There are multiple reasons for Catholicism surviving in these areas of the Highlands and also in Lochaber where the Kennedys are still RC now. One was a counter-reformation led by Irish missionaries, the story is told by Fiona Macdonald in an excellent book which I would recommend for anyone interested in the subject; 'Mission to the Gaels'. http://books.google.com/books?ei=acQlTrrpOsy38QP6z6WcCw&ct=result&id=H4vYAAAAMAAJ&dq=mission+to+the+gaels#search_anchor Lewis which is more my interest is heavily Free Church as of 1843, the entire parish of Lochs left the Kirk except for one drunkard. There are quite a few Morrisons there inter-marrying with the Kennedys. Iain > Date: Tue, 19 Jul 2011 09:07:04 -0700 > From: agoforth@moscow.com > To: dna-r1b1c7@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [R-M222] New Tactics > > Doug, > > I've been to South Uist, Benbecula, and North Uist, so I understand > about the religious division between north and south. My > g-g-g-grandfather Allan MacDonald was a Catholic from the Clanranald > family on South Uist, most of whom converted to Presbyterianism. He > emigrated to Cape Breton Island in 1823. I think there was more > blurring along religious lines than I once thought. Also, my Highland > M222 MacAdam lines (emigrated to PEI and Nova Scotia) are Catholics, but > they have distant connections, probably predating the Reformation, to > the Presbyterian McAdams of the Scottish Lowlands. > > Allene > > On 7/19/2011 8:35 AM, tuulen wrote: > > Allene, > > > > Let me admit, that although the existing DNA evidence does not support the > > rumor, > > it is tempting to believe there could be an Irish genetic presence in the > > Hebrides. > > For instance, the Outer Hebrides are not far from Ireland, and while the big > > northern > > islands became predominantly Presbyterian following the Reformation, the > > smaller > > southern islands remained Catholic, to this day. > > > > That is not evidence, but it is an interesting coincidence. > > > > Doug > > > > > > On Tue, Jul 19, 2011 at 10:08 AM, Allene Goforth<agoforth@moscow.com>wrote: > > > >> Bernard, > >> > >> I have heard that story before, although the version I heard had the > >> Morrisons of Harris in the Outer Hebrides as the descendants. The > >> Benbecula U106, L48 McPhersons in my project who are matching a small > >> group of Harris and Pabbay Morrisons are believed to be descendants of > >> the MacMhuirich bards to the Lords of the Isles and later to Clanranald. > >> > >> Yes, we had a neat little Highland Games picture of the clans for a long > >> time, especially in North American. DNA testing is blowing all that out > >> of the water, and what an interesting show it is turning out to be. > >> Allene > >> > >> On 7/19/2011 6:40 AM, Bernard Morgan wrote: > >>> Scottish Morrisons in the area of southern Inner Hebrides are Irish > >> O'Muirgheasain, who were famed bards to the Hebridean lords (MacLeod& > >> MacLean). > >>> See "O'Muirgheasain Bardic Family" in Notes&' Queries of the Society of > >> West Highland and Island Historical Research, vi (1978), 3-7. > >>> ps. Rogellus Obrolchan was secretary to Alexander Lord of the Isles in > >> 1426. > >>> (My opinion is Scottish history became Anglo-centric and the Irish sort > >> only pure Irishness, so we left to rediscover the past world of western > >> seas.) > >>> R1b1c7 Research and Links: > >>> > >>> http://clanmaclochlainn.com/R1b1c7/ > >>> ------------------------------- > >>> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > >> DNA-R1B1C7-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >> > >> R1b1c7 Research and Links: > >> > >> http://clanmaclochlainn.com/R1b1c7/ > >> ------------------------------- > >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > >> DNA-R1B1C7-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >> > > R1b1c7 Research and Links: > > > > http://clanmaclochlainn.com/R1b1c7/ > > ------------------------------- > > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to DNA-R1B1C7-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > R1b1c7 Research and Links: > > http://clanmaclochlainn.com/R1b1c7/ > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to DNA-R1B1C7-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message