MacGorman (
Irish: ''Mac Gormáin''), also known as
McGorman, Gorman, or
O'Gorman (
Irish: ''Ó Gormáin''), is an
Irish Gaelic clan based most prominently in what is today
County Clare
County Clare () is a Counties of Ireland, county in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster in the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern part of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Clare County Council ...
. The paternal ancestors of the clan are of the
Laigin
The Laigin, modern spelling Laighin (), were a Gaelic population group of early Ireland. They gave their name to the Kingdom of Leinster, which in the medieval era was known in Irish as ''Cóiced Laigen'', meaning "Fifth/province of the Leinste ...
and emerged in what is today
County Waterford
County Waterford () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. It is named after the city of Waterford. ...
. As leaders of the
Uí Bairrche
Uí Bairrche (, ) was an Irish kin-based group that originally held lands in the south of the ancient province of Leinster (or ''Cóiced Laigen'' "the Fifth of the Laigin"). Another south Leinster kin group associated with the Uí Bairrche were g ...
, they competed with the
Uí Cheinnselaig in the 5th century for the
Kingship of Leinster, ultimately losing out in that specific arena, but holding on to significant lands in the
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 ...
area.
Through influence over the
Sletty monastery founded by
Fiacha mac Breccáin, the family played a role in early
Christianity in Ireland. The ''Life of St. Patrick'' from the
Book of Armagh
The ''Book of Armagh'' or Codex Ardmachanus (ar or 61) (), also known as the ''Canon of Patrick'' and the ''Liber Ar(d)machanus'', is a 9th-century Irish art, Irish illuminated manuscript written mainly in Latin. It is held by the Library of Tri ...
was authored on the request of
Áed of Sletty. As well as this, the mother of
Columba of Iona came from this dynasty. After working to fight off the
Vikings
Vikings were seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway, and Sweden),
who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded, and settled throughout parts of Europe.Roesdahl, pp. 9� ...
in
Dublin
Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
and
Waterford
Waterford ( ) is a City status in Ireland, city in County Waterford in the South-East Region, Ireland, south-east of Ireland. It is located within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster. The city is situated at the head of Waterford H ...
, the MacGormans eventually lost out to the
Normans
The Normans (Norman language, Norman: ''Normaunds''; ; ) were a population arising in the medieval Duchy of Normandy from the intermingling between Norsemen, Norse Viking settlers and locals of West Francia. The Norse settlements in West Franc ...
in the 12th century. The family relocated to
Thomond upon being invited by the
Ó Briain. From this point on they were Lords of
Uí Bhreacáin until losing influence when Thomond's sovereignty came to an end.
Etymology
There are multiple origins for the surname ''Gorman''. The
Irish name is an
Anglicised
Anglicisation or anglicization is a form of cultural assimilation whereby something non-English becomes assimilated into or influenced by the culture of England. It can be sociocultural, in which a non-English place adopts the English language ...
form of the
Gaelic ''Mac Gormáin'' and ''Ó Gormáin'', meaning "son of ''Gormán''" and "descendant of ''Gormán''". The personal name ''Gormán'' is derived from the diminutive of ''gorm'', meaning "dark blue", "noble".
One English origin of the name is from the
Middle English
Middle English (abbreviated to ME) is a form of the English language that was spoken after the Norman Conquest of 1066, until the late 15th century. The English language underwent distinct variations and developments following the Old English pe ...
personal name
A personal name, full name or prosoponym (from Ancient Greek ''prósōpon'' – person, and ''onoma'' –name) is the set of names by which an individual person or animal is known. When taken together as a word-group, they all relate to that on ...
''Gormund'' (
Old English
Old English ( or , or ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the Early Middle Ages. It developed from the languages brought to Great Britain by Anglo-S ...
''Garmund''). This name is made up of the elements ''gar'' "spear" + ''mund'' "protection". The English surname ''Gorman'' can also be a
topographic name for someone who lived near a triangular piece of land. The German surname (''Görmann'') is sometimes a variant of ''Gehrmann''. German Gorman can also be of
Slavic origin, from an occupational name, derived from the Slavic ''góra'' meaning "mountain".
One of the earliest mentions of the name "Gorman" can be found in a reference by
Geoffrey of Monmouth
Geoffrey of Monmouth (; ; ) was a Catholic cleric from Monmouth, Wales, and one of the major figures in the development of British historiography and the popularity of tales of King Arthur. He is best known for his chronicle '' The History of ...
to a Danish king named "Gormandus" who raided parts of Britain around 593 AD and settled near South Wexford.
Early bearers of the surname are William ''Gorman'' in 1296 and Adam ''Garman'' in 1327.
The John ''atte Gore'' recorded in 1296 within the ''Sussex Subsidy Rolls'' is identical with the John ''Gorman'' recorded in 1332.
Irish ''Mac Gormáin'' family
Most of the following is taken from a family history composed by Allan O'Gorman of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in 1966, based largely on notes obtained from Father John Robert O'Gorman of Renfrew, Ontario, Canada, who conducted family research at Dublin Castle in 1903. A copy of Allan O'Gorman's document was presented to Naoise Cleary and Ger Kennedy of the Clare Cultural Centre in Corofin, County Clare, in July, 1989, by Brendan Vincent Justin O'Gorman of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, a great-nephew of Father John Robert O'Gorman.
According to
Keating, the ''Mac Gormáin'' family descended from the chieftains of the
Uí Bairrche
Uí Bairrche (, ) was an Irish kin-based group that originally held lands in the south of the ancient province of Leinster (or ''Cóiced Laigen'' "the Fifth of the Laigin"). Another south Leinster kin group associated with the Uí Bairrche were g ...
