Irish Names and Surnames - Rev Patrick Woulfe - O Rothlain

Ó Rothláin ( ) is an

Irish surname A formal Irish name consists of a given name and a surname. In the Irish language, surnames are generally patronymic in etymology but are no longer literal patronyms as, for example, most Icelandic names still are. The form of a surname varies ...

. The name is a Patronym meaning "descendant of Rothlán." It is suggested that it is a possible variant of Ó Raghalláin, or Ó Roghallaigh. It is the pre- anglicised,

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

form of the names Rowlan, Rowland,

Rowlands Rowlands is a surname, and may refer to: * Clive Rowlands * David Rowlands (disambiguation) * Gena Rowlands * Graham Rowlands * Hugh Rowlands * Jim Rowlands * John Rowlands (disambiguation), several persons * June Rowlands * Keith Rowlands * ...

, Rollan,

Rollin Rollin or Rollin' may refer to: Music Albums * ''Rollin (Bay City Rollers album), 1974 * ''Rollin (Freddie Hubbard album), 1982 * ''Rollin (Texas Hippie Coalition album) or the title song, 2010 * ''Rollin (B1A4 EP) or the title song, 2017 * ' ...

, Rolan and Rowley. The name can also be found spelled as Ó Rothlán, Ó Rothlain, O'Rothlain, Rothlán, and Rothlan.

Overview

The Ó Rothláin families have a strong link with County Mayo, and Country Sligo in the province of

Connacht Connacht ( ; ga, Connachta or ), is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms ( Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, Conmhaícne, and Del ...

, and belong to the

Uí Fiachrach The Uí Fiachrach () were a royal dynasty who originated in, and whose descendants later ruled, the ''coicead'' or ''fifth'' of Connacht (a western province of Ireland) at different times from the mid-first millennium onwards. They claimed descent ...

. Historically, the family held the role of

chieftain A tribal chief or chieftain is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribe The concept of tribe is a broadly applied concept, based on tribal concepts of societies of western Afroeurasia. Tribal societies are sometimes categorized a ...

(titled as "

Taoiseach The Taoiseach is the head of government, or prime minister, of Ireland. The office is appointed by the president of Ireland upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann (the lower house of the Oireachtas, Ireland's national legislature) and the o ...

").

History

Chieftains of the Principality of Coolcarney

Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh (), also known as Dubhaltach Óg mac Giolla Íosa Mór mac Dubhaltach Mór Mac Fhirbhisigh, Duald Mac Firbis, Dudly Ferbisie, and Dualdus Firbissius (fl. 1643 – January 1671) was an Irish scribe, translator, histori ...

states in a poem written in 1417 that, Coolcarney "embraced the territory between Beel Lasa (or

Foxford Foxford () is a village 16 km south of Ballina in County Mayo, Ireland. It stands on the N26 national primary route from Swinford to Ballina and has a railway station served by trains between Manulla Junction and Ballina. Foxford lie ...

) and the Brosnach river in Castleconnor." William Gregory Wood-Martin wrote that the family territory included Cluain na gCliabhrach (anglicised as Cloonagleavragh). Mac Fhirbhisigh describes "O'Rothlain the Ready" as one of four chieftains in Coolcarney and states that they were a "festive party." Of Coolcarney John O'Donovan stated: ''"These are it's ichereditary tribes, namely, O'Rothlain it's chieftain, and Ua Cuinn, Ua Iarnain, and Ua Finain."''

References in Irish Annals and scholarly works

Various members of the Ó Rothláin

sept A sept is a division of a family, especially of a Scottish or Irish family. The term is used in both Scotland and Ireland, where it may be translated as ''sliocht'', meaning "progeny" or "seed", which may indicate the descendants of a person ...

are recorded in ''The Tribes, Customs and Genealogies of the Hy Fiachrach'' by O'Donovan. * The earliest reference is found in Irish Annals dating back to 1208. According to the ''

Annals of the Four Masters The ''Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland'' ( ga, Annála Ríoghachta Éireann) or the ''Annals of the Four Masters'' (''Annála na gCeithre Máistrí'') are chronicles of Middle Ages, medieval Irish history. The entries span from the Flood myt ...

'', ''Auliffe (also spelled "Awlave") O'Rothlain, Chief of Calry of Coolcarney, was slain by O'Moran''. * The name Ó Rothláin appears again in the year 1337 in the ''Annals of Connacht'' (''Annála Connacht''),1337.9, stating that, "Master Ó Rothlain rested in Christ." This same event again appears in the ''Annals of the Four Masters'', M1337.3, "The Master ''Professor'' Ó Rothlain died." * In 1340, during the reign of

Edward III of England Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring ...

, it is stated that "O'Rothlain, chiefs of Coill Fothaidh, a district on the borders of

Roscommon Roscommon (; ) is the county town and the largest town in County Roscommon in Ireland. It is roughly in the centre of Ireland, near the meeting of the N60, N61 and N63 roads. The name Roscommon is derived from Coman mac Faelchon who buil ...

and Mayo; they are thus mentioned by O'Dugan: 'O'Rothlain of Coill Fothaidh let us not omit, Chief of the whitestoned goblets and spears.'"

References

External links