Mac Eoin = Bissett. This was a Gaelic lineage-based noble style the family early adopted, after their ancestor John (Eoin) Bissett who had migrated from Scotland. It is also written McKeown
(Note to self and others, the Annals of the Four Masters were compiled by O'Donnell partisans and are, even if valuable, not entirely reliable where the O'Donnells are concerned.)
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AU1257.1(col. 2): John Bisset, destroyer of churches and of Gaidhil, perished by the sudden death. / Ieoan Bisset, malartach ceall & Gaeidhel, subita morte periit.
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AU1287.2: A host was led by Richard de Burgh namely by the Earl of Ulster (that is, the Red Earl) into Tir-Eogain, whereby he deposed Domnall, son of Brian Ua Neill and Niall Culanach O'Neill was made king by him. And when the Earl left the country, Niall Culanach was killed by Domnall Ua Neill. And the son of Aedh Ua Neill the Tawny (namely, Brian, son of Aedh the Tawny) was made king, with assent of the same Earl, by Mac Martin and by Mac Eoin. And Domnall left the country. Sluagh le Ricard a Burc, le h-Iarla Uladh (idon, in t-Iarla Ruadh), i Tir n-Eogain, d'ar'athrigh sé Domnall mac Briain h-Ui Neill & dorighadh leis Níall Culanach O Neill & mur dofhag in t-Iarla in tír, domarbadh Níall Culanach le Domnall h-Ua Neill. Ocus dorighadh a h-ucht an Iarla cetna le Mac Mairtin & le Mac Eoin mac Aedha Buidhe h-Ui Neill (idon, Brian mac Aeda Buidhe) & rofhagaibhDomnall in tír.
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AFM1291.5: An army was led by Richard Burke, Earl of Ulster, usually called the Red Earl, into Kinel-Owen, where he deposed Donnell, son of Brian O'Neill, and installed Niall Culanagh O'Neill in his place; but after the Earl had left the country, Niall Culanagh was slain. This deed, however, was not a fortunate one for Donnell; for Brian, son of Hugh Boy O'Neill, was inaugurated, by the influence of the said Earl, by Mac Martin and Mac Eoin [recte Mac Eoin Bissett, almost surely], and the other Donnell was banished from Tyrone. / Sloicchedh la Riocard Burc iarla Uladh da n-goirthi an t- Iarla Ruadh i t-Tír n-Eoghain dár aithrígh-sé Domhnall mac Briain Uí Nell, & Niall Culánach Ó Nelld'oirdneadh dó iar f-faccbháil na tíre iar sin don iarla. Marbthor Niall Culanách la Domhnall Ua Nell. Gidheadh nir shoinmheach do Dhomhnall an gniomh-sin, uair do h-oirdneadh Brian mac Aodha Buide Ui Nell a h-ucht an iarla chedna le Mac Mairtin & le Mac Eóin, & ro diochuireadh e-siomh a Tír Eoghain.
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AFM1383.3: A great army was led by Niall O'Neill, with his sons and the chieftains of Kinel-Owen, into Trian-Chongail, against the English; and they burned and totally plundered many of their towns. The English of the territory assembled to oppose them. Hugh O'Neill and Raibilin Savadge met each other in a charge of cavalry, and they made two powerful thrusts of their spears into each others' bodies. Raibilin returned severely wounded to his house, where Mac Eoin Bisset killed him, and Hugh O'Neill died the third day afterwards of the effects of his wound; and Mac Eoin Bisset, he was killed by Raibilin's people the third day after the killing Raibilin himself. / Sloigheadh mór le Niall Ó Néill cona cloinn, & go maithibh Cenél Eoghain i t-Trian Conghail d'ionnsoighidh for Ghallaibh, gur loisgeadh & gur lomairgeadh iomat da m-bailtibh. Goill na criche do chruinniughadh ar a c-cionn. Aodh Ó Néill, & Raibilin Sauaois do thegmhail re aroile i n-iomruagadh marcshluaigh, da forgomh for-nertmara da c-craoíseachaibh do tabairt h-i c-curpaib aroile doibh. Raibilin do dul beoghonta dia thigh & Mac Eoin Biséd da athmarbhadh ann, & Aodh Ua Néill do écc an treas lá iarna lot tria bithin a ghona. & Mac Eoin Bisett do marbhadh la muintirRaibhilín an tres lá iar marbhadh Raibhilín feisin.
