Im from the US and looking for any McCleans from the Killeshandra area, specifically Drumgoa. For over a decade, I have been trying to find the origin of my McLain ancestors who came into Dublin city in the early 1700s working as carpenters and glaziers. I was recently able, through Y-DNA,to identify them as a part of an ancient Irish farming cluster that originated in the old kingdom of Breifne in west Cavan, which to my knowledge was an Irish family named Maclean that originated in this area with no relation to Scotland. For a long time, I thought my ancestors had emigrated from Scotland at some point either as early gallowglass mercenaries or later protestant settlers. Recent developments in the DNA field disproved that theory when I was confirmed A5902+ which is a mutation that arose around the Cavan/Leitrim border in the lands of the ORourkes, McGoverns, McKiernans, OReillys. There is a townland in templeport named Carnmaclean which references this old family and would explain why all my closest DNA matches are to McGoverns (Carnmaclean is in Tullyhaw aka Magaurans Country). An entry in the Ulster Annals from 1486 notes a man named Gille-Eoin, whose sons Alan & Ruiadhri were slain assisting the ORourkes & MacRannels with an interfamily rivalry among the MacRannels of Leitrim. Could this be the pregenitor of this family?Although pre-1700 records in the area are scant, I found the McCleans concentrated in Killeshandra parish in the 1664 hearth rolls. The 1664 hearth rolls only exist for Tullyhunco & half of Tullyhaw (none for Leitrim). But the 1659 Penders census notes several *McGilEoin* families around Mohill & Carrigallen in Leitrim. I do believe there was a much larger family spread out through Breifne just for the fact that in the 1641 claimants, there are several identified on the Cavan/Monaghan border:Gillis McClane, rebel in Carrickmacross, burglary/robbery, 23 Oct 1641William McKealane of Killarow, rebel in Dromgoon, 1641Maa Mc Callane, of Ralaghan, rebel in Drumgoon, armed robbery, 1641Ever Mc Callane, rebel in Carrickmacross, robbery & arson, 1641The reason I am interested in the family that is connected to Dromgoa is because it seems they were able to stay on this land for centuries and if they were present there today, would be the descendants of this original family who were tenants of the MacKiernans of Tullyhunco before the Plantation. Drumgoa may be their original ancestral land-holding in Breifne.DRUMGOA, KILLESHANDRA, TULLYHUNCO land records...1664- Patrick McClain (hearth tax)1832- Bryan & Michael McClean, 32 acres (Tithe books)1857- John & Bernard McClean, 41 acres (Griffiths Valuation)1901- McClean Heads of Households :Edward, Thos, Wm, John(Census)1911- McClean Heads of Households: Thos, John, Wm, Edw., Thos (Census)A google search of the surname with Drumgoa turned up very recent obituaries of McCleans who live in Drumgoa, and it would be a really strange coincidence if they werent descendants of the original farmer tenants of this place 400+ years ago.If any possible distant relatives can get in touch with me, Id love to not only hear about the McCleans history in Cavan but also arrange a Y-DNA test if they are willing to do so.Thank you!Chris (McLain) Beal
..........my late uncle uncle Willie McClean lived at Drumgoa, his daughter and son are still local to the area.
