Important Places and Faces!

Gallowglasses 

posted Feb 12,  2023, 11:33 am by Molly Fisher  

GALLOWGLASSES were a class of elite mercenary warriors who were principally members of the Norse-Gaelic clans of Ireland between the mid 13th century and late 16th century.

The gallowglasses were attractive as heavily armoured, trained infantry to be relied upon as a strong defense for holding a position, unlike most Irish foot soldiers, who were less well armoured than the typical Irish noble who fought as cavalry. 

According to James McTeague born 1922 we were Gallowglasses. Below is the letter he wrote to us in 1968.   Dear John:

I must apologize for the delay in replying to your letter dated 10 March 1968.  I would like to return warmest wishes and greetings to you. I would confirm, that as far as I can ascertain, you are a cousin of mine. The original spelling of the name is McTeague.  There are various anglicized versions as follows-McTighe, Tighe, Montagu or Montague, but the original name was McTeague.The original clan of McTeague were Gallowglasses.  These were professional soldiers who were employed by the Celtic clans both in Ireland and Scotland.   These Gallowglass families lived for generation after generation by selling their services as soldiers to the clan chiefs both in Scotland and Ireland.When Ulster was finally conquered by the English forces in 1603, it was planted four years later in 1607 and the bulk of the Irish families like the O’Neills, O’Donnells, McSweeneys, Kellys, McTeagues were disposed of their lands.The lands were parceled out to people of “English and Scottish decent but apart from land being given to individuals, it was also given to the wealthy Merchant Guilds in London. Thus, for instance, the Drapers Guild of London got the tract of country around Draperstown (hence the name). A condition of the plantation was that no new landowner should allow any of the native stock to remain on his land.  However, the Merchant Guilds of London, being purely business men, adverted to the fact that they would not get enough Protestant tenants to occupy the lands and, secondly, that the native land holders might be prepared to pay very steep rent to remain in their homes. Hence, the area around Draperstown, consisting of the upper valley of the Moyola River, was never, in fact, planted and remained in the possession of the native stock down to the present day. Immediately after the 1798 rebellion in Ireland, when Ulster was very disturbed as Protestants, Presbyterians and Catholics took part in the rebellion, there was a fair movement of population.  Also, after the end of the Napoleonic wars in Europe, that is subsequent to 1816,   there was a very severe depression of the agricultural industry in both Ireland and England and, as far as I know, sometime in the 1820’s James McTeague came from Fermanagh into Dysart, that is into the land around Draperstown, where the bulk of the population had remained as native stock.  

Read more of the letter here:  https://www.montaguesofderry.com/ireland

Montagues of Scotland 

posted August 20,  2022, 11:33 pm by Molly Fisher  

Hugh and Ellen Toal Montague of Scotland had nine children. Shown here are five of their children.  Rosie is the oldest sitting in the chair. We are estimating her to be about 10+ years old.  

Ellen, born 1910, would be about 8 years old and is sitting on the bench, the three boys who are standing are Eddie, John, and Francis. Eddie is the  youngest. Thank you, Traci Montague and Frank Toal, for sharing this picture!  Learn more here: 

https://www.montaguesofderry.com/immigration/scotland-relatives

McTeagues!

posted Novemeber 11,  2021, 10:43 AM by Molly Fisher  

Super excited to share this photo taken in 1932-1933 that has 4 McTeagues in it.  James McTeague born May 4, 1868 is shown holding the large shovel, his three sons Patrick (Paddy), Jim, and Anthony are also shown! 

James is the son of Patrick (1837) and Catherine Kelly; he married Rosie McKeown on May 29, 1913 in St. Columba's Straw. They had five children:  

                        1. Patrick born May 14, 1914 and had 8 children

                        2. Mary McGill born Feb. 24, 1916 and had 10

                            children and lives in Belfast.

                        3. James born April 10, 1918 married Bridget

                             McGillian and had eight children.

                        4. Kitty O’Sullivan born Nov. 16, 1920 and had ten

                            children and lives in Cork.

                        5. Anthony born July 31, 1923, lived in Draperstown

                            and died Dec. 18, 2007.