This article may interest some who had family “disappear” in 1603 Mike Boyd Brisbane >From The Irish Link, No. 5 June 1985, page 34-35 it says:- "The MacDonnell who came to Kilraught "The Island of Islay lies off the est coast of Scotland and due north of Rathlin Island and 25 miles north of the coastline of County Antrim. The Clan MacDonnell were chiefs of this and other isles. From the 13th century Irish chiefs hired gallowglass or mercenary soldiers from the Isles to strengthen their forces. There was inter-marriage. In the 14th century Margery, one of the Norman family of Bisset who had settled in Co., Antrim married John Mor MacDonnell, Lord of the Isles, and the MacDonnells commenced settling in Co Antrim to the annoyance of the English. Efforts to drive them out proved fruitless so in 1561 Queen Elizabeth appointed James MacDonnell, Chief of the Clan, "captain" of the area between the Rivers Bush and Bann, formerly the territory of the McQuillins. "When James died in 1601 his brother Randal MacDonnell became chief of the Antrim MacDonnell and broke with the MacDonnells of Islay. To bolster his strength he, though a Roman Catholic, brought Scots Presbyterians from the Lowlands and settled them in his territory, displacing the RC natives. The Scottish families were the Adams, Armours, Boyds, Biggarts, Blairs, Borelands, Elders, Hannas, Hamiltons, Kilparticks, Knoxs, Lamonts, Lillys, Lusks, McDowells, McMasters, McNeils, McClures, Ramseys, Robinsons, Stewarts, Thompsons, Tweeds, Wrights. In 1641 the Roman Catholics rose in rebellion and endeavoured to exterminate the Protestants. This brought a Scottish army under General Munroe to north Antrim. General Munroe considered Episcopalians and Roman Catholics equally his enemies with the result that in the parish of Kilraughts, for instance, there were no RCs in it 1768 and even today there is not an Episcopalian Church (Church of Ireland) in it though there was one before General Munroe arrived. "At least six of the Moderators of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland have been ministers from Kilraught and some were remarkable men. Rev. John Tennent was never absent on a single Sunday during his 57 years ministry there. His son William became an eminent banker. He founded Tennent & Co. Bank which later became the Belfast Banking Company which for most of its duration did not employ a Roman Catholic, with the result that it was very successful. Loyal Protestants banked there as did Roman Catholics who were certain that their bank balance would not be disclosed to the parish priest. The Rev. William J Stavely who became minister at Kilraughts in 1804 preached sermons as long as four hours. (from local Young Farmers' Club magazine sources mainly)' If any of these families belong to you and you have not already looked at County Antrim as a place they might have migrated to, You will need to contact the Local Studies Library at Ballymena. Good hunting Mike Boyd