. The family lived in
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 ...
and held the lands of
Slievemargy in present-day
County Laois
County Laois ( ; ) is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and in the province of Leinster. It was known as Queen's County from 1556 to 1922. The modern county takes its name from Loígis, a medieval kingdom. Hist ...
and lands near
Carlow
Carlow ( ; ) is the county town of County Carlow, in the south-east of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, from Dublin. At the 2022 census of Ireland, 2022 census, it had a population of 27,351, the List of urban areas in the Republic of Ireland, ...
.
The family was forced from the lands with the arrival of the
Normans
The Normans (Norman language, Norman: ''Normaunds''; ; ) were a population arising in the medieval Duchy of Normandy from the intermingling between Norsemen, Norse Viking settlers and locals of West Francia. The Norse settlements in West Franc ...
and moved into
County Monaghan
County Monaghan ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster and is part of Border Region, Border strategic planning area of the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town ...
.
According to James Frost, the family was likely driven from the lands by the Norman lord Walter de Riddlesford, who became the master of Carlow at around this time.
A poem, written by Maoelin Oge MacBrody (the MacBrodys were the
ollaves of the Uí Bairrche), states that after the Mac Gormáin family was driven from its lands a group of them made for Ulster and another made westwards towards Daire Seanleath in Uaithne Cliach (''Uaithne Cliach'' is the modern
barony Barony may refer to:
* Barony, the peerage, office of, or territory held by a baron
* Barony, the title and land held in fealty by a feudal baron
* Barony (county division), a type of administrative or geographical division in parts of the British ...
of
Owney, in
County Limerick
County Limerick () is a western Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West Region, Ireland, Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Reg ...
). The family then settled in lands controlled by the O'Briens, settling in the area of Ibrackan. The ''Mac Gormáin'' family of Ibrickan were known in the 15th century for their wealth, hospitality and their patronage of the Gaelic poets.
The first of the family to settle in Munster was Murtagh, son of Donogh.
The
chiefs of the family held parts of the lands of Moyarta and Ibrackan in
County Clare
County Clare () is a Counties of Ireland, county in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster in the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern part of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Clare County Council ...
. A branch of the family were hereditary marshalls to the O'Briens and held lands in Clare.
The family is listed as one of the septs of Thomond in 1317.
Today the members of the family bear Anglicised names such as ''Gorman'', ''MacGorman'', ''McGorman'', and ''O'Gorman''. Most members of the family bear the names ''Gorman'' or ''O'Gorman'' despite the original Gaelic names was ''Mac Gormáin''. According to
MacLysaght, this is because at the time of the
Gaelic revival
The Gaelic revival () was the late-nineteenth-century national revival of interest in the Irish language (also known as Gaelic) and Irish Gaelic culture (including folklore, mythology, sports, music, arts, etc.). Irish had diminished as a sp ...
in Ireland, the majority of bearers of the name had dropped all prefixes from their name. Though with the revival many Gormans mistaking added the historically incorrect prefix (''
O''') because they did not know any better. MacLysaght thought that the man who was chiefly responsible for the choice in the prefix was the Frenchman Chevalier Thomas O'Gorman (1725–1808), who constructed Irish pedigrees after being ruined in the
French Revolution.
Within the 1669 Census of Ireland, the surnames ''Gormon'' and ''Gorman'' are listed as principal names for two baronies within County Clare: 9 ''Gormons'' are recorded in the Islands barony which consisted of 1651 people; and 6 ''Gormans'' are recorded in the barony of Moyferta, which consisted of 1024 people. In the 17th century ''O'Gorman'' was a principal name of
County Armagh
County Armagh ( ) is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland and one of the traditional thirty-two counties of Ireland. It is located in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster and adjoins the southern shore of Lough Neagh. It borders t ...
; and ''McGorman'' was a principal name of counties Monaghan and
Louth. In 1890 most ''O'Gormans'' are found in County Clare.
History
Descent from Cathair Mór, High King
According to historian C. Thomas Cairney, the MacGormans were one of the chiefly families of the
Uí Bairrche
Uí Bairrche (, ) was an Irish kin-based group that originally held lands in the south of the ancient province of Leinster (or ''Cóiced Laigen'' "the Fifth of the Laigin"). Another south Leinster kin group associated with the Uí Bairrche were g ...
who were a tribe of the
Erainn who were the second wave of Celts to settle in
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 ...
between about 500 and 100
BC.
The Uí Bairrche kindred of the
Laigin
The Laigin, modern spelling Laighin (), were a Gaelic population group of early Ireland. They gave their name to the Kingdom of Leinster, which in the medieval era was known in Irish as ''Cóiced Laigen'', meaning "Fifth/province of the Leinste ...
took their name from Dairé Barrach, a son of
Cathair Mór, who lived during the 2nd century AD. It is possible that they are mentioned in
Ptolemy
Claudius Ptolemy (; , ; ; – 160s/170s AD) was a Greco-Roman mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were important to later Byzantine science, Byzant ...
’s ''Geographia'' as the
Brigantes
The Brigantes were Ancient Britons who in pre-Roman times controlled the largest section of what would become Northern England. Their territory, often referred to as Brigantia, was centred in what was later known as Yorkshire. The Greek geog ...
; it is unknown what connection, if any, they have to similarly named groups in Britain or Europe. Ptolemy may have simply used the term because of its phonetic similarity. In any case, Dairé lived at
Dún Ailinne, one of the ancient Gaelic royal sites of Ireland and capital of the Laigin, located in what is now
County Kildare
County Kildare () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the Local gove ...