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AU1383.7: A great hosting by Niall Ua Neill with his sons and the nobles of the Fifth about him. The whole North was destroyed and burned and pillaged by them. Aedh Ua Neill junior and Raibilin Savage fell in with one another on an encounter and two thrusts of their spears were given to each other by them. Raibilin went mortally injured to his Bisset's house and the son of John Bisset killed him outright and Aedh junior expired with, them the Bissets the third hour after the combat and so on. Jenkin the Fair, namely, son of John Bisset, was killed by the people of Raibilin in revenge of Savage. / {fol. B 75a}Sluaighedh mór {fol. A 78d} la Niall h-Ua Neill cona clainn & co maithibh in Coicidh uime. An Tuaiscert uile do mhilliudh & do loscadh & do creachadh leo. Aedh Og h-Ua Neill & Raibilin Sabais do tegmail da cheile ar imruagadh & da buille da craiseachaibh do thabairt ar a ceile doibh. Raibilin do dhul beoloiti da thigh & mac Eoin Bised da athmarbadh & Aedh Óg do testail aco ar tres trath iardain & araile. Seinicin Finn, .i. mac Eoin Bised, do marbadh do muinntir Raibilin i n-oirechtus in t-Shabhaisigh.
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AFM1387.2: Sabia, daughter of Hugh O'Neill, the choice woman of the descendants of Niall of the Nine Hostages in her time, and wife of John Bisset, died, after penance. / Sadhb inghen Aodha Uí Néill aon-rogha ban slechta Néil Naoíghiallaigh re na linn bean mic Eóin Bised do écc iar m-buaidh n-aithrighe.
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AU1387.3: Sadhb, daughter of Aedh Ua Neill, wife of the son of John Bisset, died after gaining victory from world and from demon. / Sadbh, ingen Aedha h-Ui Neill, ben mic Eoin Bised, do eg iar m-breith buadha o domun & o dhemhun.
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AFM1422.8: Niall Garv, the son of Turlough, son of Niall Garv O'Donnell, went into Fermanagh, subjugated Maguire, Mac Mahon, and Magennis, and brought them with him to O'Kane, who also submitted to him. From thence they proceeded, attended by the sons of O'Kane, to Mac-I-Neill Boy, and completely plundered the Glynns of Antrim and Mac Eoin Bisset, and burned the country; and they proceeded into Clannaboy and Moylinny, the spoils of which territories they carried off to Carrickfergus, and afterwards returned home in safety. / Niall Garbh mac Toirrdhealbhaigh mic Neill Ghairbh Uí Domhnaill do dhol i f-Fearoibh Manach & nert do gabháil dó for Mág Uidhir, & for Mag Mathgamhna, & for Mag Aenghusa, & a m-breith lais i c-ceann Uí Chathain gur bo riarach dó, & a n-dol as sin i c-ceand Mhec í Neill Bhuidhe, & clann Chathain leó, & na Glinne, & Mac Eóin Bisétt do argain go lom, & an tír do losccadh, & a n-dol i c-Cloinn Aodha Bhuidhe, & i Maigh Line, & a c-creacha do breith doibh go Carraicc Fergusa & a t-teacht iarttain dia t-tighibh.
