The Myth and Legend of King Breogán
The Celtic cultures of Scotland and Ireland are woven together, and the origins of Clan MacNicol are part of that tradition. The myths and legends of the Highlands and the Islands are very similar to those of other ancient cultures, full heros and conquests. The very words myth and legend mean stories about origin, but legend is also used to denote a myth which is believed to have some basis in truth. Over time, some legendary characters take on a larger than life personality, such as Breogán, a mythical Celtic King of Galicia, Spain, who lived around 1799 BC. From a biblical timeline, this would have been about 100 years after the patriarch Abraham arrived in the land of Cannan around 1900 BC. From a historical perspective, Hammurabi of Babylon, the great law giver was in power, around 1800 BC.
Much that is known of this man has been passed down in a book called the Lebor Gabála Érenn (LGE), also known as The Book of Taking Ireland or The Book of Invasions. The LGE seems to provide the Irish people with a written history similar to that of the Israelites of the Old Testament.
Breogán is said to have had nine sons, but the stories center on two specific sons, Ithe and Bilé. According to John O'Hart's, Irish Pedigrees - The Origin and Stem of the Irish Nation, 1892 edition, from Bile are decesnded the High Kings of Ireland to include Niall of the Nine Hostages from who descend the O'Neils and MacNeils of today. O'Hart claims the MacNicol race is descended from Ithe, and are of Irish descent not originally Scandinavian, although MacNicols undoubtably intermarried with Norwegians and Danes.
On page 281, O'Hart states:
"Niocholl, brother of Teige who is No. 91 on the "Coffey" pedigree, was the ancestor of MacNicaill, sometimes written NacNiocoil, and MacNioclais ; anglicised MacNichol, MacNicol* Nicholls, Nicholas, MacNkholas, Nicholson, Nicolson, Nicols, Nicson, and Nixon.
In a lately published work, purporting to give the " History of the Scottish Clans," it is stated that this Clan was of Norwegian orgin. No doubt the Clan, from time to time, may have made several marriage alliances witb Danish and Norwegian families ; but the Clan MacNicol was of Irish extraction! Gregall MacNicol, who is No. 113 on this pedigree, acquired historic notability by his opposition to and defeat of the Danes and Norwegians: a fact, which in itself, would go to prove that the Clan MacNicol is not of Danish or Norwegian descent. "
Summary
O'Hart ends the Nicolson chiefly line with Norman Nicolson, son of John, living in Camelford, Campbell Town, Tasmania, 1880 AD.
Michael Nicholson, a clan member from Nepean, Ontario has contributed several previous articles for Scorrybreac. His well researched article from the November 2013 edition addresses this controversial topic: that the origins of Clan MacNicol are irish and Celtic rather than Norse, as claimed by David Sellar in our clan history, “The Highland Clan MacNeacail” by Sellar and Maclean. Michael uses as his sources ancient Irish manuscripts summarized in books by Cusack and Keating, from which he quotes at length, and he also quotes a passage from our late Chief, Iain MacNeacail of MacNeacail and Scorrybreac which appeared as his Preface in our 1988 reprinting of The Clan Nicolson, by J.G. Nicholson.
Begin the Nicolson Line on Page 290
Irish Pedigrees, or The Origin and Stem of the Irish Nation
5th Edition
By John O'Hart
Published in 1892
The Line of King Breogán
The Legendary Ancestral Line of the MacNicol Chiefs from Adam
As previously stated, much of O'Hart's pedigree cannot be taken as fact. Many will find the MacNicol pedigree back to Adam entertaining.
THE LINE OF ITHE
According to John O'Hart's book, Irish Pedigrees - Genealogies, Ithe (or Ith), brother of Bile* who is No. 35, page 50, was the ancestor of the Ithians. This Ithe was uncle of Milesius of Spain ; and his descendants settled mostly in Munster.
The Stem of the "Line of Ithe."
The Stem of the Irish Nation, from Ithe down to (No. 73) Cobthach
Fionn, a quo O'Cofey of Munster.
