Examination of James McConnell

fol. 75v

1562

The examinacion of James McConnell of Ballymanagh Cooper taken before vs the 12th day of March 1652
<52:> Who being duely sworne & examined saith That he dwelt at Portnaw, & wrought there vpon his said trade at the begining of the Rebellion, That all the Irish on the Westside the Bann being in Rebellion & the English & Scotch who formerly dwelt there & could not escape being murdred as he heard, Mr Archibald Stewart raised a Regiment & leaguered at Portnaw to keepe the Bannside That <A> Allester McColl McDonnell & Tirlagh oge ô Cahan had command of two Companies of the said Regiment & that they & their men being Highlanders & Irish vpon the second day of January 1641 before day did fall vpon seaven or eight of the Brittish Regiments who alsoe kept the Bann side & lay in their quarters at Portnaw some quarter, halfe mile,or mile distance one from another & murdred them all to a very few who were saved by their old Irish acquaintance That this Examinante was taken prisoner by the said Allester McColl & Tirlagh Oges followers the same morneing, & stript, but his life was saved by one Neile modder McMullan his neighbour That after he was taken prisoner the said Allester McColl & Tirlagh Oge with all the whole Irish of the Countrey who after the said murder did rise with them with a great multitude of Irish vnder the Command of John Mortimer & other Irish Officers who came over the Bann marched vnto James McColl McDonnells house at the Vow neere the Bannside where they drew vp their men <B> & he this Examinante being carryed along as prisoner & haveing some acquaintance with the said James McColl McDonnell he desired him to save his this Examinants wifes life who answered he could not save his owne wife if they would kill her That thence they whole Irish on both sides the Bann there present with their wiues & Children feareing the remnant of Mr Stewarts Regiment as he

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fol. 76r

1563

as he conceived kept together & marched vnto the Crosse & sett it on <C> fire & killed all the Brittish they could lay their hands on, save a very few who were spared by their acquaintance but afterwards if they went but out of their acquaintance sight they were killd by others of the Irish That from the Cross they marched vnto Ballymoney & came there in the evening of the day the murder was committed & burnt the Towne & murdred the Brittish not fled thence without distincion of age or sexe That one Donnell gorme McDonnell of Killoquin in Magheresharkin parish being with the Irish Army there tooke notice of this Examinant & told the Irish that he would make vse of the Examinante & soe sent him the next day back againe with his Tennants vnto his owne house at Killoquin that he see ly dead in the way as they returned at least One Hundred men woemen & Children of the Brittish which had beene murdred the day before & that he beleives many were killed on both sides the way they returned That the said Donnell Gorme McDonnell did not returne vnto his owne house vntill 2 or 3 daies after that That all the O Haggans went over the Bann from their owne houses in the absense of Mr Stewarts Regiment which went to Maheretoghill or the Braid except Brian ô Haggan then sicke That he staid at the said Donnell Gorme McDonnells house about a fortnight & in that time he saith he oftentimes heard the Irish call him Capten And further he saith not

Tho: Coote
Rich: Brasier Major