August 1, 1997           Irish & Scot Newsletter            Vol. 3 No.7


May the love and protection
St. Patrick can give
Be yours in abundance
as long as you live.
Author Unknown

COUNTIES OF IRELAND - The following brief histories for the counties of
Ireland are taken from "Irish Records Sources for Family & Local
History" by James G. Ryan, Ph.D., Copyright Ancestry Incorporated (USA),
ISBN # 0-916-489-22-1

WATERFORD - A Brief History
Home of the manufacture of the famous Waterford crystal, this coastal
Munster county contains the city of Waterford and the towns of
Dungarvan, Tramore, Lismore, and Cappoquin.

Most of the present county was originally in the Kingdom of Decies. The
major families were the O'Phelans, McGraths, O'Briens, and O'Keanes.

The town of Waterford itself was founded by the Danish Vikings in A.D.
853. The Danes successfully defended the town against the local
inhabitants and remained a powerful force in the county until the
eleventh century when the city was taken by the Normans. However, as the
Danes did not use surnames, there is little evidence of the Viking
heritage in the names now found in the county.

After the Norman invasion the county was granted to Robert de Poer,
whose family is the ancestors of the Powers. Other Norman names now
common in the county are Aylward, Wyse, and Wall. Wadding, an
Anglo-Saxon name, has also been found in Waterford since Norman times.
The city of Waterford became a stronghold of the Normans and was second
only to Dublin in its importance.

Following the unsuccessful insurrection of the Earl of Desmond, (see Co.
Kerry) part of Waterford was confiscated from its owners and planted
with English settlers in 1583. Many of these left again in 1598 during
the war with Hugh O'Neill (see Co. Tyrone). In the 1641 rebellion of the
Catholic Confederacy (see Co. Kilkenny) the city sided with the Irish
Catholics and successfully withstood a siege by Oliver Cromwell's army.
The city finally surrendered the following year following a second siege
by Cromwell's army led by General Ireton. Neither the 1583 nor the 1650
settlements were very significant, however.

Waterford has been an important port since its establishment and has had
extensive trading links with many countries. There is, for instance, a
long established fink with eastern Canada, particularly Newfoundland.
Considerable emigration to Canada from Waterford took place, and there
is much evidence of Waterford people travelling to and from eastern
Canadian ports, even to the extent of families bringing children back to
Waterford to be baptized. The county suffered considerably in the Great
Famine of 1845-47. The population in 1841 was 196,000 and by 1851 had
fallen 20 percent to 164,000. Approximately 25,000 people died in the
years 1845-50, and the remainder emigrated to the cities or, more
usually, abroad. Between 1851 and 1855, for instance, over 28,000 people
emigrated from the county. During the remainder of the century the
population continued to decline through emigration, so that by 1891 it
was only 98,000. It is currently 89,000. 

The town is still an important port, and also has several major
industries: a dairy industry which processes the produce of the county's
many dairy herds, engineering, and the previously mentioned Waterford
crystal glass which was first manufactured here in 1783.

WESTMEATH - A Brief History
This Leinster county contains the towns of Mullingar, Athlone,
Castlepollard, Moate, and Kilbeggan.

In the old Irish administrative divisions Westmeath was part of the
Kingdom of Meath. This was the part of the country reserved as the
territory of the High King. The major Irish families of the county were
(Mc)Geoghegans, O'Growney, Brennan, O'Coffey, O'Mulleady, O'Malone,
O'Curry, O'Daly, McAuley, O'Finlan, and McLoughlin.

After the arrival of the Normans in the late twelfth century this area
was given to Hugh de Lacy. Other Norman families who obtained lands and
settled in the county were Nugent, Tyrrell, Petit, Tuite, Delamar,
Dalton, Dillon, Fitzsimon(ns), Hope, Ware, Ledwich, Dardis, and Gaynor.

The county was centrally involved in the rebellion of 1641 and was also
active in the Wilhainite wars. Following these wars there was very
extensive confiscation of land, and very few of the Irish or Norman
families who held land before 1641 retained their properties. The major
families who obtained grants of land were those of Packenhain, Wood,
Cooke, Swift, Handcock, Gay, Handy, Winter, Levinge, Wilson, Judge,
Rochfort, Ogle, Middleton, Burtle, and St. George. The families of
Fetherston, Chapman, Smith, O'Reilly, Purdon, Nagle, Blacquiere, and
North later obtained property by purchase.

In the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries the county was mainly
composed of large farms under pasture. The Great Famine of 1845-47 did
not affect the county as badly as others. In 1845 the population was
141,000. In1851 it had fallen by 21 percent to 111,000. Between 1845 and
1850 almost 16,000 people died, and further thousands emigrated. The
population continued to decline for the remainder of  the century and
beyond and is currently around 63,000. 

COUNTIES OF SCOTLAND - The following brief histories of the counties of
Scotland are taken from "A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland" by
Samuel Lewis, reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co. Inc. ISBN # 0-
8063-1256-4

SELKIRKSHIRE, an inland county, in the south of Scotland, bounded on the
north by the counties of Peebles and Edinburgh, on the south by
Dumfries-shire, on the east by Roxburghsbire, and on the west by
Peebles-shire. It lies between 55 degrees 22 minutes and 55 degrees 43
minutes (N. Lat.) and 2 degrees 50 minutes and 3 degrees 20 minutes (W.
Long.), and is twenty-seven miles in length from south-west to
North-east, and sixteen miles in breadth comprising an area of 263
square miles, or 168,320 acres; and containing 1522 houses, of which
1446 are inhabited; and a population of 7990, of whom 3972 are males and
4018 females. The county was anciently inhabited by the Gadeni and
Ottadini, and, like that of Roxburgh, with which in its early history it
is identified, formed part of the forest of Ettrick, the favourite
resort of the Scottish sovereigns for the purpose of hunting. In many of
the royal charters the county is styled " the Forest"; and on the bank
of the Yarrow are the remains of an ancient castle, which was the
hunting-seat of the kings, and the residence of the keeper of the
forest, who was also constable of the royal castle of Selkirk. The lands
were included among the possessions of the abbey of Melrose, and are now
held by charter from the crown; about two-thirds are the property of the
Duke of Buccleueb, and the remainder is divided among numerous
freeholders. The county is within the synod of Merse and Teviotdale, and
comprises the whole of the parishes of Yarrow and Ettrick, about
eleven-twelfths of the parish of Selkirk, and smaller portions of six
other parishes. It contains the royal burgh of Selkirk, which is the
county-town; part of the market-town of Galashiels; and numerous small
hamlets, of which none can be considered as villages. Under the act of
the 2nd of William IV., the county returns one member to the imperial
parliament; the number of persons qualified to vote is 420.