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AFM1495.19: Con, son of Hugh Roe O'Donnell, with his great little army (Con's army being so called because he was never in the habit of assembling a numerous army, or more than twelve score axe men, for making a standing fight, and sixty horsemen, for following up the rout, and taking prisoners ), marched to Mac Eoin of the Glins, for it had been told to him Con that Mac Eoin had the finest wife, steed (Dubhacoite by name), and hound, in his neighbourhood. Con had before that time sent messengers for the steed, but was refused it, though it had been promised by Con to one of his people. Con made no delay, but surmounted the difficulties of every passage, until he arrived at night with his "great little" band at the house of Mac Eoin, without having given him any previous notice or intelligence of his designs, and immediately took Mac Eoin prisoner, and made himself master of his wife, his steed, and his hound, together with all his other wealth, for he found the famous steed, and sixteen others with it, in the house on that occasion. The Glins were all plundered on the following day by Con's people; but he afterwards made full restitution to Mac Eoin's wife of all such property as was her's; and as soon as he had crossed the Bann, on his return westwards, he set her husband at liberty for her, but he carried the steed, with vast preys and spoils, with him into Tirhugh, and ordered the cattle-spoils to be left upon its grassy fields. Immediately after this he went with his own faithful people, and with the number of forces he was able to muster among those under his father O'Donnell's jurisdiction, and never halted until he had crossed the Shannon, and afterwards advanced into Munster, where he totally plundered Magh O'gCoinchinn, in Mac Carthy's country; and he then returned with many plunders, spoils, and preys, crossed the Erne, and proceeded to Donegal; and at Ard-na-tineadh-aoil Lime-kiln Hill divided the spoils which he had taken from Mac Carthy's country in Munster, and the spoils which he had carried off from Mac Eoin of the Glins, in the east of Ulster. These achievements were performed by Con, the son of Hugh Roe, in the space of fifteen weeks. / Cond mac Aodha Ruaidh Uí Domhnaill co n-a fedham bhicc mhóir (as aire at-beirthi fedhan bhecc mor fri fedhain Chuinn ar ba gnaithbhés dó-suidhe gan tecclamadh slóigh lánmhóir cenmothá dá fichit décc tuagh fri h-airisemh & fri h-iombualadh, & tri fichit marcach fri tograim & tarrachtain lochta madhma) do dhol gusan sochraitte rémráite do shaighidh Mheic Eoain na n-Glinnedh, óir do h-aisneidheadh do Chonn gur bho h-e Mac Eóain aon ba dersccaighte bhen, each (.i. Dubh A Coite), & cú baí i n-a comhfoccus. Ro fhaidh-siumh techta riasan tan-sin do chuinghidh an eich. Ro h-éradh ei-ssiumh imon eoch, iar n-a thinghealladh do Chonn d'aon dia mhuintir. Ni ro h-airiseadh lais-siumh co rainicc tar dodhaing gach conaire baoi roimhe co riacht co n-a fhedhain m-bicc móir gan rabhadh gan rathucchadh isin adhaigh go tech Meic Eoain & ergabhthar Mac Eoain lais fo chedóir, & baoí a bhen, a each, & a chú co n-a uile mhaitheas ar cumas Cuinn, uair frith an t-ech & se h-eich décc amaille fria isin m-baile don chur-sin. Ro creachadh na Glinne uile la muintir Chuinn ar a bharach. Do-bert iaramh óghaisecc a maoine uile (do neach ro ba lé) do mhnaoi Mheic Eoain, & ro leicc a fer a geimhel chuice iar rochtain tar Banna siar, & do-bert an t-each go c-crechaibh & co n-édalaibh aidhble lais co riacht Tír Aodha, & ro fhurail na crecha do léccean for a férgortaibh. Do-thaed iaramh fo chédoir co n-a muintir deirbhdílis fein, & gusan lín sluaigh for caemhnaccair do neoch bai fomhámus a athar Uí Dhomhnaill, & ni ro h-airiseadh lais co riacht tar Sionainn, iaramh isin Mumhain co ro leircreachadh lais Magh Ó c-Coinchind i n-duthaigh Mhég Cárthaigh. Ro shuí iaramh i n-a fhrithing co n-oirccnibh, edalaibh, & crechaibh iomdhaibh lais co ráinicc iar m-buaidh tar Eirne go Dún na n-Gall. Ro rannadh lais-siumh annsin i n-aen lo acc Ard na Tinedh Aoíl na crecha-sin tucc a duthaigh Még Carthaigh san Mumhain, & crecha Mheic Eoain na n-Glinnedh a h-Airther Uladh. La ré choicc seachtmaine décc do-ronaitt innsin la Conn mac Aodha Ruaidh Uí Domhnaill.
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AFM1512.11: An army was led by Garrett, Earl of Kildare, Lord Justice of Ireland, into Trian-Chongail Clannaboy; and he took the castle of Belfast, demolished the castle of Makeon Bissett of the Glynns, plundered the Glynns and a great portion of the country, and led the son of Niall, son of Con O'Neill, away into captivity. / Slóicchead lá Geróid iarla Cille Dara iustis na h-Ereann ar Trian Conghail dia ro gabh caislén Beoil Feirste, & dia ro bhris caislén Mic Eoain na n-Glinne, & dar aircc na Glinne, & móran don tír, & tuc mac Neill mic Cuinn i m-braighdenus lais.