. From here he gained a pupil in
Mug Nuadat, ancestor of the
Eóganachta
The Eóganachta (Modern , ) were an Irish dynasty centred on Rock of Cashel, Cashel which dominated southern Ireland (namely the Kingdom of Munster) from the 6/7th to the 10th centuries, and following that, in a restricted form, the Kingdom of De ...
, whom he supported in becoming King of Munster in conflict with
Conn of the Hundred Battles
Conn Cétchathach (), or Conn of the Hundred Battles, son of Fedlimid Rechtmar, was a legendary High King of Ireland who is claimed to be the ancestor of the Connachta, and through his descendant Niall Noígiallach, the Uí Néill dynasties, w ...
. Dáire himself may have been High King of Ireland for a “difficult month” if the 7th century AD poem about the early
Kings of Tara
The term Kingship of Tara () was a title of authority in ancient Ireland - the title is closely associated with the archaeological complex at the Hill of Tara. The position was considered to be of eminent authority in medieval Irish literature ...
named ''Baile Chuinn Chétchathaig'' is to be believed.
Kings of Leinster and the Uí Bairrche
The
Uí Bairrche
Uí Bairrche (, ) was an Irish kin-based group that originally held lands in the south of the ancient province of Leinster (or ''Cóiced Laigen'' "the Fifth of the Laigin"). Another south Leinster kin group associated with the Uí Bairrche were g ...
are thought to have originally held lands around what is today
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 ...
in the area named after them;
Bargy (Uí Bairrche). At this time they were very powerful, as one of the sons of Dáire Barrach named
Muiredach Mo Sníthech is listed by the 5th century poet
Laidcenn mac Bairchid, as a
King of Leinster and may have possibly even ruled at the
Hill of Tara
The Hill of Tara ( or ) is a hill and ancient ceremonial and burial site near Skryne in County Meath, Ireland. Tradition identifies the hill as the inauguration place and seat of the High Kings of Ireland; it also appears in Irish mythology. ...
. The kingship of the Uí Bairrche descended through another son of Dáire named Fiacha. What is known from this time is that the Uí Bairrche lost out in a power struggle with their cousins the
Uí Cheinnselaig, who as a consequence pushed them out of their lands and allowed the
Déisi Muman to settle there instead, according to the tales in the ''
Expulsion of the Déisi''. Indeed, they only returned when Eochaidh Guinech of the Uí Bairrche killed his maternal grandfather
Crimthann mac Énnai, King of Leinster in 483. Eochaidh “took the oak with its root” (made total war) with the Déisi and subsequently drove part of them into
Ossory.
The Uí Bairrche had an important role in the early days of the
Christian Church in Ireland. A member of the family,
Fiacha mac Breccáin was said to have been converted to Christianity by
Patrick himself. Fiacha was a bard and his uncle
Dubthach maccu Lugair was the
Chief Ollamh of Ireland; the conversion of the two helped to reconcile elements of native
Gaelic tradition with Christianity. Fiacha founded a monastery at
Sleaty and is considered a saint by Christians. His brother Ailill Mór mac Breccáin moved north during the political turmoil in Leinster and his grandson Sinnell mac Manach was Abbot of
Cleenish (''Cluan Innish'') and later considered a saint; it is here, under
Sinnell, that
Columbanus
Saint Columbanus (; 543 – 23 November 615) was an Irish missionary notable for founding a number of monasteries after 590 in the Frankish and Lombard kingdoms, most notably Luxeuil Abbey in present-day France and Bobbio Abbey in presen ...
began his studies. The mother of ''Colm Cille'' (
Columba of Iona) named Eithne also descended from Ailill Mór mac Breccáin. Later on, in the 7th century, Aodh, the Abbot of Sleaty was the man who requested the writing of the ''
Vita sancti Patricii'' (Life of St. Patrick), contained in the ''
Book of Armagh
The ''Book of Armagh'' or Codex Ardmachanus (ar or 61) (), also known as the ''Canon of Patrick'' and the ''Liber Ar(d)machanus'', is a 9th-century Irish art, Irish illuminated manuscript written mainly in Latin. It is held by the Library of Tri ...
''.
When the Uí Bairrche had returned to Leinster, they moved to ''Slíabh Mairge'' (
Slievemargy), in what is today the south-east corner of
County Laois
County Laois ( ; ) is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and in the province of Leinster. It was known as Queen's County from 1556 to 1922. The modern county takes its name from Loígis, a medieval kingdom. Hist ...
, as well as parts 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 Kilkenny
County Kilkenny () 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. It is named after the City status in Ir ...
. The kindred still had a prominent position; the mother of
Diarmait mac Cerbaill (died 565), the last
High King of Ireland
High King of Ireland ( ) was a royal title in Gaelic Ireland held by those who had, or who are claimed to have had, lordship over all of Ireland. The title was held by historical kings and was later sometimes assigned anachronously or to leg ...
inaugurated according to the traditional Gaelic pagan rites, was Corbach, daughter of Maine, a member of the Uí Bairrche. A notable king of the age was
Cormac mac Diarmata, whom many Christian hagiographies associated with their rivals the Uí Cheinnselaig or the Osaraighe; such as that of
Abbán and
Cainnech of Aghaboe; paint him as pillaging monasteries and the like. Cormac and his brother Crimthann are also described as being in conflict with
Finnian of Clonard. Cormac was closely associated with
Comgall
Saint Comgall (c. 510–520 – 597/602), an early Irish saint, was the founder and abbot of the great Irish monastery at Bangor in Ireland.
