Kane/Cain/ O'Kane Kilcoobin and Ardihannon

[wyanga]

Hi All,
         From the 1803 Agricultural census, I have a Hugh Kane, James Kane and a John Kane in Kilcoobin. From the numbering in Bill McAfee's records they are consecutive numbers so very likely adjoining houses/farms , and could be the same family..
       In the same records there is a Francis Kane at Ardihannon.
    I am trying to determine if these are all brothers with the same father.
    The John Kane /Cain at Kilcoobin had a son Francis Kane b 1819.
    In the Tithe records for 1826 there is a James Cain and a John Cain at Kilcoobin. No Hugh.
    There is no Francis Kane at Ardihannon in 1826 Tithe records.
    I think that it is a possibility that these are all brothers but have been unable to determine who their father is.
    Just to confuse the issue the OS Memoirs of 1838 mention a John O'Kane and a Francis O'Kane.
  Can anyone offer any help in with these name variations or with a possible father, if they are brothers. 
  Wyanga

[wyanga]

All the variations for Kane appear to be derived from O'Cahan and Cahan. These names were common in early documents for Northern Antrim 1500's and early 1600's .
 In searching the records I have what seems to be an interesting phenomenon.
 Following the O'Niell rebellion of the 1640's and the subsequent intervention by Oliver Cromwell the members of this family seem to have left Northern Antrim for close to 100 years.
  There are no Variations for the name in the 1669 Hearth money Rolls for Billy Parish or Balintoy , nor are there any in the 1740 Protestant Householders, or the 1734 Religious census for Cary, I have both the Billy Parish and the Ballintoy names for that census.
  Then in the 1766 census for Balintoy there are several Kanes and with the 1803 Agricultural Census and the 1826 Tithe records there are numerous members of the family back in Northern Antrim.
   It would seem that the members of this family must have taken refuge in other parts of Ulster, from the mid 1600's, and then after about 1750 the descendants of these families are returning to what I would regard as their cultural heartland, Northern Antrim.
 Wyanga

[kingskerswell]

Hi,
   The O'Cahans were a large clan who inhabited the area between the Rivers Bann and Foyle from the 1100s. They were centered on the Roe Valley at Limavady and Dungiven. They fought with the O'Neill until about 1603 when they surrendered. The name O'Kane is still common in the Dungiven/Limavady area.

Regards

[wyanga]

Kingskerwell
                  Thank you for that information. I take it that the O'Cahans were fighting against O'Niell in 1603 ?
    Did they play any part in the O'Niell rebellion in 1641 ?
Wyanga

[kingskerswell]

Hi,
   Yes. For detail see http://ulsterman3.tripod.com/One_effort_more.htm

Regards

[wyanga]

kingskerwell
      I see that my knowledge of Irish history is sadly lacking.
 With my reference to the " cultural heartland ' I was referring to the O'Cahan Castle in Ballylough in Billy Parish. Very likely this was their cultural heartland in Antrim, which pales into insignificance when compared to Londonderry. My apologies to Derry.
 Wyanga

[akanex2]

Hi wyanga

Our family have a tradition that we are descended from the Kanes of Ardihannon although I have yet to find proof of this.

"Ferdoagh O'Cahne, gentleman" of Ardihannon took a lease from the Earl of Antrim in 1637 and Edward O'Cahan renewed the lease of the townland in 1709. Therefore the Kanes did not in fact disappear from the area for the 100 years post Cromwell but remain tenants of the Earl of Antrim throughout. In 1736 the Earl sold the freehold of Ardihannon to Sir William Dunkin of Bushfoot and it passed by inheritance to his son-in-law Francis McNaghton of Benvardin (later of Dundarave via Calcutta!). The Kanes remained there as tenants as shown in the agricultural census of 1803, with some of the family (including our branch) apparently moving to other McNaghton lands at Glenarm.

Francis Kane born 1819 lived at Ardihannon which leads me to guess he was the grandson of Francis who farmed there in 1803. His family, including parents John and Jane, are buried in Billy Parish Churchyard with a well preserved gravestone. They ran Kane's Royal Hotel where the National Trust's Giant's Causeway Visitors Centre now stands.

[wyanga]

akanex2
       You are quite correct regarding Ardihannon.
 In the 1734 religious census for Cary, the chief tennent at Ardhihannon is James O'Cahan who was Church ( of Ireland)
    I have also missed quite a lot of names contained in Bill McAfee's record as they were under Mc Kane and O'Kane/ O'Cahan.
    So no the Kanes have not left northern Antrim in the period after the Cromwellion period.
  Thank you for your PM
     Wyanga

[wyanga]

With the help from akanex2 and others I have been able to create a family tree for the O'Cahane Kane families showing an unbroken association with Ardihannon to before 1629 with Brian Ballough O'Cahane of Ardihannon who died in that year, right up to the time of the Kanes at the Causeway  Royal Hotel.
   Unproven of course but certainly in the realm of high probability.
  I would like to thank all those who helped me to achieve this outcome.
Wyanga