I'm looking for any Killanes from the Rathduff area to see if there is a possible interest in doing Y-chromosome DNA comparison.
I'm a McLain, whose family came from the Moate-Clara area. For a long time I've taken the surname for what it's attributed to (Scottish MacGiollaEain), but not only does YDNA indicate these people were originally Connachta and in Westmeath since at least the 13th century (via a timeframe of a Gorry match from Westmeath) but as I dug up more and more records, there seems to be the larger and larger possibility that the name was originally Mac Cilleain, and I've found multiple instances of "Clane" or "Killane" families in the area adding or dropping a Mac prefix.
"Cilleain" was a diminutive name for "Cillin" and the accepted surname that Killane is attributed to is O'Cillin which seems to have several variants (Killeen, Kelleen, Killean, Killane, Killean).
The reason I am looking for a Killane from Rathduff is that the family that was (or maybe still is) around Rathduff was managing to hold on to ancestral land and descended from the O'Cillin that were here over 400 years ago and had managed to stay in the same place unlike most other people constantly moving, so it eliminates the coincidence of a similar surname in the area. The townlands around Rathduff itself (especially Carn and Ballymurry) were all part of the territory of "Calry" under the Magawley. The 1659 census shows that one of the principal names of Ballyloughloe parish was KILLEEN with 5 families present. It is likely they were inhabiting this area of Rathduff/surrounding farms. A 1600 pardon list notes "Nich. O'Killine of the Karne" being pardoned among the Magawleys. The Moate Quaker congregation records note a "James McLane of Ballymurry" attending meetings 1770-78. Records from 1826 through the 1911 census show a James Killane family farming at least 16 acres in Rathduff (Often spelled Clane , Clain, Kellane, but mostly Killane). These three surnames all on practically adjoining townlands, which were in Magawley hands into the 1660s point to an original medieval gaelic tenancy of the O'Cillin family. Also closer to Clara where my ancestors pop up in 1770 is a James Killeen in Cloghatanny, then a decade later an Andrew McClane in Cloghatanny, who names a son James, and then goes by the surname "Clane" for some time.
Earliest odd variations of spellings of my ancestors surname in parish registers like "Mc Elean, McClene, and MacKlaine" may be more coincidences of Mac Cilleain.
My working theory at this time is that either there was a variant surname of MacCillin (-eain) existing at the same time as O'Cillin (-eain) or that during the 17th century there may have been an anglicization where after the O-prefix had dropped, a part of this family added a "Mac" prefix either during a temporary resurgence of the irish language or they had moved into a predominantly Irish speaking area.
If any Westmeath folks know of this family and think they would be interesting in participating in a Y-DNA test or at least comparing some research, I would be grateful for you getting in touch. Thank you!
Chris McLain Beal
