Ballymote Castle
,
Sligo
,
Ireland
The surname
McDonagh
, also spelled MacDonagh is from the
Irish language
Mac Dhonnchadha, and is now one of the rarer surnames of Ireland.
Mac Dhonnchadha
,
Mac Donnchadha
,
Mac Donnacha
or
Mac Donnchaidh
or
Mac Donnacha
is the original form of
McDonagh
These surnames are found in their greatest numbers in
Connacht
(Connaught), especially the counties of
Sligo
,
Roscommon
and
Galway
.
Dhonnchadha
, literally translated from the Irish language, means "brown warrior". The prefix
mac
means "son of". The MacDonaghs are renowned actors, playwrights, and revolutionaries, including the likes of Hugh MacDonagh (Actor - Evelyn), Martin McDonagh (Playwright) and Thomas McDonagh (a leader of the 1916 Easter Rising).
Naming conventions
[
edit
]
Male
|
Daughter
|
Wife
(Long)
|
Wife
(Short)
|
Mac Donnchadha
|
Nic Dhonnchadha
|
Bean Mhic Dhonnchadha
|
Mhic Dhonnchadha
|
Early history
[
edit
]
Tomaltach na Cairge mac Diarmata
(Tomaltach of the rock)
was the King of Moylurg from 1197 until his death in 1207. One of Tomaltach's sons, Donnchadh, was the progenitor of the MacDonagh sept. The family later became Kings or Lords of the
tuath
of
Tir Olliol
and Corran now the
barony
of
Tirreril
in
Co. Sligo
.
The first to be known as
Mac Donnchadha
was
Tomaltach Mac Donnchadh
, Donnchadh MacDermot's grandson, alive in 1309. Tomaltach Mac Donnchadh and his men fought with
Aedh Breifneeh O'Conchobhair
(Hugh the
Breifnian
) defeating in battle
Aedh O Conchobair
,
King of Connacht
for control of the
Three Tuathas
.
[1]
The Dynastic Wars of Connacht and the Bruce Campaign in Ireland
[
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]
Following
Robert the Bruce
's victory at the
Battle of Bannockburn
over the
Kingdom of England
in 1314, his brother,
Edward Bruce
, led a three-year military campaign in Ireland against the English controlled
Lordship of Ireland
(
Norman Ireland
) beginning in 1315. A large scale dynastic war broke out in
Connacht
as a result of this intervention into Ireland as
Fedlim
saw opportunity in the chaos. This proved to be just as momentous on a national level.
[2]
In 1316,
Tomaltach Mac Donnchadha
and his clan joined
Maelruanaidh mac Diarmata
,
Domhnall O Conchobair
,
Fedlim O Conchobair
and an assortment of Norman-Irish families and defeated the army of
Ruaidri O Conchobair
, Diarmait Gall Mac Diarmata (King of Moylurg) at the
Battle of Tochar Mona Conneda
.
[3]
Fedlim
became king of Connacht. He installed
Ualgharg Ua Ruairc
as King of
Breifne
and started a campaign to “to banish the [Norman colonists] of West Connacht". This resulted in the killings of Stephen de Exeter, his brother Philip, Miles de Cogan, Lord de Prendergast, William Lawless, Nicholas de Staunton, William and Phillip Barrett, Maurice de Rochefort and many more. With one stroke, vast swathes of the principal Anglo-Irish of Connacht were gone. With another,
Fedlim
installed Donnchad O Brian as kingship of
Tuadmuma
, uniting the
Dal gCais
under him. The
Lordship of Ireland
, under
William Liath de Burgh
(de Burke), assembled a large Anglo-Norman army and defeated
Fedlim O Conchobair
at
the Second Battle of Athenry
. Five of the Clann Donnchadha fell there; Tomaltach son of Gilla Crist Mac Donnchadha, Murchad Mac Donnchadha, Conchobar son of Tadc, Muirchertach and Maelsechlainn Mac Donnchadha. Eoin Mac Aedacain, brehon to O Conchobair, Gilla na Naem son of Dail re Docair O Dobailein, the standardbearer, and Tomas O Conallain fell around their lord.
In 1318,
Maelruanaid mac Diarmata
assembles a large army, against
Cathal O Conchobair
. The chief men in it being
Toirrdelbach O Conchobair
,
king of Connacht
,
Ualgharg Ua Ruairc
,
king of Brefne
, Conchobar O Cellaig,
king of Ui Maine
and
Tomaltach Mac Donnchadha
,
Lord of Tirerrill
. Skirmishes are fought and in 1320,
Tomaltach Mac Donnchadha
is captured.
By 1381, the clan had settled
Ballymote Castle
in
Sligo
. In 1390, Tonnaltagh Mac Donnchadha commissioned the writing of the
Book of Ballymote
by the family's scribes and ollavs.
The name also arose in
Co. Cork
where it was located in the Barony of Dunhallow, as a branch of the McCarthys. They were known as the
"Lords of Dunhallow"
but their stronghold was actually in
Kanturk
.
