GLENCOLMCILLE MCGINLEYS

As we have mentioned earlier, despite the clan originating in the north Donegal area of Tullaghobegly/Raymunterdoney/Clondahorky, we do have on record some early McGinleys in the south west Donegal area of Carrick/Glencolmcille/ Meenacross. These McGinleys were another branch who instead of heading south through the Muckish Gap to Glenswilly went westwards and out to the coast. From here they headed south until they came to Glencolmcille. This area at the time would have been very sparcely populated. The only clan known to be living in the area at the time was the Mac Nialluis/McNelis clan. So there was plenty of room in this bleak, mostly hilly bogland. Since the late 1700's these McGinleys broke into two branches, the Glencolmcille McGinleys and the Meenacross McGinleys (although collectively they are all still called the Glencolmcille McGinleys). In history, the Meenacross McGinleys have made the greatest impact on the world by far. Here follows two interesting accounts relating to McGinleys in that area.

BRIGHID MCGINLEY
1660

There is an interesting story relating to a young child by the name of Brighid McGinley dated to about the year 1660. The author T.C. McGinley recalls the story in his book, "The Cliff Scenery of South Western Donegal". Brighid (pronounced Breed and/or Breedge) was a child aged about two and a half. She lived at a place called Croughlin. One day she was carried off by a large eagle while she was playing outside her home. The eagle took her higher and higher into the air, out over the sea and managed to carry her as far as Carrigan Head, where the Martello Tower now stands. The child was alive and well but bore the marks of the eagle on her chest and shoulders for the rest of her life. She later married and lived till nearly one hundred years of age! This early account has been passed on down through her family and is part of the local folklore. The date would suggest that her father probably left the north Donegal area as a consequence of the failed 1609 Rebellion.

BONNIE PRINCE CHARLIE
1746

Another interesting story recalls how the famous Bonnie Prince Charlie was helped by a McGinley. The story can be found in the book ‘The Cliff Scenery of South Western Donegal’ by T.C. McGinley. In the year of 1746 Bonnie Prince Charlie, or Prionsa Teárlach as he was known in Gaelic, was fleeing Scotland on his way to France. His journey was kept secret among his followers as he was now the number one enemy of the English, but it is known among the folklorists that he stopped off for a break on his long journey at Malinmore in the south west of Donegal. He first called upon a man called Robin Hamilton, a Scotsman, and no doubt a loyal follower. He spent a considerable time around Malinmore and Glen waiting for the ship that would take him safely to France. The night before his journey he stopped at Meenacross and spent the night at the house of a man called McGinley. His wife had little or no English. Bonnie Prince Charlie also spoke French but she had none. She then addressed him in the only language she knew, Irish Gaelic. She told him that she had prepared a bed for him and he understood every word since he was also able to speak Scottish Gaelic. The two variants of the same language being virtually the same at that point. The next morning, the woman’s son, also called Cathal/Charles, took the Prince to his waiting ship. The Prince warmly grasped his hand and gave him an affectionate farewell saying "Charles I bid you farewell, and the farewell I now take of you is taken of all my rightful subjects." The Prince sailed off for France! The hand of young Cathal/Charles McGinley was the last the Prince felt as he sailed off into exile. Meanwhile, the English were busy hunting for the Prince on the Scottish island of Barra!

The Glencolmcille McGinleys were early noted as musicians of the fiddle. There were a few travelling musical families in Donegal in the 1700's, 1800's and 1900's of whom the McGinleys were possibly the oldest. The most noted of these McGinleys was Seán Mhosaí Mag Fhionnghaile, also known in English as John Mhosie McGinley. The fiddle playing dynasty took their skill from Maoise Mag Fhionnghaile/Moses McGinley. He was born around the early 1800's and he was most likely from the Glencolmcille/Carrick area. It was said that his father was a good musician in the late 1700's, but we do not know his name or which instrument he played, but it shows that music was in the blood of the Glencolmcille McGinleys since the 1700's. Maoise (pronounced Meesha or Mweesha) lived at Loch Inse an elevated townland in the south west of the county. He was a blacksmith by trade and played the fiddle as often as he could. He had ten children, most of them musical with Seán Mhosaí (a nickname for Moses his father) the most gifted. To distinguish between the numerous McGinley families of the south west, it was the custom 'to give as a middle name' the name of the father, hence Maoise or Mosaí. As a group they were then called the Mosie McGinleys. Many McGinleys from this line were to become some of the best fiddlers in the county, if not the country. The old house belonging to the Mosie McGinleys no longer stands but the byre of the family home can still be seen. A lot of the repertoire of this family can still be heard among other more modern Donegal fiddlers.

The eldest of the Mosie McGinleys was Muiris Mhosaí Mag Fhionnghaile and he is the best documented, even though he was not among the better fiddlers. He joined the Royal Irish Constabulary aged 24 on September 18th 1854. Documents in the State Papers show that he was born in the year 1830. He was five feet and eight and a half inches tall and single at the time of joining up. He had a brief period of seven months of probation in the Depot at Pheonix Park, Dublin. By 1855 he was a Sub Constable. He was transfered to Co Louth in 1863 and became the Sergeant there in 1873. While stationed in Co Louth he got married to a girl from Monaghan in 1868. His record while serving with them was nothing special and he retired aged 49 on November 10th 1879.

