I've just posted a reply to one of the descendants of Mad Dog Coll who posted a message some time ago.

I am almost certainly related to the dreadful Gweedore-born Irish gangster Vincent 'Mad Dog' Coll.

I belive my GGG Grandfather, Toal Coll, was either Vincent's grandfather or his great grandfather. This would mean that Vincent is either my first cousin "thrice removed" or my second cousin "twice removed".

A number of years ago, the following information about my ancestors was supplied to a member of my family by a well-respected Gweedore historian and genealogist, K. McBride.

THOMAS COLL: was my GGGG Grandfather, I believe he was born in the late 1700s and he lived in Derrybeg, Gweedore, County Donegal. He had seven sons as follows:

(1) TOAL COLL (Toal was my Great Great Great Grandfather);
(2) Thomas Coll (We understand he may have married Kate, but her maiden name is unknown);
(3) Maurice Coll;
(4) Daniel Coll;
(5) Denis Coll;
(6)&(7)there were 2 other sons (names unknown).

TOAL COLL (my GGG Grandfather):
Toal Coll married Bridget Boyle-Gallagher and he built their home at Bunbeg. Their children, who were born in the 1840s and/or 1850s were:

(1) Charles Coll (died in USA);
(2) Edward Coll (died in Australia);
(3) Toal Coll (died in the USA and known as Toal Og Coll) - was he Vincent Mad Dog's father or his grandfather?
(4) Daniel Coll (known as Doney);
(5) BRIDGET COLL (my great great grandmother, she married Charles McBride, who was the son of Charles McBride and Annabella 'Nappy' Duffy);
(7) Kate Coll (bapised possibly Catherine or Kathleen);
(8) Sheila Coll (her daughter was Annabella Coll Friel, her granddaughter was Sarah Boyle and her great grandson was the famous Scottish footballer Pat Crerand);
(9)Anne Coll (died in USA);
(10)Mary Coll;

I have no record of an Una in the above family. Another subscriber mentions that the above siblings (1)-(2) and (4)-(10) plus Una are the brothers and sisters of Vincent's GRANDFATHER, Toal.

My most important question is: are the above brothers/sisters of Vincent's grandfather or of his father? My guess is that they are the siblings of Vincent's father.

I've been carrying out some research on the Mad Dog...
I have obtained a parish record of Vincent's father's birth/baptism. Toole Coll (a probable spelling error) was born on 12 Feb 1868 in Bunbeg. Toole's father was also named Toole Coll and his mother named as Bridget Gallagher. My research shows that Toole and Tole are variants of Toal. Also Toaly and Tully seem to be nicknames.

Vincent was born in 1908 and his siblings were:
Charles b May 1 1903
Robert b Jun 25 1904
Peter b Mar 8 1907
Florence born circa 1893
Thomas born circa 1898
(All born in Gweedore, Co. Donegal, Ireland except Florence who, interestingly, was born in the USA)

Any further information would be greatly appreciated. I shall be pleased to provide all Gweedore Coll descendants with further information too. I intend to buy or borrow a copy of the book 'Mad Dog Coll: an Irish Gangster' by B. Delap. I have contacted the publisher and unfortunately the book is out of print. However, they have copies at certain UK lending libraries and at many Irish libraries.

Kind regards
Michael McBride
United Kingdom

PS I'm an Englishman of Irish descent but I actually lived with my Irish wife not far from Gweedore in the 1980s. It seems that my irish cousins may have been very keeping quiet about our link to the infamous mobster and hitman! My mother's parents came from Dore, near Bunbeg in Gweedore. Thet coastal area is beautiful and the people lovely. Honest!