REFN: 2485AN
REFN: P2486
Some say Isobel Kennedy Lady is not John's mother but that Patrick was
first married to Julianna Shaw. In the Register of Sasines for 1601,
P atrick's wife is referred to as "Isobel Kennedy, Lady Grymett". She may
have been the widow of Kennedy of Knockdon.
Notes for ISOBEL KENNEDY from Kimberly Egan:
Gaelic Name: Gaelic, CealU1aideach (Ugly head)
Motto: Avise la fin (Con sider the end)
Badge: Oak
Lands: Arrick, Ayrshire Lochaber and Skye
Origin o f Name:MacUalraig, Ceannaideach
Kennedy comes from the flattering Gaelic word cinneidigh, which in
ancient Ireland meant "ugly headed". Crossing the Irish Sea to settle in
an area of Dalriada now called Carrick in Ayrshire, they wer e probably
led by Gilbert, whose son Duncan became the 1st Earl of Carrick in the
11th century.
This name comes from the old Irish Gaelic, 'cinneidigh', l iterally
meaning 'ugly headed'. The family came from Ireland to Celtic Dalria da,
now Strathclyde, but are mainly associated with the district of Carrick
in Ayrshire. They claimed descent from the Earls of Carrick and kinship
to t he Bruce family, whom they supported against the Comyns and
throughout the Wa r of Independence.
John Kennedy of Dunure acquired lands at Cassillis about 13 60, and
witnessed a charter by Robert II in 1384. His son, Sir Gilbert, was o ne
of the hostages for the release of David II by the English in 1357.
Gilb ert's son, James, married Princess Mary, second daughter of Robert
III. Their son, another Gilbert, was created Lord Kennedy in about 1457
and was one of the six regents during the minority of James III. A
brother of the first Lord Kennedy, James Kennedy, was one of Scotland's
best-Ioved bishops. He served briefly as High Chancellor of Scotland and
was Bishop of Dunkeld, and later A rchbishop of St. Andrews. At St.
Andrews he founded St. Salvator's College in 1455.
Hugh Kennedy of Ardstinchar served as commander of the scots mercenary
troops who fought for Joan of Arc at the siege of Orleans; hence Joan
figur es on the arms of Kennedy of Bargany. Sir David, third Lord Kennedy
, was cre ated Earl of Cassillis in 1509 and died at Flodden in 1513. The
second Earl w as murdered in 1527. Gilbert, third Earl, was one of four
Scottish commission ers who were poisoned at Dieppe on their return from
the marriage of Mary , Q ueen of Scots to the Dauphin in 1558. He had
inherited his title at the age o f twelve when one of his first acts was
to sign, under duress, the death warr ant of Patrick Hamilton, the first
Scottish Protestant martyr. The fourth Ear l earned an infamous reputation
by 'roasting' Alan Stewart, Abbot of Crossrag uel, in the black vault of
Dunmore in order to obtain tracts of abbey land.
The sixth Earl of Cassillis, John, was Lord Justice General of Scotland
from 1649 to 1651. He was a zealous Protestant, as was his son, the
seventh Earl, and both were firm supporters of Parliament during the
civil war. The Justice General sat in Cromwell's House of Lords. They
suffered for their beliefs, b ut their estates remained largely intact.
When the eighth Earl died without h eirs their was a three-year court
dispute to determine the succession. The Ho use of Lords finally found in
favour of Sir Thomas Kennedy of Culzean in pref erence to William, Earl of
March and London. Sir Thomas's brother, David, an advocate, succeeded him
in 1775 as tenth Earl, and was an active improver. He commissioned the
architect Robert Adam to build the castle at Culzean, consi dered to be
Adam's masterpiece.