The surname McGovern ( ga, Mág Samhradháin), is of

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 ...

origin and is found predominantly in the counties of Cavan (among the fifteen most common names),

Fermanagh Historically, Fermanagh ( ga, Fir Manach), as opposed to the modern County Fermanagh, was a kingdom of Gaelic Ireland, associated geographically with present-day County Fermanagh. ''Fir Manach'' originally referred to a distinct kin group of a ...

and Leitrim. The

Irish name 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 ...

is Mag Samhradháin, meaning ''the Son of Samhradhán'', and the clan or

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 ...

takes its name from one

Samhradhán Samhradhán, son of Conchobhar, was the progenitor and chief of the McGovern Clan and Baron or Lord of Tullyhaw barony, County Cavan from c.1082 to c.1115. The clan is named after him, Mág Samhradháin, meaning ''the son of Samhradhán''. Anc ...

who lived c. 1100 AD descended from 7th-century Eochaidh, a descendant of

Brión mac Echach Muigmedóin Brión (or Brían), son of Eochaid Mugmedón, was a legendary and possibly historical Irish king, fl. 4th/5th century. Biography The older half-brother of Niall Noígíallach ( Niall of the Nine Hostages) and one of the three brothers whose des ...

. Eochaidh gave his name to Teallach Eochaid, modern day

Tullyhaw Tullyhaw ( ga, Teallach Eathach) (which means 'The Territory of Eochaidh', an ancestor of the McGoverns, who lived ) is a Barony in County Cavan in the Republic of Ireland. The area has been in constant occupation since pre-4000 BC. Locate ...

in Cavan. This was long the territory of the McGoverns. Their strongholds were at Ballymagauran,

Bawnboy Bawnboy () is a small village and townland in a valley at the foot of Slieve Rushen, between Ballyconnell and Swanlinbar, in County Cavan, Ireland. A synod of the Roman Catholic Provincial Council of Armagh was held in Owengallees, Baunbuidhe ...

Coologe Coologe (Irish derived place name either: ''Cúl Ó nGuaire'' meaning 'Guaire's Corner' or ''Cúl Ó Gabhair'' meaning "The Corner of the Goats") is a townland in the civil parish of Templeport, County Cavan, Ireland. It lies in the Roman Cat ...

and

Lissanover Lissanover () is a townland in the civil parish of Templeport, County Cavan, Ireland. It lies in the Roman Catholic parish of Templeport and barony of Tullyhaw. Geography Lissanover is bounded on the north by Keenagh, Templeport and Munlou ...

in Cavan. 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

. *c.653-686 Eochaidh, son of Maonach (After whom is named Teallach n-Eachach or

) *c.686-719 Oireachtach, son of Eochaidh *c.719-752 Dúnghal, son of Oireachtach *c.752-785 Cosgrach, son of Dúnghal (perhaps the ''Coscrach, son of Donn'' whose death is mentioned in AFM 794) *c.818-851 Íomhaor, son of Cosgrach *c.851-884 Ruarc, son of Íomhaor (lived at Dunmakeever,

Glangevlin Glangevlin () is a village in the northwest of County Cavan, Ireland. It is in the townlands of Gub (Glangevlin) and Tullytiernan, at the junction of the R200 and R207 regional roads. It is surrounded by the Cuilcagh Mountains and borders th ...

, County Cavan) *c.884-917 Tadhg Tir, son of Ruarc *c.917-950 Conchobhar, son of Tadhg Tir *c.950-983 Aonghus, son of Conchobhar *c.983-1016 Flann, son of Aonghus *c.1016-1049 Fearghal, son of Flann *c.1049-1082 Conchobhar, son of Fearghal *c.1082-1115

, son of Conchobhar (lived at

Moneensauran Moneensauran () is a townland in the civil parish of Templeport, County Cavan, Ireland. It lies within the Roman Catholic parish of Glangevlin and barony of Tullyhaw. Geography Moneensauran is bounded on the north by Tullynacross (Glangevli ...

, County Cavan) *c.1115-1148

Muireadhach Mág Samhradhán Muiredach (Old Irish), Muireadhach or Muireach, anglicized variously to Murdoch, Murtagh, Murray, Murdac, Mordacq and other forms, is a Goidelic name (meaning "chieftain") popular in Scotland and Ireland in the Middle Ages: * Muiredach Bolgrach, m ...

(i.e. the first chief to bear the name Mág Samhradháin or McGovern) *c.1148-1181 Giolla na Naomh Mág Samhradháin, the First, son of Muireadhach *c.1181-1231

Giolla Íosa Mág Samhradháin Giolla Íosa Mág Samhradháin, (died 1231) was chief of the McGovern Clan and Baron or Lord of Tullyhaw barony, County Cavan from about 1181 to 1231. Ancestry His ancestry was Giolla Íosa Mág Samhradháin son of Giolla na Naomh Mág Samhrad ...

(died 1231), son of Giolla na Naomh (the First) *1231-c.1240 Giolla na Naomh Mág Samhradháin (the Second), son of Giolla Íosa *c.1240-1258

Brian Mág Samhradháin Brian Mág Samhradháin, the First, (anglicised McGovern) was chief of the McGovern Clan and Baron or Lord of Tullyhaw barony, County Cavan from c.1240-1258. Chieftainship On the death of the McGovern chief Giolla na Naomh Mág Samhradháin c.1 ...