The surface is mountainous, and even the lowest portions of the land
have an elevation of 300 feet above the level of the sea. The chief
mountains are, Blackhouse, Windlestrac-law, Minchmoor, and Ettrickpen,
which range from 2200 to 2400 feet in height; and Lawkneis, Wardlaw,
Hangingshaw-law, the Three Brehren, Black-Andrew, and Peat-law, which
have an elevation varying from 1964 to1990 feet. Several hills from 1000
to1800 feet in height afford good pasturage for sheep. The principal
valleys are those of Ettrick and Yarrow, with portions of the vales of
Tweed and Gala; and the chief rivers are those from which the four vales
take their names. Of the rivers, the Tweed, in its course from
Peebles-shire, intersects the northern portion of the county for nearly
ten miles, and, previously to its entering Roxburghshire, receives the
Ettrick and the Gala. The Ettrick has its source in Ettrickpen, divides
the county nearly into two equal parts, and, after a course of thirty
miles from southwest to north-east, falls into the Tweed. The Yarrow,
issuing from St. Mary's loch, flows in a north-east direction into the
Ettrick near Selkirk; and the Gala, after forming the north-east
boundary of the county for about four miles, falls into the Tweed near
Galashiels. St. Mary's loch and Loch Lowes are separated from each other
by a narrow strip of land about one hundred yards in length. The former
is about three miles long and half a mile broad, and the latter little
more than three-quarters of a mile in length and a quarter of a mile in
breadth. Their banks are richly wooded, and the scenery derives a
beautifully romantic character from the mountains by which they are
encompassed. Of the lands, about 10,000 acres are arable, 2300 woodland
and plantations, 1250 acres garden and pleasure grounds, and the
remainder mountain pasture, principally for sheep. The soil of the
arable land is rich, producing abundant crops of excellent wheat, even
on the slopes of the hills, at an elevation of 700 feet above the level
of the sea. There are no minerals; the substratum is principally
whinstone, alternated with considerable portions of granite.

The principal manufactures are those of woollen cloth and stockings: the
first of these is chiefly carried on at Galashiels, and has been greatly
improved and extended; the stockings are mostly for the home trade.
There are two tanneries, and several establishments for making
agricultural implements. Facility of communication is afforded by
turnpike and other roads that intersect the county in various
directions. The annual value of real property in Selkirkshire, as
assessed to the income-tax, is 49,766 pounds sterling, of which 38,714
pounds sterling are returned for lands, and the remainder for houses.
There are some remains of forts erected by the original inhabitants on
the heights; and about a mile west of Galashiels, are vestiges of the
great ditch called the Catrail, twenty-three feet wide, with ramparts on
each side from nine to ten feet in height. It passes through the county,
over the south part of Minchmoor, and crosses the Tweed at Sunderland.

SHETLAND, or ZETLAND, ISLANDS, forming, with Orkney, a maritime county,
in the northern extremity of Scotland; bounded on the north by the North
Sea, on the east by the German Ocean, and on the west by the Atlantic.
They lie between 59 degrees 51 minutes and 60 degrees 52 minutes (N.
Lat.) and 5 minutes and 1 degree 57 minutes (W. Long.), and extend for
about seventy miles from north to south, and fifty-four miles from east
to west; comprising an area of about 855 square miles, or 547,200 acres;
5530 houses, of which 5388 are inhabited and containing a population of
30,558, of whom 13,176 are males and 17,382 females. These islands, like
those of Orkney, with which in their history they are closely
identified, appear to have been visited by the Romans, though they
effected no permanent settlement in either. They were at a very early
period inhabited by the Picts, of Scandinavian origin, who, long after
their defeat by Kenneth II., and the consequent union of the two
kingdoms of the Scots and the Picts, continued, under his successors, to
maintain in these distant territories a kind of independent sovereignty.
As closely connected with the Orkneys, the islands were governed by a
succession of petty kings till they were subdued by Harold Harfager, who
attached them as appendages to the crown of Norway, and placed them
under the government of a succession of Norwegian earls. On the marriage
of James III., however, with the Princess Margaret of Norway, they
became, and they have ever since remained, part of the kingdom of
Scotland. They give the title of Earl of Zetland to the Dundas family.

Previously to the abolition of episcopacy, Shetland formed part of the
diocese of Orkney; at present it constitutes the synod of Shetland, and
comprises the presbyteries of Lerwick, Burravoe, and Olnafirth, and
twelve parishes, the ministers of which are appointed by the Earl of
Zetland exclusively. There are also two parliamentary incumbencies, in
the gift of the Crown. For civil purposes the islands are united with
those of Orkney, forming one county under the jurisdiction of a
sheriff-depute, who appoints two sheriffs-substitute, one for each of
the districts. By the provisions of the act of the 2nd of William IV.,
Shetland is also associated with Orkney in returning a member to the
imperial parliament. The only town is Lerwick, besides which there are
merely the village of Scalloway and some small hamlets, on the coasts.
Lerwick was erected into a royal burgh of barony in 1818.

