Notes on the MacCourt Family History

(by John MacCourt : 1880 - 19--)     A special thank you to the MacCourt Family for giving us permission to add this page to our Web Site:

Kinel-Eogan is in County Tyrone, and was the domain of the "O'Neills." The MacCourts were Chieftans of Dungannon area, County Tyrone, under the "O'Neills" of Tyrone. Closely connected with the O'Neills with family ties, were MacCourts, MacFetridge, MacVeigh, all descended from "The Three Collas," (brothers), who ruled in Ulster. Colla Uais, "Vais," being the direct Ancestor.
The MacCourts, descended from "Eogan" or "Owen," Son of the great Niall of the Nine Hostages- an Irish King who laid all Britain and Gaul to waste tribute.
Dungannan is the centre of the MacCourt territory.

The Name "MacCourt" means:

Mac -------- Son of
Cu. -------- The War Dog
Airt. -------- "Art," or Art O'Neill, King of Ulster.

Therefore, MacCuairt- Son of the war dog of Art (King Art).

The MacCourts, being of Royal Blood, were the hereditary Standard Bearers of Ulster, and were in Centuries, responsible for the assembling or mustering of the Ulster Armies, at the "Fews," the exact Mustering Place being on the banks of the "Fane," which devides Monaghan and Armagh at the Muster place- 10 Irish Miles West of Newry, and about the same distance North West of Dundalk, and just ten miles South of Armagh. It was in the very centre of ancient Ulster --- The Ulster, whose boundaries were set by the the "Three Collas" -- The Northern Race of Hy-Nial, which family gave us King Niall of the Nine Hostages.

MacCuairt, now MacCourt, apperars in ancient history as-

Murchertach, or Muircheartach, (pronounced "MacCourty")
MacEarcha and MacKarca are pronounced "MacKoorta" or "Mac Koorka."
"H" is silent in pronounciation, and "E.A." or "EA" is pronounced as "Oo."
The prefix syllable is pronounced "Ea" or "Cu" - That is, "Oo" or "Cu."
O'Neills and MacCourts are buried alongside in Creggan Churchyard in County Armagh- a short distance from Cullyhanna. All of the Royal O'Neills of the Fews are buried there.
The Red Hand of Ulster in granite is inset in the Slate Tombstone.
The MacCourts and the O'Neills rest alongside, and within sight of the old Rallying Place of the North. (Creggan Church is now in Protestant hands).

Fergus, Son of Murtough MacEarca (MacCourt), fought the battle of Sligo, in 583 A.D., against the King of Connaught, in which the Connaught Forces were defeated and the Connaght King killed.
David MacOreghty, or MacCourty, was consecrated Archbishop of Armagh in 1334 A.D., but was prevented from reigning because of English opposition at the time. The English claimed that Dublin was the rightful Seat of the Primate of all Ireland. Archbishop MacOreghty or MacCourty died on 16/5/1346.

The Name "Courtney" is not Irish- this is an English name, in fact, the first "Courtney" appearing in Ireland was a Relative of the English King, and was made Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in 1383 A.D.

Shamus MacCourt (MacCuairt), born in O'Meath, who died in 1745, was the last of the Major Poets of Ulster who wrote in Gaelic.

Brian MacCourt of Cullyhanna, County Armagh, was the last of the Ulster Hedge School Masters, who in spite of English Penal Laws, continued to teach the Irish through the medium of the Gaelic language.

A Brian MacCourt fought through the "1798" Rebellion, in Ulster. His Son, another Brian, was evicted from his land, 120 acres, in 1846 (Famine Year). This land was located in a townland, known locally as "Tear Island," because it is a block of land consisting of Fifty Two Farms, from which the Irish were evicted during the Famile Years of 1845, 46 and 47, near Cullyhanna, County Armagh.

Patrick MacCourt, father of the Writer of this Article, started life as a School Master, but drifted into the "Royal Irish Constabulary" of which Organization, he Rose to the Rank of Inspector- Equivalent to Colonel in the Regular Army. He was Inspector of Moville District, when the Invincible Movement took form and became active. This was a Branch of the Fenian Organization. Patrick MacCourt refused to do the dirty work required of him by the British Government. He, with some thirty of his Command, resigned and left Ireland- Exiles for Irish Nationality. This Patrick MacCourt went to Scotland, where he died, his family in time moved to Canada and the United States.