Cromwellian Conquest and Jacobite Risings
[
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]
The clans titles and lands, being Catholics and followers of the Stuarts, were looted under
Oliver Cromwell
for taking part in the
1641 uprising of Gaelic leaders
against the Parliament of London. At this point the family started to scatter and spread from Sligo.
The family was involved with the
Jacobite Risings
supported the cause king
James II
who was later defeated by
William of Orange
in 1691.
[4]
Exile to Europe and the Americas
[
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]
Deprived of their lands, the McDonaghs found scope for their abilities in Europe. Like thousands of their compatriots, they committed themselves to the service of
Louis XIV
of France, in the
Irish Brigade
. This period was known in Ireland as the
Flight of the Wild Geese
and resulted in many members of prominent families and Irish nobility leaving the island. Between 1690 and 1770, no fewer than forty-two McDonaghs served as officers in the
Dillion regiment
of the
Irish Brigade
.
The family's presence was widely noted at the decisive French victory at
The Battle of Fontenoy
. On this day, a charge by six Irish battalions of the French Army turned the favour of the battle against the combined forces of the
British
,
Holy Roman Empire
,
Dutch Republic
and
Hanoverian
allies.
Captain Anthony McDonagh
defeated in single-handed combat, in presence of the opposing armies, a British officer who had challenged the best officer his opponents could produce. He later advanced the charge ahead of his company and was the first of the Brigade to engage the enemy, receiving distinctions.
[5]
[6]
Another acclaimed member of the clan was
Colonel Andrew McDonagh
, recipient of the
Order of Saint Louis
.
McDonagh
along with General
Lazare Hoche
and
Theobald Wolfe Tone
, was involved in the
Bantry Bay expedition
. Under
McDonaghs
command was 400 men.
[4]
[5]
His life was the subject of writings by
Camille Desmoulins
and James Rutledge due to his false imprisonment and eventual release during the
French Revolution
.
[7]
[8]
Modern diaspora
[
edit
]
In modern times, descendants include
Thomas McDonagh
, Commandant of the 2nd Battalion Dublin Brigade of the
Irish Volunteers
during the
Easter Rising
in 1916. Thomas was a signatory of the
Proclamation of the Irish Republic
and was executed aged 38.
Martin McDonagh
is an Oscar nominated playwright and film director brought up in London but originally from
Sligo
and
Galway
.
Notable people with the surname
[
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]
- Bob McDonagh
(1924?2015), Irish diplomat
- Bobby McDonagh
(born 1954), Irish diplomat, son of Bob McDonagh
- Brendan McDonagh
, Managing Director of the
National Asset Management Agency
in Ireland
- Charlotte McDonagh
(born 1984), British actress
- Donagh MacDonagh
(1912?1968), Irish writer and judge (son of Thomas below)
- Eileen MacDonagh
(born 1956), Irish sculptor
- Enda McDonagh
(1930?2021), Irish priest of the Catholic Church
- Francesca McDonagh
(born 1974/75), Irish-British banker
- Isabella Mercia McDonagh
(1899?1982), also known as Marie Lorraine, Australian actress
- Jacko McDonagh
(born 1962), Irish professional footballer
- Jarlath McDonagh
(born 1945), Irish politician
- Jay McDonagh
(born 1973), American football player
- Jamie McDonagh
(born 1996), Northern Irish professional footballer
- Jim McDonagh
(born 1952), nicknamed Seamus, goalkeeping coach at Aston Villa
- Joe McDonagh
(1953?2016), 32nd President of the
Gaelic Athletic Association
- Joseph MacDonagh
(1883?1922), Irish
Sinn Fein
politician
- John MacDonagh
(1880?1961), Irish film director (brother of Thomas MacDonagh)
- John Michael McDonagh
(born 1967), English-born Irish screenwriter and film director
- Joseph MacDonagh
(died 1922), Irish Sinn Fein politician (brother of Thomas)
- Oliver MacDonagh
(1924?2002), professor of Irish history who made a particular study of the historic relationship between Ireland and the United Kingdom
- Maitland McDonagh
, American film critic and the author of several books about cinema
- Margaret McDonagh, Baroness McDonagh
(1961?2023), British Labour Party politician and was General Secretary of the Labour Party from 1998 to 2001 (sister of Siobhain)
- Martin McDonagh
(born 1970) contemporary English-born Irish playwright and film director
- Bill McDonagh
(1928?2019), professional Canadian ice hockey player
- Michael MacDonagh
(1698?1746) Irish Roman Catholic prelate who served as the Bishop of Kilmore from 1728 to 1746
- Mike McDonagh
, Irish humanitarian and senior United Nations official working for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
- Monika MacDonagh-Pajerova
(born 1966), Czech academic
- Pat McDonagh (disambiguation)
, multiple people
- Patrick McDonagh
(1906??), Scottish footballer
- Paulette McDonagh
(1901?1978), Australian film director
- Peter McDonagh
(born 1977), Ireland is a professional boxer
- Philip McDonagh
(born 1952), poet and former Irish diplomat
- Phyllis McDonagh
(1900?1978), Australian film producer, production designer and journalist
- Ryan McDonagh
(born 1989), American professional ice hockey defenceman
- Siobhain McDonagh
(born 1960), British Labour Member of Parliament for the Mitcham and Morden constituency in London (sister of Margaret)
- Stephen McDonagh
(born 1970), retired Irish sportsperson
- Seamus McDonagh (boxer)
, retired professional boxer who currently works as an actor, screenwriter and filmmaker
- Terence MacDonagh
(1908?1986), English oboe player, nephew to Thomas MacDonagh below and first cousin to Donagh MacDonagh above
- Thomas MacDonagh
(1878?1916), Irish nationalist poet, playwright, and a leader of the 1916 Easter Rising
- Willo McDonagh
(born 1983), Irish footballer
- Wesley McDonagh
(born 1984),
United States Army Infantry. Iraq war veteran.
