THE IRISH

The Irish
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MCNAB IRISH ANCESTORS

At the present time we know very little about our ancestors from Ireland.
The names are McDonnell, Rush and Callaghan and, maybe Corcoran, Sharkey or Cuniffe.

We do know they had roots in County Roscommon.
County Roscommon is located in the Irish midlands and has a population of only 51,987 (1991 Census).
The main towns are Roscommon, Boyle, Castlerea and Ballaghaderreen.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the McDonnell's lived in Lisdrumneill
in the Diocese of Fairymont, north of the town of Castlerea.
The Rush's lived about 10 miles south, in Ballymurray.

The 1901 Census lists information about both families.
It also lists a John McDonnell as a farmer in the townland of Figh, which is not far from Lisdrumneill.
We beleive he was Michael McDonnell's older brother.

The Leitrim-Roscommon
1901 Census Search
Output

Townland
Civil Parish
Barony
County
Description Head of household
Surname Head of household
Given Head of household
Occupation Other occupants

Lisdrumneill Tibohine Frenchpark Roscommon Household McDonnell John(55) farmer Jane(56)-Martin(16)-Winifred(14)

Figh Tibohine Frenchpark Roscommon Household McDonnell John(25) farmer

Ballymurray Elphin Roscommon Roscommon Household Rush Michael(67)or(47) shepherd Mary(54)-Martin(23)-Katie(22)-John(20)-Winnie(19)-Michael(18)-James(17)-Mary Ellen Harlow(5) niece

Townland	Civil Parish	Barony	County	Description	Head of household Surname	Head of household Given	Head of household Occupation	Other occupants
Lisdrumneill	Tibohine	Frenchpark	Roscommon	Household	McDonnell	John(55)	farmer	Jane(56)-Martin(16)-Winifred(14)
Figh	Tibohine	Frenchpark	Roscommon	Household	McDonnell	John(25)	farmer
Ballymurray	Elphin	Roscommon	Roscommon	Household	Rush	Michael(67)or(47)	shepherd	Mary(54)-Martin(23)-Katie(22)-John(20)-Winnie(19)-Michael(18)-James(17)-Mary Ellen Harlow(5) niece

Michael McDonnell was not included in the census as he had emigrated to the United States in 1898.

This page shows the Irish connection to our McNab family.

It begins with Mary McDonnell and her marriage to Alexander McNab.
[Alexander is the son of our McNab (Gen1) Starting Person,
John McNab (1896 - 1981)]
From there, we will trace her ancestors as far back as possible.

First Generation

1. Mary M. McDonnell was born in East Orange, New Jersey, USA.
She was daughter of John McDonnell and Mary K. Rush,

Mary married Alexander McNab at St. Joseph's Church in Newark, New Jersey, USA.
Alexander was born in Kearny, New Jersey, USA.

Second Generation

2. John McDonnellwas born on April 8, 1902 in New York City, New York, USA
He was son of Michael McDonnell and Mary Callaghan.
John died on January 30, 1968 in Maplewood, New Jersy, USA.

John was the oldest of six children born to Mary Callaghan and Michael McDonnell.
Michael McDonnell Jr. was born on February 5, 1904 and died on September 5, 1976.
Jennie McDonnell was born on October 19, 1905 and died on November 3, 1973.
Thadius McDonnell was born in 1907 and died about 1975.
James McDonnell was born in 1910 and died about 1980.
Martin McDonnell was born in 1912 and died shortly there after.

Mary Callaghan also died in 1912, leaving the children motherless.
At that time, Michael McDonnell decided to take the family back to his home in Ireland.

John returned to America on April 6, 1926 with his brother, Michael Jr.
When John and Michael Jr. arrived in the United States,
they indicated they were going to their sister, Jennie,
at 60 South Mountain Ave in Montclair, NJ.

John McDonnell married Mary K. Rush, an Irish immigrant, in East Orange, NJ in 1929.

They had two children, John McDonnell Jr. and Mary M. McDonnell.

3. Mary K. Rush was born on November 5, 1902 in Unkown, Roscommon, Ireland
and died on July 24, 1955 in Newark, Essex, New Jersey, USA.

There were four other children in her family.
Winifred born in 1904.
Ellen born September 2, 1906 and died in May 1987.
Margaret born in 1908.
Michael born in 1910.

Mary arrived at Ellis Island on November 3, 1925,
aboard the SS Caronia, with her sister, Ellen.
Ellen made the voyage under the name of her sister, Winifred.
It is believed, Winifred had a promise of employment
but decided not to take it and Ellen went in her place.

The ship's manifest indicated they were going to their aunt, Mrs Carlson, in Hackensack, NJ.

At Immigration they listed their father as Martin Rush.
At that time he was living in Batford, Fuerty, Co. Roscommon.

Third Generation

4. Michael McDonnellwas born on September 21, 1876 in Lisdrumneil, Roscommon, Ireland.
He was the son of John McDonnell and Jane Rogers.
Michael died about 1960 in Lisdrumneil, Roscommon, Ireland.
Michael's siblings Include;
Martin born in 1885 and Winifred born in 1887.

Michael arrived at Ellis Island on July 2, 1898 aboard the SS Etruria.

THE SS. ETRURIA

He married Mary Callaghan on May 26,1901 in New York City, NY.

5. Mary Callaghanwas born about 1880 in Cloonfad, Roscommon, Ireland.
She was the daughter of Timothy (Thady?) Callaghan and Bridget Corcoran.
Mary died about 1912 in New York City, New York, USA.

Two of Mary's known siblings were
Ellen Callaghan born about 1885
and Kate Callaghan born about 1888

Kate arrived at Ellis Island on May 2, 1906 aboard the SS Carmania,
where she stated she was going to live with her sister Mary
at 2438 Eighth Ave., New York City.
Kate also indicated she came from Frenchpark, Roscommon.

