Archibald McNEILL of Ballymascanlon
- Born: 1627, Tirfergus, Argyll, Scotland
- Died: 5 Feb 1696, Ballymascanlon, Louth, Ireland aged 69
General Notes:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballymascanlan
In 1688 the brothers Malcolm and Archibald Mcneill, officers of William III land in Dundalk and defeat the Celtic Scanlons in the Battle of Ballymascanlon.
http://www.kintyremag.co.uk/1999/27/page6.html
THE TORY HUNTERS
We were interested to hear from the Secretary of the County Louth Archaeological and Historical Society enquiring as to the family origins of Malcolm and Archibald McNeill, two of the sons of Lachlan McNeill Buidhe of Tirfergus. Mr Ross tells us that whlle the local guide books say they arrived in 1588 the earliest trace of them is in 1593. A lease of 1694 to Blayney Townley and Archibald and Malcolm Macneale of the lordship of Ballymascanlon indicates they had held the land for the previous year. Family tradition had it that thirty or forty families had emigrated with them. Although there are now no McNeills in the district there are many McAllisters presumably of Kintyre ancestry.
Archibald died on 5th February 1696 and Malcolm in June 1731. Malcolm was very prominent in the affairs of the Dundalk/Ballymascanlon Presbyterian Church, in accordance with the tradition on this side of the Channel he was a prominent Tory hunter and there are records of monetary rewards paid to him. But nothing is known in Ireland of Para Mor, who it was believed in Kintyre was his prize prisoner. Malcolm's daughter married Rev. Patrick Simpson, the son of old Lachlan Buidhe's fifth daughter Isabel McNeill and her husband Rev. David Simpson, Minister in Islay. Rev. Patrick was Minister of Dundalk. He was second of four Scottish Ministers in that charge. He became quite an extensive landowner and was in great demand as a preacher of Gaelic. He took part in the translation into Gaelic of a catechism and with others was charged with the task of preaching in Gaelic to Highland soldiers stationed in Dublin. His brother the Rev. Neil Simpson had no doubt a quieter life in Gigha. Patrick died in 1780 aged 99.
No 33 Spring 1993
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