Bhí an leathrann seo i mbéal phobal na bhFeadha in Ard Mhacha: ‘Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews/Save us from Johnston, King of the Fews’. Tá eolas ar mhuintir Johnston ag T.G.F. Patterson in Ulster Journal of Archaeology, 1938 (‘The Black Banks and Fews Barracks’) agus ag Lorcán Ó Muireadhaigh in Co. Louth Archaeological Journal VIII, Uimhir 2, 1934 (‘Parish of Creggan in 17th and 18th centuries’). Tá cuntas Patterson bunaithe ar eolas a fuair sé ó dhuine de shliocht Johnston, an Déan N. Johnston (Dunblane, Dunkeld agus St Andrews in Albain). Deir Ó Muireadhaigh: ‘The Johnstons were the most powerful family in the Fews during the 18th century; and the poems of the period are full of reference to them. The folklore of the district tells of three generations of them – the most notable being John (or Seón).... The Johnstons controlled a band of yeomanry with headquarters in the Fews Barracks, Camley (Ball), and tradition – which some may regard as having a very ex parte outlook – was anything but kind to their memory. The contemporary poets denounced them with ferocity; the poets of a later century compared all “renegades” to Judas or to Seón Johnston. The old Gaelic speakers of twenty years ago used to speak of the Johnstons with mingled fear and hatred; while a large volume would not contain all the stories which could be collected throughout Monaghan, Louth and Armagh.’

Nuair is John a bhí ar an athair agus ar an mac tá sé deacair iad a aithint ó chéile sna tagairtí. Deirtear gurbh as Annadale na hAlban dóibh agus go raibh Gàidhlic ó dhúchas acu agus nár stró ar bith ar an mac Seón Gaeilge a labhairt. I 1714 d’aistrigh a athair John ó cheantar bhaile Ard Mhacha go dtí Camlaí sna Feadha mar a raibh léas ar thalamh faighte aige. Tógadh bearaic ann i 1717. Ní léir cad é go díreach an bhaint a bhí ag an athair leis an dlí a chur i bhfeidhm. Fuair sé bás i 1719. Is dóigh gur tagairtí don mhac. Seón, an méid seo a leanas.

In Audited Abstracts of Muster Rolls, Márta 1701 deirtear: ‘A company of the late Colonel Henry Cornwall’s Regiment of Foot in quarter at Blackbank Barracks in the wildes of the Fews in Armaghe. Captain John Johnston, posted late an invalid of the Highland Corps, who converses in the native Irish, the same tongue as his native Scotch...’. (tagairt a fuarthas ar an idirlíon). Seo tagairt i 1710: ‘John Johnston, the Younger, of the ilk of Annadale in Scotland, bred in the College of Aberdeen, an officer of service in Flanders and Holland, was well and duly sworn Constable of the Fews (Co. Armagh Crown Book of Assize 1710, tagairt ar an idirlíon). In Service Book of Colonel Nassau’s Regiment of Foot, 28 Aibreán 1716, tá an ghearrthuairisc seo: ‘Ardmagh, Sergeant Wilde of this Corps stood for duty with six men at the redoubt of Blackbank in the Fews... and, at the command of Mr Johnston, the Constable of that wild country, struck fear into the natives, who call for the Popish Pretender.... We razed their cabins to the ground and whipped the curs, who cursed us in their Irish jargon...’. An bhliain sin freisin ghabh sé beirt ropairí, Henry Roe McArdle agus Bryan Crummey, agus chuir chun báis iad; fuair sé £20 mar luach saothair agus chuir sé a gceann ar spicí ar gheataí phríosún Dhún Dealgan. Deirtear go raibh pá maith aige ach go gcuireadh sé leis ar an gcuma sin. Bhí sé ina chónaí i gCamlaí i 1727 ach faoi 1743 bhí an teach ‘Roxborough’ tógtha aige i nDoirse Cabhán Uí Anluain. Ba é an Roxborough sin áit dhúchais a mhuintire in Albain.

In Dhá Chéad de Cheoltaibh Uladh, 1934 déanann Énrí Ó Muirgheasa an cur síos seo air i nóta ar an dán ‘Ar Shéamus Ó Ceallacháin. Cúil a’ Bhile’: ‘Tioránach mór agus géarleanadóir na nGael a bhí i Seón Johnston i ndeisceart Chontae Ard Mhacha san 18ú haois déag. Bhí cumhacht crochta aige agus tóraí nó duine eile a chrochfadh sé bhainfí an ceann díobh le fear darb ainm Cormac Ó Cianáin, seirbhíseach don tSeonstonach. Tugadh Cormac na gCionn agus Cianán na gCionn ar an seirbhíseach seo.’ Deir Séan de Rís in Peadar Ó Doirnín: a bheatha agus a shaothar, 1969: ‘Seón na gCeann, Seán an Fheadha, Eiriceach na gCeann, an Sotach Rua: sin cuid de na hainmneacha a bhí ar Sheón Johnston.’ In Abhráin Airt Mhic Chubhthaigh, 1916 luann Ó Muirgheasa na suimeanna airgid, céad punt ar fad, a fuair sé ag cúirteanna seisiúin i gContae Lú as seisear ropairí a ghabháil agus a chur chun báis. Deirtear gur scríobh Peadar Ó Doirnín aoir, ‘Eiriceach na gCeann’, ar Johnston agus gur dá thoradh a crochadh an file Séamus Mac Murchaidh nuair a sileadh gurbh eisean a chum.

Is dóigh gur ceapadh a mhac Graham ina Chonstábla ina dhiaidh; rinne Ard-Sirriam Ard Mhacha achainí go ndéanfaí amhlaidh. Fuair Seón bás tuairim 1759 agus cuireadh é sa Chreagán; ba mhinic a cheaptaí ina bhardach teampaill sa pharóiste sin é. Promhadh a uacht 27 Samhain na bliana sin. Luadh ann a mhac Richard Johnston agus máthair an mhic sin. Catherine Darby, a bhean tí. Mhol sé ina uacht gur mar Phrotastúnach a thógfaí Richard. In Seanchas Ardmhacha 1972 tá ‘Inscriptions in Creggan Graveyard’ a bhailigh Kevin McMahon agus Tomás Ó Fiaich. Is léir gurbh iad muintir Johnston atá i gceist san inscríbhinn seo: ‘IHS; In loving memory of the Johnston families of Dorsey Upper and Roxboro... erected by Ellen and Margaret Johnston. RIP’. Ach luaitear in inscríbhinn eile John Johnston, Woodvale, a d’éag 12 Nollaig 1816 in aois 87 bliana; deir McMahon agus Ó Fiaich: ‘This John Johnston was the son of “Johnston of the Fews”. His descendants remained in Woodvale (beside Ballsmill) until 1960s.’

Diarmuid Breathnach

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