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My ancestors came from the Ardnamurchan area. From the only 3 death records I can obtain after 1855 (statutory reporting) and before the familes left the Ardnamurchan area, all 3 were buried at "Killunaig Morven". All 3 were different generations and were not in a direct line - 2 died at Glenmore on the southern shore of Ardnamurchan and the third at Acharachle. I can only assume that many of those who died before 1855 were also buried at Killunaig.
There is a Killunaig burial ground on the Isle of Mull and another on the Isle of Coll - the latter according to one website being the traditional burial ground for the McLean clan. I cant find any direct reference to Killunaig Morven although there are suggestions that the burial ground at Mungasdale may have once been called Killunaig.
It would not have been an easy trek for poor crofters, and shepherds from Ardnamurchan (especially Acharacle) to Morven or Mull or Coll so the pull must have been very strong.
Is anyone aware of any connections between the Livingstone Clan and Killunaig Burial Ground in Morven? or Mull? or Coll?
Is Clan McLean the the same as Clan MacLea?
Killunaig must mean something for there to be so many. Any idea what it is?

Terry Livingstone

I can't speak to the rest, Terry, but--

Welcome! Please come back often and we hope you enjoy your stay in our Forum. You may also be interested in joining our Clan Society (little plug--I'll be quiet now!).

But McLean and McLea are very different names. Mull was a center of the MacLeans, a real power in the area. There are many MacLeas who seem to have originated on Mull, and our DNA testing program has found a large cluster of related Livingstones from that region as a result. They were never powerful on Mull like the MacLeans, but they appear to have been a large family grouping there!

Our Historian, Donald, will no doubt share some more information about the families from that area. There's some great history, including his own family line!

Kyle=

Hi Terry,

Welcome to the forum. Just a hunch but I suspect that it is some sort information error and that it should that it should have read Killunaig, Mull. It is located in south western Ross of Mull. I mean Morvern is a parish beside Mull so it is easy enough to make that mistake for whatever reason. Families residing in Mull had kin in Morvern so maybe you had relatives in both and a family member got confused years later when the death record info was recorded. Plenty of errors like that in Scottish census records as well. I come across strange spelling of highland towns and villages as well but then again there seem to be so spellings out there it is sometime hard to figure out what the correct spelling is. Anyways in my oppinion what was meant was Killunaig, Mungasdale or Mungasdall is near Drimnin or Funary, Morvern but neither would have had a cemetery named Killunaig Burial Ground. There are old cemeteries at Morvern but I have never heard of a Killunaig cemetery in Morvern. There was a reference to Killunaig Burial Ground, Morvern in reference to a 19th century drowning of a Morvern or Mull residents that I noticed but that is almost certainly a 19th century error. You could check with the historical groups in Mull who would know better than me but I think it is only in Ross of Mull. I am currently with John Livingston of Scotland doing some research on a Livingston family of Ross of Mull origin who roots are at Shiaba, Ross of Mull.

Yes the Macleans are an old clan in the Morvern and Mull area and from time to time there is some confusion as to Maclean and Maclea but they actually two distinct clans that historically lived in close proximity to one other in Western Argyllshire though Interestingly we have found one McLean family that seems to have been Macleas but I expect they are an exception to the rule if so. The ancestral origins of our clan was near to Morvern and Mull in the Appin and Isle of Lismore area and over the centuries our highland Macleas or Livingstones as they have been referred to as a clan group in Argyllshire since about the 1750's moved into adjacent Morvern and parish in neighbouring Mull. By the 18th century Livingstone were located throughout Western Argyllshire.

I dont want to discount the possibility that your family has a connection to Morvern given the close proximity to the parishes of Mull and the historical association of Clan Livingstone to both areas, but I would wager that the record should have stated Killunaig, Mull not Morvern. Those Scottish death records recorded after 1855 also contain a valuable listing of the names of the deceased parents and where they resided so if you could give that info if you have it including the name of the Livingston ancestor who died after 1855. We may be to help your Livingstone ancestral search if we have some more info, names etc.

