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Caomhánach ( Irish: ; in
Gaelic type Gaelic type (sometimes called Irish character, Irish type, or Gaelic script) is a family of Insular script typefaces devised for printing Early Modern Irish. It was widely used from the 16th century until the mid-18th century in Scotland and t ...
) is an
Irish-language Irish (Standard Irish: ), also known as Irish Gaelic or simply Gaelic ( ), is a Celtic language of the Indo-European language family. It is a member of the Goidelic languages of the Insular Celtic sub branch of the family and is indigenou ...
surname first assumed by Domhnall Caomhánach, eldest son of the 12th-century Diarmait Mac Murchada, king of Leinster (now
Leinster Leinster ( ; or ) is one of the four provinces of Ireland, in the southeast of Ireland. The modern province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige, which existed during Gaelic Ireland. Following the 12th-century ...
,
Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
). A considerable number of anglicised variations of Caomhánach exist; some of the most common are Kavanagh, Cavanagh, Kavanaugh and Cavanaugh.


Early history – Kings of Leinster

The Caomhánach family is a branch of the Mac Murchada dynasty and is descended from Domhnall Caomhánach, eldest son of Diarmait, king of Leinster. The dynasty the family descend from was known as Uí Ceinnselaig, whose territory included nearly all of
County Carlow County Carlow ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county located in the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region of Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. Carlow is the List of Irish counties by area, second smallest and t ...
and
County Wexford County Wexford () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. Named after the town of Wexford, it was ba ...
, with parts of Counties
Wicklow Wicklow ( ; , meaning 'church of the toothless one'; ) is the county town of County Wicklow in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is located on the east of Ireland, south of Dublin. According to the 2022 census of Ireland, 2022 census, it had ...
and
Kilkenny Kilkenny ( , meaning 'church of Cainnech of Aghaboe, Cainnech'). is a city in County Kilkenny, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is located in the South-East Region, Ireland, South-East Region and in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinst ...
included. The Caomhánach family maintained control of the kingship of Leinster up until the 17th century. This claim was at times disputed and resulted in nearly consistent clashes with Anglo-Norman settlers in Ireland. The lion passant on the Caomhánach arms is a classic heraldic device associated with feudal power but unusual for a family of Gaelic extraction; it may be that it is intended to signify the centuries-long connection of the family with the kingship of Leinster.


12th century – Origin and meaning of the name

It is referenced in a translation of the historical ''
Annals of the Four Masters The ''Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland'' () or the ''Annals of the Four Masters'' () are chronicles of Middle Ages, medieval Irish history. The entries span from the Genesis flood narrative, Deluge, dated as 2,242 Anno Mundi, years after crea ...
'' by John O'Donovan that Domhnall Caomhánach was fostered for his training and education at the monastery of Saint Cóemgen/Kevin at Kilcavan in the
Barony of Gorey Gorey () is a historical barony in northeast County Wexford, Ireland. Baronies were mainly cadastral rather than administrative units. They acquired modest local taxation and spending functions in the 19th century before being superseded by t ...
, County Wexford. According to Irish custom, it was because of this that Domhnall assumed the name Caomhánach in the form of a descriptive byname meaning "a student or follower of Cóemgen". Contrary to usual Irish practice, the name was adopted by his descendants as an inherited surname. In several Irish dictionaries, Caomhánach is defined as "a friend, companion" and "merciful". however some historians believe that is incorrect and could be specific to the O' Caemhin families of North Connacht who derive it from Caomhán Mac Connmhach. Caomh (also ''caemh'' or c''óem'' in old Irish) means words such as friend, companion, smooth, noble, aristocrat. fair, handsome or beautiful. ''Caomhán or Cóemgen'' ( Kevin) is the
diminutive A diminutive is a word obtained by modifying a root word to convey a slighter degree of its root meaning, either to convey the smallness of the object or quality named, or to convey a sense of intimacy or endearment, and sometimes to belittle s ...
of Caomh. ''Án'' is used to indicate something or someone is small, or to denote affection. It can also be ironic and denote the opposite e.g. bolgadan (little belly) was used to indicate a man with a big belly. Adding the '' ach'' to ''Caomhán'' means that it relates to or is "of" Caomhán.


