Facts and traditions collected for a family record

100 FACTS AND TRADITIONS.
The following crest was taken from Deuchar's " Collection of British
an d Irish Crests." Published 1 8 1 7 :—
" A dexter ami fessways, couped, proper, holding a cross croslet fitched, with
motto, ' Toujours prSt ! ' belonging to M'Connell, advocate, Edinburgh."
In Fairbairn's " Book of Crests." 1860 .—
" M'Connell, Sco. a dexter arm, in fess, couped, proper, in hand a cross croslet,
fitched. ' Toujours pr£t.'"
This crest, although used by other families, is well known as a Mac-
Donald crest, and tends to shew that the M'Connells derived it from them.
Many families have armorial ensigns, to some extent resembling those
of MacDonald and MacDonnell ; but in most of these instances, if not
in all, a distant connexion can be traced, either by marriage or by
common origin. Thus the arms of O'Neill of Clanneboy are —
" 1st and 4th, per fess wavy, chief argent, base representing waves of the sea,
in- chief, a dexter hand couped at the wrist, gules ; in base, a salmon naiant in
fess proper for O'Neill.
Crest — Arm grasping a sword."
The armorial bearings of MacNiel, Maclean, Macalister, Clanrauald,
Macdougal, Maclachlan, as engraved in Brown's " Highland Clans," are
very similar in many respects, and shew a common origin, though no
doubt in many cases this is now very distant.
A search into the armorial bearings of these families is a very inter-
esting study ; but as it does not bear directly on the subject of this book,
it is unnecessary to enter fully into it.
The following extracts from Burke's "General Armoury," 1851, are
however of some interest : —
Arms of Daniel O'Connell, Derrynane Abbey, County Kerry. — " Party per fesse
vert and argent, a stag trippant between three trefoils counterchanged. Crest —