MacCaffrey,James (1908). " St. Comgall". In ''Catholic Encyclopedia''. 4. New York: Robert Appleton Co ...
and gave him some lands, before retiring to become a monk at
Bangor.
"Gormandus" invades post-Roman Britain
One of the more unusual stories is that of Gormáin mac Diarmata, another brother of Cormac. He is mentioned in various sources, including the ''
Annals of Ireland'' written by Friar
John Clyn and
Thady Dowling Thady is a male given name—either a diminutive of Thaddeus or derived from the Irish language, Irish ''Tadhg''—it may refer to:
*Thady Connellan (1780–1854), Irish school-teacher, poet and historian
*Thady Coughlan (born 1951), former Limeric ...
, the ''
Topography of Ireland'' by
Gerald of Wales
Gerald of Wales (; ; ; ) was a Cambro-Norman priest and historian. As a royal clerk to the king and two archbishops, he travelled widely and wrote extensively. He studied and taught in France and visited Rome several times, meeting the Pope. He ...
, the ''
History of the Kings of Britain'' by
Geoffrey of Monmouth
Geoffrey of Monmouth (; ; ) was a Catholic cleric from Monmouth, Wales, and one of the major figures in the development of British historiography and the popularity of tales of King Arthur. He is best known for his chronicle '' The History of ...
and even the ''Annales'' of
William Camden
William Camden (2 May 1551 – 9 November 1623) was an English antiquarian, historian, topographer, and herald, best known as author of ''Britannia'', the first chorographical survey of the islands of Great Britain and Ireland that relates la ...
. What these sources say is that around 593 AD, Gormáin invaded Britain, fought several battles and sacked a number of monasteries. He is said to have sacked the
Llanbadarn Fawr monastery,
Ceredigion
Ceredigion (), historically Cardiganshire (, ), is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the West Wales, west of Wales. It borders Gwynedd across the River Dyfi, Dyfi estuary to the north, Powys to the east, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire t ...
and Camden claims the
Amesbury
Amesbury () is a town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. It is known for the prehistoric monument of Stonehenge which is within the parish. The town is claimed to be the oldest occupied settlement in Great Britain, having been first settl ...
monastery containing three hundred monks was destroyed by him. His name is sometimes stylised differently such as Gormandus, Gordmundus or Gurmundus. In the account of Geoffrey of Monmouth he is bizarrely transformed into a king of Africa. Most of the native Annals in Ireland which are untouched by the Normans and
Arthurian literature
The Matter of Britain (; ; ; ) is the body of medieval literature and legendary material associated with Great Britain and Brittany and the legendary kings and heroes associated with it, particularly King Arthur. The 12th-century writer Geoffr ...
are quiet on the matter.
Uí Bairrche interaction with the Vikings

In the 7th century, Suibhne mac Domhnall; grandson of Cormac mac Diarmata; came into conflict with
Fintán of Taghmon (died 635), also known as
Munnu. After allegedly being insulted by Suibhne, this abbot made a prophecy which envisaged that Subhne would have his head cut off by his own brother and that his severed head would be thrown in the River Barrow. Suibhne's brother Failbe eventually married Eithne, daughter of
Crundmael mac Rónáin, King of the Uí Cheinnselaig. Various branches of the Uí Bairrche are mentioned in the ''
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 ...
'' with the advent of the
Viking Age in Ireland. This includes Conn mac Cinaedh (died 866) of the
Uí Bairrche Tire, who we are told died while “demolishing the fortress of the foreigners”, most likely the settlement at Dublin on the
River Liffey
The River Liffey (Irish language, Irish: ''An Life'', historically ''An Ruirthe(a)ch'') is a river in eastern Ireland that ultimately flows through the centre of Dublin to its mouth within Dublin Bay. Its major Tributary, tributaries include t ...
. Around the area of Uí Bairrche and the Laigin more generally, we know that the Vikings pillaged
Dún Másc in 842 and established a settlement at
Loch Garman (later known as Wexford), close to Bargy.
Mac Gormáin in Airgíalla as clerics
Just prior to the
Norman invasion of Ireland
The Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland took place during the late 12th century, when Anglo-Normans gradually conquered and acquired large swathes of land in Ireland over which the monarchs of England then claimed sovereignty. The Anglo-Normans ...
, a number of Mac Gormáin are found to have been in prominent clerical roles as writers and teachers. Some of the most significant of these were invited to
Airgíalla by
Donnchadh Ó Cearbhaill. A religious reformer and a prominent political player, Donnchadh had just conquered territory from the
Conaille Muirtheimne (what is today
County Louth
County Louth ( ; ) is a coastal Counties of Ireland, county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. Louth is bordered by the counties of County Meath, Meath to the ...
) and established
Arrouaisian Order religious foundations at
Louth,
Knockabbey and
Termonfeckin there. From the Mac Gormáin family,
Máel Caoimhghin Mac Gormáin was put in place as the master of Louth and abbot of Termonfeckin and
Máel Muire Mac Gormáin as the abbot of Knockabbey. Máel Muire (Marianus) is the man who authored the ''Martyrology of Gorman'' in 1166.
There were other prominent Mac Gormáín clerics in the north around this time;
Fionn Mac Gormáin,
Bishop of Kildare and abbot of
Newry
Newry (; ) is a City status in Ireland, city in Northern Ireland, standing on the Newry River, Clanrye river in counties County Down, Down and County Armagh, Armagh. It is near Republic of Ireland–United Kingdom border, the border with the ...
