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Lately I've been getting into the Tudor Fiants and compiling notes for my surname around Breifne and the midlands.  I'm wondering what really constituted a "gentleman", especially among surnames that were not part of a leading sept.  For instance in a fiant from 1570, a James M'Clyne of Rathinmore (Rahinmore, Co. Westmeath) is listed as a gentleman among the Mageoghegans.  I hate to assume things, but would it be fair to assume that he probably had a maternal connection to the Mageoghegans and became an heir to the land he was on?

"Pardon to Conly Mageoghegan of Donowre, gentleman and chief of his name; Brian Mageoghegan of the same, gentleman; Thomas O'Brynan of Adamstowne, gentleman; Johanna his wife; Thady and Mortagh O'Brynan his sons; James M'Clyne, gentleman, of Rathinmore; Phelim M'Geoghegan of Donowre, gentleman; Donogh M'Goghegan of Kennaghe, kern; and Ferrall m'Fiagh M'Goghegan of the same, kern."

Most likely there was probably some Maclean gallowglass presence around Moycashel barony much earlier when the Mageoghegan was much more powerful than in this period (likely 1350-1450). Although chieftains did billet their mercenaries on very good land, I dont think they would have given them title unless it was their descendants had some blood connection after some time. But thats just a theory of mine.

Rahinmore (An Raithin Mor: the great little ringfort) is a 172-acre townland in the parish of Newtown, Moycashel b., Co. Westmeath. In the 1655 Down Survey maps it appears that it's part of Cominstowne (526 acres) under Thos Geoghegan, who is later listed as people transported under the Cromwellian Resettlement Acts.

I'm wondering if anyone can tell me what this is. I'm leaning towards "& Co." but i'm not exactly sure what that would mean or why it would be on here. These are from Tully, Co. Cavan and Ardegullion, Co. Longford tithe applotments. As they were 5+ years apart, the Alexander in question may be the same person (Ardegullion is 20km from Tully)

Good afternoon/evening to County Cavan researchers.  I am the administrator of the McGovern YDNA group on FamilyTreeDNA https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/mc-govern/about   
I have been the admin for almost 2 years, and took over after a long period of time where there hadnt been much updating or testing, and only a handful of McGoverns are active members that have tested 67 markers or better on the Y-chromosome. I figured I would spread the word here in case any McGoverns were considering doing DNA research but did not know where to start or how to go about it.  The Y-chromosome tests track your direct paternal origins, unlike the ethnicity tests/autosomal DNA tests which are only reliable for 4-6 generations which most of these big companies are pushing.  FamilyTreeDNA has the best and most up to date testing (BigY700) for this. It would have to be a male McGovern in your family doing the test.  If anyone has any questions, would like to participate, you can reply or message me directly. 

Thank you!
Chris

Hello everyone, I recently sent this email to Cavan Genealogy which is run by a McGovern, hoping to get some historical insight due to lack of paper records in Tullyhaw pre-1700, but their current email address at eirecom.net is bad.  Im not sure if the organization still exists or not.  I figured with the bright minds on this board, Ill throw this question your way!

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Good afternoon,

  I run the McGovern DNA group on FamilyTreeDNA and although the timeframe I am researching is beyond the point of written genealogical records,  I am seeking some historical knowledge and perspective of northern Tullyhaw since there is really no references to the townlands surrounding Glangevlin until circa 1700.

   My paternal ancestors were McLains, and not until fairly recently with advances in Y-DNA, did I find out that more distantly, they were McGoverns.  The surname Maclean on my line, likely the result of non-paternal event between Gallowglass mercenaries in the area and the native inhabitants of Tullyhaw, as you know the complex way in which celtic kinship worked (also,  the Gallowglass recruited native farmboys/soldiers as their ranks dwindled from war, as it was cheaper and faster than the Chieftain to replenish ranks via the highlands).   I found records of the Ui Ruairc having Maclean gallowglass in his service in the late 15th century in the Ulster Annals, as two of them, Ruadhri and Alan, were noted as slain fighting for the Ui Ruairc against a sept of the MacRaghnaill in 1486.  Likely, the Ui Ruairc had billeted his mercenaries in the border areas of his territory. I found a large concentration of McCleans around Killeshandra circa 1600s and even got in touch with a descendant who still lives in Drumgoa, descended of Patrick McClean, who appears in the 1663 hearth rolls farming the same Drumlin, and sent him a DNA test. It turns out that his Y-chromosome markers are actually MacKiernan, native to Tullyhunco, which means a separate non-paternal event occured between Macleans and the MagTighernan. 

  Since I first started trying to sort out the mystery of how distantly my ancestors were MacGoverns (right now it seems probable to be somewhere in the mid-1500s, but that is based on the data I have to compare with), I have been trying to find information on the townland near Glangevlin named Carnmaclean.  My closest DNA matches are two 2 McGoverns from Glangevlin, and a Dolan from Altnasheen.  I realize that many of the townlands in northern Tullyhaw were not regularly occupied until after the plantation started, as people were dispossessed and went further into the mountains.  But would the townland Carnmaclean have already been named at this time? As I know townlands close by like Dunmakeever and Corneenflynn were the areas inhabited by Samhradhains ancestors.

 My question is probably more of a "what came first, the chicken or the egg?" type, but Im wondering if its feasible that Carnmaclean was an area given by Ui Ruairc to his gallowglass, where they either recruited or became kin to some McGovern families. Or is it more likely that it received its name later on as a dispossessed Maclean from further east, like Killeshanda, was pushed off of the land that they had been farming for centuries?

  Thank you so much for your time, and I am looking forward to hear any insight that you may have.