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AU1512.2: A hosting by Gerald, Earl of Kildare, namely, the Justiciary of Ireland, against Trian-Congail, whereon he took the castle of Bel-Fersti and broke down the castle of Mac Eoin and harried the Glens and much of the country. And he took Aedh the son of Niall, son of Conn O'Neilland other hostages also with him, in pledge of compliance with his own award. / Sluaighedh la Geroit, Iarla Cilli Dara, .i. Giústis Erenn, ar Trian Congail, dá' r' ghab caislen Beóil Fersti & da' r' bris caislen Mic Eoin & dá' r' airg Na Glinne & moránn do 'n tír. Ocus tuc mac Neill, mic Cuinn & braighde eile leis fós a n-gill re n-a breth féin.
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AFM1522.9: (Summary: Battle of Cnoc Buidhbh. O'Donnell badly defeats O'Neill. 900 are killed, including the last John (Mac Eoin) Bissett mentioned in the Irish annals, who is one of O'Neill's leading supporters. Notably Bissett's forces are said to be composed of Scots, although this need not necessarily refer to Scots direct from Scotland. Also the MacDonnells, soon to replace the Bissetts in the Glens of Antrim, have now appeared in some strength in the region, at first as allies of the O'Neills.) ... The most distinguished men who fell in that engagement were the following: Donnell Oge Mac Donnell, with a countless number of gallowglasses of the Clann-Donnell Mac Donnell; Turlough Mac Sheehy, with a great number of his people ; John Bissett, with the greater part of the Scots who had come with him; Hugh, the son of Owen, son of William Mac Mahon, with a party of his troops; and Rory Maguire, and some of his people along with him. There fell there also many of the Lagenians and of the men of Meath, for there came not a leader of a band or troop, small or great, in that muster of O'Neill, who did not complain of the number of his people that were left dead on that field; so that this battle of Cnoc Buidhbh was one of the most bloody engagements that had ever occurred between the Kinel-Connell and the Kinel-Owen. The Kinel-Connel seized upon horses, arms, armour, a store of provisions, strong liquors, and several beautiful and rich articles, both eiscras and goblets, of the forces whom they had defeated; and though O'Donnell's people were without horses on going into the engagement, they had many horses from the warriors whom they had cut off in that slaughter. ... / ... Batar iad bá h-oirdherca torchair isin maidhm-sin, Domhnall Ócc Mac Domhnaill go n-druing dírimh do gallócclachaibhCloinne Domhnaill, Toirrdhealbhach Mac Síthigh co sochaidhe móir dia mhuintir, Eóin Biséd co n-urmhór na n-Albanach táinicc lais, Aodh mac Eocchain mic Uilliam Mécc Mathgamna co n-dreim dia muintir, Ruaidhrí Mag Uidhir & araill dia mhuintir amaille fris. Torcrattar ann bheós ile do Laighneachaibh & d'feraibh Midhe ar ní tháinicc cenn slóigh na sochaidhe ó bhecc co mór isin tionól-sin I Néill nár bhó h-eccaoíntech iad diar faccaibhset dia muintir isin maighin-sin cona do na h-áraibh daoíne as mó tuccadh etir Conallchoibh & Eóganchaibh an maidhm-sin Cnuic Buidhbh. Tarthadar trá Cenel c-Conaill eich, airm, & edeadh, lon bídh, & biotáille, & seóid somhaiseacha shainemhla etir esccraibh & bleidhedhaibh na slogh fors ro sraoineadh leó & ge ro bhattar muintir I Domhnaill gan eocha acc dol isin c-cathiorgail battar eich iomdha leó ón fhiallach ro airlighset isin ármhach ishin. ...
Fitz John, Fytzjohn Byssede = Mac Eoin Bissett. Since the family were by this time principally associated with the Gaelic world, this is probably an English translation of the Irish noble style. Notably it is not presented as a surname like FitzGerald, but as a title like in the case of MacWilliam Burke.
The following account belongs to a section of the preliminary list created before the Tudor conquest of Ireland for Henry VIII of England by his officials of the leading families of Ireland, both of Gaelic and other lineage, who were not under English control.
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State Papers, Henry the Eighth, Vol. II. pp. 6, 7. Dated 1515: Also, there is more then 30 great captaines of thEnglyshe [non-Gaelic] noble folke, that folowyth the same Iryshe ordre, and kepeith the same rule, and every of them makeith warre and pease for hymself, without any lycence of the King, or of any other temperall person, saive to hym that is strongeyst, and of suche that maye subdue them by the swerde. Ther names folowyth immedyat: (They are listed by Irish province. Reaching Ulster, the Bissetts are one of the only three listed. ) ... Here folowyth the names of the great Englyshe rebelles of Wolster. Syr Rowland Savage, of Lecchahyll, Knight [English-style title]. Fitzhowlyn, of Tuscarde [The MacQuillans, a family of Welsh origins]. Fitz John Byssede, of the Glynnes.
