Killoran tartan?

[Macman]

I'm trying to find out if there is such a thing as the "Killoran" tartan. I've searched the usual places with no joy, but I wondered if anyone had come across it.
Thanks,
David

[figheadair]

There is no such design.

[Macman]

There is no such design.

Thank you. My friend will have to look into his other options.

[figheadair]

Thank you. My friend will have to look into his other options.

If you give us some more information I'm sure that there will be some suggestions offered from members.

[Morris at Heathfield]

Very few Irish families have their own tartan, and even the Irish county tartans are a recent innovation. For most of the 20th century the Irish wore solid-colored kilts when they wore kilts at all. Green, saffron, even blue kilts were worn. The House of Edgar introduced a line of Irish county tartans in the mid-1990s. The tartan for County Sligo, where the name Killoran apparently comes from, can be found here. To muddy the waters, Viking Technology Ltd. introduced an Irish "County Crest Range" of tartans, based on the heraldic arms of each county, in the first decade of this millennium. Their County Sligo tartan can be found here. Personally, I much prefer the House of Edgar designs. Keep in mind that in Ireland few people are likely to recognize any of these "Irish" tartans, let alone wear them. Also, I don't know anything about the history of your friend's family. I'm only suggesting a County Sligo tartan based on the supposed origin of the Killoran surname.

[RussellSm]

Macman,

Sorry to disappoint you but Killoran is a fictitious name. It comes from the 1945 movie "I Know Where I'm Going". The main character is Torquil McNeil of Kiloran who is the chief of the McNeil's of Kiloran, that falls in love with an (I hate to say it) Englishwoman. The movie is really quite entertaining. Lots of Scottish characters and culture including a very good ceilidh scene with pipers. If you ever see it you will probably recognize many of the players. It is available on DVD. Only wish it were in color rather than B&W. See the link below for info on the movie.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037800/plotsummary

[Macman]

Thanks for all your responses! My friend has never worn a kilt and is contemplating getting one. Apparently the name Killoran is in his family tree, so I wanted to poll the rabble to see if there was any knowledge of a tartan in this name. His other options could be to look into the County Sligo tartan (thanks, Morris at Heathfield), consider his wife's family tartan, or choose a Canadian regional tartan such as Victoria, City of Gardens, the British Columbia tartan, or the Canadian Maple Leaf Tartan.

[ctbuchanan]

Last name: Killoran
Originally Mac giolla Luaithrinn, this is a Gaelic surname of Irish origins. Now spelt Killoran in County Sligo, and Gilloran in County Roscommon, it is one of the many Irish surnames directly associated with a saint. The surname translates as the son (mac) of the follower (giolla) of St Luiagh, a 7th century holy man who later was made a saint. It is said that most Irish surnames commencing in the modern form with Kill, as with this name, as well as Killop, Killough, Killghrey, and Kilmartin for instance, all formerly commenced with Gil. Petty's census of Ireland in the year 1659 showed that this clan then known as Gillelorin, and were prominent in the barony of Gorren, County Sligo. Some members it would seem, still remain there to this day. Amongst the very earliest emigrants to leave Ireland at the commencement of the dreadful Potato Famine of 1846 - 1851, was Patrick Kiloran. Aged twenty five, he left from Sligo on the ship "Henry Clay of Liverpool" on April 15th 1846, bound for the port of New York.
citatation: http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/killoran#ixzz1SZv0X6c5