(also founded by Donnchadh Ó Cearbhaill, on the encouragement of
Maelmhaedhoc Ó Morgair),
who helped to author the ''
Book of Leinster'' with
Áed mac Crimthainn and finally
Flann Mac Gormáin (1099–1174), the chief lector of the School of Armagh and all Ireland. The latter spent twenty-one years at universities in Paris and Oxford before working on the development of a similar institution at Armagh. This had been established by
Ruairí Ó Conchubhair, High King of Ireland and was dedicated to Patrick. This school was never allowed to develop to its full potential as it was soon destroyed by the
Normans
The Normans (Norman language, Norman: ''Normaunds''; ; ) were a population arising in the medieval Duchy of Normandy from the intermingling between Norsemen, Norse Viking settlers and locals of West Francia. The Norse settlements in West Franc ...
.
It is likely that the latter-day Gormans and McGormans of
County Monaghan
County Monaghan ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster and is part of Border Region, Border strategic planning area of the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town ...
and
County Antrim
County Antrim (named after the town of Antrim, County Antrim, Antrim, ) is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, located within the historic Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the c ...
originate from this population movement. Mac Gormáin heritage in the north is remembered in several place names referencing them. The majority of these are in County Monaghan; ''Feartach Ghormáin'' (Fartagorman) in
Magheross, ''Coill Uí Ghormáin'' (Killygorman) in
Killeevan, and ''Lios Gormáin'' (Lisdungorman) in
Clontibret. Aside from this, there is also a ''Ráth Gormáin'' (Rathgorman) in
County Down
County Down () is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the traditional thirty-two counties of Ireland. It covers an area of and has a population of 552,261. It borders County Antrim to the ...
.
Mac Gormáin pushed out to Thomond

Murchadh mac Eachthighearn was driven from his territories of Uí Bairrche by the Norman invaders
Walter de Riddlesford,
John de Clahull and
Hugh de Lacy during the 1170s. Riddlesford, who took over as a master at
Carlow
Carlow ( ; ) is the county town of County Carlow, in the south-east of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, from Dublin. At the 2022 census of Ireland, 2022 census, it had a population of 27,351, the List of urban areas in the Republic of Ireland, ...
, had married the daughter of a bastard son of a king
Henry I of England
Henry I ( – 1 December 1135), also known as Henry Beauclerc, was King of England from 1100 to his death in 1135. He was the fourth son of William the Conqueror and was educated in Latin and the liberal arts. On William's death in 1087, Henr ...
which left him in a prominent position among his own people. At first Murchadh settled at Daire Seanleath in Uaithne Cliach (what is today
Owney, County Limerick), but his son Cumeth mac Murchadh was invited by
Donnchadh Cairprech Ó Briain, King of Thomond to settle in
Uí Bhreacáin (what is known as
Ibrickan,
County Clare
County Clare () is a Counties of Ireland, county in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster in the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern part of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Clare County Council ...
). In fact the Mac Gormáin had built a good relationship with the Ó Briain prior to the Norman invasion, as early as 1168, as Scanlan mac Gormáin supported
Domhnall Mór Ó Briain, by witnessing for him a charter to the
Holy Cross Abbey, Thurles.
One of the most notable members of the family was a female, who became Queen of Thomond. Éadaoin Nic Ghormáin (1321–1367) married
Muirchertach Ó Briain (1289–1343), King of Thomond and they included among their children, two further kings;
Mathghamhain Maonmhaighe Ó Briain (died 1369) and
Toirdelbach Maol Ó Briain (died 1398). Their descendants include the rest of the Kings of
Thomond. The context in which this marriage came about, is to be taken from the famous 14th century literary work ''
Caithréim Thoirdhealbhaigh'' ("The Triumphs of Turlough"), which mentions that the Mac Gormáin family had become Standard Bearers of the Clann Tadhg branch of the Ó Briain, stating that Cuebha Mac Gormáin was for Muirchertach's father
Toirdelbach mac Tadhg Ó Briain his "close door of protection while he slept and, on the battlefield, the shield that covered him."

The
Wars of Thomond, as the events of these times were called, were essentially a civil war between two rival branches of the Ó Briain; the conflicting branches were known as Clann Tadhg and Clann Brian Ruadh. There was also the added factor of Norman divide and rule intrigue. Briain Ruadh Ó Briain and his nephew Toirdelbach mac Tadhg Ó Briain came into conflict over the kingship of Thomond. As part of a plan to win back the kingdom, Briain Ruadh went to
Thomas de Clare (a Norman), close friend of king
Edward I of England
Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots (Latin: Malleus Scotorum), was King of England from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he was Lord of Ireland, and from 1254 ...
and attempted to enlist his support in return for land to colonise. A seven-year civil war ensued with Toirdelbach emerging victorious, with help from the
Mac Con Mara,
Ó Deághaidh and of course, the Mac Gormáin clans. Evidently, having been driven West by the Normans in the first place, the Mac Gormáin were not willing to be turned out again.
Throughout the rest of the period of Gaelic rule in Thomond, the Mac Gormáin continued to hold a significant position in society. Indeed,
Domhnall Mac Gormáin (died 1484) was described as the wealthiest man in all of Ireland in terms of the livestock in his possession. The king during this period would have been
Conchobhar na Srona Ó Briain. It must be remembered that, during Domhnall's life, cattle was the main element of the pastoral economy; the Gaelic kingdoms did not mint their own coinage. So to be wealthy in terms of livestock was the main measure of wealth in
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 ...
. The Mac Gormáin were known having open houses, nourishing the poor and being patrons of a bardic poet, especially the
Mac Bruaideadha family. Indeed,
Tadhg mac Dáire Mhic Bhruaideadha authored a poem about them.
