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Examination of Brian Modder McHenry O Cahan

  • Reference:  MS 838, fols 029r-030r
  • County: Derry
  • Date: 11/3/1653
  • Type: Commonwealth
  • Nature of Deposition: Arson, Death, Military Action, Multiple Killing
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  • How to Cite
    • fol. 29r



    [ ] 4243

    <symbol> The Examinacion of Brian Modder McHenry O Cahan of Maddebenny in the County of Londonderry Gentleman taken before us at Colerane the said eleventh day of March 1652
    Who being duely examined saith That about five dayes after the Newes of the Irish Rebellion came into Colerane, he dwelling neere the Bann about two Miles from Colerane, for feare Sir Phelomy roe should come over the Bann and plunder them removed his family and goods unto his father in law Gilduffe <A> O Cahans house called Dunseverick Castle where afterwards h{e} constantly made his abode; That after the Murder at Port naw was committed by Alester McColl McDonnell & h{is} this Examinants brother in law Tirlagh Oge O Cahan, as the s{aid} Tirlagh soone after it told him this Examinante that they did {} also he told this Examinante That James McColl came to the {} the Morning the Murder was Committed & marched with {} to Craigballinoe. And this Examinante further saith That w{hen} the Irish Army about two or three dayes after the said Mur{der}came unto Craigballinoe about a Mile from Dunseveric{} he this Examinante or his father in law Gilduffe O Cahan & his brother in law Henry McHenry did not goe out unto them but kept the Castle of Dunseverick and admitted none to come into it except the said Gilduffe sonnes Tirlagh Oge O Cahan & Connogher reagh O Cahan this Examinants brothers in law, who that night came from the Irish Army at Craigballinoe and told this Examinante of the killing the <B> Brittish at Portnaw, & also the said Tirlagh told this Examinant and his said father Gilduffe & Henry McHenry how he & his brother Connogher and their men had killed John roe Spence his Tennant & his wife & some others who dwelt at a Towne about one Mile from Dunseverick, whereupon the said Gilduffe O Cahan kneeled downe upon his knees & cursed them for killing his servants. And he saith That none of the Irish Army then at Craigballinoe came unto Dunseverick Castle unlesse his said sons, & one Colonell Manus roe O Cahan, which Collonell Manus was not suffred to come in, but only tooke a Cupp of drinke at the Gate and went back unto the Army, for he this Examinante saith, That at that time his said father in Law Gilduffe

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    4244 [ ]

    Gilduffe and his said brother Henry McHenry & he this Examinante kept Dunseverick Castle, not knowing who were their friends or who were their foes. And this Examinante saith, That the next day, he could from the Castle of Dunseverick see the Irish Army March towards Dunluce which he heard they burnt & that he heard they marched thence through the Countrey towards Colerane & back againe unto Oldstone. But he this Examinante and his said father in law Gilduffe & Henry Mc <C> Henry his brother in law, did not stirr out of Dunseverick neither did go along with the Army unto Dunluce, Colerane, Oldstone, Ballentoy or any other place they went against, save onely that one time this Examinante went unto his brother in law Tirlagh Oge O Cahan who lay with his Company of men a mile from Ballentoy, & also he heard That one time his said father Gilduffe went unto Ballentoy but never knew Henry McHenry to go there. And further he saith, That when James McColl McDonnell, James McHenry, & Alester McColl with their forces besieged Colerane he was sometimes sent for by them unto their Campe at Peter Lowries and the Sterlins houses in Ballyrathene Parish, to muster & make a show before Colerane to fright & amaze the English & Scotch of the Towne & Garrison of Colerane. And that after a dayes stay he did commonly <E> returne unto Dunseverick, And that he see none kill’d about Colerane or in the Root except one Murtagh who was shott in the head by one of Alester Mc Colls men very neer the Towne, this Examinante with the Irish Army being then standing upon the Spittle hill about a Muskett shott distant from the place where he the said Murtagh was killed. And that he never see any one else kill’d in the Root but he hath seen about forty dead Corpses of men Lying in severall places of the Root unburied but by whom they were kill’d, he saith he doth not know, but believes the Irish kill’d them.. And this Examinante further saith, That when the Scotch Army came into the Root in May 1642, he and all the Irish fled over the Bann & that <f> he went unto Ossory in the Queens County that the Earle of

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    fol. 30r



    of Antrim gave him a peece of Land there free, which he Lived upon five yeares, and then Owen Roe McArt O Neill made him Lieutenant of his Troope with whom he served A yeare & an halfe. And further he saith not:

    Tho: Coote
    Rich: Brasier Maior



    Richard Brasier
    Thomas Coote



     

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