For the ethnic roots of McAlasdrum, we must go back in time to Irish pre-history and the ancient Ulster kingdom of Dal Riada. The territory of Dal Riada lay along the north and east coasts of Antrim, the Western Isles of Scotland and the west coast of Scotland. It flourished as an independent Gaelic kingdom through to the 12th century when it’s Scottish territories were incorporated into the Kingdom of Scotland. The Antrim territories were in the kingdom of Ireland.
The line of descent for Alasdrum is :
Somerled and Ragnhilda (rulers of Dal Riada 1140-1164)
Ranald (d.1207)
Donald (a quo Clann Donald) (d.1250)
Angus Mor (Lord of the Isles) (d.1292)
Angus Og/Agnes O’Cahan (d.1329)
“Good” John/Margaret Stewart d/o Robert II (Lord of the Isles) (d.1380)
Ian Mhor/Marion Bisset (a quo Antrim McDonnells) (k.1427)
Donald Balloch (d.1476)
Sir Ian Mor (exec.1494)
Ian Cathanach (exec.1494)
Alexander (a quo McAlasdrums) (d.1538)
Coll Maol Dubh (d.1558)
Gillaspaig (k.1565)
Coll Ciotach (exec 1647)
Alasdair McColla Ciotach (k.1647 at Knocknanuss)
McAlasdrum was a direct descendant of Alexander McIain Cathanach McDonnell, chief of Clan Ian Mhor and disputed Lord of Clanranald. Alexander McIan consolidated the McDonnells of Antrim. In the Irish clan system, the head of these McDonnells had the personal title The McAlexander (or McAlasdrum in south of Ireland nomenclature).
Alasdair McColla Ciotach McDonnell was the youngest son of Coll Ciotach Mc Donnell of Colonsay in the Scottish Isles. Coll was a grandson of Coll Dhu and grand-nephew of Sorley Bhui. Following the execution of Coll Ciotach in August 1647, Alasdair assumed the chief-ships of Clan Ian Mhor and Clanranald South. He was an associate of Randal McDonnell 2nd Earl and Marquis of Antrim. Alasdair was knighted by the Earl of Montrose on behalf of Charles I in 1645 for his outstanding contribution to the Royalist campaign in Scotland. His family home was in Ballypatrick, Culfeightrin in County Antrim. His wife was Elizabeth daughter of McAllister of Loupe. He was said to be forty two years old at his death in 1647 – but he may have been as young as 32. His three sons survived him – Colla a’ Voulin (of the mill), Gillaspic Mor, and John of Tanaughconny, all of whom married and had children. Gillaspic (or Archibald) was Lord of Murlogh and Kilmore in 1662. He had his father’s giant stature (7 feet 2 inches) and was the only son to bear arms. He was a Captain in the Earl of Antrim’s regiment in King James’ army. At the Battle of Aughrim (August 1691), despite serious wounds, his extraordinary fighting prowess extricated the regiment from disaster. He died in 1720 aged 88 years.
McAlasdrum was a notable addition to the muster for the battle of Knocknanuss. His legendary vigour and courage were demonstrated in many campaigns against both Loyalists and Covenanters in Ulster. He was lucky to survive an action at Drummacquin near Raphoe in June 1642. When he was left for dead on the enemy defence work he was rescued by the O’Neills who took him home on a horse litter to recover. In June 1644 he led an expedition to Scotland but received poor support from the Highlanders despite many spectacular successes that cleared the Scottish Covenantors out of much of the Highlands and the Western Isles.
In May 1647, a few months before the muster at Kanturk, he returned from Scotland leaving most of his brigade of 1,600 clansmen from Antrim scattered or dead on a dozen battle fields and his own heroic campaign for Charles I unfinished. The wounds he received at Raphoe had not healed properly and his huge frame bore great pain; but being a man of action and of war he was restless to get back to fighting.
In July he got a command at Dungan’s Hill with a wing of Preston’s Royalists. The army was routed and McAllister had to battle his way out of the fiasco with 400 of his Glengarrys leaving another 400 dead or taken prisoner. The Confederate Council appointed him Governor of Clonmel where he had command of the McDonnell contingent in the army of Munster. The marauding army of Parliament taking care to stay clear of so formidable a foe.
He led the Munster regiment, as well as his own Glengarrys, when Taffe fled from Knocknanuss in 1647. He was shot through the head after being taken prisoner late in the evening. He was taken to Inchequin’s headquarters in Rathmaher House where he died within an hour. He was buried that night in the nearby orchard.
Ellen O’Callaghan of Clonmeen, wife of Donagh of The Rock arranged with Inchequin (who was her cousin), for the body to be re-buried in the O’Callaghan tomb in Clonmeen churchyard. There is a local tradition that Alasdair was billeted with Ellen before the battle and that they had a fruitful romantic liaison. The re-burial in Clonmeen took place three days later and followed the full honours and ceremonial rites for a Scots Gaelic chieftain. Despite the destruction of the church by Broghill in 1652, Alasdair’s body still lies in the tomb Ellen O’Callaghan of Clonmeen.
Alasdair was a great hero for the people of the south of Ireland. His death and funeral ceremonies were recounted in the famous processional tune McAlasdrum’s March, now alas completely lost. His great claymore was taken from Knocknanuss to Lohort Castle where it remained until 1898.
McAlasdrum’s descendants are numerous throughout the world. The lines his sons Coll a’Voulin and Gillaspic joined in 1825. His other son John, had one surviving son and his descendants are also numerous. The Glengarrys remained staunch Roman Catholic and retained the McDonnell version of the clan name. Following clearance from their ancestral lands after 1774, they moved into the Glasgow area where they stayed together and worked in the cotton industry. In 1794 they formed their own regiment of Glengarry Fencibles and were the first Catholic regiment in the British Army since the Reformation. They served in the island of Guernsey and in Ireland. During the 1798 rebellion they were involved in the siege of Derrynamuck in Wicklow, where Michael O’Dwyer escaped when his comrade John McAlaster drew the fire of the besiegers. The regiment disbanded in 1801 and the entire clan emigrated to Glengarry county Ontario. Their settlements in Canada are still very strong. Colonel Randal McDonnell, the chieftain of the clan, remained in Scotland. He died in 1828 and his son sold the property and settled in Australia. Randal’s brother was Colonel James McDonnell who heroically held the Huguenot Chateau at Waterloo and was supreme commander of British forces in Canada 1838-1841.
The full commemoration of Alsadair McDonnell at Clonmeen is available below;