April 2008 of the Irish War Machine with Their Claymore, a Two-Handed Sword, and Their Sparth, Or Battle Axe

OUNTAIN MMcQuiston, McQuistion, ONLINE McQuesten, McQuestion, McCuiston, McCuistion, and other related names ECHO Publication of Clan Uisdean USA, Inc. • Jim McQuiston, historian • [email protected] • April 2008 of the Irish war machine with their Claymore, a two-handed sword, and their Sparth, or battle axe. The Gallowglass originated in the Hebrides (a group of island just off the west coast of the Scottish Highlands) and were of mixed Celtic and Viking origin. Clan Donald was one of the principal providers and leaders of Gallowglass Warriors, not only in Ireland, but also for King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden during his “Thirty Year Wars”. I always like to note how nothing happens in a vacuum. Gustavus was known as the “Father of Modern Warfare” and it is likely that some of his tactics were learned from the very Gallowglass Warriors that he employed to help fi ght his battles. It is also very likely that the Gallowglass learned some of their tactics from the Knights Templar. Knights Templar are thought Scottish-Irish to have taken refuge in Scotland, landing on the Isle of Mull in 1313. The Scots who moved into Northern Ireland, over many generations, This would have been well within are the principal group that make up what has been referred to as the the kingdom of the Rulers of the Scotch-Irish, or Scots-Irish, or Ulster Scots. Since they are, with no doubt Isles, the “Sons of Somerled” - what-so-ever, Scots who moved to Ireland, I have played it safe in calling namely, our family. them the Scottish-Irish. I have many books on the subject and have studied The following year, a few it for a long time. This is my best take on our race. Templars are thought to have been From the 13th to 17th century, in Gaelic, is usually said to mean led by Angus Og McDonald, great, Irish and Scots Highland chieftains “foreign warriors”. These imposing great grandfather of Hugh of Sleat, hired elite bands of mercenaries, mercenaries wore distinctive long at the Battle of Bannock Burn, when skilled in the use of heavy, hand- coats of padded cotton or chain mail Robert Bruce freed Scotland. held weapons, to supplement their and conical shaped helmets, which Angus was married to Agnes regular forces. These mercenaries, set them apart from ordinary Irish O’Cahan, of Dungiven, the Irish known as gallogladh in Gaelic, were warriors. Many of them settled in community from where our family Anglised as Gallowglass. The word, Ireland and became the forefront eventually immigrated to America. Words with “gall” in them usually denote some type of Viking background. The Hebrides were often called Innes Gall, or “islands of the foreigners”. Thus “foreign warrior” really Dalriada meant Viking warrior. Galway Bay in Ireland and Galloway in Scotland are also named after their Viking backgounds. The Galloway area of Scotland includes Wigton, where many of our family moved to, escaping violence and persecution in Ireland, in the mid to late 1600s. When the Siege of Londonderry took place, in 1689, in which Daniel McCuistion is listed as a “brave defender”, his leader was Gustavus Hamilton, named specifically for Gustavus Adolphus. Daniel’s son, John McCuistion, was also to served under Gustavus Hamilton. One of his daughters, Margery, married a Hamilton, and in the American side of our family, the name Gustavus was used in the early days, no doubt as a carry-over from Gustavus Hamilton. The connections just go on and on, between each era of Scottish, Irish, and Colonial American history. That Knights Templar were in Scotland is proven in many ways. The area in the oval represents what was once the kingdom of Dalriada. Over 500 pieces of property were Our family, as far back a Colla Uais, and Fergus MacErc, brought Irish recorded as belonging to Templars. Celts to Scotland. They were called “scotti” and gave their name to all of Templar graves dot the landscape Scotland. Both the Isle of Skye and Antrim, N.I. were part of this realm, and from the Isle of Skye to Paisley later they became the seats of Clan Donald North and Clan Donald South. Abbey, two more places where our Our DNA matches within 5 of Colla Uais, proving our descent from him! family had a dramatic presence. Hugh of Sleat most likely died at and were, therefore, the very best, The marriage of Angus Og Paisley Abbey and he ruled from the toughest fighting men around, at the and Agnes O’Cahan or O’Cathan, Isle of Skye. time. No wonder they were invited was of particular importance in Also, on a small island, just off to Ireland! bringing the races of Scots and the coast from Caisteal Uisdean are The fighting typically only took Irish Celts back together. Both