Irish Family Names G
O'GALLAGHER
NAME ON MAP: O'GALLCHOBHAIR MODERN COUNTY: Donegal MEANING: `descendant of Gallchobhar'. There was a king of Ireland of this name who ruled from 642-654. (The name derived from gall `foreigner' and cabhair `help, support'.)
O'GARA, GEARY
NAME ON MAP: O'GADHRA MODERN COUNTY: Sligo MEANING: `descendant of Gadhra'. (The name derived from gadhar `hound, mastiff'.) He was the 10th century nephew of Eadhra from whom the O'Haras get their name. See the entry for O'Hara.
O'GARVEY, GARVIN
NAME ON MAP: O'GAIRBHIN MODERN COUNTY: Mayo MEANING: `descendant of Gairbhín'. (The name derived from garbh `rough, cruel'.) The sept migrated from Meath to Mayo after the Anglo-Norman invasion of 1170.
GERNON, GARLAND
NAME ON MAP: GERNON MODERN COUNTY: Monaghan MEANING: the Anglo-Norman Roger de Gernon came to Ireland with Strongbow in 1170. (The name derived from OLD FRENCH grenon `moustached', an unusual attribute for a Norman: indeed, the Normans in the Bayeux Tapestry can be distinguished from the Saxons by their clean-shaven faces.)
O'GORMLEY, GREHAM, GRIMES
NAME ON MAP: O'GAIRMLEADHAIGH MODERN IRISH NAME: O'Goirmleadhaigh, O'Gormshuil MODERN COUNTY: Tyrone MEANING: the spelling shown on the map in Ulster was that used by The Four Masters. The alternative spelling, O'Gormshuil, from which O'Gormley is now generally derived was probably that of an unconnected sept in Roscommon; the name meant `descendant of Gormsuil' (a name derived from gorm `noble' and gal `valour'). The O'Gormleys were driven out of Donegal across the river into Tyrone by the O'Donnells around 1300.
MacGOVERN, MAGAURAN
NAME ON MAP: MacSHAMHRAIN MODERN COUNTY: Cavan MEANING: `son of Samhradhan'; he was a local chieftain who was alive in the year 1100. (The name was a diminutive of samhradh `summer'.)
MacGRATH, MAGRATH, MacGRAW, MAGRAW
NAME ON MAP: MacCRAITH MODERN COUNTIES: Donegal, Fermanagh MEANING: `Son of Craith (not Raith)'.There were two main septs: one in County Clare (not shown on the map) provided poets for the O'Briens; that on the borders of Donegal and Fermanagh was a `co-arb' family. Comharba `heir' denoted a situation where an abbot of a religious foundation, `the heir of the founder', had become a lay-lord and his family held the property from father to son. The co-arb usually provided a priest for the abbey.
MacGUINNESS, MAGENNIS
NAME ON MAP: MAGAONGHUIS MODERN COUNTY: Down MEANING: `son of Aonghus (Angus)'. (The name meant `unique choice'.) See the entry for O'Hennessy.
MacGUIRE, MAGUIRE
NAME ON MAP: MAGUIDHIR MODERN COUNTY: Fermanagh MEANING: `son of Odhar (Odran)'. (It was a common name meaning `dun-coloured, sallow'.) St Odhar, St Patrick's chariot-driver, reputedly saved his master's life by taking his place when his life was sought by pagans in about 452. The sept appears in the Annals in 956, but only came to prominence around 1300.
MacGURK
NAME ON MAP: MacOIRC MODERN COUNTY: Londonderry MEANING: `son of Orc'. (The name may derive from orc `pig'.)