Clan McShane-Johnson History

Welcome to the history of our Clan. The history of northern Ireland is wrought with the people of and connected to the McShanes. It is important to note that we have a convoluted history, and there is a varied background to what is today the McShanes. One thing that has to be remembered about McShane history is that it is threaded through and indelibly a part of the greater O’Neill family history. There have been numerous O’Neill connected family groups that have at different times taken the name McShane. Over time, they were linked back to that small group that has inhabited Killetragh and Glenconkeyn for at least 500 years, so that today the relations are seamless.

I see four main family groups that became the McShanes of today, and possibly a fifth. In addition to these four branches, there are doubtlessly men and women who simply took the "Son of Shane or Son of John" as their last name upon census record, immigration, or church record. Also there are those many families who fell victim to an English clerk who changed the spelling of the name or dropped a “Mc” or an “O”, thus giving us historic examples of “the wide Clan Shanes”. The historic original sources of the name go back to the early Middle Ages of Ireland. But that is past, and we are looking to re-unification of the family.

The Ancient Period Eoghan Mor, King of Cenel Eoghan - Eoghan Mor was a son of Niall of the Nine Hostages. He was of the Kings ruling what is now central Ulster and the greatest dynasty in Gaelic Ireland. Eoghan Mor was given an estate comprising the modern County of Tyrone, Derry and some of Donegal. He had a son or grandson that was known as “Mac Seain”. This sub-tribe held lands in an area of a smaller kingdom known as Cenel Moine. In turn the “McShanes” held a lordship therein called Magh Itha. In a Clan census done in the 12th century, the Mac Seains or McShanes were listed as a "Noble, Chiefly, Sept of the O'Neills, and Chiefs in Moy (Magh) Itha." The placement of this family was at the lower part of the region, roughly in the south of Tirkeernan Parish-upper Ballinascreen parish in modern County Derry, just about where the modern day holdings of the family today in Ireland. At the time, this area was a vast uncharted forest and mountains, and the sole territory of the McShanes. These were the “MacShanes” written about in 1425, 1542, 1593 and the “Wild Clan Shanes” fabled in English reports of 1607-1610 of which Hugh O’Neill became Chief. As a sept of the O’Neill Mor dynasty, the clan would have maintained a continuous relationship with their over-lord cousins, occasionally deriving their Chiefs from the pool of O’Neill Princes and Princesses.

(ie: from @ 1585-1620 Phelim MacTurlough, Red Hugh, and Hugh McShane were all O’Neills, and became Lords of Killetragh and thus, Chiefs of the McShanes)