had the graves of two Crusaders knights. place in the summertime, when originated from Celts who were It was the Crusaders who originally fields were dry. During the winter, escaping persecution in Europe. made up the Knights Templar. Irish families were required to house Both groups of Celts were attacked It is most likely that Gallowglass Gallowglass, and in many cases by, and intermarried with Vikings. Warriors fought with tactics learned these Scots, from the Hebrides, They were and are essentially the from Vikings, Celts, and Templars married Irish women. same people. Scotland got its name from through Bruce; through Robert II also had a son named Donald who Irish Celts called scotti, meaning and his daughter, Margaret, who followed him as Lord of the Isles “invaders”. Their scotti-land became married Good King John of Islay; and led Clan Donald North from Scotland. through the Lordship of the Isles; various Hebrides islands. The Wild Scots of the Hebrides and through the Antrim kingdom of Donald had a son, Alexander, and Highlands were most often the McDonnells. Lord of the Isles, Earl of Ross, referred to as the “Irish”, and their King John had another son that Sheriff or Justiciar of the Highlands, language was often called “Irish”. was the progenitor of the McDonalds and father of Hugh of Sleat, from So the Scotch-Irish, in their of Keppoch. Andrew Jackson’s whom we descend, and for whom earliest form, were the same people ancestor, Richard Jackson, was a we are named. just moving back and forth in an caretaker of horses for the Keppoch Hugh of Sleat’s son, Donald area that had anciently been called McDonalds, when he met Mary Gallach, married into the “Irish” Dalriada. McRandall. One of the main sources branch of the family, being wed to In the case of Angus and Agnes, for the McRandall name was from Sorely Boy’s aunt. Donald had a her dowry to him was that 140 the Keppoch McDonalds. son, Alexander, who took our direct Irish were to marry 140 Scots to Richard and Mary moved to line and family name to Ireland, in help bring peace to the two regions Coleraine, Northern Ireland, in 1565, to help Sorley fight against the of the old Dalriada. This means the middle of the Bann River English. Sorley fought them until there were at least 141 recorded Valley, where our family was so he was 80 years old and it appears marriages between the Celt/Vikings entrenched. Alexander helped him until he was of Northern Ireland and the Celt/ The Bann Valley is a small 25 about 86, dying while leading 100 Vikings of Scotland. Of course there mile or so radius of communities, Gallowglass Warriors. were many more, including those of some in Antrim County and some The great McDonnell/McDonald Gallowglass Warriors to local Irish in Derry County, that surround family, along with many other women. the Bann River. One of the bigger smaller clans from the Scottish/ One of the most important towns is Coleraine and it was here Irish mix, made up the first Scots marriages was that of Angus’ that the Jackson family dominated in Ireland, the first to be called grandson, Jon Mor, to the Bissett local politics. In the early 1700’s “Scotch-Irish”. heiress of Antrim. This enabled they were forced to raise rents on Back on April 14, 1573, Queen Clan Donald to create what became their tenants because of pressure Elizabeth of England issued a known as Clan Donald South, from creditors in England. This was manifesto containing the oldest led by the McDonnell family that a major catalyst, if not THE main known reference to the words eventually produced Sorley Boy event, that began the immigration “Scotch-Irish”. She wrote, “ . McDonnell as their leader. from Ulster to America. Sorely Boy, and others, who be Angus’ own son, John, married The first local immigrant to of the Scotch-Irish race . .” - Margaret, great granddaughter of America was a reverend from those “others” included Hugh of King Robert the Bruce, and this is Macosquin, which is just below Sleat’s grandson and a few great how we descend from him. Bruce’s Coleraine. He eventually brought grandsons. daughter, also named Margaret, the settlers to Londonderry, NH, I feel Scotch-Irish is likely just married the High Steward of most likely including William a contraction of Scottish-Irish and Scotland, and their son became McQuesten. now I have some potential proof. Robert II, the first Stewart king. There are still family members In a Lord of the Isle book I He was born at Paisley Abbey, and living in both Coleraine and purchased in Scotland, the author is buried there. In his grave is also Macosquin, today. Nearby is cites an English diplomat, Ralph buried John, brother to Hugh of NewtonLimvady, which was the Sadler, who, in about 1558, when Sleat.

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