- Durwood McDonagh
(1916-1961),United States Army Infantry. WWII/Korean war veteran.
Places
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]
Australia
[
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]
Canada
[
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]
Ireland
[
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]
- Kilruane MacDonagh's GAA
club is located in the areas of
Kilruane
and
Cloughjordan
, ten miles from
Nenagh
in north
County Tipperary
, Ireland. Named for Thomas MacDonagh.
- Thomas MacDonagh's GFC
is a Gaelic football club in County Tipperary.
- Thomas MacDonagh Heritage Museum,
Cloughjordan
, County Tipperary.
[14]
- Thomas MacDonagh 1916 Garden of Remembrance,
Roscrea
, County Tipperary.
[15]
- MacDonagh Park
is a GAA stadium in Nenagh, County Tipperary.
- MacDonagh Junction Shopping Centre,
Kilkenny
, County Kilkenny.
[16]
- Kilkenny railway station
(MacDonagh Station), was given the name MacDonagh on 10 April 1966 in commemoration of
Thomas MacDonagh
.
- Ballymun Flats
, Thomas MacDonagh tower (1966?2005) was the second tower to go up in 1966 and in 2005 was demolished by controlled implosion.
- McDonagh Street, Nenagh, County Tipperary.
[17]
United Kingdom
[
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]
Other
[
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]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Hennessy, W. M. (William Maunsell); MacDermot, Brian (1871).
The annals of Loch Ce : a chronicle of Irish affairs from A.D. 1014 to A.D. 1590
. Kelly - University of Toronto. London : Longman.
- ^
"One King to Rule them All ? Edward Bruce and the Battle of Athenry 1316"
.
The Irish Story
. 25 February 2013
. Retrieved
25 November
2018
.
- ^
Freeman, Martin (1944).
The Annals of Connacht (A.D. 1224?1544), English translation
. School of Celtic Studies, Dublin Inst. for Advanced Studies.
ISBN
1-85500-010-5
.
- ^
a
b
Pomey, M.; Roustan Delatour, C.; Veran, M.-L. (2003).
"DECOUVERTE DE CINQ MANUSCRITS D'ANDREW MAcDONAGH, PRISONNIER A L'ILE STE-MARGUERITE DE 1777 A 1790"
(PDF)
.
Provence historique
. Fascicule 212: 277?292.
- ^
a
b
Hayes, Richard (September 1944). "Biographical Dictionary of Irishmen in France".
Studies: An Irish Quarterly Review
.
33
(131): 367?377.
JSTOR
30099513
.
- ^
Ellis, Peter Berresford (15 June 2005).
"Remember Fontenoy!"
.
archive.irishdemocrat.co.uk
. Retrieved
24 November
2018
.
- ^
Alger, John Goldworth. "Chapter I. Deliverance to Captives".
Englishmen in the French Revolution
.
- ^
Rutledge, James (1791).
Amusement du despotisme ministeriel, ou Memoire d'un prisonnier de douze annees et sept mois
. Bibliotheque nationale de France, departement Philosophie, histoire, sciences de l'homme, 8-LN27-13119: Camille Desmoulins. ark:/12148/bpt6k5625128z.
{{
cite book
}}
: CS1 maint: location (
link
)
- ^
"79-83 Mcdonagh Road, Wyong, NSW 2259"
.
realestate.com.au
.
[
permanent dead link
]
- ^
"McDonagh Park"
.
www.visitnsw.com
.
- ^
"2 McDonagh Place, Gunnedah"
.
domain.com.au
.
- ^
"McDonagh Pl - Google Search"
.
- ^
"McDonagh Rd, Lake Country, BC V4V 2E7 - PostalCodesInCanada.com"
.
www.postalcodesincanada.com
. Retrieved
27 March
2023
.
- ^
"Thomas MacDonagh Museum"
.
- ^
"RoscreaOnline Roscrea Community Remembrance Garden"
. Archived from
the original
on 5 November 2016.
- ^
"MacDonagh Junction | Kilkenny Shopping Centre"
.
- ^
"1 McDonagh Street, Nenagh, Tipperary - REA Eoin Dillon - 4305350 - MyHome.ie Residential"
.
- ^
"TF4 2RZ - Check My Postcode"
.
- ^
"See the Cast of 'Pretty in Pink' then and Now"
. 14 May 2013.
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Kindreds
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