Culture & Ethnicity
A Story of the Scots-Irish © August 2002 by Melinda Shannon Freels Send me an email Most recent update to this website: 7/4/07 I have made every attempt to record the history of the Shannon Family as factually as possible. Genealogy is not an exact science. Every genealogist must rely on his or her abilities to analyze and interpret data often based on incomplete, inaccurate, ancient and often illegible information. With this disclaimer stated, I will add that most of the content contained in the pages of my website is based on hard evidence incuding information found in censuses, bible entries, early newspaper articles, records of birth and death, land grants and deeds, marriage records, court records, county histories, and military records. Please note that some information is based on my personal interviews with the oldtimers in my family. By orally passing the family's history down through the years, many of my kinfolk are still practicing the ancient craft of the seanchaidh. The material in this website is intended for personal use only and is not to be used for profit. For permission to reprint material contained herein please contact me at the email address above. I will try to answer all inqueries as time permits. I hope you enjoy my site. Haste ye back! Melinda  THE ORIGINS OF THE SHANNON FAMILY The Shannon Family, which has its roots in ancient Scotland, it very old and much revered. As the harpers to one of the greatest clans of Scotland, Clan Donald, and sept of the very prolific and powerful MacDonalds, the Shannon Family is one of great antiquity. (A "clan" is an extended family or group of families. A "sept" is a subsidiary family that has decided to join a clan for protection from enemies, financial gain, food or improved status; and is usually from the same geographical areas as the clan they joined.) According to Hew Shannan Stevenson in his article, The MacShannons of Lephenstrath, "the MacShannons of today are descended from the ancient family of McShenoig, the hereditary harpers to the Clan Donald, who held the important castle at Dunaverty Point on the south coast of Kintyre from the 13th to the 16th century. A rocky headland close to the ruins of Dunaverty Castle on the east side of Brunerican Bay is still called Rubba McShannuich, or MacShannon's Point. On a fine day you can see the coast of Ulster quite clearly from here. In 1505 the McShennoigs held the 4 merkland estates of Brunerican, Amod, Drumhereanoch, Dalsmeryl, Lagnadaf and Innynkew Callache, all in the Southend parish, rent free for their services as harpers, by 1541 a branch appears in Lyel and Lephenstrath which lie within two or three miles of the original harpers' lands. In 1596 at least two branches of the family were flourishing in Kintyre: Duncan Macochennach in Brunerican, Amod etc. and Murdoch MacOShennoig in Lyel and Lephenstrath." HISTORY OF THE SHANNON NAME The name "Shannon" or "Seanchaidh" (pronounced "shan-a-ghee") is found in the early census roll of the great Kings of Scotland. It's literal translation means "the tradition-bearer or story teller". Common spelling variations of the name were "Aschennan", "Shennan", and "Shennane". I have also seen the name rendered as "O'Seanain", "MacShannon", "Mac O'Shannaig", "MacShannachan", "O'Shannon", "O'Shaig" and finally - just plain "Shannon"! These variations sometimes changed even between father and son, causing much confusion in research. Also contributing to the confusion is that the name "Shannon" is frequently linked with the Irish surnames "Shanahan" of county Clare and "Sheenan" of county Tyrone and their derivatives, and additionally with the great River Shannon in Ireland. However, the Shannon's of Scotland and Northern Ireland were descended from the Dalridan race of the Hebrides Islands. Stevenson adds that "the name has undergone many variations from its original Gaelic. The Southend parish registers which begin in 1769, invariably give the name as McShenoig to start with, but towards the close of the 18th century and afterwards the older name gives place time and again to the more anglicised Shennan, Shannon and MacShannon. As well as in Kintyre, the name is found in Antrim, north east Ulster, all old Macdonald country. One of the earliest instances of the name must be the reference in the Annals of Ulster to 'Amlaim MacShenaigh, accomplished emperor of melody' who died of the plague in Tuaim-da-ghulann in 1371." According to The Book of Ulster Surnames, the Shannon surname first emerged in the southwest area of Scotland where they were the harpers to the MacDonalds who populated Kintyre. I have also seen numerous references and connections to the MacDonalds of Glencoe in the Scottish highlands. However, according to my own research conducted onsite at Glencoe, no Shannons were living there during the infamous massacre of the MacDonalds by Clan Campbell in 1692. It can not be ascertained exactly when the members of the Clan went their separate ways, but my guess is that the split coincided with the Protestant Reformation. The earliest reference to a Shannon ancestor that I have personally confirmed is to Chieftan Gilquhongill Aschennan, a tenant in Duo Knokis in the year 1376. Other members of the clan included Cuthbert Ashennane of Park who was succeeded by Robert Ashennane of Dunlop. The Shannon family has still not officially been recognized as a clan by the Lord Lyon of Scotland. The most ancient version of the Shannon found is red with a gold diagonal stripe. The Shannon crest is a black dog. (Please note the Shannon crest that you see linked to this site does not fit the above description and it is exactly the same as the crest for the Irish surname "Shanahan". Therefore, its authenticity as to this particular line is unlikely.) The Shannon family motto is "Virtute Duce," or translated from Latin, "under the guidance of valor." The tartan most associated with the Shannons is that of the Clan MacDonald of the Isles. (In a recent discussion with the Genealogist of Clan Donald, I was cautioned about the commercialization of the McDonald Clan name through various tartans and clan badges, so be careful what you purchase!) The icon most commonly associated with this family is the harp, the symbol of the story-teller, Seanchaidh. As Stevenson said, the name Shannon is found throughout Ulster, but especially in County Antrim. Fact: In the United States alone, Shannon is the 679th most numerous surname with an estimated 46,750 bearers. 
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