Donnellan is an Irish

surname In some cultures, a surname, family name, or last name is the portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family, tribe or community. Practices vary by culture. The family name may be placed at either the start of a person's full name ...

and refers to the

clan A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clans may claim descent from founding member or apical ancestor. Clans, in indigenous societies, tend to be endogamous, meaning ...

name Ó Domhnalláin or O'Donnellan. At least two unrelated families of the name existed in

Gaelic Ireland Gaelic Ireland ( ga, Éire Ghaelach) was the Gaelic political and social order, and associated culture, that existed in Ireland from the late prehistoric era until the early 17th century. It comprised the whole island before Anglo-Normans co ...

. One in south-east

Ulster Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United King ...

, another in south-east Connacht in the kingdom of Ui Maine. More recently, a number of Donnellans had their name changed from

Donnelly Donnelly is a surname of Irish origin. It is the anglicized form of the Gaelic ''Ó Donnghaile'' meaning ‘descendant of Donnghal’ a given name composed of the elements "donn" (dark or brown), plus "gal" (valour). O'Donnelly is derived from ...

in the 19th century, located largely in the

Galway Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a City status in Ireland, city in the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lo ...

Mayo Mayo often refers to: * Mayonnaise, often shortened to "mayo" * Mayo Clinic, a medical center in Rochester, Minnesota, United States Mayo may also refer to: Places Antarctica * Mayo Peak, Marie Byrd Land Australia * Division of Mayo, an Aust ...

region. As such, their descendancy can be traced to the

Uí Néill The Uí Néill (Irish pronunciation: ; meaning "descendants of Niall") are Irish dynasties who claim descent from Niall Noígíallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), a historical King of Tara who died c. 405. They are generally divided into the ...

, including the High King

Niall of the Nine Hostages Niall ''Noígíallach'' (; Old Irish "having nine hostages"), or Niall of the Nine Hostages, was a legendary, semi-historical Irish king who was the ancestor of the Uí Néill dynasties that dominated Ireland from the 6th to the 10th centuries. ...

. The patron of the Donnellan's of Ui Maine is

Saint Grellan Saint Grellan is an Irish saint and patron saint of the KellyO'Donovan, ''Tribes and Customs of Hy Many'', pp. 8–12. and Donnellan of Uí Maine clans and of the parish of Ballinasloe, in County Galway, Ireland. Early life According to the hag ...

. The family derive their name from

Domnallan mac Maelbrigdi Domnallan mac Maelbrigdi, Irish dynast, fl. c. 9th/10th century. Biography Domnallan was the son of Maelbrigdi, a member of the Ui Maine dynasty, located in south-east Connacht. His pedigree is given as ''Domnallan mac Maelbrigdi mic Grenain ...

. First found in Galway, the family has held a seat from ancient times, dating back from at least the 1300s. One of the twelve ancient seats of Connacht, they resided over large areas of Galway, Roscommon and eventually West Meath. Ballydonnellan Castle was the seat of the Donnellans of Ui Maine. The heads of this family were the chiefs of Clann Bhreasail, the district lying between Loughrea and Ballinasloe. The original castle is said to have been erected as early as 936 but this, more likely than not, was probably a ring fort. Another castle built on the same site was destroyed by fire some time before 1412 when it was rebuilt by the Donnellans. During the 17th century the family added a long two-storey house to the side of the castle. During the following century the castle was renovated and extended to form an end pavillon wing, and a matching wing was added to the other end of the seventeenth-century structure. The wings were redesigned after 1787 when the façade of the central range was altered with a four-bay pedimented breakfront. One of the wings was destroyed by fire before 1913 but the entire house was in ruin by 1978. This is located about two miles north of Kilreekill.

Notable Donnellans

of Ui Maine, ancestor of the Donnellans of Galway, fl. c. 9th/10th century *

Ainglioch Ó Dónalláin Ainglioch Ó Dónalláin, Irish poet, fl. mid-14th or mid-15th century. Origins Ó Dónalláin was a member of a minor family of bards based at Ballydonnellan, Loughrea, County Galway, in what was then the kingdom of Uí Maine. Their pedigr ...