The Modern Period

1. Hugh “McShane” O’Neill Chief of the McShanes and Prince of Ulster born 1560-d. sometime after 1615
   Hugh “McShane” O’Neill was the last recognized, Lord of Killetragh and inaugurated Chief of the McShanes for the 16th and 17th Century. He was a great-grandson of Conn Bacach O’Neill, King then Earl of Tir Eoghan. His grandfather had been the eldest son of Conn Bacach and Tanist of the O’Neills, until his early death in 1542 at the hands of a McDonnell galloglach in a raid along the Bann River. Had he lived, Shane the Proud and Mathew of Dungannon may never have come to prominence. But his death left his small children at the mercy of the greater family. They were farmed out to different families and kept at bay by their cousins and uncles. Over the latter part of the 1500s, they carved out a minor lordship in the O’Neill lands west of Lough Neagh. Conn Bacach’s grandson, Turlough “Brassilagh” held one lordship in northern Armagh, then later another in southern Tyrone. He was called “Brassilagh” due to the fact that he’d been fostered by the McCans in the territory known as “Clan Brassil”. He and his sons were a thorn in the side of their “Uncle Shane”, then later cousin “Earl Hugh” in the inter-family wars, were frequent raiders of Maguire in the 1570s-80s. However they fought with Earl Hugh in the 9 Years War. Turlough and sons being assessed at bringing more than 240 men into battle under their standard. Turlough’s son, Hugh took advantage of the loss of control their cousin the Earl had after their defeat in 1602, and usurped the Earl’s claim to the title of Lord of Killetragh. His nickname probably meant that he’d been fostered by the McShanes as a child, and simply returned to them, becoming their Chief. His brothers all received lands in the adjoining area after the Flight of the Earls and were known to prosper until the coming of the new Planters. After that, the brothers drop from site. Hugh stays prominent and is mentioned in English dispatches for another 12 years. The last known historical entry was in 1615, when, during the Native Conspiracy Rebellion, he was noted as living illegally on English planters lands and being able to bring a good many men into battle under his standard.
2. Shane "The Proud" O'Neill, Chief of O’Neills and Prince of Ulster b. 1535-d.1568
   In an effort to consolidate power in Ulster in the 1540s, Conn Bacach O’Neill, then King of Tir Eoghan, helped the English put down a rebellion in the south. Then submitted his title to King Henry VIII, and was re-granted the title of 1st Earl of Tyrone. Shane was the second, Catholic son of Conn O’Neill and only a child when his father gave away his King title and become the 1st Earl. Though, he did retain his title of The O'Neill Mor. In Brehon (Irish) law, a ruler can only submit for himself, not his children. So with the death of his older brother Felim Caoch, his son Shane, rightly assumed had no worries about becoming the head of Ulster. However, Queen Elizabeth called upon Conn to submit one child to be raised by the English court. Conn submitted a son, Mathew, by another woman named Kelly. When Mathew came of age, the Queen recognized him as Baron Dungannon and heir to the title, Earl Tyrone.
   By the 1560s, Shane was a powerful man in his own right, and was recognized as the Tanist O'Neill by his kinsmens’ nobility. In retribution to Mathew’s elevation, Shane led a rebellion for nearly 10 years that alternately led to his capture and appearance before Queen Elizabeth, being named the 2nd Earl of Tyrone, his release, the killing of his half brother Mathew, another rebellion against the English, his claiming the Kingship of Tyrone, and his eventual death at the hands of the MacDonalds of Antrim.
   Shane had 10 sons: Shane Og, Hugh “Gaveloch”, Henry, Art, Conn, Cormac, Niall, Brian, Turlough and Edmond. From these "Mac Shanes" many others are descended, especially the descendants from Conn and Henry in Tyrone, north Armagh, and Fermanagh. And at least three children were known to have gone as children to Scotland with their mother, the Countess Mar.
3. The Clanaboy & Fews O'Neill-McShane Link
   In about 1505, Hugh (Aodh) O'Neill, a Prince but younger son of the O'Neill King of Tir Eoghan, left on a conquest to establish his own territory. He took with him some younger brothers and cousins, and a small army of knights and soldiers to the south of Dungannon into a great forest called the Fews that was held by a rival family.
   After about 3 years of fighting, Hugh gained the entire area, and was established as Hugh (Prince) Lord of the Fews. As time passed, the Clanaboy O'Neills drifted further west from their Antrim stronghold. Some Clanaboy cousins stayed and prospered in the Fews, combining the families. Hugh's grandson, Sir Turlough O'Neill eventually became "The O'Neill of the Fews". He had a difficult role to play as he bordered both the Pale in the south and his cousins rebel territory in the north. During the rebellion starting in 1593, Sir Turlough had to play both sides. His cousin Hugh the Red, 3rd Earl of Tyrone (of the Flight of the Earls fame) was pressing him to fight the English. The English forces were making him adhere to English treaties. He ended up doing both at the same time. Finally, the rebellion collapsed in 1602, and Sir Turlough had to ask Queen Elizabeth for a pardon for his entire Clan.
   He was granted a pardon for his family members only. Of the remaining blood kin, a total of 19 McShanes are listed in the Census of 1602 as either "horsemen" (knights) or yeoman farmers/herdsmen. The key point is that he lists these McShanes as family members.
   My belief is that many of the Armagh McShanes are descendants of these families. I believe they came with Aodh O'Neill on his campaign into the Fews and settled as vassals/cousins of The Lord of the Fews. Later, the grandsons fought with the grandson Lord. Those that survived started the McShanes of Armagh. Due to their origins, they would be a sept of the McShanes of Sperrin Mountains, just north of Dungannon (the seat of O'Neill power) in the area making up east Tyrone and west Derry counties of today.
   Another sept in 1648, Thomas O'Neill McShane (son of another Shane O’Neill, who grew up as McShane) grandson of Sir Turlough, after having been banished to Mayo by Cromwell, anglicized his name to Johnson to conform to the strong English presence in the area. His grandson,General Sir William Johnson, Bt. Of New York is of this line. He had an older brother who stayed in the area and kept the McShane name.  Further, at least two sons of Shane The Proud settled and took lands in northern Armagh. They were collectively known as “The Mac Shanes” and it is known that some of the later generations took McShane as their surname.
4. The Fitzgerald-McShane Link
   Known as the flower of the Norman-Irish families, the Fitzgeralds, with the Earldoms of Kildare and Desmond, were the most powerful family in Ireland until the latter 16th century. They were the de jure Norman Kings of the Pale and southwest Ireland. One younger son of John, the Earl of Desmond, Gerald, was granted the Lordship of Decies in southern Ireland. Because of his father’s first name, John or Seain (Shane) this Gerald became known as Gerald McShane by both Irish and English. Sir Gerald was an extremely powerful Lord and known throughout Ireland. A historic note, he spoke no English and had to have a translator travel with him when he dealt with Dublin. It drove the English mad inside the Pale, but he was too strong to punish. Gerald’s descendants were in command of that region of Waterford/Cork for more than 100 years. I feel strongly that those families in the very south of Ireland using McShane descend from this family. Interestingly enough, in spite of Gerald McShane really being a Fitzgerald, he and they are still closely related to the McShanes of Derry. Both Conn Bacach and his father Conn Mor married the daughters of the 7th and 8th Earls of Kildare, they were thus a first cousin to Gerald "McShane” Fitzgerald and to the McShanes of Derry, Armagh and Tyrone. Shane the Proud referred to the 8th Earl as “being of his House”.
5. The fifth line is a new story passed on to me by a Clan member in Scotland. She explained that there was a MacShane soldier who was in the service of the Earl "Strongbow" when he came over to Ireland from Wales in the late 1000s. Strongbow went to Ireland to restore one of the Gaelic kings to the throne (MacMurrough), and then never left. He eventually married the daughter of the King and was made the Earl in Ireland. Apparently one Norman cousin went with him, established himself in Ireland and stayed. This would have taken place in the early 1100s.  My belief is that the origin of this story comes from the Fitzgerald McShanes. They came to Ireland at about the same time and some of the Fitzgerald, non-Ulster arms of that period show a close relationship to their arms.

