The Conlon family is an Irish noble family, the original Gaelic spelling being Ó Connalláin. In the tenth and eleventh centuries, the O'Conalláin were Princes of Ui Laeghari, an extensive territory in the counties of Meath and Westmeath, where the High King of Ireland historically derived his seat at the Hill of Tara.[1] The O'Conlons were chiefs of Crioch Tullach, in County Tyrone and branches of this family in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries settled in the counties of Roscommon, Galway and Mayo. As a sept of the Northern Uí Néill, they claim descent from Niall of the Nine Hostages and his son Conall Gulban, both High Kings of Ireland.

Name

O'Conlon is a variation of the anglicised version of Ó Connalláin. The name may be derived from two Irish Gaelic words "Con" (the genitive case of Cú, meaning "hound") and "Lón" meaning lion - thereby implying a person who has the characteristics of a lion born of a hound - strength and speed. It is sometimes spelt Conlan, Conlen and Conlin. Like most surnames, it is occasionally used as a first name.

Origins

The O'Conlons are a sept of the Cenél Conaill, or "kindred of Conall", specifically descended as part of Cenél Aedha, through Aedha mac Ainmirech great-great grandson of Conall Gulban. His father, Ainmirech mac Sétnai is brother of Lugaid mac Sétnai, founder of the Cenél Luighdech. The Cenél Aedha are said to have given their name to the barony of Tirhugh (Tír Aedha) in County Donegal.

Their kingdom was known as Tír Conaill, with their powerbase at Mag Ithe in the Finn valley, however they gradually expanded to cover what is now counties Donegal and Fermanagh. The Cenél Conaill clashed regularly with their kin the Cenél nEogain, eventually capturing the latter's original power-base of Ailech in the Inishowen peninsula—in modern-day County Donegal—by the 12th century. Related dynasties descended through Conall Cremthainne and Diarmait mac Cerbaill included the Síl nÁedo Sláine, the kings of Brega, descended from Colmán Már's youngest brother Áed Sláine and the Kings of Uisnech, among others, belonging to Clann Cholmáin.

Through the common ancestry of Lóegaire mac Néill, the O'Conlons are also related to the O'Connell family, including Count Daniel Charles O'Connell, Eibhlín Dubh Ní Chonaill and the O'Connell Baronets.[2][3]

Several prominent figures originating from the Tir Conail kingdom included Maximilian, Count von Tyrconnell.[4]

People

Other people from the Conlon family include:

Bibliography

  • Byrne, F. J. (1987). Irish kings and high-kings. London: Batsford. ISBN 0-7134-5813-5. OCLC 17430353.
  • "Meath-county Tartan - Kinloch Anderson". www.kinlochanderson.com. Retrieved 2021-10-04
  • Bell, Robert (2021). The book of Ulster surnames. Newtownards: Ulster Historical Foundation. ISBN 978-1-913993-38-2. OCLC 1302108307.
  • The O Clery Book of Genealogies, Seamus Pender (ed.), in Analecta Hibernica, No. 18, 1951 pp. 1-198
  • Burke, Bernard and Ashworth Peter Burke, A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry of Ireland. London: Harrison & Sons. 9th edition, 1899.
  • Marquis de Ruvigny, Melville H., The Nobilities of Europe. London: Melville and Company. 1910. (repr. Adamant Media Corporation, 2000

Other

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Meath-county Tartan - Kinloch Anderson". www.kinlochanderson.com. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
  2. ↑ Cronnelly, Richard Francis (1864–1865). Irish family history: being an historical and genealogical account of the Gaedhals, from the earliest period to the present time, compiled from authentic sources. Richard F. Cronnelly. OCLC 866814098.
  3. ↑ O'Hart, John (1892). Irish Pedigrees. Dublin.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  4. ↑ O'Domhnaill Abu (Spring 1987) O'Donnell Clan Newsletter no.7, (ISSN 0790-7389)
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