Registered: The International Register of Arms, 10th February 2006. Registration No. 00022.

Arms: Vert a lion rampant Or armed and langued Gules, grasping in the dexter claw a lightning flash in bend sinister Argent, point to base; on a chief embattled of the last, a rose Gules seeded Or, barbed Vert between two bombs Gules, fired on four points proper. Placed on the shield, a cap of maintenance Gules, doubled ermine proper. 

Crest: Seated on a helm wreath of the colours, a castle Argent ensigned with a trefoil Vert pendant from its slip a droplet of blood, in the castle portal a pen nib erect Or point to base.

Suporters: Dexter; a wolf proper, Sinister; a raven proper.

Motto: Anticipate

Registration: Bureau of Heraldry, South Africa, 26 July, 2004 #3444

Further Registration:  American College of Heraldry, June 1996 #1391

Further Certification: The Cronista Rey de Armas, 17 January 2001 Folio #133-136

The arms herein are taken in style from the original O’Neill arms granted to Conn Bacach O’Neill in 1542 when he became the 1st Earl of Tyrone. His four quarters included aspects of the ancient battle flag of Ulster, and these arms originate from that quarter. The family maintains that the originator of the sept is Conn Bacach’s son, Shane an Diomas O'Neill, The O'Neill Mor 1558-1567. It was from his collective group of sons that the surname "MacShane" came about circa 1585.

The armiger's line descended from Shane's son Conn MacShane, Lord of Clabby, to his son Hugh McShane O'Neill of Killetragh and Glenconkeyne, Ireland. This Hugh was pardoned and granted lands in 1608 for his part in O'Dogherty's Rebellion living out his life in Glenconkeyne and as Chief of the MacShane-O’Neills

The family supported the Jacobites in Ireland and following the departure of King James II in 1692 to France, the family was attainted and evolved their surname from O'Neill to that of just McShane. The name McShane was kept as the surname until 1796 and used alternatively with “Johnson” until 1839 when John McShane immigrated to the United States and, like his cousin the McShane-O'Neill baronet, Johnson of New York, permanently anglicized the name from the Irish Mac Shane or "son of John" to Johnson.

Lt. Colonel Johnson holds a BA from The Citadel Military College, an MA from Princeton University, and graduate diplomas from Harvard University and Virginia Polytechnique. He is married to the former Kathleen Eleanor Henninger von Eberg, and they have four children.

The armiger is head of the family, holding the lands named “Tyrone” in the UK, and is pleased to hold a share of the family’s ancestral manor house, lands and estate of Carnamoney in Co. Londonderry. He also has ownership of a commercial hop ranch in Montana. He heads the Clan McShane Society and is a member of the Cavalry Club, the Loyal Legion, the Order of St. John, The Montana Club, and the Veteran Corps of Artillery.

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