Mac Gormáin in Tudor and Stuart Ireland
In the year 1543, Thomond joined the
Kingdom of Ireland
The Kingdom of Ireland (; , ) was a dependent territory of Kingdom of England, England and then of Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain from 1542 to the end of 1800. It was ruled by the monarchs of England and then List of British monarchs ...
under the
Tudor dynasty
The House of Tudor ( ) was an English and Welsh dynasty that held the throne of England from 1485 to 1603. They descended from the Tudors of Penmynydd, a Welsh noble family, and Catherine of Valois. The Tudor monarchs ruled the Kingdom of Eng ...
of the king
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is known for his Wives of Henry VIII, six marriages and his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. ...
. The formerly sovereign King of Thomond,
Murchadh Carrach Ó Briain became the
Earl of Thomond
Earl of Thomond was an hereditary title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created twice for the O'Brien dynasty which is an ancient Irish sept native to north Munster.
History and background
First creation
Under the Crown of Ireland Act 1542, K ...
in the
peerage of Ireland
The peerage of Ireland consists of those Peerage, titles of nobility created by the English monarchs in their capacity as Lordship of Ireland, Lord or Monarchy of Ireland, King of Ireland, or later by monarchs of the United Kingdom of Great B ...
. His nephew,
Donnchadh Ó Briain
Donnchadh Ó Briain (17 November 1897 – 22 September 1981) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and Conradh na Gaeilge activist.
He was elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1933 general election.
He was born 17 November 1897 in Knockaderry, Co ...
, who had long since joined the English service, became
Baron Ibrackan (named for the territory associated with the Mac Gormáin).
During the reign of the
Stuart dynasty
The House of Stuart, originally spelled Stewart, also known as the Stuart dynasty, was a royal house of Scotland, England, Ireland and later Great Britain. The family name comes from the office of High Steward of Scotland, which had been hel ...
king
James I of England
James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 March 1603 unti ...
, the Mac Gormáin held lands from Tadhg Caech Mac Mathghamha, Lord of West
Corcavaskin
The Corcu Baiscind were an early Érainn people or kingdom of what is now southern County Clare in Munster. They descended from Cairpre Baschaín, son of Conaire Cóem, a High King of Ireland. Closely related were the Múscraige and Corcu Duibne, ...
, specifically named lands in their hands include;
Clooncullin,
Kilmacduane,
Ballynagur,
Moyarta,
Knockerra,
Clohanbeg,
Clohamore and Cahermurphy.
During the reign of
Charles I of England
Charles I (19 November 1600 – 30 January 1649) was King of Kingdom of England, England, Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland, and Kingdom of Ireland, Ireland from 27 March 1625 until Execution of Charles I, his execution in 1649.
Charles was born ...
, Máel Sechlainn Mac Gormáin (died 1 May 1605) held lands at ''Drom Oilche'' (
Dromelihy) and passed them onto his son Diarmuid Mac Gormáin. At ''Drom Díogais'' (
Drumdigus) we find lands held by Tadhg Mac Gormáin (died 1630) also the owner of ''Tulach an Chrainn'' (
Tullycrine) and known for his wife's association with a certain "holy well” at
Kilmihil. There was also a Scannláin Mac Gormáin who owned the castle at Cathair Murchadha (
Cahermurphy) in the early 1620s.
1641 Rebellion and Civil War in Clare
The 1640s were a particularly troublesome period, with the Rising of 1641 and all of the events which followed it, including the
Irish Confederate Wars
The Irish Confederate Wars, took place from 1641 to 1653. It was the Irish theatre of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, a series of civil wars in Kingdom of Ireland, Ireland, Kingdom of England, England and Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland, all then ...
and finally the landing of
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English statesman, politician and soldier, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in British history. He came to prominence during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, initially ...
in 1649;
The Mac Gormáin of Cahermurphy actually took part in one of the most significant and controversial events in Thomond of the
Rebellion of 1641 and that was the Siege of
Tromra Castle. The castle had been taken over by English Protestant settlers, the family of Peter Ward, protected by Sir
Domhnall Ó Briain. An ambitious raid on the castle, looking to take livestock, was led by
Edmond O'Flaherty from the
Aran Islands
The Aran Islands ( ; , ) or The Arans ( ) are a group of three islands at the mouth of Galway Bay, off the west coast of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, with a total area around . They constitute the historic barony (Ireland), barony of Aran in ...
, joined by men from
Connemara
Connemara ( ; ) is a region on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of western County Galway, in the west of Ireland. The area has a strong association with traditional Irish culture and contains much of the Connacht Irish-speaking Gaeltacht, ...
(what used to be
Iar Connacht). Some of the local clans of Thomond also joined in. Three members of the Ward family died but the rest made it out to safety, fleeing to Dublin.
In 1641, Dromelihy was under the ownership of Domhnall Mac Gormáin, Cathair Mac Gormáin and Sir Domhnall Ó Briain. After the victory of the Cromwellian side during the conflict, certain Catholics in other parts of Ireland were “transplanted” to
Connacht
Connacht or Connaught ( ; or ), is the smallest of the four provinces of Ireland, situated in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, C ...
(which then included County Thomond), to make way for the Protestant English incomers on better lands. This included the Norman-descended Catholics, Annie and Martha Eustace who were; according to the ''
Act of Settlement 1662''; transplanted into the lands of what was Mac Gormáin territory in Dromelihy. Ó Briain himself still remained a land owner in the area and was raised to
Viscount Clare in 1662. After the overthrow of
James II of England
James II and VII (14 October 1633 – 16 September 1701) was King of England and Monarchy of Ireland, Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII from the death of his elder brother, Charles II of England, Charles II, on 6 February 1 ...
in the
Revolution of 1688 and the failure of the
Jacobites during the
Williamite War in Ireland
The Williamite War in Ireland took place from March 1689 to October 1691. Fought between Jacobitism, Jacobite supporters of James II of England, James II and those of his successor, William III of England, William III, it resulted in a Williamit ...
