Ui Gobhann of North Cork

Brendan Gowen has uncovered evidence to suggest that the Ui Gobann  (O’Gowen/Gowan) family name has been in the North Cork area since pre-Norman times.

 

Source of the Ui Gobann

Ui Gobann is thought to be from the race of Ir- who was the fifth son of Milesius.

The folklore of early Uladh (eastern Ulster) is recorded in many of the early Irish Annals, which include such volumes as the Annals of Ulster, the Annals of the Four Masters, etc. This folklore cites Ir, the fifth son of King Milesius (from Spain), as progenitor of some of the earliest tribes of Ulster. Ir and his brothers, Heber and Heremon, were claimed to arrive in Ireland with an expeditionary force from anywhere between the 17th to the 6th centuries B.C., and to have spawned many of the noble families of Ireland. Thus is one of the earliest and more enduring of Irish legends, that of the Milesian race.

 

Pronouncing Gobhann

[The complexity of Irish spelling results from the use of combinations of standard English letters to transcribe Irish letters that do not have a direct English equivalent.]

bh is pronouced as a v sound - e.g. sa bhearna (in the gap) is pronounced sa varna

Note: The Pronunciation of mh or bh varies regionally. In Ulster the General rule is that they are
pronounced w when broad and v when narrow. In Munster (as in the Western isles of Scotland) the tendency is to pronounce as v at the beginning or the end of a word and w in the middle.

 

The 'Crichad an Chaoilli'

Críchad an Chaoilli is the ancient name of a topographical tract dealing with the kingdom of Caoille or Fir Maige, whose extent is now represented by the area of much of the baronies of Fermoy and of Condons and Clangibbon, in Co. Cork, as well as by small neighbouring portions of Counties Limerick and Waterford (O’Keeffe 1931).

Críchad is based on an original text (since lost and thought to have been written by an unknown monastic monk) which can be dated to the period 1138 - 1151 AD.

 

Details of Crichad an Chaoilli are contained in two modern documents:

• In the ‘Eriu’ journal - volume 10 – in 1928., J. G. O’Keeffe writes a segment on  'The ancient territory of Fermoy'.

• In 1932  P. Power wrote ‘Crichad an Chaoilli’ being the Topography of Ancient Fermoy.

Details in both are thought to have been sourced from two manuscripts - Book of Lismore written (late 14th or early 15th cent.) and in Egerton 92 from the Egerton estate papers. References to Críchad an Chaoilli in these manuscripts are thought to be taken from earlier manuscripts (since lost ) possibly written by early Christian monks

Críchad lists bailte (the original baile was the Gaelic estate), their sub-denominations, and their proprietorial families. Bailte are in turn grouped into túatha ( District). The ruling families of each túath are also named. Uniquely, however, Críchad also names the dedicated church of each túath where its burials must occur, and names the hereditary ecclesiastical families of these churches.

The Críchad an Chaoilli is written in Middle Irish.

Of interest to us in this ancient territory of Fermoy is the district called Hi Bece Abha.  (the people of (who lived by) the small river)

Below is an extract from Críchad an Chaoilli followed by it’s translation and it’s interpretation

 

Extract:

• Hi Bece Abha .i. Dun Cruadha asa fuilit I Laeghairi; Na Rindi imon abhuinn, is asdu Hi Cairbre & Hi Chathail; Cill Laisre thall [apos ]s abhus, is aisdi Hi Cleirigh ; Moin Ainmne thall [apos ]s abhus, is aisdi atait Hi Eoghain; Ath an Crainn thall [apos ]s abhus, is as atait Hi Buachalla ; Cill Chuain, is aisde Hi Fiadhain — no I Iain 7 — & as iat Hi Laegairi a tuisigh sin.

• Leth eli na tuaithi sin Hi Bece Uachtarach .i. Sonnach Gobann & Cluain Lochluinn um abhuind mbic sair [apos ]s anair asa fuilit Hi Gobunn; Baili Hi Grigin imon abhuinn cetna asa fuilit I Grigin; Cleann Tuircinn sair [apos ]s annair [apos ]mon abhuinn; Daire Hi Ceinneidigh asa fuilit Hi Ceinneidigh; Ceall Ossain, Luimnech Beg tar Taedan siar & osin sair co Loch Luingi guna sloinnteachaibh eli. O[apos ]Gobunn a tuisech bunadh sin & as dual do in leth eli fh[apos ]Ibh. Bece gach uair nach beth duine maith d[apos ]Ibh Laeghuire. Cill Commuir uamh adnaicti O mBece ar leth & Hi Dhathail comharbadha na cilli sin & Hi Cochlain a meiccleirigh.

