I hope Mael Coluim would appreciate this one

[Mael Coluim]

Good question, Todd. It’s unique isn’t it? I had asked Robin about it. He told me their group uses the symbol of curragh as their logo for the Causeway Coast Maritime Heritage Group. Just outside Bantry, County Cork there is Celtic pillar stone near Kilnaruane where a monastic group resided.

Some believe it’s the remaining shaft is the remains of a Celtic Cross. There are several Christian carvings on the shaft. One is a curragh carved horizontality on the shaft. There is one steersman and you can see 4 oarsmen. There would be 4 more oarsmen on the other side for a total of nine monks. Columba went to Scotland with 12 other monks. Robin’s group expanded the number of oarsmen to fit the Columba tradition. I am copying a photo of the Kilnaruane pillar stone. If you look closely you can see the curragh (The Bantry boat). Some say the steersman represents Christ or St. Brendan.

I’m showing below the CCMHG symbol, “Columba” and the Bantry boat plaque representation on the cross. I have one of these at home.

The green of the flag represents green martyrdom of the Celtic monks. Green martyrs lived as hermits on mountaintops or lonely islands leaving the comforts and pleasures of their homes and families.

Kilnaruane pillar stone


CCNHG Columba Curragh


Bantry Boat

[Mael Coluim]

The Chief of the Malcolm MacCallum Clan resides near Crinan in Poltalloch. He was expecting us a few days later than we arrived and planned to have us visit him at his castle Duntrune for lunch. But in arriving early he was engaged in prior commitments. I was so disappointed.

We had a day for an excursion. We explored Lochgilphead and Kilmartin {home of our own Redshanks}.

Lochgilphead

Kilmartin Museum




Donald at beehive hut. This is a replica of a Celtic monk's cell or home. Later we would see some real ones in ruins on Scarba Island.



Kilmartin church



These grave slabs are on display in the Kilmartin Church graveyard. The tombstones were carved for the Malcolms of Poltalloch probably in the 14th century. Needless to say I was surrounded by my kinsmen, but they had little to say.








Rock cairn

[Mael Coluim]

One of my kinsmen in the Clan MacCallum Malcolm Society dropped in on this thread. He has given me permission to share his private email to me with you. Awesome history and photos, Bob.

“My mother was a McCallum. She descended from a branch that were the early settlers of Nova Scotia, Canada. I have just recently learned of their earlier possible location in Scotland and am just beginning to pursue that.

I have discovered that St. Columba has a connection to my Meehan/Mehihan/O’Meighan family. St. Molaise of Devenish is a Meehan and the patron saint of the Meehans. It was he who banished St. Columba from Ireland to Iona to Scotland as the result of the famous “copyright” case. On a trip to Ireland last summer I visited the well of St. Molaise, located in Ballaghmeehan, just north of Manorhamilton in County Leitrim. In the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin I viewed the cumdach, or gospel-book cover, of St. Molaise which was guarded by Meehans as coarbs of St. Molaise down through the centuries until they presented it to the National Museum in the late 1800’s.
It is so amazing to me how the Meehans and the McCallums have been reunited after all these centuries.”

All the best

Bob Meehan
Dunwoody (Atlanta) Georgia USA

[Mael Coluim]

We departed for Easdale Island.



My disappointment in not getting to meet Chief Robin intensified.
Rowing from Crinan we saw Duntrune Castle in the distance.





The waters were busy with sea traffic. Many were out their way to see the strange rowing craft from the 6th century.

[Mael Coluim]

Approaching Easdale Island



Flags of Scotland, Ireland, Causeway Coast Maritime Heritage Group and Clan Donnachaidh



Approaching Easdale Harbor





Securing the Colmcille









We were housed in the new community center. Nice digs!

[Mael Coluim]

I had just claimed my spot on the floor of the community center with my sea bag, when Donald told me to grab my kilt. We are off to see Chief Robin of our clan! I was stunned as I pulled out my Malcolm plaid from the sea bag.

After leaving the island by ferry, I jumped in the back of our support lorry as Donald climbed in to the front passenger seat and Roddy headed for Poltalloch.

I belted on the plaid as we headed to Duntrune.

As we entered the grounds of the Poltalloch estate, we took the following photos.

[Mael Coluim]

The approach to the castle.

[courtesy of George Young]

We had entered into the courtyard of the castle.







Donald opened the door to the keep and shouted, Chief Robin! Aye, lads enter and come up was the reply. I could not believe it as we entered and found our selves facing a spiraling stone stair case with no banisters. It took us to the Great Room of Duntrune and Chief Robin!

[Mael Coluim]

The Chief is a great host. He shared about his family, the castle and the history of the clan. Our thirst was quenched with drams of whisky.

I told Robin, that my father told me when I was a young man not to become interested in genealogy. He said, you will only find out you come from a long line of thieves and drunks! Chief Robin slapped his thigh and roared with laughter. He said be proud of that lad, that’s what we Scots are thieves and drunks!



The Chief gave of each a dram bottle of whisky to take with us for a night cap upon retiring for the night.



More to come. . .

[McELT]

Ern, how did this feel when you met Robin? Was there a strange sense of family or was it just like meeting any other like-named person?

I felt a strange sense when I went to Ballymagauran (ancestral home to the McGovern family). Although my family is 4 generations removed from when my great-great-grandfather left the area, there was a strange sense of belonging.

When I stopped at the Mucky Duck pub in Ballymagauran, I had a chance to converse with the publican. He asked if I were a McGovern because of my looks. I told him that I was but did not know my GGGrandfather's name or where he was from (I since have learned this information). He pointed out several parts of my appearance (which I share with my father, uncles and brothers) which he felt was characteristic of the McGoverns in the area.

When I returned to the states, some of my friends were rather cynical about this, pointing out that it was probably good business for the publican to "see some family resemblence" in Americans stopping by...after all, what Americans would stop by Ballymagauran but McGoverns...but I still felt a connection.

[Mael Coluim]

Good question. I have rarely met other Malcolms in my life so to met the Chief of the Clan Malcolm was awesome. I felt a strong affinity for the Chief Robin. I love history and to be in Duntrune Castle in this little part of Scotland was exciting. I didn’t sense I was a direct descendant of the Chief, but I felt a belonging to the Argyll area.

Interesting enough, starting in Northern Ireland I did sense a strong belonging to the area. I would say even more than the stirrings of the heart toward Scotland. I had no knowledge of any ties to Ireland. I have plenty to Scotland. A year ago through the Clan I had my DNA tested for its ancestral roots. I found out my halotype is quite common in Northern Ireland and spreads through the Argyll. Today, the largest concentration is in Donegal County. It now all makes sense to me. I speculate my kin were the Gaels of the Dalriada kingdom and as my surname means my family does have a historical link as a follower of St. Columba.