, these lands were going to be "given" to the Dutchman,
Arnold van Keppel, Earl of Albemarle but as he had no interest in them they were instead “given” over to
Francis Burton,
Nicholas Westby
Nicholas is a male name, the Anglophone version of an ancient Greek name in use since antiquity, and cognate with the modern Greek , . It originally derived from a combination of two Greek words meaning 'victory' and 'people'. In turn, the name ...
and
James MacDonnell in 1698.
According to John Robert O'Gorman, a Catholic priest from
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
; he found information at the Records Office in Dublin about the fate of the Tullycrine estate and found that Máel Sechlainn Mac Gormáin's property was confirmed by Charles II in 1679 to have passed to one Captain William Hamilton. Family tradition; especially among the diaspora in North America where some descendants ended up; states the land was confiscated during Cromwellian times and this may have simply been a confirmation of an earlier fact. They are later found around their former estates as simply tenant farmers at Tarmon. A significant number of Gormans moved out of County Clare into
County Tipperary
County Tipperary () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. The county is named after the town of Tipperary (tow ...
.
Ascendancy Ireland, Penal Laws and decline
During the
Penal Laws, Catholics were persecuted and blocks put in their way to stop them from owning significant tracts of land and generally building themselves up in society. It is this social situation which would eventually lead to the
Great Hunger in the 1840s. Although the majority of the Gormans remained Catholic, a number converted to the Anglican
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland (, ; , ) is a Christian church in Ireland, and an autonomy, autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the Christianity in Ireland, second-largest Christian church on the ...
for pragmatic reasons. These are listed by
James Frost as Sylvester Gorman of Drumellihy in 1750, James Gorman of
Killilahane in 1758 and finally Thady Gorman of
Sheeaun in 1766. The last two are described as gentlemen.
Chevalier Thomas O’Gorman also lived during this time period. He was a Jacobite from near Tullycrine and served with the
Irish Brigade of the
French Army
The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (, , ), is the principal Army, land warfare force of France, and the largest component of the French Armed Forces; it is responsible to the Government of France, alongside the French Navy, Fren ...
. He married into the French aristocracy but lost out during the
French Revolution. He was a noted genealogist, owning for some time the ''
Book of Ballymote
The ''Book of Ballymote'' (, RIA MS 23 P 12, 275 foll.), was written in 1390 or 1391 in or near the town of Ballymote, now in County Sligo, but then in the tuath of Corann.
According to David Sellar who was the Lord Lyon King of Arms in ...
''.
Emancipation and Irish nationalism
A number of members of the family, under the name O'Gorman, played a prominent role in Irish national politics.
Nicholas Purcell O'Gorman (1778–1857) was a barrister who worked with
Daniel O'Connell
Daniel(I) O’Connell (; 6 August 1775 – 15 May 1847), hailed in his time as The Liberator, was the acknowledged political leader of Ireland's Roman Catholic majority in the first half of the 19th century. His mobilisation of Catholic Irelan ...
, "the Liberator" towards the goal of
Catholic Emancipation in Ireland; indeed O'Gorman was the Secretary of the
Catholic Association
The Catholic Association was an Irish Roman Catholic political organization set up by Daniel O'Connell in the early nineteenth century to campaign for Catholic emancipation within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It was one of ...
. One of his sons, Major
Purcell O'Gorman
Purcell O'Gorman (1820 – 24 November 1888) was an Irish nationalism, Irish nationalist politician and member of parliament in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, elected as a member of the Home Rule League to represent Waterford City ( ...
(1818–1888) was a Member of Parliament for Waterford City as a member of the
Home Rule League
The Home Rule League (1873–1882), sometimes called the Home Rule Party, was an Irish political party which campaigned for home rule for Ireland within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, until it was replaced by the Irish Parliam ...
and a supporter of
Parnell. His older brother,
Nicholas Smith O'Gorman, was a
High Sheriff of Clare.
A nationalist figure, the
O'Gorman Mahon, also carried the family name, but this was from his mother Barbara O'Gorman. On the more radical republican end of the political spectrum,
Richard O'Gorman (1820–1895) was a member of the
Young Ireland
Young Ireland (, ) was a political movement, political and cultural movement, cultural movement in the 1840s committed to an all-Ireland struggle for independence and democratic reform. Grouped around the Dublin weekly ''The Nation (Irish news ...
movement which rose in the
Young Irelander Rebellion of 1848. Indeed, along with
William Smith O'Brien and
Thomas Francis Meagher, he visited the newly formed
Second French Republic
The French Second Republic ( or ), officially the French Republic (), was the second republican government of France. It existed from 1848 until its dissolution in 1852.
Following the final defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte at the Battle of Waterlo ...
in 1840 and returned with the
Irish Tricolour which later became the national flag after 1922.
Symbols
The
coat of arms
A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon f ...
of O'Gorman (''pictured'') are
blazoned ''
azure a lion passant between three swords erect
argent
In heraldry, argent () is the tincture of silver, and belongs to the class of light tinctures called "metals". It is very frequently depicted as white and usually considered interchangeable with it. In engravings and line drawings, regions to b ...
''; the
crest ''an arm embowed in armour, grasping in the hard a sword, blade wavy, all proper.''; and the
mottoes ''"TUS AGUS DEIREADH AN CATHA"'' (Irish) and ''"INITIUM FINEMQUE BELLO"'' (
Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
).
