The Mulhollands

Another family of high prestige from this parish was the Mulholland family. The Mulhollands were the hereditary Keepers of St Patrick’s Bell of Clog-an Udhacta. They shared this privilege with the Mellons of Lissan. One of their duties was to attend at the inauguration of The O’Neill at Tullyhoge. St Patrick’s Bell was used for swearing evidence and for sealing contracts under the brehon laws. The last Keeper of the bell, Henry Mulholland, died at Edenduffcarrick near Randalstown some time before the year 1819. He died still in possession of St Patrick’s Bell. The Shrine of St Patrick’s Bell and the Bell itself are now in the National Museum in Dublin. The Mulhollands are still numerous around Eden and Ballymacpeake but in the last century this surname was the most numerous in the Baptismal Register of Greenlough.