, poet, fl. mid-14th or mid-15th century * Flann Óge Ó Domhnalláin, Chief Poet of Connacht, died 1342 *

Mael Sechlainn Ó Domhnalláin Mael Sechlainn Ó Domhnalláin (died 1375) was an Irish poet. Ó Domhnalláin was a member of the Ó Domhnalláin bardic family of Ui Maine (now south-west It is unknown if any examples of his work survive. References See also * Domn ...

, Irish poet, died 1375 *

Flann Óc mac Séoan Ó Domhnalláin Flann Óc mac Séoan Ó Domhnalláin was ''Ollamh Síol Muireadaigh'' for an unknown time in 1404. The annals record an unusual number of bardic deaths in 1404. Donnchad Baccach Ó Maolconaire died, leaving the office of ga, Ollamh vacant. Hi ...

Ollamh Síol Muireadaigh Ollamh Síol Muireadaigh was a hereditary post, held almost exclusively by members of the Ó Maolconaire family, from at latest the 13th century until the 17th century. The Síol Muireadaigh were a dynasty of regional clans, named after King Muired ...

, 1404 *

Nehemiah Donnellan Nehemiah Donnellan (a.k.a. Fearganainm Ó Domhnalláin) (fl. c. 1560-1609) was Archbishop of Tuam. Background Donellan was born in the county of Galway, a son of Mael Sechlainn Ó Dónalláin, by his wife Sisly, daughter of William Ó Cellaigh o ...

Archbishop of Tuam The Archbishop of Tuam ( ; ga, Ard-Easpag Thuama) is an archbishop which takes its name after the town of Tuam in County Galway, Ireland. The title was used by the Church of Ireland until 1839, and is still in use by the Catholic Church. Histor ...

, fl. c. 1560–1609 * James Donnellan, lawyer and politician, c. 1588 – 1665. * Pádhraic Ó Domhnalláin, Irish duelist, fl. 1830. * Padraig Ó Domhnallain, short-story writer, born 1884. *

Martin Donnellan Martin Donnellan, Garda Síochána Detective Sergeant 17179D and recipient of the Scott Medal, born 1948. Donnellan was born at Ballymoe, County Galway, on 7 June 1948. He had been a cabinet maker prior to joining the force. Stillorgan bank ...

, recipient of the Scott Medal, born 1948. * Declan Donnellan, theater director *

John Donnellan John F. Donnellan (born 27 March 1937) is an Irish former politician and sportsman. He served as a Fine Gael Teachta Dála (TD) for twenty-five years and as a Minister of State from 1982 to 1987. He played Gaelic football for his local club Du ...

, Irish politician *

Keith Donnellan Keith Sedgwick Donnellan (; June 25, 1931 – February 20, 2015) was an American philosopher and Professor of Philosophy (later Professor Emeritus) at the University of California, Los Angeles. Donnellan contributed to the philosophy of language ...

, philosopher * Michael Donnellan, various including ** Michael Donnellan, Irish Clann na Talmhan politician ** Michael Donnellan, GAA footballer *

Nanci Donnellan ''The Fabulous Sports Babe'' was a semi-fictional character who hosted various American sports radio broadcasts. The program, hosted by Tampa Bay area resident Nanci Donnellan, was syndicated across the United States on both ESPN Radio and ESPN2, ...

, sports radio broadcaster *

Pat Donnellan Pat Donnellan (born 1941 in Dunmore, County Galway) is an Irish former sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club Dunmore McHales and was a member of the Galway senior inter-county team from 1960 until 1967. Donnellan is a ...

, GAA footballer *

Philip Donnellan Philip Donnellan (9 February 1924 – 15 February 1999) was an English documentary film-maker. Described in his ''Guardian'' obituary as "one of the greatest of all documentarists", Donnellan worked with the BBC for over four decades, producing ar ...

, English documentary film-maker *

Steve Donnellan Steve Donnellan (12 November 1900 – 29 June 1934) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Football Donnellan came to Fitzroy from Cohuna and played 16 games in his debut season in ...

, Australian evolutionary biologist * Thomas Donnellan, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Atlanta, 1968–1987

References

{{surname Surnames of Irish origin Anglicised Irish-language surnames