In a message dated 7/18/2011 10:13:15 P.M. Central Daylight Time, tuulen@gmail.com writes: So, until further evidence appears, I can identify my genetic origin with confidence, but the origin of the Morrison name remains less certain, likely Irish, but only likely. That was well done. I was struck by the references to Columcille in the sources I saw. His church in the city of Derry had numerous connections with Iona in Scotland. In particular I have some data showing connections between another Inishowen family, the O'Brollaghans, and Iona. This doesn't have anything to do with O'Morrisons but is interesting (to me at least). The O Brolchain Family Notes from Reeves "Life of St. Columba," by Adamnan XLVII - Flaithbertach Coarb 1150-1175. [Introduction, p. clxxx] Surnamed Ua Brolchain. The family of Ua Brolchain were descended from Suibhne Meann, who wqas king of Ireland in 615, and belonged to the Cinel Feradhaich, a clan so called from Feradhach, grandfather of that Suibhne Meann, and fourth in descent from Eoghan, the founder of the Cinel-Eoghain race. The Cinel Feradhiach are now territorially represented by the barony of Clogher, in the south of the county of Tryone. The first of the O'Brolchan family who is mentioned in the Annals was Maelbrighde Ua Brolchan, styled prim saer Erren ["chief mason of Ireland"- Od Vers],, whose obit is entered in the ann. Ult. at 1029. >From him probably the masonic art of the family was derived, which was cultivated by Flaherty, and practiced by Donnell, with such success. The next was Maeliosa, the lector whose obit is entered above at 1086. He spent a part of his early life at Both-chonais in Inishowen, in the neighbourhood of which some of his writings were preserved in Colgan's time; and afterwards he founded a church seemingly at Lismore, called the derteac Maeiliosa, "Oratory of Maeliosa," which was burned in 1116. He died on the 16th of January, justly celebrated for his learning (Colgan, Acta SS. p. 108). His son, Aedh, succeeded him in the calling of professor, and died in 1095. Two years afterwards a son of Maelbrighde, surnamed Mac-an-tsaeir, who was bishop of Kildare, died. Maelcolaim Ua Brolchain, bishop of Armagh, died in 1122; and Maelbrighde Ua Brolchain, also bishop of Armagh, died, Jan. 29, 1139. The latter was probably father of the coarb Flaithbertach, whom the Annals of Ulster, aqt 1164, called Flaithbertach mac in epsuic hUi Brolcain, "Flaithbertach, son of the bishp Ua Brolchan," a lineage by no means in accordance with the delicacy of the Four Masters, and which, when copying the entry, they divest of its objectional character, in simply calling him Flaithbertach Ua Brolchain. Domhnall Ua Brolchain was prior of Derry, and died Apr. 27, 1202. His name is inscribed on one of the capitals in the cathedral of Hy, in the form Donaldus Obrolcan (vid. 1202, App. III). Finn Ua Brolchan was steward of O'Donnell in 1213; and Flann Ua Brolchain was coarb of Columcille in 1219. In 1548 died Sir John Obrolchan, rector of Kildalton, in Islay (Orig. Paroch. vol. ii. p 269) The name was afterwards writtten O'Brollaghan, and is now corrupted, in Ulster, to Bradley. Through the influence of Gilla-mac-Liag of Gelasius, the abbot of Armagh, who had himself been previously abbbot of Derry (an. 1137) , Flaithbertach Ua Brolchain was raised to the dignity of bishop in 1158, as is thus recorded by the Four Masters: "A Synod of the clergy of Ireland was convened at Bri-mic-Taidhg, in Meath, where there were present 25 bishops, with the Legate of the coarb of Peter, to ordain rules and good morals. It was on this occasion that the clergy of Ireland, with the coarb of Patrick, ordered a chair, like every other bishop's, for the coarb of Columcille, Flaithbertach Ua Brolchain, and the arch-abbacy of the churches of Ireland in general." He was a zealous advancer of the welfare of Derry, and during his incumbency many important additions were made to its ecclesiastical buildings; to precure funds for which, the abbot had, during the years 1150, 1151, 1153, 1161, visited, and obtained contributions from various territories in Ulster and Ossory. After a long life spent in the enregetic discharge of his duties, he died in 1175, at which year his obit is thus recorded by the Four Masters: "Flaithbertach Ua Brolchain, coarb of Columcille, a tower of wisdom and hospitality, a man on whom, on account of his goodness and wisdom, the clergy of Ireland had bestowed a bishop's chair, and to whom the abbacy of Hy (comhorbus Uae) had been offered (an. 1164), died in righteousness, after exemplary sickness, in the Duibhregles of Columcille; and Gilla-mac-Liag Ua Branain was appointed to his place in the abbacy." Donal O Brolchain [1202] "The unusual record on the capital of the tower column, DONALDUS OBROLOHAN FECIT HOC OPUS, and the coincidence of that record with the obit of Domhnall Ua Brolchain in the annals of Ulster at 1203, and of the Four Masters at 1202, the same name in its Irish form, are sufficient, if not to satisfy the mind, at least to afford material for reasonable conjecture, as to the builder." Surnames of Scotland Black O'Brolachain Flaitbheartach Ua Brolchain was offered the abbacy of Colum-cille in Iowa in 1164 (AFM, s.a.) but declined it. Domhnall Ua Brolchain, prior of Derry, perhaps a relative of Flaithbheartach, became abbot of Iona and was builder of the Bell Tower there, or at least of the lower part of it. He died in 1203 (AU.). The mutilated inscription in Lombardic letters on the southeast pier of the cathedral reads: "Donaldus O'Brolchan fecit hoc opus." Abbot Donald came of a famous family of masons of whom the earliest recorded is Maelbrighde Ua Brolchan, styled prim saer Erann, i.e. 'chief mason of Ireland.' (Adamnan, VC, p. 405). He died in 1029 (A.U. s.a.) The rectory of S. John the Evangelist at Kildaltane, Islay, was vacant in 1549 by the decease of Sir John Obrolchan (OPS, II, p. 269). Archibald McBrolachin was one of the tenants in Iona, 1677, and Lauchlan duy McBrolachan appears as merchant in Campbeltown, 1778 (Argyll). The name has been Englished Bradley and Brodie (Brody), although these names have no connection with it either in root or meaning. What I found interesting about this was there were O'Brollaghans (O'Brolchans) in Scotland long after known contact at Iona in the 13th century yet prior to the Irish exodus of the 1800s.. The O'Brollaghans were another Inishowen family, mostly connected to the church in Derry. The first two known Bishops of Derry were both O'Brollaghans, 1107-1139. John