The seventeenth century saw the destruction of the clan system. In the early 1600's, an effort by Hugh O'Neill and The O'Donnell of Tirconnell was quashed by the British. They and their followers, many leaders of the major Irish clans, fled to France, Spain, Italy and Germany. Their lands were confiscated and led the way to the so-called Plantation of Ulster. In this process, property was transferred from the Earls' estates, as well as other privately owned property to Scots and British settlers. In effect, it was an effort to rid the country of its natives and recreate it as an extension of Britain.
In 1691, after still another uprising, as many as 12,000 Irish soldiers, some believing that they could marshal military support abroad left for continental Europe. In France, there was an Irish Brigade, composed entirely of these "Wild Geese," as they were called. Since they were unable to find the military support that they needed, they remained in their adopted countries where there are many people who descend from these Irish soldiers. There is a vineyard in Normandy, for example that is owned by a Lynch family. In Germany, the Gallaghers became Gallachers and served the nobility well in their military. Also in Germany, the Coy family, formerly McCoy, achieved high rank and royal notice.
Left behind in Ireland were the assorted remnants of a vanquished people. Almost immediately, the British began to implement restrictive laws that would force the Irish to embrace, however unwillingly, the conqueror's culture. While many names were indigenous to particular areas, as they had been the ancestral homes of particular clans and septs, there occurred great internal movement around the country as a consequence of the confiscation of their lands. Some Irishmen became tenants on land that has been theirs for many centuries. Others simply moved to areas that were more remote and less directly under the supervision of the British.
While the Penal Laws were introduced following the Treaty of Limerick in the late 17th century, they were less widely enforced by the beginning of the 19th century. Clergy no longer needed to hide or blend with the population as itinerate laborers or farmers. The Catholic population, which had retained its faith throughout the years of greatest oppression, began to build or rebuild their churches and since, it was no longer a punishable offense to openly practice the faith, church records were once again kept.
The interesting aspect of the Ballina records, and most of the church records is that very few of the known parishioners were actually native to the area. There was also an almost completely different population after the Famine of the 1840's. I thought it would be interesting, and also a help to people looking at these records, to identify the origins of the most prominent pre-Famine names. This list includes only those family names that appear repeatedly in the nearly two decades between 1823 and 1841. There is a separate list for sponsoring families which gives a fair picture of who was living in Kilmoremoy in that period, and where they came from.
No doubt, the attraction to Ballina was the industry there, which would make it possible for landless men to earn a living. The seemingly short shelf-life of residents might be explained by the fact that earnings from regular employment could be put toward emigration, and there were, even after the Famine, vast numbers of Mayo Irish who entered the United States.
Pre-Famine Baptismal Names in Kilmoremoy Parish
1. BIRRANE - (Gaelic, bear, a spear) Native to County Mayo. Variants are Byrne, Byron and even Burns.
2. CAWLEY - derives from McAuley, a personal name no longer extant.
3. CLARKE - An English name adopted by a branch of the O'Clery's
4. CONMEE/CONMY - A synonym for McNamee (hound of Meath) Native to County Tyrone, the family was famous as poets and ollaves (teachers) of the O'Neills.
5. CONNOR - Native to Connacht, the O'Connor Don was the last High King of Ireland. A variant is Connors. Most of the family have resumed the prefix.
6. DURKIN (In Gaelic, the pessimist) Originally of Sligo but large numbers were recorded in Mayo because of changes in the border between the two counties.
7. FAGHERTY - A County Galway sept; most have absorbed the more common O'Flagherty name.
8. FOY - (Gaelic fiaich, or raven) Typically located in County Cavan and North Connaught. Variations are FEE, FEY AND FYE.
9. GALLAGHER - (Gaelic Gallchobhair or foreign help) A principle sept of Donegal.
10. GERAGHTY - (Gaelic - member of the assembly) An important Connaught sept akin to the royal O'Connors
11. GILLESPIE (GELASPY) - (Gaelic - bishop) Originally located in County Down where they were erenaghs, hereditary proprietors of both church titles and property. Like others removed from estates and private property, they were established in Donegal by the end of the 17th century.
12. GOLDEN - A branch of the O'Rourke's of Leitrim. Sometimes used synonymously with Mag Ualghairg,
McGolderick.
13. HARRISON - Usually the name of immigrant families who arrived during the Plantation of Ulster.
14. HOWLEY (Gaelic - proud) Native to Connaught
15. HUGHES - An English or Welsh name common in all provinces. In some cases it is a patronym from the Gaelic o'hAodha, son of Hugh.
16. JENNINGS - A patronym taken from an obscure personal name. Is also common in tradtionally Viking areas where it is based on the given names Jan or Jen.
17. JOHNSTON - Sometimes a translation of McSHANE; otherwise it is a Scottish name.
18. KELLY - (Gaelic, ceallach, strife) Septs exist in all parts of Ireland.
19.KENNY - (Gaelic, cionaodh, firesprung) Most commonly found in Donegal and Galway; related to McKenny and McKinney.
20. KERRIGAN - (Gaelic ciar means black or brown.) A native Mayo name.
21. KILHANE - Possibly misspelled in the church records. More likely KILLEEN, erenaghs as explained above.
22. LAMMIN - Variation of LAMOND and LAMONT; a principal Scottish clan.
23. LAWLYS - Derives from Old English laghles or outlaw. The name first appeared in Ireland during the Norman invasion; was absorbed into Irish culture.
24. LOFTUS - An English name that first appears in Irish records in the 16th century. Settled permanetly in Mayo.
25. MAHADY - A rare name found in counties Longford, Roscommon and Westmeath.
26. MAUGHAN - Variation of Mahon and Mohan, derived from the Norman de Mohun.Most often found in Galway and Sligo.
27. MCANDREW - Patronym adopted by the Barrets. Native to County Mayo.
28 MCNULTY - (Gaelic, Mac an Ultaigh, Son of the Ulsterman. Original territory was in Donegal.
29. MORAN - One of four principle septs of the same name. In County Monaghan, the name has become Morahan. In Ulster, it is a derivation of a Huegenot name. In Connaught, it is sometimes seen as Murrin. The seat of the family in Mayo is at Ardnaree, in Kilmoremoy Parish where the remains of a castle give the townland its name.
30. MCVANN - The North Mayo of the Scottish McBean
31 - NAUGHTON - A well-known personal name that translates from the Gaelic as "bright or pure." Most commonly located in Galway and Roscommon.
32. O'Brien - Clan of the hero, Brian Boru; found in all provinces but most commonly in southeast Ireland.
33. O'HORA - Variant of O'Hara, both of which are native to Mayo.
34. SMITH or SMYTHE - Can be either an English occupational name or the translation of the Irish McGOWAN.
35. WALSH - A term designated someone from Wales. There are families of this name all over Ireland.