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Later on in the same document Ulster is discussed again. This time there are four mentioned.
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p. 27: Hereafter folowyth the names of the thEnglyshe rebelles, dwelleing within the sayd countye of Wolster. Syr Roland Savage, and his kynnesmen. The Baron Russell, and his kynnesmen. Fytzjohn, Lorde of Glynnes, and his kynnesmen. Fythhowlyn, Lord of Tuscarde, and his kynnesmen. Also, that the Deputye, and the sayd captayne, Sir Rowland Savage, and his kennesmen in the baronye of Mawlyn, and in all the landes marcheing with the sayd baronye of Tuscard, and with the baroyne of the Glynnes, and to ayde and succourre them.
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A similar list made itself into the circa 1540 compilation known as the Book of Howth. The editor of the manuscript notes however that the list is in a different hand from the surrounding text. The date will in any case be roughly contemporary with the above.
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Those English noble and worshipful captains was degenerate from the English laws: (again by province) ... Wlster: Savadge of Lekayle, Knight, FitzOwlyn of Twskard, Bysetes of the Glyns.
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The reference in both to captains is very important. It was the English term for those families who enjoyed effectively total sovereignty within their territories and conducted their affairs as would sovereign princes, dukes and counts, even if their territories might not be extensive. Gaelic Ireland is described as a patchwork of various petty kingdoms and other territories with no effective national overlordship, although some might be practiced at the provincial level. The Bissetts and these other "English" families were those who had become just like the Gaelic Irish, adopting their concepts of sovereignty, manners and styles. This was sometimes referred to as becoming more Irish than the Irish themselves. Some families were later brought back, and others not. We never get to find out in the case of the Bissetts because they have apparently gone under by the time the Kingdom of Ireland is proclaimed and Henry begins receiving submissions.
Before the end of the century the family are already being spoken of as the Lords of the Glynnes in the past tense, without reference made to their current status (if any):
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The Description and Present State of Ulster. 1586: The Glynnes so called because it is full of rockie and woodie dalles, it stretchethe in lengthe 24 miles... The Glynnes conteyne 7 Baronyes, whereof the Ile of Raghlins is counted half a Barony; the names of the Baronies are these: Larne, Park, Glanarme, Redbaye, Lade, Cary, Mowbray. These were some tyme th' enheritance of the Baron Myssett [Bissett], from whom it discended to a daughter who was married to one of the Clandonells in Scotland, by whom the Scotts nowe make their clayme to the whole, and did quietlie possesse the same for many years, til now of late (beinge spoyled of their goodes) they were totalie banished into Scotland [who?]...
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Thus the Clan Donald are still experiencing some difficultly establishing themselves in Ireland, and their maternal kin the Bissetts, still remembered as the Lords of the Glynnes by Tudor England, have now become the MacDonnell's inheritance, excuse and legitimacy all in one.
While a pedigree of the Irish Bissetts probably does not survive, Duald Mac Firbis, in his Leabhar na nGenealach, tells us in his pedigree of the MacDonnells the following:
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Eoin [Mac Donnell], who is also called Eoin a Hile [John of the Isles] and Eoin more [John the Great], the second son of Eoin, son of Aongus oge [the Young], had to wife Maria Bised, daughter of Mac Eoin Bised, (a Greek family which came in with the conquest of William the Conqueror;) and it was by her that the seven lordships of the Glenns came to the Mac Donnells.[1] Donall a Hile Mac Donnell, and Eoin his brother, died in the same year [1422], i.e. 227 years previous to the present year 1649. The Mac Donnells own the Glenns for the last 227 years to this year 1649.[2] Eoin, son of Eoin, son of Aongus oge, had a son by Maria Bised, namely, Donnell Ballach, heir of the Glenns, as well as of his patrimony in Scotland and in the Hebrides.
Annals of Connacht, ed. and tr. A. Martin Freeman (1944). Annála Connacht: The Annals of Connacht (A.D. 1224-1544). Dublin: DIAS. (Edition and translation available from CELT)