SUETLAND comprises a cluster of ninety islands, of which twenty-five are
inhabited, and the remainder small holms principally appropriated to
pasture. They are nearly contiguous to each other, being separated only
by narrow sounds or firths; with the exception of Foula and Fair Isle,
of which the former is about twenty-five miles to the west, and the
latter twenty miles to the south, of Mainland; and except also the Out
Skerries, which lie about six miles north-eastward of Whalsay. Of the
inhabited islands the principal is Mainland, above fifty-five miles in
length and twenty five miles in breadth. To the north of Mainland, from
which it is separated by Yell Sound, is the island of Yell, twenty miles
long and seven miles in average breadth; to the north of which, again,
is the island of Unst, about twelve miles in length and from three to
four in breadth. These three are the most important of the group. Of the
other islands the largest is Fetlar, to the east of Yell, about four
miles and a half in length and three and a half in breadth; and to the
south of this, and opposite to Lerwick, is the island of Bressay, about
four miles long and two miles in breadth. Of the two distant islands,
Foula, supposed to be the Ultima Thule of the ancients, is three miles
in length and a mile and a half in breadth; while Fair Isle is about the
same in length and two miles broad. Among the remaining inhabited
islands are Whalsay, Burra, Trondray, and the Out Skerries; and in
addition to these are numerous small isles, holms affording pasturage to
cattle, skerries covered by the tide at high water, and rocky inlets,
which it would be tedious to enumerate.

The general surface is diversified with hills, of which Rona, the
highest, has an elevation of 1476 feet above the level of the sea.
Between the hills are valleys of pleasing appearance, of which those
near the coasts have a wildly romantic character; but the great scarcity
of trees detracts much from the beauty of the scenery. There are
numerous springs of good water, and some of these send forth streams of
moderate extent, none of which, however, can claim the appellation of
rivers. The surface is also enlivened with lakes, many of them of
picturesque character, and some of considerable size; most of the lakes
abound with trout, and in several are small islands on which are the
remains of Pictish castles. On an island in Loch Strom are the ruins of
a castle once inhabited by a son of one of the Earls of Orkney.

Of the large number of acres, not more than 25,000 are in cultivation:
more than 500,000 are hilly moorland pasture, water, and waste; there
are also several fertile meadows, and wide tracts of moss affording an
abundant supply of fuel. In general the soil is a light sand inter-mixed
with clay and gravel, but in some parts a clayey loam; the most fertile
lands are those near the coasts. The chief crops are oats, bear,
potatoes, and turnips. Husbandry is in a comparatively low state; but
from the institution of agricultural associations, which award premiums
for the breaking up of waste lands and for other improvements, there is
every prospect of its advancing. The principal manure is sea-weed, of
which great abundance is found upon the coasts with dung, ashes of peat,
and mould mixed together. Spade husbandry is still much in vogue, owing
principally to the smallness of the farms and the ruggedness of the
surface: little has been done in the draining and enclosure of lands;
and the want of good roads is a. great obstacle to improvement. The
cattle and sheep are both of the native breeds, strong and hardy, but
small in stature; of the former about 45,000, and of the latter about
80,000, are generally fed on the different pastures. Poultry are largely
kept on the several farms, and swine are fed in great numbers. The
horses, of which about 20,000 are pastured on the hills, are of the
native breed, small, hardy, and sure-footed; they are well known as
Shetland ponies or shelties, and not a few are reared for the supply of
the southern markets. Limestone is quarried for use as mortar, for which
purpose it is burnt with peat, but it is not employed for agricultural
purposes; sandstone-slate is also found, and quarried for roofing. The
prevailing rocks are of granite, gneiss, mica and clay slate, limestone,
sandstone, and serpentine. Copper and iron ores are found, and great
quantities of chromate of iron have been quarried from the serpentine
rocks in Unst: chromate is also to be obtained in Fetlar, Northmavine,
and Innersand of Sandsting. From the remains of ancient trees found in
the mosses, there is every reason to conclude that the islands formerly
abounded with wood, though at present, except in one or two gardens, in
which are a few sycamores, scarcely a tree of any kind is to be seen.
The residences of the proprietors of land are Belmont, Bumess, Hammer,
Lund, Uyeasound, and Uyea, in Unst; Brough Lodge, and Smithfield, in
Fetlar; Gloup, Midbrake, Greenbank, Reafirth, West Sandwick, and
Burravoe, in Yell; Symbister, in Whalsay; Gardie House, in Bressay;
Ollaberry, Busts, Mossbank, Lonna, Melbie, Reawick, Scalloway, Sand
Lodge, and Quendale, in Mainland; and others.

The chief manufactures are, the knitting of wool into stockings, gloves,
shawls, and mits, and the weaving of coarse woollen-cloth; the fleece of
the Shetland sheep is remarkably soft, and has been wrought into
stockings of so fine a quality as to sell for forty shillings per pair.
Kelp, for which the coasts do not afford so ample a supply of material,
is not manufactured here to the same extent as in the Orkneys. The main
dependence of the population is the codling, and herring fisheries, for
which convenient stations have been established on the coasts, at Unst,
Yell, Fetlar, Delting, Bressay, Scalloway, Nortbmavine, Papa-Stour, and
other places. Among the fish taken are tusk, haddock, skate, halibut,
flounders, and oysters of very large size; the shores also team with
saith, or coal-fish, which form a considerable part of the food of the
labouring people, and, according to their size, are called sillocks and
piltocks. The trade embraces the exportation of dried fish, herrings,
oil, butter and eggs, beef, cattle and sheep, Shetland ponies, hosiery,
gloves, and worsted shawls; and the importation of almost every
requisite for the use of the fisheries, clothing, manufactured goods of
all kinds, groceries, and numerous other articles for the supply of the
inhabitants. The port is Lerwick, where is the custom-house; and
exclusively of the sloops employed in the fisheries, the number of
vessels registered as belonging to the place is seventy, of the
aggregate burthen of above 2000 tons. Vessels on their voyage to the
Greenland whale-fisheries, and to those of Davis' Straits, touch at this
port, where they take in a considerable number of much esteemed for
their skill and intrepidity. On Samburgh Head, the southern extremity of
Mainland, is a substantial lighthouse, erected at a cost of 40,000
pounds sterling, displaying a fixed light visible at a distance of
twenty-two nautical miles. The annual value of real property in the
Shetland Isles, as assessed to the income-tax, is:19,929 pounds
sterling. The remains of antiquity are, Pictish castles, which are to be
seen in profusion, in many instances on islands in the lakes; tumuli,
which were found to contain human bones inclosed with square stones; the
ruins of churches and religious houses, among which are those of St.
Hilary's kirk; Druidical pillars; old forts, one of which consists of
two concentric circular mounds of earth and stone; numerous barrows; and
various other relics, which are noticed under the heads of the islands
and parishes where they occur.


