Hail, I'm cool, my ancestors are Norse, Pictish/Scottish. If you want to know anything just ask me. When not working I spend of time in the woods hiking off trail to waterfalls, caving, camping, or doing traditional things.
My Begley family came to America in 1635. The Begley Family fought the English and when beaten they were taken from Ireland to England from the Tullbegley, Donegal, Ireland Area to help break up their family relationship to the Dónall Clan, and thus allow the British better control of the area. The Begely's were gallowglass or galloglass – from Irish: gallóglaigh, gallóglach – and were a class of elite mercenary warriors who principally were members of the Norse-Gaelic clans of Scotland and came to Ireland between the mid 13th century and late 16th century. Others say that they may have been brought over to England as hired soldiers! Or that they came to England as part of the escort for "Mary Queen of Scots" and this sounds probable for it is well known that the Begleys along with the Sweenys fought extensively under the leadership of various Bruce's both in Ireland and in Scotland and they were well known for their bravery and fighting ability." So it seems rather certain that the Queen of Scots, would have some of them in her escort!. Even today, in Ireland, where you find Sweenys, you also find Begleys, and visa versa....
Breanndán Begley who still lives in Donegal Co. "Yeah, there are Mc Sweeney's and Begleys in Munster and what I heard is that they originally came from Donegal. They came south to fight in the Battle of Kinsale in I think 1601 and some of them stayed in Munster. Begley thanslates to Beaglaoich. Beag=small or little,Laoch =warrior. So it means small warrior. Crowley on the other hand means Crua=hard/Laoch=warrior". Slán, Breanndán Ó Beaglaoich....
My mom's people the Morrison's are Norse Viking/Pictish/Scottish and they came from the Isle of Lewis in Scotland a Highland clan, chiefly originating from the Western Isles. The Outer Hebrides or Western Isles (officially known by their Gaelic name, Na h-Eileanan Siar) comprise an island chain off the west coast of Scotland. They form part of the Hebrides, separated from the Scottish mainland and from the Inner Hebrides by the stormy stretch of water known as the Minch and the Little Minch. A clan is a group of people united by kinship and descent, which is defined by perceived descent from a common ancestor.The Western Isles are an archipelago in Scotland. The Morrison's are descended from the Norse Viking Olaf the Black (Godredson), The Pictish tribe called the Ebudae lived in the Hebrides and Scottish tribes....
The Callanish standing stones on the Isle Of Lewis, Construction of the site took place between 3200 and 2800 BC, though there were earlier buildings before 3200 BC. A tomb was later built into the site. Debris from the destruction of the tomb suggests the site was out of use between 2000 BC and 1700 BC. The 13 primary stones form a circle about 13 m in diameter, with a long approach avenue of stones to the north, and shorter stone rows to the east, south, and west ..
Olaf the Black, also called Olaf Godredsson was King of Mann and the Isles from 1229–1237. Olaf was the son of Godred V and Findguala from Ireland, and the half-brother of his predecessor, Ragnald. His younger brother Ragnald IV usurped his succession to the throne and it was only after years of campaigning against his brother's rule that Olaf killed him and took the throne in the year 1229. On the other hand, sources maintain that Findguala was his father's third and last wife, which would presumably make Olaf as the younger brother. He however was the intended successor by his father Godred V. Olaf was driven out of Man by Alan, Lord of Galloway and forced to flee to Norway for assistance. In early 1230 Olaf and his nephew, Godred Donn, sailed from Norway in a fleet commanded by Gilla Esbuig Mac Dubgaill. The fleet of 12 ships was strengthened by 20 more as the fleet stopped at Orkney on its way to the west coast of Scotland. According to saga accounts the fleet had grown to about 80 ships and over 3000 men by the time it entered the Firth of Clyde in around June. The force invaded the Isle of Bute and captured Rothesay Castle which was held by the powerful Stewart dynasty. The sagas tell of how the Norwegian force hewed the wall with their axes, because it was soft. Gilla Esbuig, who was severely wounded in the siege of Rothesay Castle, soon died and was buried in Iona. It was after the death of Gilla Esbuig Mac Dubgaill that Olaf took command of the fleet and by Autumn had taken control of Mann with ease. In 1226 the Norse Viking Olaf the Black became King of Man and the Isles. Eight centuries ago a Norse ship struggled in heavy seas off the Scottish island of Lewis. A proud Kintyre noblewoman named Lauon stood on deck cradling her newborn I infant son, Gillemorrie, in her arms while her husband, Olaf, shouted orders to the crew. Despite his Herculean efforts the ship foundered. Olaf, Lauon and their son plunged into the frigid waters and clung to a piece of driftwood near their sinking vessel. Fortune smiled upon the stoic trio, and they were deposited safe but wet upon the stony Lewis shore.
Lauon had married Olaf in 1214 and bore him one child (Gillemorrie). The fact that she was a cousin to Olafs first wife was unacceptable to the church. Bishop Reginald of the Isles declared their relationship incestuous, nullified the marriage and branded her son illegitimate. It was from this marriage that the Clan of Morrison thus sprang and how driftwood became our badge."