Kilinaig or Kilunaig or Cill Fhionnaig means Fionnaig's Church

regards,

Donald (Livingstone) Clink
Historian
Maclea Livingstone Forum

Hi Terry,

I contacted the Ross of Mull Historical Society today with a question regarding the Killunaig Cemetery and hopefully they can clarify things. The Angus Livingston and Donald Livingston of Ross of Mull we have been recently researched were born in Shiaba area of South western Ross of Mull. SHiaba is by coincidence a little bit south west of the Killunaig Burial Ground and near a place called Pennyghael apparently. Ardnamurchan is just across the water from Northern Mull so it is not entirely surprising that your family is connected to Mull in some way as well.

regards

Donald

Hi Donald/Terry,

Some info on Killunaig burial ground, Mull, found in Scotlands Places;

A burial ground whose associated name, Killunaig, probably derives from St Findoca although Sennen has also been suggested. The existing boundary wall is 19th century and the earliest visible monument is the large 18th century table-tomb of Charles MacLean of Killinaigg which stands within the MacLean of Pennycross burial enclosure.
Latitude, Longitude
56.356459N, 6.059911W

So far I don't see any Livingstones buried there,

John

Hi John,

It is odd that an Ardnamurchan Livingston family would have been buried in that part of Mull unless they had some connection to family that resided in the Pennyghael/Killunaig area of Ross of Mull for example. There is a bit of distance isnt there between Ardnamurchan and South western Ross of Mull though Ardnamurhan is directly across from the North of Mull. If we get more info on the family and can locate them in the 19th century census and parish records I may be able to pick up on some clues and possible scenario but at this point I am in the dark.

regards,

Donald

Hi John,
When you get back to Scotland another thing to check out if you can sometime. This Killunaig Burial Ground. I have contacted a Ross of Mull historical society for clarification but I am leaning toward the notion there is only one. I have contacted some Ross of Mull experts hoping they can let me know what they think but if you can find out anything on this that would be great. Terry was asking about the possibility of there being two Killunaig Burial grounds one at Ross of Mull and the other in Morvern based some information she saw or has. I saw some information on the internet from an old newspaper or something like recording a drowning in the area of Mull and Morvern that indicates that the victims of the drowning were buried at Killunaig cemetery, Morvern but I am not sure that is correct.

regards,

Donald

Hi Donald/Terry,

I found this in the Moidart Local History Group website, in reference to a storm in the area in 1860;

On the morning of 02 Oct. 1860, the smack Kitty sailed from Tobermory for the mainland, with the owner Colin Connell, his 12 year old son, & a passenger Mary MacPherson, 50, on board. The smack was driven ashore at Drimnin, & Mary drowned.

Also sunk, was the smack Elizabeth, Archibald Clark - drover, & Archibald Morrison - seaman, both drowned. Morrison was buried at St. Marys burial ground, Calgary, Kilninian & Kilmore, Clark was buried at either Kilmun or Dunoon.

All bodies were taken to Mains of Drimnin Farm, Morvern.

The next para is quoted from the coroners enquiry into the deaths, note where Mary was buried.

''Mr Campbell, Drimnin, sent his cart in charge of Archibald MacIntosh and had the bodies removed to his barn where they were laid out. I also saw the body of Mr Clark but I was not present when it was found. The bodies of Morrison and Clark were removed by other friends for Interment but Mary MacPherson was buried in Killunaig burying ground at Mungasdale in the parish of Morvern.''

As the above is quoted directly from the court records, it would seem to confirm that a Killunaig cemetry definitely existed at Morvern.

Killunaig on Coll contains two adjoining burial grounds, I'm not sure why, both contain CWGC graves of merchant seamen from WW11, there is one Greek engineer, the rest appear to have died when the SS. Andora Star was sunk, I think around 1940,

John

Hi Donald/Terry,

See below, with spelling of the burial ground at Mungasdale, Morvern as Killintag, so possbly the court records did get the spelling wrong,

'Cill Dhonnaig' is applied to the ruin of the old parish church of Killintag, dedicated to St Fintan, which was in use till 1780, when it was replaced by a church.
The graveyard is still in use, and according to the Statistical Account (OSA 1791-9), its boundaries were distinctly marked and considered a sanctuary.
The old church is of the same size and condition as its contemporary at Kiel.
The parishes of Killintag and Kilcolmkill were united about the time of the Reformation to form the parish of Morvern.

John

Hi John,

That certainly is the best explanation I have ever heard and what is more it makes sense.

regards,

Donald