Author Topic: Londonderry/Derry City 1650s  (Read 1371 times)

Offline crb83

  • RootsChat Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 142
    • View Profile
Londonderry/Derry City 1650s
« on: Wednesday 22 November 17 18:39 GMT (UK) »
Im wondering if any of the Derry historians here have some insight on the goings-on in and near the city around the time of Cromwell. I have a possible marriage record hit of Ulster ancestors in St. Columb in 1663 (Daniel McClean & Mary O'Ruddan), I believe Daniel may be my ancestor. 

Now the reason it stands out is more-so because of DNA.  I am A5902+ which goes back to West Cavan with numerous close matches in Tullyhaw & Tullyhunco. I recently discovered a McClean farming cluster there that arose independently in the Killeshandra area, unrelated to any Scots or Gallowglass in Ireland. These McCleans are actually rather close kin to the McGoverns and McKiernans and although my papertrail is back to the mysterious Daniel McClean in the late 1600s, there is a lack of any records pertaining to his place of birth.

My ancestor Daniel McClean in question lived approx 1640s to 1683 and was a soldier who died in Dublin (St Johns C of I)and could have come from anywhere.
In Derry,  an Irish family of McCleans, ORuddans and numerous other Cavan surnames begin appearing in St Columbs Londonderry registers in 1654. They were clearly Irish due to their given names of children (Maeve, Maghnus, Owen, etc) and I believe the Daniel who married 1663 was an older son of this family. 

Coincidentally with the date these Cavan surnames start appearing there, County Cavan had just been laid waste to by Cromwells Army in 1653 and was the last gaelic Irish holdout in Ulster at the end of the 11 years war.  Its a theory of mine that there was a significant movement of population from this area either to Derry city or close enough to it that these people had begun marrying and christening children there in St. Columb shortly afterward, especially due to the lack of catholic churches in Ulster. Conversion to the church of Ireland seems more than likely.  There is also the possibility that if they were refugees within the city walls, they would have faced fines for not attending protestant services.

If anyone can point me in the right direction as to the situation in and around Londonderry at this time, it would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!
Maclean-variants; Cavan-Westmeath

Offline joemc

  • RootsChat Veteran
  • *****
  • Posts: 681
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Londonderry/Derry City 1650s
« Reply #1 on: Saturday 30 December 17 18:24 GMT (UK) »
Hi

An interesting theory, but hard to substantiate, I have done some research on the area in the time period searching for possible ancestors on my own line and have gathered several databases of names from the area during the time frame. As you correctly state there were huge upheavals and population shifts from the 1640's through to the 1650's as a consequence of the Rebellion and the subsequent War of the Three Kingdoms. The Lagan Forces, aka (Laggan Army) was raised in West Ulster by the Local Landowning gentry to protect the local settler population after the outbreak of the Rebellion in 1641. The regiments of this force were drawn from a wide area from as far south as Enniskillen. These regiments after quelling the immediate threat in the north-west saw action over a wide area  Ireland in the coming years.

What may be of interest to you was that amongst these regiments there were many native Irish, as can be seen from the muster Rolls ( as many as one third) some companies much higher. I have heard various reasons for these numbers but it does seem odd from a modern perspective that large numbers of native Irish would be fighting to quell the rebellion. It may be down to the simple fact that as part of the army they would be guaranteed food enough to survive and some security.   These forces were active around Derry in the late 1640's when the city was besieged by the Lagganeers in 1649, whilst the city was held by Parliamentary forces,under Coote, the besiegers were joined by Scottish Highlanders and native Irish. The city was relieved with the intervention of Owen Roe O'Neill's Ulster Catholic army!

There was a Dugal McCLean in the regiment of Sir Audley Mervyn, mustered in 1843, there  was also a Rory O'Line mustered at Derry in the same year, with the vagaries of spelling used in the 1600's this is another possible McClean. When relative peace returned to northwest Ulster in the 1650's it is probable that some or more of these veterans would have settled in the area. If you can provide some more of the 'Cavan surnames' I can check them against the lists. It may be another possible route for your ancestor being in the city in the time period.



Regards

Joe 
McCorkell, Clarke, Williams, Craig, Baird, Peoples, MacDonald, Wray and associated families, Counties Donegal and Londonderry, Ireland and America

Offline crb83

  • RootsChat Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 142
    • View Profile
Re: Londonderry/Derry City 1650s
« Reply #2 on: Saturday 30 December 17 21:07 GMT (UK) »
Hey Joe,
I havent done a very intense search as of yet but I did come across St Columb's records with the surnames O'Bryan/McBrian, McRannell, and O'Gormley. That is aside from the McCleans and O'Rudden/O'Rodden. These names all show up c1653-54 and coincidentally thats when Cromwell went through cavan (O'Reilly's last holdout in lough oughter surrendered apr 1653) The 1659 census shows 12 O'Ruddan families around Londonderry, and it is only numerous in it's Cavan origin (several mcCrudden and ORudden families im tullyhunco cavan 1660s. There are several McClains there in the hearth rolls who seem native irish.
There is a Patrick McClain in Donegal close to Londonderry and a Patrick McClain in Killeshandra, Cavan (1664 Hearth).  Not that I can draw any solid conclusions, but its an interesting theory, especially wondering just how my native Irish McLains eventually became staunchly protestant military men & merchants.  Im hoping to find links to the bigger west cavan families (like O'Rourke, O'Reilly, McGovern/Magauran, McKiernan/Tiernan, Duffy, Dolan, Kelagher, McCarmine) to really lean towards a significant population movement.

Thank you for your help!



Maclean-variants; Cavan-Westmeath