Hi Lynda
I took a notion today to try and find out how my mother's familes' were distantly related to the actor Patrick McGoohan, he died yesterday. When he was at the height of his fame in the 60's, because of 'The Prisoner'; my mum often referred to the distant relationship.
I stumbled upon your enquiries about the same name, then I had to go through the Roots reg. process again* to contact you with what I know.
Patrick's parents were Thomas and Rose Fitzpatrick and he/they originated from Drumreilly townland, nearest town Ballinamore, Co Leitrim, Eire.
Patrick was born in 1928 in th USA. I don't yet know if his parents married in the USA or whether they were already married when they emigrated. (The Ellis Island records stop in the early 1920's, so they won't be the next thing I check.)
The family returned to Ireland in the early 30's to try farming. I'm assuming this was on family land in or around Drumreilly, but McGoohan families also farmed according to the 1901 census in the townlands of Aughoo, Aughoo East and Listnatullough. These places are all within a few miles of Ballinamore.
My mother's maiden-name was McGovern and her family lived in Aughoo West. Her mother Mary Rose nee McCartan came from Listnatullough. Mary Rose's mother's maiden name was Honeyman and there were also several families of them in the Listnatullough townland at the turn of the last century.
Mary Rose had one sister Katy - I think, who emigrated to NY but died young. In the 70's my parents had their first holiday in the USA. The only relatives my mother had to visit were the Beecorns. I have spelt the name phonetically. I assume one of Mary Rose's female cousins married into this family and my mother was visiting some of their children. Cousins certainly, but I don't know the degree of relationship. Beecorn doesn't sound to be an obviously Irish name, but then neither does Honeyman! ('May be to do with the plantation history of the Leitrim/Cavan lands.) Whatever it's origin it would have been a RC family.
Until the 1950's many people who managed to stay in rural Ireland married a neighbour who was almost certainly a distant relation! Even those who emigrated managed to find and often married someone from their home area.
Any how Lynda I hope the above gives you a few answers. It will undoubtedly create even more questions!
Regards Mari Anne
*I've an old registeration'tied' to a defunct Ebox.
PS I have first hand knowledge of the above places. My mother and father found each other in London, after the war. But 10 years earlier my mum and dad had danced together as teenagers. His family came from a farm just a few miles south-west of Aughoo West. He had hordes of relatives in the USA.
PPS My own maiden was HARKIN, like McGoohan not a very usual name, unless you are looking in Inishowen or Londonderry. We think our Harkin great-great-grandfather came down from Donegal to Leitrim in the 1840/50's, with his brother; to work as bailiffs! A great pedigree to have! The landagent, possibly Lord Leitrim's, would have brought tenets in from Donegal to do his dirty work.
PPPS Have you read the 'Hanging Gale', loosely based on the family history of the McGann actors? Well in that book , set in Donegal in the famine years; the bailiff is called Harkin. May be it used to be the family trade!
PPPPS Last point our McGovern & McCartan family names are very common in east Leitrim/west Cavan. Hence very difficult to trace my mum's relatives. Oh McTagues are also her relatives and again very common in that location.