The Septs of Inishowen & Donegal

Mac Giolla Fhinneins

Another sept not mentioned in any of these lists were the Mac Giolla Fhinneins, chiefs of Muinter Peodachain on the Donegal - Fermangh border. This surname is said to be anglicised to MacAlinion, MacAleenen (MacLysaght). The Mac Giolla Fhinneins were a branch of the Cenél Conaill, related to the O'Canannans, rulers of Donegal prior to the emergence of the O'Donnells.

O'Hart includes the following families in his section on Tryone; but some of them more properly belong to modern day Donegal.

O'Duibhdiorma or O'Dwyorma, sometimes anglicised O'Dermot or O'Dermody.
The O'Dwyorma were chiefs of Breadach which comprised the parishes of Upper
and Lower Moville, in the barony of Inishowen.

O'Gormley or Grimley, chief of Cenél Moain, now the barony of Raphoe, county Donegal.

Magh Ith and Cenél Enda, Partly in the barony of Raphoe, and partly in the barony of Tirkeran in Derry. According to O'Dugan, the following were chiefs of Magh Ith: O'Boyle, O'Mulbraisil, O'Quinn, and O'Kenny.

O'Broder, O'Mulhall and O'Hogan, chiefs of Carric Brachaigh, still traceable by the name "Carrickbrack, in the barony of Inishowen.

O'Hagan, chief of Tullaghoge in the parish of Desertcreight, barony of Dungannon, and county Tyrone. 9. O'Donegan or Dongan, MacMurchadh or MacMorough, O'Farrell or Freel, and MacRory or MacRogers, chiefs of Tealach Ainbith and of Muintir Birn, districts in the baronies of Dungannon and Strabane.




    Clan affiliations for some of the above septs

    Clan Conchobar of Magh Ith

    Aedh Uairiodhnaigh
     |
    Maile fithridh
     |
    Maile duin
     |
    Ferghail
     |_______________________________________
     |                                       |
    Conchobar [a quo clann Conchobor]       Niall frasach (McLaughlin & Ó Neill)

  O'Boyle, O'Mulbraisil, O'Quinn and O'Kenny, of the same stock
  as the O Cathains of Londonderry County, originally chiefs of Magh Ith
  in Donegal. The O'Breslins of Fanad may also be descended from this
  stock; see below, under Cenel Conaill for an alternative descent.
  The Mac Manannains, according to Woulfe, shortened their name to
  M'Mannan, M'Mannian, MacMannon, etc.
     O'Clery lists the following surnames under Clan Conchobor:

     .h. Cinaith and .h. Manannan and .h. Mothlachan and Hui Muroin
     and .h. Gartnen and .h. Muididen

     muinter Cinneidig, .h. Chairillan, .h. Muiredhaigh,
     .h. Corrain 

     .h. Dubda, .h. Baighill, .h. Merrligh, .h. Dublaighi.

     .h. Cathalan, .h. Mail bresail, .h. Muircertaigh.

     .h. Duibleachan, .h. Thanaighe, .h. Flaithri.

     .h. Breislen

     .h. Mail finne

     .h. Chathain, Hui Loingsicch

     .h. Dogan and .h. Muiredaigh and Branagan.

     .h. Mhaelan.

     clann Foghartaigh, i.e., .h. Floinn and hui Cionaith and .h. Mail maill
     and .h. Dubagan and .h. Chuind.

 

    Cenel Moain 

    Niall 'of the Nine Hostages'
     |
    Eoghain
     |
    Muiredaigh
     |
    Moain [a quo cenel Moain]


  O'Gormley, chiefs of Cenel Moain, later of Magh Ith, driven into
  L'Derry county by the O'Donnells in the 12th century.
  O'Luinigh, O Cridhegen (O'Crean); O Gairbheith (O'Garvey). 
    O'Clery lists the following surnames under Cenel Moain:

    .h. Duinechaidh, .h. Cridhegen (O Crean), .h. Luinigh (O Luinigh),
    .h. Dalbaigh, .h. Gairmleghaigh (O Gormley), .h. Tigernaigh,
    .h. Ceallaigh (O Kelly), .h. Cernacan.

    .h. Faelain, .h. Oirc.

    .h. Cleirchen, .h. Craebidhe, .h. Mail thuadaigh, .h. Murghaile

    .h. Braicle

    .h. Laiginn, .h. Mail croin, .h. Fergalan.

    .h. Letnamod, .h. Bedgaile, .h. Datgu, .h. Doilge.

    .h. Culrebu, muinter Giolla uidir, .h. Gairbheith (O Garvey)


    Cenel Coelbad

    Niall 'of the Nine Hostages'
     |
    Eoghan
     |
    Ferghusa
     |
    Coelbad [a quo Cenel Coelbad]

  O Mael fabaill of Inishowen, O Bruadar, O Hagan of Telach oge
  in Tryone, O Loinccsiuch, O Robhartach & O Ceallaigh;
  O Mail Mocheirghe; O Dhoret of Domnaigh Mor Magh Ith; O Coinde
    O'Clery lists the following surnames under Cenel Coebad:

    .h. Cainnide, .h. Luit, .hy. Cernaigh, .h. Dubhthachain,
    .h. Gaillin, .h. Eimin

    .h. Crebir, .h. Angtaigh, .h. Losccaigh, .h. Luachain,
    .h. Beraigh, .h. Fraecharan, .h. Mail mhocheirghe, .h. Duible,
    .h. Duibh ghiolla, .h. Dinertaigh, .h. Muirecan, .h. Dobran,
    .h. Dubhain.

    .h. Sercachan

    .h. Angaile, .h. Udmallan, .h. Beocraide (extinct)

    cenel Robhartaigh, .h. Ceallaigh, clann Dub loinccsicch or 
    muinter Corcrain, cenel mBruadair

    .h. Mail fhabaill

    .h. Conne, or muinter Conne, .h. Ogain of Telach oge

  Na Bredcha [the Breadach, in Inishowen] 

    Niall 'of the Nine Hostages'
     |
    Eoghan
     |_________________________________
     |                |                |
    Feidlimthe       Dallain          Corpmac
     |               [Cenel Dallain]  [.h. Corpmaic]
    Crimtainn
     |
    Finain

    The O Duibdiormas were the principal family of an Breadach
    in Inishowen. O'Clery gives two other main lines, but neither
    is recogniseable.  

       Cenel Dallain
       .h. Corpmaic (O Cormac)

Cenel Conaill

O Breslin (O'Clery, para. 14; Conaing urero an tres mac a quo muinter Breislen). Or possibly from O'Clery, para. 549, from the Clann Conchobar of Magh Ith. O'Donnell; O'Boyle, O'Gallagher, O'Dougherty, Mac Gille Finnein (of muinter Feodachain in Fermanagh); O Maoil doraidh; O'Canannan MacMeanman (McMenimen - descendants of the Lector O'Donnell).
MacGiolla Brighde (MacGilbride) - a branch of the O'Boyles

Clann Neill

McLaughlin, Ó Neill

Clann Domhnall

O Flaithbertaigh (from Flaitbertach, son of Domnall son of Aedh Finnleith.
also O'Laverty (tanist of Tyrone)

O'Donnelly - Fer Droma Lighen (Rawlinson B.502; O'Clery).
hereditary marshalls to the Ó Neills

In addition to the above-named families, many other septs also appear in early 17th century records for the Inishowen Peninsula.