So there are the main branches of our historic founding. Within them you will find multiple High Kings of Ireland, Hugh O'Neill-of the "Flight of the Earls", war heros, Knights, Clan Chiefs, Earls, Poets, Kings, engineers, rebels, writers, and adventurers.

Today we hail from Derry, Tyrone, Antrim, Armagh, Roscommon, Down, Louth and Donegal. Those who left live in Scotland, England, Canada, Australia, the US, and New Zealand. And we have members from all of those places in the Clan, and I’ve even met numerous individual McShanes in Africa.

There are a few central areas that McShanes of the 19th century seem to have immigrated from. Using history and records, four major groups of McShanes seem to exist in the early 1800s. Based upon the history of that time, those same four would have been in place for quite some time, perhaps even 250 years. They are:

1. The McShanes of South Derry and western Tyrone. Research, the historical documentation, and historic genealogies points to this group being the original Clan. History shows their genealogies back to the early 1400s. Also known to be the original sept of the Strabane McShanes. The historian MacLysaght’s books are correct about the family hailing from Tyrone, but it is important to realize that the present territory Loughinshollin Barony of the Derry McShanes was in fact the County of Tyrone until about 1640, he just needs to clarify to which period he is referring.
2. The McShanes of Armagh- McShanes of the Fews, branch of the Tyrone/Derry McShanes. Known to be the original sept of the Johnsons of England and New York, related directly to the Clanaboy and O'Neills Mor. I believe this sept to be the origins of some of the Antrim McShanes via Clanaboy relations. Monaghan, Mayo and Louth McShanes are of this sept.
3. The McShanes of Donegal -Includes the McShanes of Londonderry and north Derry. They are a branch of the early McShanes of the Sperrins (Tyrone/Derry)
4. The McShanes of Down and Antrim -Includes many of the early Belfast McShanes. Many of the Johnstons come from this Antrim/Down link. I also know of some O'Shanes (O'Chene) that were of this sept.  Also a possible Bisset link here.

This does not include all McShanes and you may not think that you come from one of these groups, but if you examine the geography of the region, you'll see the link. The Fermanagh McShanes, they are a sept of either the Derry McShanes (of Hugh McShane) or of one of the sons of Shane the Proud.

