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Thursday, February 5, 2009

O'Cahan of the Cenél Éoghain

The O'Cahan (O'Kane) Pedigree; An extract from: Irish Pedigrees; or The Origin And Stem of The Irish Nation, by John O’Hart, Vol. 1. , Dublin, James Duffy And Co., Ltd., 14 and 15 Wellington Quay , 1892. Part III pg 622

O’CAHAN. (No. 1.)
Princes of Limavady, County Londonderry.
Arms: Az. On a fess per pale gu. And ar. betw. in chief out-of the horns of a crescent, a dexter hand couped at the wrist and apumee, surmounted by an estoile, betw. on the dexter a horse counter-saliant, and on the sinister a lion ramp. each also surmounted by an estoile, and in base a salmon naiant all ar. on the dexter side three lizards pass. bend sinisterways gu. and on the dexter an oak tree eradicated vert, over all an escutcheon ar. charged with a cross calvary on three grieces ppr. Crest: A cat-a-mountain ramp. ppr. Motto: Felis demulcta mitis.







Conchobhar [Conner], Prince of Leim-an-Madaidh [“Limavady”], and a younger brother of Niall Frasach, the 162nd Monarch of Ireland, who is No. 96 on the (No. 1) “O’Neill (of Tyrone) pedigree, was the ancestor of O’Cathain; anglicized O’Cahaine, O’Cahane, O’Cahan, O’Cane, O’Kane, O’Keane, O’Caen, O’Chane, Cahan, Caine, Cane, Gahan, Gethan, Kane, Kean, Keane, Keen, Kyan.

96. Conner: second son of Fargal, the 156th Monarch of Ireland; a quo O’Conner, of Moy Ith, county Donegal; had a brother named Hugh.
97. Gruagan (“gruag:” Irish, the hair), meaning “the hairy man:” his son; a quo O’Gruagain, anglicized Grogan and Gregan ; had a brother named Dermod, who was ancestor of O’Conner, of Moy Ith.
98. Dungan: son of Gruagan.
99. Cathan (“cath:” Irish, a battle, and “an,” one who; Heb. “chath,”
(terror ) : his son; a quo O’Cathain.
100. Cathusach: his son.
101. Dermod : his son ; had a brother named Flaitheartach.
102. Conn Cionntach* O’Cahan : son of Dermod ; first assumed this sirname ; had a brother named Annselan, who was the ancestor of O’Bocainain ( “bocain:” Irish, fairies ; “an,” one who ), anglicized Buchanan. This Annselan was the first of the family who settled in Scotland.
103. Giollachriosd : his son.
104. Iomhar: his son.
105. Ranall : his son:
106. Eachmarcach : his son.
107. Donall : his son.
108. Rory : his son.
109. Manus Catha an Duin : his son; Prince of Limavady ; killed by the English in the “battle of Down,” A.D. 1260: hence the epithet Catha an Duin.
110. Cumagh-na-nGall ** (or “Cumagh of the English”) : his son.
111. Dermod (2) : his son.
112. Cumagh (2) : his son ; living , A.D. 1350.
113. Dermod (3) : his son.
114. Aibhneach : his son ; had a brother named Henry, a quo the “Clan Henry,” or Henry.
115. John ( or Shane) : son of Aibhneach ; d. 1498.
116. Donoch-an-Einigh (or “ Donoch the Affable”) : his son ; a quo Macaneinigh, anglicized MacAneny ; *** d. 1523. Had a brother named Donall or Daniel, **** who was ancestor of Keane, of Cappoquin, and Keane, of county Clare, etc.
117. Manus : son of Donoch an Einigh ; slain 1548.
118. Rory Ruadh [roe] : his son ; d. 1598.
119. Donall Ballach :* his son ; lord of the Route, and of Limavady, in the county Derry. ……
* Cionntach : From this name (“cionntach :” Irish, guilty) some derive MacCionntaigh , anglicized Maginty and Ginty .

** Cumagh-na-nGall : On the tomb of this Cumagh O’Cahan, in the church of Dungiven, the Arms of this Prince of Limavady display the salmon, as do the Arms of the O’Neill , from whom the O’Cahan family are an offshoot.

*** MacAeny : This name in Irish is more properly written Mac-an-Eineaigh, and is derived from the Irish “ eineach,” affability. Some genealogists confound this family with
Mac –an-Eanaigh . (See the Note “MacNeny,” under the families of Ulster descended from Colla-da-Chrioch, who is No. 85 on the O’Hart pedigree, infra .

**** Donall : From this Donall (or Daniel), the fourth son of John O’Cahan, No. 115 on this Genealogy, also descended General Sir Richard O’Cahan, of the 18th Foot, who was Governor of Minorca, etc. This Sir Richard was b. on 20th December, 1666, and
d. 19th December, 1736. According to the subjoined epitaph, he first entered on his military career at the Siege of Derry. The descent was as follows : _______

116. Daniel, of Coolbryan, son of John, had
117. Richard, of Coolbryan and Dungiven, who had
118. Thomas, m. to Catherine O’Skullen, and had