Na Peadair

   ‘Peter’ comes from the Greek ‘petros’ meaning stone or rock. From ‘peter’ derives the word ‘petrify’ meaning to be converted or turned into stone, to become stiff and stone like, to stun or paralyse by terror. The Petrified Forest in Arizona has the greatest collection of materials that were turned into stone by some strange natural action millions of years ago.            Saltpetre = ‘salt rock’.   

 According to tradition, people first settled in Ranafast in 1736. It is very likely that the area was inhabited thousands of years earlier but when Pádraig and Seán Mac Grianra arrived from Stacarna (between Churchill and Kilmacrennan) they found an uninhabited peninsula. Seán settled to the west side of Tóin a’ Bhaile (Downtown Ranafast) where Muiris Charlie Coll now lives, while Pádraig settled  to the east. With the passage of time the surname changed to ‘Mac Grianna’ and was later anglicised as ‘Greene.’ Back home it is ‘McGrenra.’ Where the Mac Grianra originated from I’ve never heard. 

Sean and his wife, ‘Cailín Lag na Coille’, had a family. Their daughter, Róise, is well remembered as many locals are descendant from her. She married Pádraig Dubh Ó Domhnaill as na h-Oileáin. ‘Na h-Oileáin’ is that group of Islands off Burtonport – Inis Mhic a Duirn, Inis Cú, Inis Íochtar, Inis Caorach, Inis Saile, Inis Fraoich etc. Árainn Mhór and Uaigh were large enough and important enough to have their own identity. 

In 1608, Seán Mac Mánus Óg, after escaping capture from the English, settled in Inis Saile. Therefore the  O’Donnells of Inis Saile were descended from the mainline of the O’Donnell family.

It was customary for the O’Donnells of Inis Saile to name the first son ‘Seán’. 'Here is the list from the first Seán down – Seán Dearg, Seán Garbh, Seán Giortach, Seán Leathan, Seán Beag, Seán Mór, Seán Bheagaide and Johnnie. Johnnie went off to the U.S.A. and all contact with him was lost. His brother Donnchadh had a son, Seán whose first son was born in March 1931 and was christened ‘Paddy’ thus ending the custom. Paddy lives in Sligo and has a son Seán who has one child, a daughter called ‘Shauna’. As the people of the Islands intermarried, it is quite possible and highly probable that Pádraig Dubh was a descendant of the mainline O’Donnells. 

Pádraig and Róise had a family who are also well recorded. The eldest was Pádraig, commonly known as the ‘Joiner,’ his brothers Aodh and Séamus were stone masons and poets. Peadar was a shoe-maker and got married to a woman from Killult and went to live there. Manús was a cooper and married a girl from Bráid. Seán is less well remembered but he is important to us. We don’t know who was his wife but we do know they had two sons, Peadar agus Seán Óg. A few of Seán Óg’s descendants are still about but Peadar is our man. From him descended the group of people known as ‘Na Peadair.’

  

Síle Ní Arlaigh's father Seán was married to Máire Nic Eabharcaigh from Doire na Mainsear. Seán’s father was Tarlach ‘a hÁrlaigh from Bráid.   Tarlach was married twice –

1. Anna ní Dhomhnaill from Port Inis Míl

2. Gráinne Mhór Nic Giolla Easpaig as an  Bhráid.

 

 

Peadar Óg & Síle Sheáin ‘a hÁrlaigh had the following family

1)     Seán = Biddy Bhraighnidh Antoin (O’Donnell)

2)     Eoghan = Gracie Tharlaigh Bhriain (Duffy)

3)     Donnchadh = Biddy Néil Shéamuis(Sharkey)

4)     Peadar Beag = Síle Bheag Eoghain Mhóir(Boyle)

5)     Anna = Paddy Dhonnchaidh Eoghain Duibh(McCafferty)

6)     Bríd = Séamus Mhickí ‘ac Pháidín (McFadden)

7)   Rosie = Donnchadh Eoghainín (Gallagher)

(more to follow)

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