Gillemorrie, upon achieving manhood, married the last heiress of the Clan Igaa (also known as the Clan Gow). She held the stronghold of Pabbay Castle near the island of Harris as her birthright. Two distinct branches evolved - the Morrisons of Harris and the Morrisons of Lewis. The Morrisons of Lewis established a fortress named Dun Eistein on the northern tip of the island. They gave rise to ten generations of brieves (hereditary judges) which held sway over the area until 1613. This branch of the family vanished from the pages of history following the issuance of letters of fire and sword on 28 August 1616. Olav the Black His third wife, Christiana (daughter of Ferquhar, Earl of Ross), gave birth to Leod, the progenitor of the Clan McLeod.
In the late 17th century, the origin of the clan was documented within an historical account of Lewis written by John Morrison of Bragar, 'Indweller' of Lewis. The Indweller wrote this account sometime between about 1678 and 1688 and stated that the early inhabitants of Lewis were three men from three separate races.
"The first and most ancient Inhabitants of this Countrie were three men of three several races viz. Mores the son of Kenannus whom the Irish historians call Makurich whom they make to be Natural Sone to one of the Kings of Norway. some of whose posterity remains in the land to this day. All Morisones in Scotland may challenge there descent from this man. The second was Iskair Mac.Awlay ane Irish man whose posteritie remain likvise to this day in the Lews. The third was Macknaicle whose onlie daughter Torquill the first of that name (and sone to Claudius the sone of Olipheous, who likewise is said to be the King of Noruway his sone,) did violentlie espouse, and cutt off Immediatlie the whole race of Macknaicle and possessed himself with the whole Lews and continueth to his posteritie (Macleud of Lews) dureing 13 or 14 generations and so extinct before, or at least about the year 1600 the maner of his decay I omitt because I intend no historie but a descriptione"
Clan Morrison is of ancient origin, tracing their ancestery back to Ghille Mhuire, the natural son of King Olav. Ghille Mhuire, which means "the servant of the Virgin Mary" in the Gaelic tongue, is said to have washed onto Scottish shores clinging to a piece of driftwood, the tenacious survivor of a shipwreck. Once ashore, Ghille Mhuire soon established himself as a powerful figure in the Western Isles, marrying a Gow heiress who possessed the lands of Pabbay in the Sound of Harris. Their descendants were known as Mac Ghille Mhuire, which became anglicised to Morrison over the course of time.
The infant Clan put its roots down in Pabbay, and soon other Morrisons settled in the Isle of Lewis. The Morrisons mixed their royal blood with that of the great island Clans, and in 1346 Cedhain, a descendent of the mighty King Somerled, married the heiress of the Morrisons of Lewis. This brought the Morrisons into a closer alliance with the Lord of the Isles, for whom they acted as heriditary brehons, or judges on Lewis. This relationship provided the Clan Morrison with an enviable position of strength and influence in the Western Isles, until the Lord of the Isles' power was finally broken by the Scottish Crown in 1493.
The conflict between the Crown and the Lord of the Isles left the Lord's strength shattered and his control of the Isles little more than a memory. The Crown, however, could not effectively enforce royal justice in this distant region of the kingdom, and without the Lord's rule lawlessness reigned supreme. This left the Morrisons in a troubled position, the wisdom of the heriditary judges doing little to allay the bloodthirst of their many turbulent neighbours. While the Morrisons attempted to live a peaceful existence, they could not ignore the aggression of the bordering Clans, and were forced to battle with the Macaulays and the MacLeods.
After a fight with the MacLeods at the Caws of Tarbet, the chief was taken and imprisoned at Rodil. The MacLeods understimated the cunning of the proud Morrison, who soon escaped from the clutches of his captors. In fury, the MacLeods convinced the King to have the Morrison chief outlawed, and the fugitive soon found himself with the heir of a nation rising against him. Desperate times calling for desperate measures, the Morrison kidnapped a MacLeod heiress and forced the MacLeods to submit to his terms, obtaining a royal pardon in return for the maiden, who was returned unharmed to her Clan.
The MacLeods suffered the ultimate humiliation at the hands of the Morrisons, when a later Morrison chief, Hucheon, made a surprising confession upon his deathbed in 1566. Hutcheon finally let it be known that he was the natural father of Torquil, who until that time had been considered the son and heir of the MacLeod chief, Roderick MacLeod of Lewis. This led to further warring as Torquil was disinherited and his mother dismissed as an adulteror. The Morrisons sided with Torquil in his fight for his birthright, but lived to regret their alliance when he betrayed their loyalty, and invaded the Morrison lands.
By the 17th Century, many Morrisons had moved to Caithness and Sutherland on the mainland, although an 1861 Census listed over 1400 Morrisons left on Lewis to continue the tradition of their ancestors.
The Clan Morrison crest is a castle rising from the sea and the motto reads "Dun Eistein", and "Teaghach Phabbay" meaning "Castle Eistein" and "Phabbay family"
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