SURNAMES OF THE MONTH - This month the Irish surnames taken from EDWARD
MacLYSAGHT's book "IRISH FAMILIES Their Names, Arms & Origins", SciPrint
Limited, Copyright Irish Academic Press Limited, ISBN # 0-7165-2364-7
are:

(O)CAHILL  In early medieval times the most important sept of O'Cahill
was that located in Co. Galway near the Clare border, the head of which
was Chief of Kinelea   (Aughty), but by the middle of the thirteenth
century their former position as the leading family in Kilmacduagh had
been taken by the O'Shaughnessys. The name is uncommon there now, but is
found in Co. Clare where a branch of the sept was also established.
There were quite distinct septs of O'Cahill: one of these was located  
near Lough Leane in Kerry and another in Co. Tipperary between Thurles
and Templemore. There are no less than three townlands called
Ballycahill in Co. Tipperary which perpetuate the original habitat of
that sept. Two other Ballycahills, one in Co. Galway, between Portumna
and Killimor, the other in Co. Clare near Ballyvaughan, also indicate
the location of those septs. To-day the great majority of Cahills are to
be found in the three Munster counties of Tipperary, Cork and Kerry.

In Irish the name is O Cathail, i.e. descendant of Cathal, a Christian
name which, Dr. M. A. O'Brien in forms me, is derived from the Old Irish
catu-ualos meaning powerful in battle. Cahill is one of those surnames
seldom if ever found in modem times with its proper prefix 0. O'Cahiff
is one of the earliest surnames on record: Flann O'Cahill was martyred
in 938.

The most notable man of the name was that versatile priest Father Daniel
William Cahill (1796-1864), schoolmaster, newspaper editor and prolific
lecturer in the U.S.A. and elsewhere on behalf of Catholic institutions. 
    

(O)CALLAGHAN, (Kelaghan) The name of O'Callaghan, in Irish O
Ceallachiin, was taken from Ceallachin (Callaghan), King of Munster (d.
952), the eponymous ancestor of the sept. Dispossessed of their original
territory in the barony of Kinelea, Co. Cork, after the Anglo-Norman
invasion, they acquired a large area of north Co. Cork near Mallow and
retained it until again dispossessed under the Cromwellian regime. The
leading fauffly of the sept was transplanted then to Co. Clare, where
the village of O'Callaghan's Mills bears their name and where they are
represented by the family of O'Callaghan (now O'Callaghan-Westropp) of
lismehane.  The humbler members of the sept, as was usually the case,
were not transplanted; and to-day Co. Cork is the area in which
O'Callaghans are chiefly to be found. Although they are mainly
concentrated in that area the total number of O'Callaghans and
Callaghans in Ireland to-day is about 13,000, which places the name
among the forty most numerous in the country. It may here be observed
that Callaghan is one of those names in which the resumption of the
prefix O, dropped during the period of Gaelic submergence, has been most
widely resumed: fifty years ago Callaghans without the O outnumbered
those who used the prefix by five to one, while to-day O'Callaghans are
much more numerous than Callaghans.

In addition to King Callaghan mentioned above there have been a number
of distinguished Irishmen of the name, among them Father Richard
Callaghan (1738- 1807), the Jesuit educationalist, two historians in
the persons of Edmund O'Callaghan (1797-1883), and John Cornelius
O'Callaghan (1805-1883), and Sir Francis O'Callaghan (1839-1909), the
engineer. The name is also one of distinction in the records of the
Irish Brigades in France. It is a curious fact that the AW John
O'Callaghan (1605-1654), who was a very prominent Jansenist in France,
gives the name of his father, a gentleman of Macroom, Co. Cork, as
MacCallaghan. The records of the O'Callaghans in Spain are very
extensive in the archives of that country. O'Callaghan is one of the few
families of which a modem Chief of the Name is certified by the
Genealogical Office. The present holder of that designation is a citizen
of Spain.

The name O'Callaghan is sometimes found in Oriel (Armagh, Louth and
Monaghan). This is an entirely different sept. O Ceileachdin in Irish,
properly anglicized O'Kelaghan or Kealahan; this name has become
O'Callaghan in some families through a not uncommon process of
attraction, but the form Kelaghan is still in use in Co. Westmeath.  

            
This month the Scottish surnames taken from Roddy Martine's "SCOTTISH
CLAN AND FAMILY NAMES Their Arms, Origins and Tartans", Mainstream
Publishing, Edinburgh and London, 1992, ISBN # 1-85158-418-8 are:

FORSYTH
The name could be from the Gaelic Feanithe, meaning 'man of peace'.
Robert de Fauside signed the Ragman Roll in 1296. Later Forsyth chiefs
became members of the Royal Stewart household at Falkland and their arms
are shown in early   sixteenth-century annorials.

In 1980, Alistair William Forsyth, who descends from a Falkland laird
living in 1607, was recognized as being of the chiefly line. Supported
by a petition representing 2000 Forsyths, a Gilfine of nine elders of
the Clan, which by ancient custom may petition the Crown through the
Lord Lyon King of Arms, requested recognition of the Chief. After
investigation, the petition received Lyon's approval and the Clan was
restored to formal recognition after a period of more than 300 years.

