St. Comgan October 13

 St. Comgan

Feastday: October 13

Death: 8th century

Abbot and founder. He was the son of a prince of Leinster, Ireland, and the brother of St. Kentigern. Wounded by neighboring chieftains in a battle, Comgan fled with his sister and her children to Scotland. He settled in Lochaise, near Skye. There he built a monastery. He was buried on Iona.

Clan MacEacharn (Scottish Gaelic: Sìol Eachairn) were a group of families who occupied lands in the Kintyre, Islay, and Morvern regions of Scotland as well as island areas such as Mull and Tiree. They are traditionally known as one of the oldest Western Highland family names. The history of the Kintyre branch and its sub branches are well known, however the histories of the Islay and Morvern branches and the island branches is obscure.

Origins of Clan MacEacharn

The MacEacharns are known as Sìol Eachairn.[1] "The Seed of the Horse Lord". They are a clan with other clans branching from them.[2] The clan has no septs, only branch families known under different clan names.[2] The traditional seat of the MacEacharns was Killelan Estate in Southern Kintyre. Killelan translates as "the church of St Fillan". Saint Fillan's mother was Saint Kentigerna.[3] Saint Kentigerna was a Leinster princess. Her father was King Cellach Cualann. Along with her brother Saint Comgan[4] and her son Fillan she traveled to Scotland in the late 7th century AD.

The early 20th century scholar Rev. A.M. Sinclair noted that the genealogy of the MacEacherns was given in the Collectanea de Rebus Albanicis as "Andrew, son of Colin, son of Macrath, son of Gilchrist, son of Macrath, son of Marceartach, son of Cormac, son of Seth, son of Ferchar, son of Finlay, son of Nichol, son of Maine, son of Murdoch, son of Ectigern, who was called In Gamor". Sinclair speculated that the "In Gamor" may stand for an gainnear, meaning "the archer"; though also noted that it could also stand for an ceannair, meaning "the driver". Sinclair stated that Macrath, son of Ectigern had three sons—Gilchrist, Dugall, and Ranald. Gilchrist succeeded his father in Kintyre and was succeeded by his own son, Macrath, who was in turn succeeded by his son, Colin. Colin was in turn succeeded by his son, Andrew, who was chief of the clan in 1385. Sinclair also stated that Colin of Kilellan, a descendant of Andrew, was chief in the year 1493.[5]

Sinclair disagreed with the claimed ancestry of the Clan Dugall Craignish and stated further that in the House of Argyll and the Collateral Branches of the Clan Campbell.[6] , we are told that the MacCouls of Craignish are descended from Dugall Campbell, third son of Sir Archibald Gillespic Campbell. This statement is groundless, and contrary to known historic facts. MacCoul is a shortened form of Mac Dhughaill or MacDougall. MacCoul of Craignish means simply MacDougall of Craignish. There were two clan Dougalls in Scotland, the Clan MacDougalls of Lorn, who were descended from Dugall, son of Somerled of the Isles, and the Clan Dugall Craignish, who were descended from Dugall, son of Macrath, son of Ectigern. MacCoul is simply a contracted form of MacDougall. Both names are the same in Gaelic, Mac Dhughaill.[5]

The clan is not registered with the Court of the Lord Lyon and as such is not officially recognised as a clan.