Known Resident McShane Parishes, Townlands and Villages

• Derry- Desertmartin, Moneyneena, Carnamoney, Ballinascreen, Inniscarn, Lissan, Moneyhaw, Desertlyn, Moneymore, Moneyhan, Ballymoil, Tamlaght, Cranny, Ballynure, Carncose, Drumard, Moyheeland, Maghera, Culnady, Drumgawne, Newtown, Limavady, Drummullan, Arboe, Culnagrew, Drummock, Macknagh, Kilcronaghan, Magherafelt, Londonderry, Tirkeeran, Coleraine, Glenconkeyn, Killetragh.
• Tyrone- Dungannon, Coal Island, Dromore, Curran, near Edendork, Strabane, Cookstown, Drumarin, Connaghan, Glenmornan, Manor Sheane, Caledon, Kinard, Clogher, Moyterbirne, Inisdroine, Tolleremonie, Shraghcrow.
• Armagh- Crossmaglen, The Fews, Armagh, Newry, Portadown, Sheetrim, Glasdrumin, Lurgan, Portiemiligan, Camlough, Charlemount Estates, Oriel, Tirrany, Lismeige, Creanmore, Towlargen, Contegoragh, Killinemory, Carrickecoan, Ardey, Ballinecrosse, Ballicarrickabracken, Ballimaghernehelle, Ballicaharrickcruppen, Ballidadromgower, Ballichorchlogan, Ballinessvariytra, Varicotra, Ballitullomony, Ballilecky, Derrymore, Dromhernie.
• Antrim- Belfast, Shane's Castle, Lisburn, The Glens, Bahn river area.
• Down- Belfast, Annacloy, Downpatrick, Kircubbin, Ballyobegan, Newry, Leyod.
• Louth-Dromiskin
• Donegal- Letterkenny, Raphoe, Glenties, Carrickadawson, Ballyshannon, Columbkillderry
• Monaghan- Cornabrandy, Clontibret, Cremorne
• Fermanagh- Clabbye, Tircannada, Dromcor, Coole, Clinawly, Megin, Tollohiny, Knockmcgallcrum, Gortnasillagh, Dirrilghta
• Cork- Castle Magner, Cork City, Deices, Waterford, Imokelly
• Scotland and England- Dumbarton, Renfrewshire, on the Clyde River near Alcutha Rock. Airdrie, Coatbridge, Dundee, Manchester
• Australia- Tasmania, Brisbane, Melbourne, Hobart

THIS LIST NOT COMPLETE

The Clan Badge of the McShanes

Three crescents gules, displayed in a circle with the motto “Bi Ag Feithmeah” therein. Surmounted by an ancient coronet Or.

The Clan Standard

A lion rampant, Or, grasping a dexter a trefoil, Vert, dropping a drop of blood, Gules."

The symbology associated with the badge is thus: The lion is the battle flag of ancient Ulster. The trefoil represents Ireland and the Trinity of St. Patrick. The blood represents the descendants of the family spread throughout Ireland and the world.

Interesting Clan Facts

• McShanes tended to be herders and farmers during the peaceful times in Northern Ireland. However, during war they were one of the fiercest clans to fight for The O'Neill. There are numerous examples of historic passages that mention "McShanes, or Shanes" and outlaws, Kernes, and mauraders, to the English. They were once known as the “Wild Clann Shanes of Killetragh and Glenconkeyne”. English legend stated that this tribe was so terrible, they did not cook their meat, but smashed it upon rocks, then ate it raw!

There are English accounts of McShanes raiding other counties in 1425 and in 1542. In 1591, the McShanes are listed as a military ally of Earl Hugh. Then in 1608, The McShane, Hugh McShane (O’Neill), captured the brother of The O’Cahan.

6 McShane families with farms operational in southern Derry as far back as 1659.

President Woodrow Wilson	Ian McShane The Actor

• The famous “Hugh the Red” the last Earl of Tyrone was the Lord of Killetragh from 1593 to 1602, when it was taken over by his cousin, Hugh McShane O’Neill.
• After the battle of Kinsale in 1602, numerous McShanes chose exile in Europe. They were predominately of the Fitzgerald-McShanes.
• Colonel Gordon O’Neill, a close cousin, led a regiment of Derry and Tyrone men in the rebellion of the 1690s. After defeat he brought this regiment to France and it became the first regiment of Wild Geese in the early 1700s.
• John McShane, from Ireland, built the Pentagon building in the mid part of the 20th century. He also owned the famous Barclay Hotel in Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia.
• We have held the Prime Minister-ship of New Zealand, the mayors of Montreal and New Orleans and a MacShane is presently the British Minister to the EU.
• Some famous McShane relations include President Woodrow Wilson, Ian McShane the actor, Sir William Johnson (British colonial official in 18th century America was appointed superintendent of Iroquois affairs in 1746), as well as noted scientist James L.V. Johnson. Another actress is Kitty McShane of early London and Hollywood fame. Andrew McShane was the mayor of New Orleans in the 1920s.

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