The news from the Fair Coane is really big because it ties together McOwen, McCown, Maguire and O'Neal all in a small area of south Tyrone, so without further comment
In Her Own Words: The news about a possible Maguire/McOwen relationship is quite exciting. If I understand it correctly, Edmond Magwire and Bryan Maguire appear to be sons of an Owen Maguire who adopted Owen's Christian name as their surname, I.E. McOwen. This name change is similar to the surname thansformation of the sons of
Sean an Diomais O'Neal, who took their father's Christian name as their surname -
MacShane.
Interestingly, the Maguire/McOwens, whom you reference, are included in the South
Tyrone area.
This poses the question: Why were these Maguire men among this O'Neal group? One reason mightg be that the O'Neals had been the overlords of Fermanagh for centuries, Another reason might be that there is the documented evidence of repeated intermarriage between the O'Neals and the Maguires. At the time of the plantation, Con MacShane O'Neal (died 1630)a son of Shane O'Neal noted above, was granted lands in Clabby, Fermanagh (near Tempo)close to the Tyrone Border.
One additional thought which may be completely unrelated, but might be relevant, is
the bookplate I described to you in previous emails. As I told you, I have in my possession a book, P.Terentii Carthaginiensis Afri Comoedae which belonged to my relative, Conolly Coane. This book dates to 1806/7, is signed by CC, and has as his bookplate, his coat-of- arms of the O'Neals, surmounted by a crown and harp. Underneath this coat-of-arms is the name "Coane". I'm repeating this information because there may be an ancestry connection among the Maguires, the O'Neals and the Coanes/McCowns. I am including the McCowns since there is a Robert McCown buried in Assaroe Abbey, Ballyshannon - the same graveyard where my ancestors, Thady Coan I, in 1681 and Thady Coane II -1723, are buried. Father Gallagher, writing in the 1957 issue of the Donegal Annual, lists the tombstones in Assaroe Abbey Cemetery, outside of Ballyshannon. In footnote #6, referring to the tombstone of Robert McCown, Father Gallegher states: MCCOWN. This roughly-carved stone, inscribed only with the deceased's name, and three rude crosses, most possibly dates to the early 18th century. The Robert McCown interred here may have been a member of the Catholic branch of the Coans of Higginstown. See tombstones 100, 101 (Higginstown, Donegal is approximately two miles southeast of Ballyshannon, and is very close to the river Erne and the Fermanagh border.)
Once again, a lengthy email! I am so delighted that your genealogical quest continues and appears to be gaining momentum. I so appreciate your including me in updates of your journey. Gratefully, G.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
How Can McGuire and McOwen be in the same Surname
My better half asked this question because she thought you would like to know. The answer was provided by Barry McCain. In the example, John (Owen) Maguire has a son named James. When James reaches maturity he can choose to honor his father either by using Maguire as a surname, or, he can honor him even more by including both his given name and and his surname. Thus, if he calls himself James Maguire McOwen, he is calling himself James Maguire son of Owen. That really does distinguish him by name from the scads of other Maguires.
It is no accident that more than a few men have two surnames in their names.
How can McOwen be considered the same as McCown? Again, Barry McCain provided the answer. There are two Irish Gaelic names that have been used for John and that are pronounced as Owen. The two names in Gaelic are Eoghain and Eoin. So, if a man is named either MacEoghain or MacEoin he is literally the son of John but the modern surname can be something that has a modified form of Owen such as McOwen, McKeon, McKeown, McCown or McKown among many others. They are all sons of John or Johnson.
It is no accident that more than a few men have two surnames in their names.
How can McOwen be considered the same as McCown? Again, Barry McCain provided the answer. There are two Irish Gaelic names that have been used for John and that are pronounced as Owen. The two names in Gaelic are Eoghain and Eoin. So, if a man is named either MacEoghain or MacEoin he is literally the son of John but the modern surname can be something that has a modified form of Owen such as McOwen, McKeon, McKeown, McCown or McKown among many others. They are all sons of John or Johnson.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Edmond McGwire McOwen
The subject name plus Brian Magwyre McOwen were pardoned in 1611 in southern Tyrone.
This news was received with rejoicing today from William Roulston. I am indeed glad they weren't hanged and glad that William has found the names McGwire and McOwen within the names of two men thus possibly connecting Maguire, McOwen/McCown with my DNA. This remains to be proven, but until being disproven, I choose to enjoy the moment.
William Roulston also says that the Ulster Hisorical Foundation has radically changed
from the conventional way in which they present the results of their research and has allowed me to pass the website URL on to "the others".
http://www.ancestryireland.com/dna/?page_id=7, I tried to use the instructions for
allowing you to just click on the link, but it didn't work. Will try again later.
This news was received with rejoicing today from William Roulston. I am indeed glad they weren't hanged and glad that William has found the names McGwire and McOwen within the names of two men thus possibly connecting Maguire, McOwen/McCown with my DNA. This remains to be proven, but until being disproven, I choose to enjoy the moment.
William Roulston also says that the Ulster Hisorical Foundation has radically changed
from the conventional way in which they present the results of their research and has allowed me to pass the website URL on to "the others".
http://www.ancestryireland.com/dna/?page_id=7, I tried to use the instructions for
allowing you to just click on the link, but it didn't work. Will try again later.
