McGovern
Irish name: Mag Shamhráin
Earlier spellingsMacGauran, MacGoveran, MacGowran, Magauran, MacGavern, Magavern, McGavern
Anglicised Somers, Summers
Etymology"A summery personality"
Place of originCounty Cavan, Ireland[1]
MembersSamhradhán
lived c. 1100 AD
Connected familiesMcKiernan

The surname McGovern (Irish: Mág Samhradháin), is of Irish origin and is found predominantly in the counties of Cavan (among the fifteen most common names), Fermanagh and Leitrim.

The Irish name is Mag Samhradháin, meaning the Son of Samhradhán, and the clan or sept takes its name from one Samhradhán who lived c. 1100 AD descended from 7th-century Eochaidh, a descendant of Brión mac Echach Muigmedóin. Eochaidh gave his name to Teallach Eochaid, modern day Tullyhaw in Cavan. This was long the territory of the McGoverns. Their strongholds were at Ballymagauran, Bawnboy, Coologe and Lissanover in Cavan.[2][3]

There are many variations found in the spelling of the name, all of which are attempts at a phonetic spelling of the Gaelic Mag Samhradháin. The Mag part can be found as Mag, Meg, Mac, Mau, Mec, Mc, Ma or M'. The Samhradháin part (which may be attached to or detached from the Mag part and all its variations) can be found (the G being capitalised or not) as Samradhan, Shamhradhan, Shamhraghan, Shamradhan, Goveran, Govern, Govran, Gawran, Gawrain, Gawrene, Gawryne, Gauran, Gaurin, Gaurn, Gaurien, Gaurayn, Gaveran, Gaheran, Gahran, Gowran, Gouran, Gurn, Gurren, Guran, Guarayn.

Chiefs of the Clan

The following is a provisional list of the chiefs of the McGovern Clan, Barons or Lords of Tullyhaw.

Pedigree of McGovern Chiefs

Samhradhán

¦

Muireadhach

¦

Giolla na Naomh

¦

Giolla Iosa (d. 1231)

¦

Giolla na Naomh (fl. 1255)

¦

Donnchadh Cime (d. 1272) = May Mor O’Rourke

¦

Brian Breaghach (d. 1298) = Maoilmheadha Mac Kiernan (d. 1323)

¦

Tomas (d. 1343) = Nualaidh Maguire

¦

Fearghal (d. 1393)

¦

Tomas na Feasoige (d. 1458)

¦

Tomas Og (d. 1494)

¦

Maghnus (d. 1497)

¦

Tomas (d. 1532)

¦

Brian

¦

Feidhlimidh (d. 20 Jan 1622)

¦

Brian (b. 1592, fl. 1626)

¦

Cathal (fl. 1655)

References

  1. C. Maguire, "Bawnboy and Templeport- History Heritage Folklore" (1999)
  2. Margo R. Griffin-Wilson, "Sidelights on History: The Book of Magauran and the Annals", in Proceedings of the Harvard Celtic Colloquium, Vol. 2 (1982), pp. 75-87.
  3. L. McKenna, ed., tr. (1947), “The Book of Magauran”.
  4. C. Parker, “Two minor septs of late medieval Breifne”, in Breifne Journal, Vol. VIII, No. 31 (1995), pp. 566–586
  5. Seán MacBrádaigh, The Genealogy of MacGovern, in Genealogical Society of Ireland Journal, 2003, Vol. 4, No. 2, Page 122.
  6. Seán MacBrádaigh, The genealogy of MagShamhradháin, in Breifne Journal 2010, Vol.XII, No.45, pp. 150–153.
  7. J. H. McGovern (1890), “Genealogy and Historical Notices of the MacGauran or McGovern Clan”
  8. M.V. Duignan (1934), "The Uí Briúin Bréifni genealogies", pp. 90–137, in JRSAI Vol. 4, No. 1, Jun. 30, 1934.
  9. McCarthy, Judith. “The Importance of the Tower House in the Late Medieval Society of Breifne” in Breifne Journal vol. VIII, No.1 (1989–90), pp. 118–136.
  10. F. J. McKiernan, “Hearth Money Rolls for the Baronies of Tullyhaw and Tullyhunco”, in Breifne Journal, Vol. I (1960), pp. 247–262
  11. Salvador Ryan, ‘Wily women of God’ in "Cavan’s late medieval and early modern devotional collections", in Brendan Scott (ed.), Culture and society in early modern Breifne/Cavan (Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2009)
Footnotes
  1. ↑ Irish Times
  2. ↑ Robert Bell, Book of Ulster Surnames, Page 161, published by The Blackstaff Press in 1988.
  3. ↑ "Surname Database: McGovern Last Name Origin".
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