1. Adam
2. Seth
3. Enos
4. Cainan
5. Mahalaleel
6. Jared
7. Enoch
8. Methuselah
9. Lamech
10. Noah
11. Japhet
12. Magog
13. Baoth – Scythia became his inheritance upon the division of the Earth by Noah
14. Phoeniusa Farsaidh (Fenius Farsa) – King of Scythia at the time Ninus ruled the Assyrian Empire
15. Niul
16. Gaodhal (Gathelus)
17. Asruth
18. Sruth – supported the Israelites and angered the Egyptians
19. Heber Scut
20. Beouman – King of Scythia
21. Ogaman – King of Scythia
22. Tait – King of Scythia
23. Agnon – wandered the Caspian Sea
24. Lamhfionn – died in Carthage
25. Heber Glunfionn – born in Getulia
26. Agnan Fionn – King of Gothia or Getulia
27. Febric Glas – King of Gothia or Getulia
28. Nenuall – King of Gothia or Getulia
29. Nuadhad – King of Gothia or Getulia
30. Alladh – King of Gothia or Getulia
31. Arcadh – King of Gothia or Getulia
32. Deag – King of Gothia or Getulia
33. Brath –born in Gothia. Later sailed to Galicia, Spain
34. Breoghan (or Brigus) – King of Galicia, Andalusia, Murcia, Castile and Portugal
35. Ithe : son of Breoghan, King of Spain.
36. Lughaidh [Luy] : his son ; a quo the Ithians were called Lugadians.
37. Mai: his son.
38. Edaman : his son,
39. Logha : his son.
40. Mathsin : his son.
41. Sin : his son.
42. Gossaman : his son.
43. Adaman : his son.
44. Heremon : his son.
45. Logha Feile : his son.
46. Lachtnan : his son.
47. Nuaclad Argni : his son.
48. Deargthine : his son.
49. Deagha Derg : his son.
50. Deagha Amhra : his son.
51. Ferulnigh : his son.
52. Sithbolg: his son.
53. Daire (or Darius) Diomdhach. his son.
54. Each Bolg : his son ; had a brother named Luy, who was the ancestor of Clancy of Dartry, in Leitrim; and some say, of Macaulay or MacGawley of Calry, in Westmeath.
55. Ferulnigh (2) : his son.
56. Daire (2): his son; from whom the Ithians were called Darinians.
57. Luy : his son.
58. MacNiadh : his son.
59. Luy Mac con : his son ; the 113th Monarch of Ireland.
60. Aongus (or Æneas) : his son ; had four brothers : — 1. Fothach Argthach, the 118th Monarch of Ireland jointly with his brother Fothach Cairpeach, by whom, A.D. 285, he was slain; 2. the said Fothach Cairpeach, the 119th Monarch ; 3. Duach, ancestor of Conell, O'Hennessy, McEirc, etc. ; 4. Fothach Canaan, ancestor of MacAlim
61. Fergus : son of Æneas.
62. Luigheach : his son.
63. AEneas Bolg : his son.
64. Gearan : his son ; had a brother named Trean.
65. Conall Claon (" claon" : Irish, partial; Gr. "klin-o") : his son.
66. CeannReithe("reithe": Irish, of a ram ; " ceann" a head) : his son ; a quo O'Eeithe.*
67. Olioll : his son ; had a brother named Trean, from whom descended St. Beoardh (8 March) of Ardcarn.
68. Fergus : son of Olioll.
69. Connacille : his son.
70. Maccon : his son.
71. Olioll (2): his son.
72. Dungal : his son.
73. Cobthach Fionn ("cobthactt': Irish, victorious ; " fionn," /air, meaning "the fairhaired victor"): his son ; a quo O'Cobhthaigh, anglicised O'Coffey, O'Cowhig, Coffey, Cojffy, and Coffee.
74. Donoch Mór; son of Cobthach Fionn, who is No. 73 on " The Line of Ithe," ante.
75. Donall Mór: his son.
76. Maccraith : his son.
77. Conchobar (or Conor): his son.
78. Maghnus (or Maighneas) : his son.
79. Conor (2) : his son.
80. Maithan Dall : his son.
81. Cobthach (2) : his son.
82. Dermod : his son.
83. Fergal : his son.
84. Donoch : his son.
85. Aodh (or Hugh) : his son.
86. Maghnus (2) : his son.
87. Conor (3): his son.
88. Niocholl : his son.
89. Walter : his son.
90. Cobtach (3) : his son.
91. Niocholl – Ancestor of the MacNicols
92. Ard
93. Asmain
94. Arailt
95. Ture Atheliath
96. Amlaeimh
97. Taidg (Teige)
98. Carfin
99. Aillin
100. Poil
101. Fogail
102. Muireadach
103. Arailt (2)
104. Erlile
105. Fuileadh
106. Erbhle (or Erlerle)
107. Sdacaill - (“staid:” Irish, an estate; “caill,” to lose)
108. Torstan
109. Tortin
110. Torcill
111. Seaill - Battle of Clontarf 1014. Thorfinn the Mighty, earl/jarl of Orkney, d.1064
112. Gillemare
113. Gregall - Kry-cul, as noted in Stat. Acc. Of Assynt
114. Nicaill - Eponymous ancestor of the Clan MacNicol
115. Neaill
116. Aigh
117. Nicaill (2)
118. Eoin (John)
119. Eogan - c. 1343 MacLeods replace Nicolsons
120. Eion (2)
121. Alexander
122. Donald (had a brother named Neil)
123. Malcolm
124. Donald MacNicol – Chief of the Clan in the Isle of Skye in the reigns of Charles I and II; was thrice married and had twenty three children; one of the wives was Margaret Morrison of Lewis.
125. Malcolm – Chief of Clan MacNicol
126. John – married Anne Maclean
127. Malcolm - married Jessie MacDonald
128. Donald Mor – married Margaret MacDonald; died in 1797 d.abt 1825
129. Norman - b.c.1813, Skye, d. 1841, living in Tasmania, unmarried, succeeded by his brother
Since the publication:
130. John – married Marion Davidson; died 1850, b.c. 1817, Skye, d.1867, Tasmania
131. John Norman Marshall Nicolson – Chief of the Clan – living in Camelford, Campell Town, Tasmania, 1880 b. 1854, d. 1923.
132. Norman Alexander Nicolson, b.1886, d.1962
133. Iain Norman Carmichael Nicolson - First Chief under restoration of the Clan. Born on Tasmania and moved to Ballina NSW, b.1921, d. 2003
134. John Phillip Nicolson - current Chief of the Clan. Born on Tasmania in 1950 and moved to Ballina, NSW
135. Luke Nicolson, the Tanist and Adam Nicolson - sons of the current Chief