14th century – Art Óg mac Murchadha Caomhánach

Art Óg mac Murchadha Caomhánach is generally regarded as the most formidable of the later Kings of Leinster. Throughout the course of his reign, Art managed to reclaim control over much of the kingdom of Leinster. He drove the descendants of the Anglo-Norman settlers out of north Wexford and coastal Wicklow and threatened the Anglo-Irish towns of Wexford, Carlow and Dublin. The territory of the Caomhánachs at this period was huge and became known as "the Kavanagh's country" and with good reason: Art held complete control over it, reigning for forty-two years, and even receiving dues from the English crown, the "black rent" as it was known. Art became such a threat to the English interest in Ireland that
Richard II of England Richard II (6 January 1367 – ), also known as Richard of Bordeaux, was King of England from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. He was the son of Edward the Black Prince, Edward, Prince of Wales (later known as the Black Prince), and Jo ...
made two expeditions to Ireland to bring him into submission, the latter ultimately costing Richard II his throne as he was captured and murdered upon his return to England. Art remained at large as king of Leinster until 1416 or 1417, when he was poisoned in
New Ross New Ross (, formerly ) is a town in southwest County Wexford, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, on the River Barrow on the border with County Kilkenny, northeast of Waterford. In 2022, it had a population of 8,610, making it the fourth-largest t ...
. Although Domhnall Caomhánach was the first bearer of the name, in fact the majority of the septs that proliferated from the fifteenth century on descend from Art.


17th century – Nine Years' War

In the 16th century, Cahir mac Art Kavanagh took part in the
Desmond Rebellions The Desmond Rebellions occurred in 1569–1573 and 1579–1583 in the Irish province of Munster. They were rebellions by the Earl of Desmond, the head of the FitzGerald dynasty in Munster, and his followers, the Geraldines and their allies, ...
. Art Kavanagh, a companion of Hugh O'Neill's took part in the dramatic escape from Dublin Castle in 1590. The chiefs of the family continued to take the ruling title ''mac Murchadha'', but by the mid-sixteenth century their power was on the wane, and was decisively broken by the start of the seventeenth century. The last king of Leinster was
Domhnall Spainneach Mac Murrough Caomhanach Donald is a Scottish masculine given name. It is derived from the Gaelic name ''Dòmhnall''.. This comes from the Proto-Celtic *''Dumno-ualos'' ("world-ruler" or "world-wielder"). The final -''d'' in ''Donald'' is partly derived from a misinter ...
, who finally submitted at the end of the
Nine Years' War The Nine Years' War was a European great power conflict from 1688 to 1697 between Kingdom of France, France and the Grand Alliance (League of Augsburg), Grand Alliance. Although largely concentrated in Europe, fighting spread to colonial poss ...
in 1603. Despite the family's loss of power and property, the line of descent from the last duly inaugurated Chief of the Name, Brian Kavanagh, The Mac Murchadha, remained unbroken down to recent times. It is not surprising, then, that Caomhánachs were prominent among the great wave of native Irish aristocrats emigrating to Europe in the wake of the final defeat of
Gaelic Ireland Gaelic Ireland () was the Gaelic political and social order, and associated culture, that existed in Ireland from the late Prehistory of Ireland, prehistoric era until the 17th century. It comprised the whole island before Anglo-Norman invasi ...
at the end of the seventeenth century, becoming officers in the armies of Catholic France, Spain and Austria. In the 17th century Brian Kavanagh fought for the
House of Stuart The House of Stuart, originally spelled Stewart, also known as the Stuart dynasty, was a dynasty, royal house of Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland, Kingdom of England, England, Kingdom of Ireland, Ireland and later Kingdom of Great Britain, Great ...
in
Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
and was described as the tallest man in King James' army. Charles Kavanagh rose to be the military Governor of
Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...
in 1766. Several Caomhánachs were officers in the Irish Brigade in the
Jacobin The Society of the Friends of the Constitution (), renamed the Society of the Jacobins, Friends of Freedom and Equality () after 1792 and commonly known as the Jacobin Club () or simply the Jacobins (; ), was the most influential political cl ...
army of France and a branch of the family settled in that country. Caomhánachs also rose to high rank in the empire of
Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...
.


Clann Caomhánach

Clann Caomhánach is registered with th
Clans of Ireland
the Irish Government agency set up to co-ordinate the activities of all Irish Clans.


Variations of the name

Clann Chaomhánach covers the following known variations of the family name— Kavanagh, Cavanough, Kavanaugh, Kavanah, Kavenah, Kabana, Kavaner, Kavenaugh, Kavenagh, Kavanacht, Kaveny, Cavanagh, Cavanaugh, Cavanah, Cavenah, Cavenagh, Cavany, Cavani, Kavana, Cavana, Cavner, Cavenaugh, Cavender, Cavenogh, Cavnar, Cavignac, Cavaignac, Cavanaogh, Cavanogh, Cabanah, Chaomhanach—but there are many others.


See also

* Kavanagh (surname) * Cavanagh * Kings of Leinster


External links


History of the Kavanagh lineage of St. Mullins


References


External links


Clan Caomhánach

Coláiste ChaomhánachIreland's Wars, How Art MacMurragh Brought Down The English Monarchy
at Never Felt Better {{DEFAULTSORT:Caomhanach MacMorrough Kavanagh dynasty Surnames Surnames of Irish origin Irish families Irish-language surnames