FOTHERINGHAM
The name comes from a parish in Inverarity in Angus and is said to be a
corruption of Fotheringhay in Northamptonshire, which was held by the
royal house of Scotland in the twelfth century as part of the Honour of
Huntingdon. The Fotheringhams of Ballindean, Perthshire, descend from
the family at Powie in Angus. The latter descend from Henry de
Fodringhay who received lands near Dundee from Robert II.

FRASER
The world-wide family of Fraser traces its ancestry to Anjou and
Normandy. There is evidence to suggest that they sailed with William the
Conqueror in1066. The main fine of Fraser developed from Sir Gilbert of
Touch-Fraser, who died in 1263. Sir Laurence Abernethy was created 1st
Lord Saltoun in1445. Through marriage with Alexander Fraser of Philorth,
the title and chiefship passed to that family.

Alexander Fraser, 7th of Philorth, built Fraserburgh Harbour in 1546.
Sir Alexander, 8th of Philorth, acquired charters from James VI to
create a burgh out of the fishing villages of Faithfie and Broadsea. He
also intended a university, but his finances became so stretched that he
was forced to dispose of the Manor of Philorth. It was recovered in1661,
but in 1915 Philorth House was destroyed by fire. The present Chief,
Lady Saltoun, is married to Captain Alexander Ramsay of Mar, a grandson
of the 13 th Earl of Dalhousie and a great-grandson of Queen Victoria.

Hugh Fraser was one of the hostages for the ransom of JamesI, who
created him Baron of Kinneff, but he is sometimes known as the ist Lord
Lovat. His grandson, Hugh, was created Lord Lovat or Lord Fraser in or
around 1460. Simon, 11 th Lord Lovat, was outlawery in 1698 for having
seized the widow of the 9th Lord, getting the marriage ceremony
performed and forcibly consumating the nuptials. He returned in 1715 to
support the Government forces and his outlawry was reversed. In 1740, he
joined the Young Pretender, who appointed him General of the Highlands
and created him Duke of Fraser. He was arrested in 1746 and beheaded on
Tower Hill, London. His honours and estate were forfeited, but his
eldest son obtained full pardon, subsequently becoming a British
general. 

The 15th Lord Lovat distinguished himself on the beaches of Normandy
with his Lovat Scouts during the Second World War.


USEFUL WEB PAGES
Below are some Web pages you may want to visit to help with your
research. They contain a lot of useful information as well as links to
other Web pages you can visit. If you like what you see here and want to
go back, make sure you add them to your Favorite Places before you
leave.

Subj:     Re: Co Clare, Ireland
I have to get this straight again.  I have two AOL sites, one with
Griffiths Valuation information for County Clare (thus the title) and
another site which specializes in New Brunswick, Canada research that
has passenger lists. In the first instance, Griffiths is Griffiths! The
passenger lists were transcribed when I was at the National Library of
Ireland in Dublin. There will be more lists to come, some from
individuals who discoverd lists, others from privately printed
materials, others scanned from the published sources. As with most of
the content of my site, copyright issues remain an important factor, and
I have lots more I can add tomorrow, but getting copyright clearance is
like pulling teeth--so I have to wait patiently.

So for the County Clare Griffiths materials (1855), these are in .hlp
format (like a regular windows help file) and can be downloaded from my
site. There are maps of the Baronies and Townlands of Co. Clare. Here is
the URL:

   http://users.aol.com/cullinanms/about.htm

The Saint John Genealogies - An Internet Resource Website site (a New
Brunswick site) is at the following URL:

    http://users.aol.com/stjohnnb/index.htm

Hope this helps.
Saint John Genealogies - An Internet Resource Website
http://users.aol.com/stjohnnb/index.htm


Subject: Guildhall Library
I haven't see this address before, and thought that some might find it
useful. The Guildhall Library has a web site:

http://ihr.sas.ac.uk/ihr/ghmnu.html. 

Lots of information on what is in the Library.  They also have a E-Mail
address: Manuscripts.Guildhall@ms.corpoflondon.gov.uk.
They will take enquiries, but cannot do lengthy research.


ON THE WEB
Subject: Family Heritage Center (Scam? revisited)

Hello,
Recently, there was a thread in this newsgroup about the Irish Family
Heritage Centers and their fees that they charge to do their research. 
I was one of the more vocal critics of their pricing schedule and I
posted (and wrote letters to the center) about my  feelings.  One of the
targets of my, and others, criticism was the Clare Heritage Centre.  

In case you're unfamiliar with the charges, they charge $25 (U.S.) for
an initial search.  $115 to determine whether it is reasonable to do a
full search, and $280 to do a full report.  My main objection was that
after sending $115 to the Clare Heritage Center, I still had no real
information for my money, except that the Centre thought that it was 
worthwhile to do a full search on my relatives.  

I am writing this post to follow up on what I was able to get for my
money from the Clare Heritage Centre.  Please note that each one of
these Centres operate separately and are not affiliated with each other
except that they seem to be loosely tied together by the "Heritage
Council" (more about that later).  Just because I may give my
experiences and feelings about the Clare Heritage Center, it does not
follow that all Centres provide the same level of service.

For $25 I received a letter back that stated that "a record" was found
which referenced my relatives, but no information about what the record
was, and what types of information are contained in the record (although
the letter does state that it "includes details on where exactly they
lived in Co. Clare [i.e. townland and parish])."

I then forwarded on an additional $90 and waited for a reply. I
received a second mailing that told me much more about what had been
located, but with specific information noticeably omitted (i.e., I was
told that the parents had been located for my ancestor, but no
information, names, dates, etc. was listed about those relatives). At
this point, I had spent $115, and had received very little real
information about my ancestors.

