Talk:Clan MacEacharn

St Fillan and Kentigerna

How is the bit about St Fillan and Kentigerna relevant to the MacEacherns?--Brianann MacAmhlaidh (talk) 10:51, 17 January 2010 (UTC)

It may not be. The name is of Irish origin, but for all the experts opinions all they really can say is its actual langauge derivation, being the combination of horse and lord. The second part of Saint Kentigerna's name being "gerna" is unusual for a female. By this I mean the term "lord" is an extremely unusual word to have in a female name of Irish origin. You may notice that in the Annals the name is of male gender and ends with either an n or an e. There is a Saint Kentigern (Mungo) being male. The difference in the name being (a) at the end. McEachern is written in Latin with an (a) at the end. This strongly indicates the clan name has a female gender.

When St Kentigerna travelled to Scotland she travelled with her brother St Comgan. Clan Cowan are a Kintyre clan and they are the followers of St Comgan. Clan Cowan have not been known by their original ancient name for over 350 years now. In 1647 they were listed as M'Ilchoen as some of the men massacred at Dunaverty. Their ancient name used to be MacEichgillychomgan. Three generations of this name are written on the market cross at Inverarry. The name translates as son of the horse servants (or followers) of St Comgan.

McEachern may well be just a combination of these two names. Nothing more. Clan Cowan do not match with me DNA wise as they are a different haplogroup.

St Kentigerna's son (Fillan) was supposed to be fathered by Feriach, a prince from Munster. I can find no information on Feriach except for obscure references. Fillan was also "supposed" to be deformed and is the Patron Saint of the Mentally Ill.

Kilellan as named in Kintyre seems quite out of place. Fillan was not known to have had a church in Kintyre, however all other names in south Kintyre with kil in them were named after churchmen or Saints. Kilellan is situated 6 miles north of St Columbas Church in South Kintyre. It seems unusual that our ancestral "land" is named the Cell of St Fillan.

The MacEacharns had been that long in Kintyre that for centuries there was speculation that they were the Epidii of Kintyre. Even Rev Dugald had no idea that we were not the Epidii. The Epidii were known as the horse people of Kintyre. I understand that the Roman Goddess Epona may be based on the Epidii. Any way there is a very strong "horse" connection hence the speculationAmceache (talk) 10:57, 18 January 2010 (UTC)