The Irish motto translates as "The beginning and end of battle", a reference to their role as hereditary marshals of the O'Briens of Thomond, the standard bearers and lifeguards who would accompany the (O'Brien) king as the first ones on and last ones off the field of battle. The Latin motto translates as "first and last in war". In 1763, the arms were allowed by the
Ulster King of Arms to Thomas O'Gorman (fourth in descent from Mahon O'Gorman) and to Thomas O'Gorman (fourth in descent from Denis O'Gorman, brother of Cahir O'Gorman).
Related surnames
Surnames that are variants of, or that share a similar etymology to ''Gorman'' are:
*English origin: ''Garman'', ''Garment'', ''Garmons'',
''Gore'', ''Gorer''.
*German origin: ''Gehrmann'', ''Görmann''.
*Irish origin: ''
O'Gorman'', ''MacGorman'', ''
McGorman''.
People with the surname Gorman
*
Amanda Gorman (born 1998), American poet and activist
*
Andy Gorman (born 1974), Welsh footballer
*
Archie Gorman
Archibald Macdonald Gorman (10 April 1909 – 18 September 1992) was a Scottish Association football, footballer who played as a wing half.
Born in Lochore, he was a modern-day Midfielder (association football)#Defensive midfielder, holding m ...
(1909–1992), Scottish footballer
*
Arthur Pue Gorman (1839–1906), United States Senator from Maryland
*
Arthur Pue Gorman Jr. (1873–1919), Maryland state senator
*
Bartley Gorman
Bartley Gorman V (1 March 1944 – 18 January 2002) was a Welsh bare-knuckle boxer.
Born in England to Welsh Romani people, Travellers, Gorman called himself "the King of the Gypsies". Between 1972 and 1992, he reigned supreme in the world of i ...
(1944–2002), British bare-knuckle boxer
*
Brian Gorman (born 1959), American former umpire
*
Burn Gorman (born 1974), British actor
*
Carl Nelson Gorman (1907–1998), Navajo code talker, painter, printmaker, professor
*
Daniel Gorman, British arts manager and human rights worker
*
Dave Gorman (born 1971), British documentary-comedian and humorist
*
Dave Gorman (ice hockey) (1955–2025), Canadian ice hockey player
*
David Gorman (cricketer) (born 1955), English cricketer
*
Edward Gorman (1941–2016), American novelist
*
Edwin Gorman (1892–1963), Canadian hockey player
*
Eugene Gorman (1891–1973), Australian lawyer
*
Francis J. Gorman (1924–1987), American politician
*
H. Candace Gorman, American civil rights attorney
*
Herb Gorman (1924–1953), American baseball player
*
James Gorman (VC) (1834–1882), British recipient of the Victoria Cross
*
James S. Gorman (1850–1923), American politician
*
John Gorman (disambiguation), multiple people
*
Lawrence C. Gorman (1898–1953), American Roman Catholic priest and educator
*
Lee A. Gorman (1895–unknown), American politician and soldier
*
Lisa Gorman, Australian fashion designer
*
Lou Gorman (1929–2011), American baseball executive, general manager of the Boston Red Sox 1984–1993
*
Margaret Gorman
Margaret Gorman (August 18, 1905 – October 1, 1995) was an American model and beauty queen who was the winner of the first Miss America beauty pageant after being crowned Miss District of Columbia in 1921.
Pageantry
Gorman was a junior at Du ...
(1905–1995), American model and beauty queen, first Miss America winner
*
Martha Gorman Schultz (1931–2025)
Diné weaver
*
Melissa Gorman (born 1985), Australian long-distance swimmer
*
Michael Gorman (born 1941), American librarian
*
Michael A. Gorman (1950–2012), American politician
*
Mike Gorman (born 1945), American former basketball commentator
*
Nathan Gorman
Nathan Gorman (born 25 June 1996) is a British professional boxer. At regional level, he has challenged twice for the British Boxing Board of Control, British heavyweight title in 2019 and 2022.
Early life
Gorman was born on 25 June 1996 in Nant ...
(born 1996), British boxer
*
Nolan Gorman (born 2000), American baseball player
*
Owen Gorman (1799–1862), British Army officer and commandant of the Moreton Bay penal colony
*
Paul Gorman (disambiguation), multiple people
**
Paul Gorman, British journalist, writer and pop culture historian
**
Paul F. Gorman (born 1927), American retired Army four-star general
*
Pierre Gorman (1924–2006), Australian librarian and educator
*
R. C. Gorman (1931–2005), Native American painter and printmaker
*
Robert A. Gorman (born 1937), American lawyer, law professor at the University of Pennsylvania Law School
*
Robert J. Gorman, (1915–2007), American civil rights attorney
*
Ross Gorman (–1953), American jazz musician
*
Russ Gorman (1926–2017), Australian politician
*
Stephanie Gorman (born 2000), Australian basketball player
*
Suzy Gorman (born 1962), American photographer
*
Teresa Gorman (1931–2015), British politician, former Conservative Member of Parliament
*
Thomas Gorman (disambiguation), multiple people
*
W. M. Gorman (1923–2003), Irish economist
*
Willis A. Gorman (1816–1876), American politician
See also
*
Irish clans
Irish clans are traditional kinship groups sharing a common surname and heritage and existing in a lineage-based society, originating prior to the 17th century. A clan (or in Irish, plural ) included the chief and his Patrilineality, patrilineal ...
References
External links
O'Gorman family pedigreeat Library Ireland
by Peter Biggins
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gorman (Surname)
English-language surnames
Anglicised Irish-language surnames
Surnames of Irish origin