The McClures of County Donegal
The McClure name is well known in the Northern parts of Ireland. A lot of the families are connected but not necessarily by blood lines.
Their ancestors were originally from Scotland but not all are able to trace these links.
My interest in the McClure’s of County Donegal arose from my connection to Samuel McClure, my great grandfather who was Baptised at the Convoy Presbyterian Church on the 11th of August 1844. He migrated with his brothers William, David and Robert to Australia about 1869. Samuel’s line was his father - David McClure [1822Cloghroe-1898Killynure], Samuel McClure [1769-1865Convoy] and Samuel McClure [1730Cloghroe-1778].
Sam was a self-made farmer who also had a crack at shop keeping. He owned property in four difference municipal areas. His Foster dairy farm is now the local sports/show ground known in the family as ‘McClures Paddock.’
In researching my McClure family led me to look at the DNA connection and the collecting of information on a large number of McClure individuals around Northern Ireland.
The consensus of the McClure researchers has the main influx of McClures arrived in this part of the world between 1610 and 1640.
The County Donegal Muster Lists of 1630 have a Richard McCowr noted at John Wilson of the Findrum Estate.
The 1665 Hearth Tax report for the Parish of Raphoe [includes Convoy Parish] has Robert McCluer in Findrum and John McCluir Senior & Junior in Aughagalt.
Richard McClure was the 1st Lessee of the Findrum Estate as per the Deed of 1677. He is estimated to have been born in Scotland about 1630 and died about 1705 in Findrum. The land was passed down through the eldest sons Francis McClure, David McClure [1711Findrum-1784Donoghmore], Andrew McClure[1750Findrum-1798Findrum], John McClure[1765-1816] to Andrew McClure [1801Convoy-1874Carlton-Victoria-Australia]. Andrew McClure sold the last land holdings of the McClure Findrum Estate on the 11th January 1840. Ending 163 years of occupancy to fund his migration to Australia with his wife Margaret [nee Gregg] and their 9 children – Mary, Elizabeth, John, Rebecca, Margaret, Ann, Richard, Andrew and Catherine.
Most of the McClure families around Convoy and the Deele River Valley would be related to the above Richard McClure of Findrum. About 1850 a statement was made about the McClure’s in East Donegal………’there were many of that name……’James’ was a common name among them, but still more common was ‘Richard’. There were Fiel Dick, Deel Dick, and Dick of Maghesnoppin[Magheranappin], Red Dick, Black Dick and Dick who supped the broughin.’ All alive at the same time and all related!
The Ballynashannagh McClures sold their land in the mid 1980’s that had been in the family for 300 years, thus purchased in the 1680’s. The property was in the following family line – [George McClure{1750Ballynashannagh-??}], David McClure[1775Ballynashannagh-1839],[John McClure[1807Ballynashannagh-1883Kerrykeel],[Thomas McClure[1850Ballynashannagh-1926Ballynashannagh] [William McClure[1893Ballynashannagh-1971Ballynashannagh] ,[Son McClure – Alive].
Other McClure family lines have been identified Ballynashannagh, St. Johnston, Magheranappin, Ramelton, Burt, Cornagillagh, Carrickbrack, Cavan, Drumgumberland, Treantaboy, Carran, Carmoney, Teevickmoy, Aughagalt, Strabane, Raphoe, Stranorlar, Killea, Lachy, Inver, Munternes, Monreagh, Ballybofey, Gobnascale, Buncrana, Carndonagh, Letterkenny, Trentagh, Raymoghy, Killyverry, Bawn, Upper Tullydonnell, and Coolboy.
A lot of American McClure trees have as their origins Raphoe/Rapho. Is this the townland, Parish or Barony?
Do you have any McClure connections to County Donegal, Republic of Ireland?
Are you able to connect your Irish McClures back to their origins in Scotland?
If you identify the first the answer, and yes to the next two, I may be able to help you.
Please contact me through the Rootschat personal messaging system.
Jack Gee.
Victoria, Australia