His Son, John MacCourt, revivied the poetic ability displayed by Shamus MacCourt in the early Eighteenth Century. He is a Writer of some repute, and has written an Ulster History, a History of Ireland, a History of The Celts and the Gaels, a History of North West America, which features the great part taken by Irish Pioneers in the development of Canada. It is worthy of notice that this Scion of the Gaelic MacCourts served Canada in the Second World War, as Comptroller of the Canadian Merchant Navy, and was decorated by the King for his Services (M.B.E.)

The family history confirms that the MacCourts were ever on the side of Irish Ireland, fought in all the Ulster Wars, helped Malachy II to finish the Danes after Clontarf, fought all through the Wars of the "O'Neills" to win Irish Freedom, served with the Irish Brigade in France, fought at the Boyne, at Limerick, and have been in the field ever since when pikes were levelled and fighting had to be done.

MacCurt and MacCurtain are forms of the name.

The Coat of Arms is that of Colla Vais, MacVeigh, MacCourt and MacFetridge --- See MacArt's Irish Pedigrees.

Patrick John MacCourt in the American Air Force, during Second World War.

MacCour,t a Tyrone family hailing from Dungannon, anciently Ulster Standard Bearers. MacCourts and Royal O'Neills buried alongside in Creggan Church Yard, County Armagh. Family first dispossessed of their lands during Queen Elizabeth's Reign, and again evicted, 1846, at Mullaghbawn, County Armagh.

James MacCuarta or MacCourt, South Ulster Poet of distinction, 1690-1740.

The name MacCourt in Gaelic is MacMoal Cuairt, and means "The Hound of Art" (ie: The War dog of King Art. Refernce to King Cormac MacArt, King of Ulster- Cormac, Son of Airt, who reigned 266 A.D.)

Family tradition claims descent from the Line of King Cormac MacArt, who because of the loss of an eye (this disfigurement barred him from continuing to reign), King Cormac Art died at Cleiteach, on the bank, South of the Boyne, in A.D. 266. King Cormac was a Poet and Writer of note. He wrote the "Chronicles of Ireland," known as the "Saltair of Teamhair." Every generation of the MacCourts has produced a poet of some worth.

The MacCourts have ever been Gaelic Irelanders.

O'Hanlon, Family descended from "Redmond Rory" O'Hanlon, who held out against the English for 25 years after the finish of the Williamite War in Ireland. He made his Headquarters in the Mourne Mountains and virtually controlled the Counties of Louth, Down, and Armagh during this time. The most successful Guerilla Fighter of his age. Was a constant Scourge to the English and was never defeated. Redmond was at length assassinated at orders of the English.

MacConville, O'Donahy, O'Sheridan, and MacGenis included in the MacCourt's Ancestry are all ancient Gaelic Families of the Chieftan class.

This information on the MacCourts is copied from the family Record maintained in the family of John MacCourt.

THE STORY TELLERS

We are the chosen.

In each family there is one who seems called to find the ancestors. To put flesh on their bones and make them live again, to tell the family story and to feel that somehow they know and approve.

To me, doing genealogy is not a cold gathering of facts but, instead, breathing life into all who have gone before. We are the story tellers of the tribe. All tribes have one. We have been called as it were by our genes.

Those who have gone before cry out to us: Tell our story. So, we do.

In finding them, we somehow find ourselves. How many graves have I stood before now and cried? I have lost count. How many times have I told the ancestors you have a wonderful family you would be proud of us? How many times have I walked up to a grave and felt somehow there was love there for me? I cannot say.

It goes beyond just documenting facts. It goes to who am I and why do I do the things I do.

It goes to seeing a cemetery about to be lost forever to weeds and indifference and saying I can't let this happen. The bones here are bones of my bone and flesh of my flesh. It goes to doing something about it.

It goes to pride in what our ancestors were able to accomplish. How they contributed to what we are today.

It goes to respecting their hardships and losses, their never giving in or giving up, their resoluteness to go on and build a life for their family.

It goes to deep pride that they fought to make and keep us a Nation. It goes to a deep and immense understanding that they were doing it for us. That we might be born who we are. That we might remember them. So we do.

 With love and caring and scribing each fact of their existence, because we are them and they are us.

So, as a scribe called, I tell the story of my family. It is up to that one called in the next generation to answer the call and take their place in the long line of family storytellers.

 That, is why I do my family genealogy, and that is what calls those young and old to step up and put flesh on the bones.

(Author unknown)

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