Monday, March 15, 2010
This is the Big Day!
I have received confirmation of my order from the Ulster Historical Foundation (UHF) for researching the McCown family in detail. I am in process of filling in a form they need for their files. Since there are many benefits provided by membership in the Ulster Historical Foundation Guild (economic and otherwise), that will also be obtained when my brother, Dick, is well enough to do some online research offered through the Guild.
The UHF has estimated that their research results should be available in about six months and any progress will be reported here as well.
I also have reason to believe that Pat MacAuley may join the Guild as well. Pat has much, much more information on his family history than the McCowns do and so he most likely will be able to find everything else he wants through sources provided through the Guild. Pat gave me much needed encouragement and help to get this far in our journey, and for this I thank him and wish him (and all of us) Blessings on the upcoming St. Patrick's Day. St. Patrick is venerated by both Catholics and Protestants, especially in Ireland.
Pat and several family members visited Fermanagh and probably Cavan counties last year. One of his more telling comments after that trip is just how tiring a full day of research in a geneaological library can be. One of the objectives of that trip was also to visit known cousins. What a grand privilege to be able to find them and to visit them as well.
The UHF has estimated that their research results should be available in about six months and any progress will be reported here as well.
I also have reason to believe that Pat MacAuley may join the Guild as well. Pat has much, much more information on his family history than the McCowns do and so he most likely will be able to find everything else he wants through sources provided through the Guild. Pat gave me much needed encouragement and help to get this far in our journey, and for this I thank him and wish him (and all of us) Blessings on the upcoming St. Patrick's Day. St. Patrick is venerated by both Catholics and Protestants, especially in Ireland.
Pat and several family members visited Fermanagh and probably Cavan counties last year. One of his more telling comments after that trip is just how tiring a full day of research in a geneaological library can be. One of the objectives of that trip was also to visit known cousins. What a grand privilege to be able to find them and to visit them as well.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Status Update on Roulston Project and Misc.
William Roulston is working on a bid for important funding for a Scottish project for the Ulster History Foundation which he expects to complete within a few weeks. I wish him great success in this endeavor, knowing full well that it will delay the start up of the Maguire/MacAuley/McCown Study.
In the meantime, progress is being made toward having our ducks in a row for him. Several potential members of the study group are sending information about their earliest known ancestors, their places of origin, period of time there, etc.. More new members already have joined the FTDNA Ulster Heritage Group (UHG) so that their information and test results can be categorized and compared against over 1,000 other members.
The Mag Uidhir II (Maguire II) group has grown by three members in the last month and three more have indicated that they are in the process of joining. The importance of that is this is the work sheet that Barry McCain uses in selecting which of these are candidates for the study. This is not elitism, because the members of the study group are there, not because they are superior in any way to the other members in Mag Uidhir II, but because the pattern of their test results clearly indicate a close group of co-located families in Fermanagh.
Some members of the Mag Uidhir II group match each other closely and some don't match closely enough for FTDNA to call them matches but all have the Maguire Y-DNA. For example, I have a mismatch of one genetic distance greater than is allowed as being a match, still he matches others that match me very well.
That means, in my view he is close enough and Barry has recognized this. My highest non-McCown match is a McGuire who matches me at 63/67 markers. The best news here is that he is expected to join the UHG
and may be added to the study group as well. Barry McCain is the final word on that, however.
Brad McGuire has taken an intiative to move things along by getting his best matches to submit their information and join the UHG as well. One of these has the grand old Scottish name of Buchanan and he has excellent Maguire DNA. Major Thomas Buchanan McGuire, one of America's top two aces in fighter planes in WWII is not known to be a relative of our William Buchanan match, but it looks as though his mother's family lived on the same block in Scotland as did William Buchanan's family in the mid 1800's.
In the meantime, progress is being made toward having our ducks in a row for him. Several potential members of the study group are sending information about their earliest known ancestors, their places of origin, period of time there, etc.. More new members already have joined the FTDNA Ulster Heritage Group (UHG) so that their information and test results can be categorized and compared against over 1,000 other members.
The Mag Uidhir II (Maguire II) group has grown by three members in the last month and three more have indicated that they are in the process of joining. The importance of that is this is the work sheet that Barry McCain uses in selecting which of these are candidates for the study. This is not elitism, because the members of the study group are there, not because they are superior in any way to the other members in Mag Uidhir II, but because the pattern of their test results clearly indicate a close group of co-located families in Fermanagh.
Some members of the Mag Uidhir II group match each other closely and some don't match closely enough for FTDNA to call them matches but all have the Maguire Y-DNA. For example, I have a mismatch of one genetic distance greater than is allowed as being a match, still he matches others that match me very well.
That means, in my view he is close enough and Barry has recognized this. My highest non-McCown match is a McGuire who matches me at 63/67 markers. The best news here is that he is expected to join the UHG
and may be added to the study group as well. Barry McCain is the final word on that, however.
Brad McGuire has taken an intiative to move things along by getting his best matches to submit their information and join the UHG as well. One of these has the grand old Scottish name of Buchanan and he has excellent Maguire DNA. Major Thomas Buchanan McGuire, one of America's top two aces in fighter planes in WWII is not known to be a relative of our William Buchanan match, but it looks as though his mother's family lived on the same block in Scotland as did William Buchanan's family in the mid 1800's.
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