Nonetheless, because of the volume of the information that was
indicated that they had found, I sent along another $165 U.S. dollars
($280 total).  What might surprise you at this point (it surprised me)
is that the package that I received back from the Clare Heritage Center
is terrific.  They really did a wonderful job.  They sent a 23 page
(double spaced) typewritten report with photocopied documents which are
the originals for the sources that were used to support their findings. 
While I'm not a real big fan of their "bound book" format, they were
able to uncover numerous details and branches of my ancestors that none
of my family had any recollection about.

The Clare report was able to take my ancestry back an entire generation
and also supply a great deal of information about cousins and uncles
that were completely new to my research.  In total, I'm very please with
the work that was done for the money.

Some caution must be taken with them however, don't send all the money
at once, make sure there is a high likelihood that they will find
sufficient information before sending the next step in their pricing
schedule.  You really get nothing until you send the entire amount,
except that there is (or isn't) information to be found.  Expect to pay
the entire $280.  You will only have to pay less if they can't locate
you ancestors.

I think that the initial fee ($25) is fair, and I think that the final
fee ($280) was fair (at least in my case), but I'm not sure about the
$115 fee.  If they were unable to recover more than the initial record,
that would have been a hefty fee to pay for the small amount of data
(although I think that they would have searched through all their
resources, and their time is worth something).

In short, I've changed my opinion of the Clare Heritage Centre after
following through on their service, but I'll always be a little careful
about making sure that I was providing them with enough information to
increase the likelihood of their success.

The whole process takes time (almost 6 months total in my case), and
most of the data could be located in the LDS microfilm rolls with enough
time and patience, but I don't think that I would have come close to the
amount of information that they provided, and (to me) it was well worth
the investment.

If you are concerned about any of the service that you receive from any
of the Heritage Centres, you can write to Anne Brennan:
  Anne Brennan
  c/o Heritage Council
  Rothe House
  16 Parliament Street
  Kilkenny, Ireland

She is soliciting information about the Heritage Centres which I have
heard are under review.  I have written her (April 18), but have not yet
received a reply.

All of this is just my opinion, and I am in no way affiliated with any
of the groups that I have mentioned.  Since I voiced my opinion in
criticism on this newsgroup, I figured that I should let it be known
that my opinion has changed.  You mileage may vary.
 
-- 

Subj:     Re: More info on Carrickfergus-Church leaders
Established Clergy

1802, Thomas Graves; in 1811 he exchanged livings with the Rev.
Theophilus Blakely;
1811, Theophilus Blakely; in 1824 he removed to Achonry, having
exchanged deaneries with the Very Rev.  William Green, dean of that
place; 1825, Henry Lesley, formerly Rector of Ahoghill, having exchanged
livings with the Rev. William Green, late Dean of Achonry, inducted
January 29th;
1839, John Chaine, on the resignation of Dean Lesley, inducted 24th
March 1839 and read assent and consent on the following day.

Unitarian, Covenanting and Independent Ministers

The first minister ordained to the Unitarian congregation was the Rev.
William Malcolm in 1835; he continued in the congregation but 1 year.
The present minister, the Rev.  James Nixon Porter, was ordained in
1838.

The Rev. John Paul, the present minister, has had charge of the
Covenanting congregation since its formation in 1805.

Independent ministers:
The first was the Rev. George Hamilton, ordained in 1816; He was
succeeded by the Rev. William Flinter in 1817; The Rev. John McAssey,
the present minister, in 1838,

Catholic Clergy
The following are the only Roman Catholic clergy who have been known to
officiate here since the Reformation:
1717, James Sheil,
1729, Bonr.  Boylane, Franciscan friars;
1732, [blank] Moore;
1739, [blank] Cairns;
1757, Edward Mcllea;
1761, Felix Scullion;
1788, James McCarey;
1802, Thomas Cassidy;
1813, Constantine Boyle;
1814, Daniel McMullan
1820, Arthur O'Neill.

Extracted from the Report on County Antrim by James Boyle 1839-1840
Ordnance Survey Memoirs (Parish of Carrickfergus)

Subj:     RE: Land ownership in Ireland
The O'Neill's changed their religion after the Battle of the Boyne.  The
choice was quite simple:  remain Roman Catholic and get kicked off you
lands or become Church of Ireland and keep them! This was the act of
settlement after the Williamites defeated the 'Wild Geese' in 1691 after
the Treaty of Limerick.

Those O'Neills who weren't prepared to compromise on their beliefs left
for exile on the Continent(Rome):  the others turned coat and stayed on. 
The O'Neills of Shanes Castle were particularly fortunate in that one of
them had been a friend of Mary of Orange who was able to swing some
influence.  The O'Neill lands had been owned or controlled by O'Neills
at that time for thousands of years, and were treasured by the
descendants of the O'Neill High Kings of Ireland going back to Heremon
the first High King of Ireland who ruled in 1698 B.C.

The Irish O'Neills carried their guilt because they dropped Catholicism
having been it's champions for so long, & they were surrounded by
'plantation' non-conformists as tenant farmers. These bloody minded
forerunners of the Scots-Irish were almost as badly treated under the
penal laws as the Catholics.  It's highly unlikely that their Landlords
would have become even less-conforming in the circumstances. 

Sir Iain Moncreiffe states in his account of the "O'Neills of Ulster"
the following:  'At the Plantation of Ulster (1603 - 1610) the Clanaboy
O'Neill's were dispossessed of over 600,000 acres, but the Chief (Shane
Mac Briain O'Neill) was allowed to keep 80 townlands (about 120,000
acres) in the baronies of Antrim and Toome (while his cousins kept about
50,000 acres around Killeleagh and Kilmacevet).  He was also planted in
his ancestral Edunduffcarrick Castle, since called after him Shane's
Castle and still the Lord O'Neill's Home. So it would seem if you had
the fortitude to conform to the English way and made your peace with the
crown you could retain ownership (or control) of at least part of your
ancestral holdings.


Subject:  Land ownership in Ireland
I'm wondering if you could tell me about the time the British took over
Ireland and if, at that time, the Irish were "allowed" to own land? 


