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Archiver > Scotch-Irish > 1999-03 > 0922467043


From: linda Merle <>
Subject: Re: Surnames
Date: Fri, 26 Mar 1999 08:50:43 -0800


Hi Richard

Yep, Bell has Shannon, and he says what you did. Though he says it
can be Irish or Scottish in origin and identifies several Irish origins
including O Seannachain, O Seanain, Mac Giolla tSeanain and
Mac an tSionnaigh and MacGiolla Seanain.

He says even in Ulster its not clear. Ie in the Glens of Antrim there is are
Shannons who are a sept of Mac an tSionnaigh (son of the fox). He
reports that "it is said" that the Protestants anglicized the name to Shannon
and the Catholics to Fox.

In Tirkennedy in Fermanagh an old sept O Seannain was prominenat
before the Maguires. Another name Gilsenan was also anglicized to Shannon.

In Scotland he says the Shannons are of Irish origin and says it was
common in Galloway and Kintyre. The Kintyre group are the ones your
source mentioned.

Bell identifies his sources in his bibliography and uses both Black and
MacLysaght and many others.

> Who were the Dalcassians?

Brian Boru was of the tribe or clan of Dalcassia. It is an early clan in
Munster. The Dalraidians, according to Irish oral tradition, originated
in the Kerry area but were displaced by famine. They eventually
moved to the north and displaced the Eirienn clans -- of which my
Kellys in Co Down were one. I''ve never read that the Delraidians
were Del cassians but who knows?

Here you can see the close relationship between western Scotland
and North East Ireland -- and the confusing number of Ulste septs
you can have!

Once you trace your family to a particular locale, often local history
can help establish family origin -- but often not the other way around!

Until then....you can consider yourself, eh Dalriadian? And yuou can see
why I like this book -- LOTS of detail.

Linda Merle

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