6. Martin Rushwas born about 1878 in Ireland.
He was the son of Michael Rush and Mary Gough (Goff)
He died in Ireland

Other children in his family were;
Mary Rush born about 1874 in Ireland
Catherine Rush born about 1875 in Ireland
Tom Rush born about 1877 in Ireland
Patrick Rush born about 1879 in Ireland
Katie Rush born about 1879 in Ireland.
John Rush born about 1881 in Ireland.
Winnie Rush born about 1882 in Ireland.
Michael Rush born about 1883 in Ireland.
James Rush born about 1884 in Ireland.

7. Unknown.
She married Martin Rush about 1901.
No other information is available at this time.

Fourth Generation

8. John McDonnell was born about 1846 in Roscommon, Ireland
He died in Lisdrumneil, Roscommon, Ireland.

John married Jane Rogers about 1870 in Roscommon, Ireland.
He was listed in the 1901 Census as a farmer.

9. Jane Rogers was born about 1845 in Roscommon, Ireland.
She died in Lisdrumneil, Roscommon, Ireland.

10. Timothy (Thady?) Callaghanwas born about 1850 in Cloonfad, Roscommon, Ireland.
He was son of Cormack Callaghan and Mary Corcoran
Timothy died in 1892 in Cloonfad, Roscommon, Ireland.

Timothy married Bridget Corcoran on March 13, 1878 in Fairymount, Roscommon, Ireland.

11. Bridget Corcoran was born in 1857 in Cloonfad, Roscommon, Ireland.
She died in Cloonfad, Roscommon, Ireland about 1950.

12. Michael Rush was born about 1834 in Ireland.

Michael married MaryGough (Goff) about 1873 in Ireland.

13. Mary Gough (Goff) was born about 1857 in Ireland.

Fifth Generation

20. Cormack Callaghan was born about 1811 in Tibohine, Roscommon, Ireland.
He died on September 25, 1886 in Cloonfad, Roscommon, Ireland.

Cormack married Mary Corcoran on February 27, 1838 in Unknown, Ireland.

21. Mary Corcoran was born about 1818 in Unknown, Ireland.
She died about 1858 in Unknown, Ireland.

Additional information will be added as it becomes available.

MCDONNELL HISTORY

The most numerous and widespread of the clans, the Clan Donald is one of the families, who, while using different surnames or different methods of writing the same surname, have an identical genealogical derivation. Of these, the families of MacDonald or McDonald, and MacDonnell or McDonnell, are the most important. The mode of writing is immaterial, the name is the same; they are of one stock.
The Clan derived its generic name from Donald, the grandson of Somerled: and hence the name MacDonald, or son of Donald, Mac, or the Gaelic Mhic, signifying son. By abbreviating the prefix to Mc and M' many families write the name McDonald and M'Donald.
The surname MacDonnell, McDonnell, McDonell, and other forms and methods of writing this name, came first into use, when Aeneas MacDonald of the Glengarry branch was, in 1660, raised to the Peerage of Scotland by the title of Lord MacDonell.

SORLEY BOY

The MacDonnells of Antrim are in fact descendants of the Clan MacDonald. In the sixteenth century Somhairle Buidhe ('Sorley Boy') MacDonnell conquered a large part of that county and defended it tenaciously against Gaelic Irish and English intrusions. Their stronghold was Dunluce Castle, which stands atop a rocky promontory on the north coast, not far from The Giant's Causeway. They abandoned it when the kitchen and several servants fell into the sea after waves had eaten away at the cliffs below the castle. From there they moved to Glenarm on the east coast.
Sorley Boy MacDonnell was born in 1505 at Dunanayne Castle, Ballycastle, Co. Antrim. He was of Scottish descent but like all the people in East Ulster and West Scotland, he would have seen the Northern Channel more as a wide river running through the land, than as a country boundary.
The government saw the Scots back in Ireland as a political threat and in an attempt to halt their expansion took punitive actions against them. In 1551 Sorley Boy was arrested and imprisoned in Dublin Castle. He was released the next year, hardened by the experience, and promptly routed the English from Carrickfergus. Seizing the Constable, Walter Floody, whom he held for a large ransom, Sorley Boy is reputed to have said, "playnly that Inglische men had no ryght to Yrland".
In 1559 he subjugated the Macquillans of the Route at a battle at Bonamargy and became Lord of the Route. In 1564 however he was defeated by the Northern Gaels in their continual attempts to totally dominate Ulster, and Sorley Boy was seriously injured. The next year both he and his brother James were captured by Shane O'Neill, at Ballycastle and imprisoned. While in imprisonment James was murdered by the O'Neills. Three years later, Shane O'Neill unbelievably sought protection among the MacDonnells after suffering a defeat at the hands of the O'Donnells., in the continual inter gaelic feuds. On 2nd June 1567 the MacDonnells took the opportunity to assassinate Shane O'Neill and thus have their revenge for James.
In 1575, Essex invaded Antrim at the behest of Elizabeth I and when Sorley Boy moved his wife and family to Rathlin Island for protection, Essex sent Norris to invade it and murder the women and children. Essex reported back, "Sorley then stood upon the mainland of the Glynnes and saw the taking of the island and was likely to run mad for sorrow saying that he had lost all he ever had". Despite this, Sorley fought back and by 1584 he was again complete master of Antrim.
Elizabeth sent her new Lord Deputy, Sir John Perrot against him. By 1586 the English came to terms with Sorley Boy MacDonnell in his 81st year and he lived in peace from this time until his death four years later. He died at Dunanayne where he had been born, and is buried at Bonamargy Abbey in Ballycastle.