This is a good question for the list. I'm no expert and I'm recalling
this from memory, so I won't claim it's "Gospel." I'm sure others on the
list will be able to clarify points where I've strayed from the
mainstream thought on this. Anyway, here goes... 

From my reading, I'm of the impression that prior to the English
influence in Ireland, the land was common property owned jointly by the
people. Ireland at that time was governed by the Brehon Law system and
organized into clans.  The clan Chieftain was viewed as a father figure
but had absolute authority over his clansmen just as in the Scottish
Highlands.  Land was "controlled" by clans, but I don't know if that's
the same as ownership in the modern sense.

The English King Henry II in 1184(?) was apparently invited to Ireland
by Dermot Macmurrough, King of Leinster(?) to aid him in fighting the
Vikings who had invaded southern Ireland and taken control of Dublin, 
Waterford, Wexford and other major urban areas. In fact they founded
Waterford, as I recall, and others. Anyway, Henry was busy at the time,
fighting the French on the European continent, so he sent Strongbow, the
Earl of Pembroke. He in turn sent two of his nephews(?) who with about
500 troops helped drive the Vikings from the south. At that point, Henry
showed up, and the southern Irish provincial kings paid homage to Henry,
including the Ard Righ (High King) at the time, thereby giving Henry the
right to claim lordship of southern Ireland. The Ulster clans, however,
never paid homage to Henry and refused to recognize him as lord of all
Ireland. That  set the stage for later conflicts. 

Henry was then in a position to impose his own Feudal System in southern
Ireland and supplant the Brehon Law / clan system. In the Feudal System,
the monarch owns all of the land and grants it back to nobles in return
for their managing the land, paying taxes and raising armies in times of
war. Nobles in turn would lease land to tenants, taking for payment such
things as crops, livestock or service. So, in that sense no one under
the Feudal System "owned" land in the modern sense. The Feudal System
was used in Europe as well. I'm not sure of its origins, but I believe
it arose after the fall of the Roman Empire. 

In Ulster, the continued squabble really was over the Feudal vs. the
Brehon Law system. The Ulster Earls were not about to allow the English
monarchs to gain control of their ancient lands. This ended with the
arrival of James I and VI who confiscated the lands in Ulster by
extending the foothold of Henry II to all of Ireland. Actually,
successive English monarchs between Henry II and Elizabeth I gradually
imposed their will over Ireland through the years, but it was James I
and VI who finally took over the long resistant Ulster. He used as his
excuse the various battles fought by the O'Neills with Elizabeth I. In
Irish eyes those were battles for survival, but it was politic for
Elizabeth to characterize them as rebellions, implying that they were
English subjects rebelling against their monarch. Anyway, after
Elizabeth's death in 1603(?) and accession of James I and VI, the Ulster
earls finally feared they would be caught and imprisoned.  As a result,
one night, they boarded a ship and sailed to Rome, abandoning their
lands in Ulster to James. This is known in Irish history as the FLIGHT
OF THE EARLS. 

James was the son of Mary, Queen of Scots, and cousin of Elizabeth I. 
He became King James VI of Scots after Mary was beheaded by Elizabeth. 
Because Elizabeth died without an heir, he was next in line for the
crown of England and so gained a second crown. The countries remained
separate, however, so he is called James I and VI. Union of the
parliaments and use of the term "British" followed that. I don't recall
the date of the Act of Union, but I think that it was in the 1700s.
Someone on the list will  surely have that date handy.

Following the flight of the Earls, James had a free hand and quickly
moved to introduce the feudal system into Ulster. The Ulster Plantation
was the result. He sent, as you know, English and lowland Scots as
settlers and ejected "native Irish" who had been followers of the
"rebellious" earls. Those native Irish were sent to the south of Ireland
for the most part.  Many of the native Irish remained however by
voluntarily turning their lands over to James in exchange for an English
title. The Plantation Scots were mostly Presbyterians since that was the
national church of Scotland at the time, and they brought it with them. 
Hope this helps....


Subject: MORE Plantation Undertaker names.
After the failed Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone's war against Queen
Elizabeth, six counties in Ulster amounting to almost 3.8 million acres
were confiscated. In the reign of King James I, these territories were
transferred to some English, but mostly Scottish settlers, called
Undertakers and Planters. The project was called the "Ulster Plantation"
and occurred in 1608-20. Previous Plantations were Dublin and Munster.

ENGLISH UNDERTAKERS:
--------------------
County Armagh;
Rollerston, Sacheverell, Brownlowe, Matchett, Powell, Dillon, Stanhowe,
Heron, Cope

County Tyrone;
Ridgewaie, Leigh, Edney, Parsons, Turvin, Kingswell, Glegge, Tuchet,
Blunt, Davys

County Donegal;
Clare, Willson, Russell, Barnes, Mansfield, Cornewall, Remyngton,
Barkeley, Coach

County Fermanagh;
Wirrall, Bogas, Calvert, Sedborough, Flowerdewe, Blenerhassett,
Archdale, Barton,
Honynge, or Hennings

County Cavan;
Waldron, Fishe, Butler, Lusher, Wyrrall, Tailor

SCOTTISH UNDERTAKERS:
--------------------
County Armagh;
Douglasse, Atcheson, Craig, Lawder, Hamilton

County Tyrone;
Stewart, Hepburne, Crayford (Crawford), Lindsey, Hamilton, Clapen, Boyd,
Dromond(Drummond), Haig

County Donegal;
Lennox, Stewart, McAula, Cunyngham (Cunningham, Coningham), McClellan,
Murraye,
Mackee, McCullock, Dunbar, Vans

County Fermanagh; 
Balfoure, Wishart, Monepeny, Trayle, Smelhome, Home(Hume), Hamilton,
Gibb, Lindsey, Fowler, Dunbarr

County Cavan;
Hamilto, Achmootie, Browne, Stuart, Baillie, Raleston, Downbarr
                     ======================

Subject: Re: e-mail addresses for Ireland
Is there anybody on this list who can tell me if there is an URL listing
where you can find an e-mail address for a name in Ireland?  I have
several names from county Donegal, and would like to find out if these
people have an e-mail address that I can use instead of snail mail. 
Thank you for any assistance you can give me on this.

