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Archiver > Scotch-Irish > 1999-06 > 0930197596


From: linda Merle <>
Subject: Re: Surname Mahaney
Date: Wed, 23 Jun 1999 21:13:16 -0700


Hi Holly,

Mahoney is a Cork sept -- South west Cork, which according to Mitchell
"Surnames of Derry" is where most of them still are. In Griffiths Index --
ONE MAHANY, John, in the Shankill of Antrim. A Prod. Specifically
Cromac Townparks Riley's Place. Nothing in Black Surnames of Scotland.
Conclusion: Maybe have a seance and try to contact that John dude???!!!

Real names? What's that???? Supposedly way back, I don't know when,
A member of the Lamont clan came to Ireland, possibly with the McDonnells
in the 1550's. He was Captain Lamont (I forget his first name right now). But
he was call Dubh -- Black, because his hair was black and the Scots were
never rich in "surnames" -- I mean in a clan everyone was in the same clan,
so what good was an English-style surname? They didn't have such things,
nor did the Irish. In fact forcing them all to take surnames was one of the
evil laws inflicted on them by the English in their tireless efforts to "civilize"
these "lesser races", much as our ancestors did to the hapless Indians.
Only our ancestors were better at it which is why there are far fewer indians
than Irish about. But anyway.....

The Captain's descendents took Black as a surname eventually, when
caught by the English and Anglicized without, no doubt, any anasth..ane..
damn, PAINKILLER!!! (See I still I can't spell English). I am just glad
my ancestors had no noticable defects or I could be Linda McPimplyface,
or Linda McStupid !!

The Blacks are still blackhaired, by the way.... In Hanna "The Scotch Irish"
there's an article on Scottish surnames which tells about fishing villages
where everyone is named the same -- first and last, due to a total alegience
(it appears) to naming patterns. Everyone had a nickname and was called
that. Here it is, p 390, Vol II "The fishers are generally in want of surnames.
There are seldom more than two or three surnames in a fish-town. There are
twenty-five George Cowies in Buckie [Corwie is the name of an ancient
fishing village.]. The grocers in 'booking' their fisher customers, invariably
insert the nick-name or tee-name, and the case of married men, write down
the wife's along with the husband's name. Unmarried debtors have the names
of their parents inserted with their own. ....Among the twenty five George
Cowies in Buckie there are George Cowie, Doodle, George Cowie, Carrot,
George Cowie, Neep." He goes on to recount this horrible attempt of a
stranger to find an Alexander White. He met a girl and asked her

"'Could you tell me fa'r Sanny Fite lives?'
'Filk Sanny Fite?'
'Muckle Sanny Fite?'
'Filk muckle Sanny Fite?'
'Muckle lang Sanny Fite."
'Filk muckle lang Sanny Fite?"
'Muckle lang gleyed Sanny Fite,' shouted the stranger.
'Oh! it's 'Goup-the-Lift' ye're seeking,' cried the girl, 'and fat the dervil
for dinna ye speer for the man by his richt name at ance?'"

Linda Merle

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