, the First, (died 1258) *c.1258-1269

Donnchadh ‘Cime’ Mág Samhradháin Donnchadh () is a masculine given name common to the Irish and Scottish Gaelic languages. It is composed of the elements ''donn'', meaning "brown" or "dark" from Donn a Gaelic God; and ''chadh'', meaning "chief" or "noble". The name is also written ...

(died 1269), son of Giolla na Naomh (the Second) *1269-1272

Tomás Mág Samhradháin Tomás mac Aodh Mág Samhradháin, head of the McGovern lineage and Baron or Lord of Tullyhaw barony, County Cavan from 1269 to 1272. Ancestry His father was Aedh Mág Samhradháin and his half-brother or step-brother was Donnchadh ‘Cime’ M ...

, the First (died 1272), son of Aedh Mág Samhradháin and half-brother or step-brother of Donnchadh *1272-1294 Brian ‘Breaghach’ Mág Samhradháin, the Second, (died 3 May 1294), son of Donnchadh, lived at

, County Cavan *1294-1299 Maghnus Mág Samhradháin, the First (died 1299), son of Donnchadh and brother of Brian ‘Breaghach’ *-1325-1340 Tomás Mág Samhradháin the Second (died 1340), son of Brian ‘Breaghach’ *1340-1359 Niall Mág Samhradháin (died 1359), son of Tomás the Second *1359-1393 Fearghal Mág Samhradháin (died 1393), son of Tomás the Second and brother of Niall *1393-1408 Maghnus 'Ruadh' Mág Samhradháin, the Second, (died 1408), son of Tomás the Second and brother of Niall *1408-1458 Tomás Óg 'na Fésóige' Mág Samhradháin, the Third (died 1458), son of Fearghal *1458-1460 Eóghan Mág Samhradháin (died 1460) son of Tomás Óg & grandson of Fearghal *1460-1478 Cathal Mág Samhradháin, the First (died 1478) grandson of Fearghal *1478-15 Feb 1495 Feidhlimidh Mág Samhradháin, the First (died 1495), son of Tomás Óg & grandson of Fearghal *Feb 1495-15 Feb 1496 Domhnall ‘Bernach’ Mág Samhradháin (died 1496), son of Tomás Óg & half-brother of Feidlim *Feb 1496-1504 Éamonn Mág Samhradháin (died 1504), grandson of Tomás Óg and nephew of Domhnall ‘Bernach’. *1504-1512 Cathal Mág Samhradháin, the Second, (died 1512), nephew of Éamonn *1512-1532 Tomás Mág Samhradháin, the Fourth (died 1532), son of Maghnus and grandson of Tomás Óg *1540- Uaithne Mág Samhradháin, son of Maghnus and grandson of Tomás Óg *15??-1584

Brian Óg Mág Samhradháin Brian Óg Mág Samhradháin, the Third, (anglicised Brian McGovern Junior) d. 1584, was chief of the McGovern Clan and Baron or Lord of Tullyhaw barony, County Cavan until his death in 1584. Ancestry His ancestry was Brian Óg son of Brian son ...

, the Third, son of Brian, d. 1584, *1584-1586- Tomas Óg Mág Samhradháin (pardoned 19/1/1586) *-1609-1622

Feidhlimidh Mág Samhradháin Feidhlimidh Mág Samhradháin, the Second, (anglicised Felim or Phelim McGovern) d. 20 January 1622, was head of the McGovern dynasty and Baron or Lord of Tullyhaw barony, County Cavan from before 1611 until his death on 20 January 1622. Ancest ...

, the Second, (died 20 January 1622) *1622- Brian Magauran, the Fourth, son of Feidhlimidh *-1641-1657- Charles Magauran, the Third, son of Brian Magauran *-1690- Colonel Bryan Magauran, the Sixth, grandson of Charles Magauran

Pedigree of McGovern Chiefs

¦ 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

#C. Maguire, "Bawnboy and Templeport- History Heritage Folklore" (1999) #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. #L. McKenna, ed., tr. (1947), “The Book of Magauran”. #C. Parker, “Two minor septs of late medieval Breifne”, in Breifne Journal, Vol. VIII, No. 31 (1995), pp. 566–586 #Seán MacBrádaigh, ''The Genealogy of MacGovern'', in Genealogical Society of Ireland Journal, 2003, Vol. 4, No. 2, Page 122. #Seán MacBrádaigh, ''The genealogy of MagShamhradháin'', in Breifne Journal 2010, Vol.XII, No.45, pp. 150–153. #J. H. McGovern (1890), “Genealogy and Historical Notices of the MacGauran or McGovern Clan” #M.V. Duignan (1934), "The Uí Briúin Bréifni genealogies", pp. 90–137, in JRSAI Vol. 4, No. 1, Jun. 30, 1934. #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. #F. J. McKiernan, “Hearth Money Rolls for the Baronies of Tullyhaw and Tullyhunco”, in Breifne Journal, Vol. I (1960), pp. 247–262 #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

External links

Statistics about McGovern AncestorsA 9th century Uí Briúin settlement in County Cavan
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mcgovern Irish families Surnames