The URL is  http://www.esearch.ie/
Regards

Subject: 1st Glasgow Directory Online!
Just dropping in to let you know I have the 1st Directory of Glasgow for
1787 now on my website for all to read. There will be other info from
the same source added later, when time permits. Go to my website at:

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Hills/2100/ 

and click on Starweaver's Library where you will find this directory
listed under Directories. Hope you all find someone you are looking for.

Luck and Laughter!

FROM OUR MEMBERS

Subj:     Re: Irish and Scot Newsletter V.3 # 5
Thanks for the newsletter and the information.  I have just found a
definite link back to Scotland in C 1643 for one of my Stewart
ancestors.  Walter Stewart was a Lt Col in the Scottish Army under the
command of Gen Leslie and this regiment was sent to N. Ireland - Co
Antrim - in 1643 to put down the O'Doherty Rising - what ever that was!!

(From the editors:  Thanks for the kind words :)  Love to hear about
success stories :D)

Subj:     Re: My New BEST Irish Site
I've been wondering why I had to reformat several i/s papers that
overran the right side a few miles. (Since MOST of the pc's are IBM
relatives it would seem that an organization like yours would keep one
good IBM computer around to handle these design inconsistencies)

What do you do when I -and obviously many others (about 83%)  download
one of your MAC products and get rows and rows of squares and gibberish
and little if no English?

I still love you but MACS are great for personal use --but when running
an interface operation with hundreds if not thousands of folks an IBM or
clone would be more efficient and less prone to miscommunications and
strange files.

Note MS Works on my WIN 95 computer allows me to OPEN and to SAVE Mac
files ----IF I know ahead of time which MAC XX is being used.
Suggestion ---At header for each lecture, newsletter, or log , you might
include a note concerning which .extension , ie.    .txt  /wrk  .MA2 or
whatever.  Of course if ALL files were in text .txt -no problem would
exist except to limit widths so that you don't have lines a mile long

Well-that was fun
Let me know what you think

Last thought - Am drafting a note to you all suggesting you do a survey
of experiences with Irish Genealogists. With your help I know what
resources they have IF they are professionals. I have three experiences
with the Dublin folks. Some are file clerks and can find things -only if
you give them name/date/place --like a law clerk looking up a land or
title search . Others are Prof RESEARCHERS who actually use the tools
you lecture about. It appears there are thousands of folks like us
looking, and darn few genuine researchers as opposed to the quick
turn-over clerks. The results could be forwarded  to IGS (Possibly a
self-protection org or they would have known and taken care of these
things before)--or put into editorial form in Dublin. I would be happy
to edit and pass it to a features writer for the Irish-Times. I have
already caused a few of the advertisers in 'Ireland of the Welcomes' to
include their pages or e-mail address in their advertisements. The most
well known outfit doesn't show theirs. It also seems that MOST of them
prefer to pretend ignorance. NO phone calls and Snail Mail only. I have
been waiting for one of them for 6 weeks to tell me if he intends to
proceed (with RESEARCH) or wants to quit. He doesn't know it but he's
finished with me ---probably is off doing a quick money turnover clerk
type effort!

There is a touch of arrogance in non-communication that is infuriating!
-particularly when it repeatedly appears to be intentional. For
genealogists in a country like Ireland with a huge Computer industry and
use by businesses, colleges etc it is near criminal that only a couple
of genealogists will use them (or don't want us Irish expatriates to
know).

A revision of ethics codes for genealogists in Ireland might help  --or
it may only affect a few of the lazier or cleverer. Anyway, a survey
might be more than just interesting.(My 1st experience took seven months
$250, did not respond to several questions despite assurances, and in
the end essentially CONFIRMED the FGRs I had sent THEM)


From the editors: 
Thanks for your input.  We really appreciate any comments that can
improve the newsletter. :)

The newsletter is drafted using a Packard Bell computer (IBM clone) and
WordPerfect 6.0 then converted to ASCII text prior to uploading to the
library or e-mailing to our subscriber list.  MOST of the files in the
libraries are also text only files so they should be able to be read by
any computer platform.  I said MOST, there are always a few that slip
through.  For that all we can do is apologize.  Hopefully this article
will help inform people that they need to convert all uploads to "text
only" or ASCII format prior to uploading files to the libraries.

As far as feedback on the performance of Heritage Centers or Researchers
in Ireland, we will publish any experiences that you may have had,
positive or negative.  We may edit your comments slightly to prevent the
possibility of legal problems however. (See previous article in the "ON
THE WEB" section for a notice about the Clare Heritage Center.)  Perhaps
a new section for the newsletter would be in order, if we get enough
feedback from our readers.  Have to think about that a little bit  :)

Please continue to send your suggestions or articles you think are good
for the newsletter to JOHNO6742@aol.com or JoyceO6741@aol.com (in both
cases that is the letter "O" NOT the number "0")
Thanks again  :D
The editors


Subj: Fwd: E-Mail List of Irish Ancestory Research in St Croix
County Wi

Got this e-mail today and thought that you might be interested in what
this person is doing.
-----------------
Forwarded Message: 
Subj:     E-Mail List of Irish Ancestory Research in St Croix County Wi

I am trying to put together an E-Mail list of all know individuals
researching Irish ancestory in St Croix County Wisconsin.  The
submission of the address should include I think both primary and
secondary surnames, (i.e.  not only who your furthest back ancestor
married, but whom his/her brothers and sisters  married, if possible). 
If you have been in contact with anyone via E-mail that is researching
Irish ancestors in St Croix County, WI  please send me their E-mail
address.  After the majority of the addresses are in, I will send a copy
to all of you.
  Thank you