upcoming will be posts on the research on the Redshank settlements along the Foyle River. These were located along the west bank of the Foyle in present day Taughboyne parish and to a lessor extent on the east bank in northwest Tyrone.

The largest influx of Redshank came with Fionnuala Ní Dhónaill, or as she is often called in popular history, Iníon Dubh. She was the formidable wife of Aodh Mac Manus Ó Dónaill; she was also the cousin of Giolla Easpuig Caimbeul, who was the 5th Earl of Argyll. It was he that orchestrated Iníon Dubh's marriage to the Ó Dónaill and also supplied the Redshanks that settled around St Johnston.

Most of these men were recruited from the Earl's lands in mid Argyll, in what was then the heart of the Scottish Gaeltacht. These Redshanks all had Clann Chaimbeul associations and most were drawn from families that had Man Rent contracts with Clann Caimbeul. Many of the surnames of these families are well known even today in Donegal; surnames such as Crawford, MacAllen, Campbell, McKean, McClay, etc. These Redshanks moved to east Donegal beginning in the late summer of 1569, but during Iníon Dubh's tenure as de facto leader of Clann Úí Dhónaill she made many trips to both the 5th and 6th Earls of Argyll to procure additional warriors from the Caimbeul lands in Argyll.

Many of the descendants of this group of Redshanks are participants in the Ulster Heritage DNA Project. Their DNA results often reveal their actual point of origin in mid Argyll. The DNA results reveal also that most of them have the typical Atlantic Zone Celtic haplogroup, though as expected some also carry Norse paternal ancestry.

Ferguson

Duart Castle on the Island of Mull

Ferguson is the anglicised form of Mac Fearghusa; from the root name Fearghus meaning super-choice. Like most Gaelic surnames there are more than one origin for the name and there are separate and non related Mac Fearghusa families in both Scotland and Ireland. In Ulster there is one Mac Fearghusa family that originated on the island of Mull in the Hebrides and some of these settled initially in the Laggan district of Donegal circa 1570s through the early 1600s. Other anglicised forms of Mac Fearghusa include, Farguson, Fergus, and Vargus.

Grier

above, RR McIan's 19th Century print of a Mac Grioghair

Grier is an anglicised for of the Gaelic surname Mac Grioghair, which itself is a variant form of the more common Mac Greagair; both forms means son of Gregory. Grier, also spelled Greer, is a phonetic rendering of how one says Grioghair in Gaelic. The second G in the surname is not said as it is softened by the adding of the H. The softening is called a seimhiú (said Shay-voo).

In Ireland, Grier families arrived in east Donegal with the Redshanks that settled in the Portlough precinct, in what is today, Taughboyne Parish. Many are found living on the lands of Ludovic Stewart who was the Duke of Lennox in the early 1600s around the St Johnston area. The Griers were Highland Gaels, yet many found a home within the Ulster Scots Planters in east Donegal.