There are no records to give us a birth date for Seán Mhosaí Mag Fhionnghaile but he was the youngest of the family and was probably born in the early 1850's. One source gives 1858. Seán Mhosaí spent much of his teenage and young adult years travelling around the northern counties and even went to Scotland. For a while he was a seller of clothes but was best remembered for selling fish from his cart and his music ofcourse. He played his fiddle at house gatherings and at more formal functions such as weddings. The legendary fiddle player John Doherty once said that his father was the best fiddle player that he ever heard and his father said that Seán Mhosaí was the best that he had ever heard. One piece of legend comes down to us regarding Seán Mhosaí. He was travelling through Co Cork at one point when he heard some fiddle music in the distance. He went closer to find that it was an open air fiddle competition. It was typical of the time not to find the ordinary working class people attending these events, but rather the upper classes. Seán was a simple peasant, in dress and manners. He was wearing old dirty work clothes and no one would let him enter. He had his fiddle in hand (he was rarely without it) when someone noticed and suggested to the disgruntled audience that he should at least be given a chance. He started to play some wonderful melodic tunes. The assembled audience stood amazed and offered him the first prize.

Another story relating to him recalls when the noted fiddler Mickey Mór Doherty was playing along with his sons and a few other musicians in a pub at Churchill. Shortly, a weary looking fellow entered the premises and sat down quietly to listen to the music. After a while he asked Mickey Mór, a man of great musical repute in the area, to play a particular tune, which he did. After a short while the stranger remarked that he had not played all of the piece and infact had missed out an important part of it. Mickey Mór asked the stranger to play it as he and the crowd would be interested to hear it. Seán Mhosaí played the tune, all of the tune, with great gusto. The audience loved the performance. Mickey Mór shook the hand of the stranger and told the group that this man could only be the great Seán Mhosaí of Glencolmcille. Indeed one gentleman was reported to have 'double-checked' by looking out of the door and saw the famous white horse and cart!

According to those at the time, Seán Mhosaí had a brilliant attacking style and was a strong volume player. He often taught many of the youger fiddlers of the area, especially during winter time when he travelled much less. He was said to be a great composer. Some tunes he composed include 'The Atlantic Roar', 'The Rambling Pony' 'The Glen Road to Carrick', 'Tabaca Daor' and 'Gealach na gCoinleach'. Another member of this great family included Padaí Mhosaí, a brother who lived a much more settled life but was still a reasonable fiddle player. Not of the immediate family was Andaí (Andy) Mag Fhionnghaile who came from Glencolmcille itself. He too was a good fiddle player and lived at the end of the 1800's. The tradition has continued into the twentieth century with the name of Con Mag Fhionnghaile/Con McGinley, a noted fiddle player who was born in Meenacross.

Outwith the world of traditional Irish music, the Glencolmcille McGinleys were noted in writing and religious circles. This for the most part is due to T.C. McGinley (born 1830) and his descendants. T.C. McGinley was an accomplished writer known by his pen-name of Kinnfaela. His main occupation was as a school teacher. His 'The Cliff Scenery of South Western Donegal' was issued in 1867 and proved popular. He was the number one teacher for the whole south west Donegal area. He was born in Meenacross not too far from Glencolmcille. At school he was a bright pupil and by 1847 was accepted on the recommendation of his teacher as an apprentice teacher in Fintra National School. He had a great love of Irish music and no doubt knew the Mosaí McGinleys well. His sons were important figures within the religious world, none greater that Bishop John B. McGinley. A son James was Dean of the Diocese of Raphoe and Parish Priest at Ballyshannon. Another, Leo, was a professor in Religious studies and Theology in Philadelphia.

As far as we can tell, T.C. was an only child. When he was six months old, his father Henry died and his mother, Catherine (nee Campbell) is said to have taken him to live with a relative in Drumbarity near Killybegs. He was a very knowledgable man, who had access to the Linenhall Library when he was in Belfast. He was a frequent visitor to the library. This is when he met with many great luminaries of the period, many of whom had family members involved in the failed 1798 Rebellion. He learned much about Irish history from them. He is said to have met Robert MacAdam, the noted Irish language enthusiast, engineer, editor and inventor. He knew Pádraig Ó Beirn, the talented scholar, poet and teacher and many more. As a teacher he taught Irish, English, Latin, Greek, Biology, Maths, Geography and History (and probably alot more too!).

The McGinley family of Glencolmcille, (including the Mosie and Meenacross families) were, from the mid 1600's until the start of the twentieth century, the main and dominant surname in the greater Glencolmcille area. From the south west of Donegal, mostly from the Meenacross McGinleys, they have given many musicians, teachers and religious figures to Co Donegal and the wider world. Apart from the townland of Meenacross, the McGinleys have been, since the early 1600's, very common in the townland of Meenacharvey.