McCain Family DNA Research Update March 1012

Mongavlin Castle from an old newspaper photo

The research on our family is now focusing on the McCains in east Donegal from the late 1500s through the 1650s.  We continue to have more McCains join and match our family from that area.  The first appearance of the McCains in papers records are also from that area. William McKean the Soldier is in the 1630 muster roll for Mongavlin.  He was missed by early researchers, perhaps because his forename in written in a phonetic version of the name William in Gaelic.  For those of you with maps, look about 2 and 1/2 miles south of StJohnston, that is the epicenter of the early McCains in Ireland. We also now know that a branch of our family moved very early to the Stranorlar area, which is in the Finn Valley.  There are still many McCains in our family living in the Finn Valley and just south of StJohnston, in Porthall and Carrickmore.

The Knox Family of Corcam, Donegal

This is Ivan Knox (left) with his son Andrew, showing their autographed photo of John McCain. Ivan's mother was a McKane from Drumboe, which is one of our McCains of course. Ivan's house in Corcam has become the de facto headquarters for McCains from both the USA and Canada that travel back over. I will be writing more about Ivan and the Knox family in the future as they are pleasure to be around and know most of the McCains still in Donegal.

Ivan was not surprised by the election results, but he and many of the people of the Finn Valley in Donegal, were obviously very disappointed none the less. A lot of the current research I am doing on the McCains is focused in Donegal. As I gather more and more data it appears that east Donegal is very likely the original ole sod of the McCains. They certainly were there in numbers earlier than I can find them in northwest Antrim. Just another surprise in my long odyssey of finding the McCains. Ivan was in touch with John McCain's people this summer.

Barry R McCain (i.e. Barra)

Frank and Gemma Anne McKane

Two more of our clan, this Frank and Gemma Anne McKane, these days of San Fransisco, California, but Frank was born in bonnie Scotland. Frank's originate in east Donegal. The line is that of James McKean who left Donegal circa 1846-47 and settled in the Renfrewshire mining are in the west of Scotland. We think they lived in the StJohnstown area prior to leaving for Scotland.

When we began this research we thought the McCain originated in northwest County Antrim but the DNA and primary sources now confirm that the McCains were in the Finn Valley very early, perhaps even in the 1500s. We may have had the tail wagging the dog. As I have travelled in Donegal to meet our McCain kin, I have observed there are many more McCains there than any other part of Ireland. Frank will be visiting McCains in Ireland and Scotland in the January.

Barry R McCain

McCain Musing Late July 2008

(above, Jonathon McKane with his grandmother and Barry R McCain, Drumboe, Donegal)

Time for a little McCain News I think. I am back from my sojourn in Tyrone and Donegal. The one thing relevant to our McCain Family that struck me while there, is I need to do a lot more research in the Finn Valley and the Strabane area of Tyrone. There is a much large McCain presence there than there is in northwest Antrim and it dates back at least to the late 1600s. I have several writing deadlines to met, but when there is a lull in the action I will take up the crayon and see if I can flesh out my thoughts on this more.

Additionally I think I may have located the Hamiltons that are so very connected to our McCain family. I did this when I chanced upon a copy of Hamilton will from the early 1700s in an out of print book. I may have found our Hance Hamilton Senior.

More later,

Barry R McCain

Oxford Mississippi

James & Esther Hamilton McKean

This photo is of the burial monument of Esther Hamilton McKean, Edith Annie McKean and James McKean and was sent to me by William Roulston, one of the organisers of the upcoming Ulster American History Symposium in Omagh, County Tyrone. The stone is located in StJohnstown, in east Donegal. It once again shows the close relationship between the Hamiltons and the McCains. I would say there are easily seven Hamilton McCain marriages, possibly more. The McCain name was often written as McKean in times past, but said 'Mac Cain.'
Barry R McCain
© 2008 McCain