  

Translation:

• Hí Béce Abha—that is Dún Cruadha—out of which are the Hí Laeghairi; Na Rinni (Renny) by the river (Blackwater); out of these are the Hí Chairbre and Hí Chathail; Cell Laisre on both sides (of the river); out of it are the Hí Chléirigh; Móin Ainme (Monanimy) on both sides; out of it are the Hí Eóghuin; Ath na Crainn on both sides; out of it are the Hí Buachalla; Cell Chuáin (Kilquane) out of which are the Hí Fhiadhain—or I Iain—and the Hí Laegairi are its chieftains.

• Hí Béice Uachtarach is the other half of that tuath, viz. Sonnach Gobann and Cluain Lochluinn about the Awbeg east and west, out of which are the Hí Ghobhann; Baili Hí Ghrigín; Glenn Tuircín east and west by the river; Daire Hí Chinnéidigh, out of which are the Hí Chinnéidigh; Cell Ossáin, Luimneach Beg to the west beyond Taedan, and from that eastward to Loch Luigni iwth its other surnames. Ó Gobhann is the hereditary chieftain of that half, and to him belonged by right the other half of Hí Béce whenever there was no suitable man of the Hí Laeghaire. Cell Commuir (Kilcummer) is the burial ground of the two divisions of the Hí Béce; and the Hí Chochláin its clerks.

Interpretation :

 

The district is called Hí Béce Abha – meaning the people living by the small river  - in this case we believe to be the Awbeg river which flows through modern day Castletownroche (as opposed to the big river  - the ‘Blackwater’).

 

The district is thought to have been divided in two, Hí Béce Abha and Hí Béice Uachtarach.  (Uachtarach = Upper)

 

In one half -  is Hí Béce Abha which includes the fort of Dún Cruadha.

 

The district includes the townlands of:

• Na Rinni, (Renny - in parish of Ballyhooly ) where the Hí Chairbre (Carbarrys) and Hí Chathai families live.
• Cell Laisre, (Kilassery – South west Castletownroache) where the Hí Chléirigh (Clearys )live.
• Móin Ainme, (Monanimy) where the Hí Eóghuin live.
• Ath na Crainn, ( Place of the trees  - thought to be present day Killavullen) where the Hí Buachalla (Buckleys) live.
• Cell Chuáin, (Kilquane) where the Hí Fhiadhain live.

 

Hí Laegairi( O’Leary) are chieftains of this district.

 

Note: Dún Cruadha is believed to be the site of the present day Widenham Castle in Castletownroche.

 

 

The second half of Hí Béce Abha is Hí Béice Uachtarach ( upper). Sonnach Gobann and Cluain Lochluinn are the main forts or stockades in this half east and west of the Awbeg river – where the O’ Gowens live.

 

The district incorporates the townlands of:

• Baili Hí Ghrigín: (Ballygriggen)
• Glenn Tuircín:
• Daire Hí Chinnéidigh:  where the Hí Chinnéidigh (Kennedys)  live.
• Cell Ossáin (Killisanne):
• Luimneach Beg to the west beyond Taedan, and from that eastward to Loch Luigni with its other families / surnames (not recorded)

 

Ó Gobhann is the hereditary chieftain of Hí Béice Uachtarach and he also has claim to the other half (Hí Béce Abha) if the chieftain there  - O’Leary – does not have an heir.

 

Cell Commuir (Kilcummer) is the burial ground of the two divisions of the Hí Béce. 

 

The Hí Chochláin (O’Coughlan) are  the clerks( Priests) of the area.

Arrival of the Normans

 

The Críchad an Chaoill  text is thought to be dated 1138 - 1151 AD and there is no mention of Norman invaders or landlords but by 1250 AD, following the Anglo-Norman invasion, Fermoy and surrounding  territory was given to the Flemings from whom it later passed to the Roches.

At some later stage some of the lands of the Roches of  Castletownroche (more specifically lands near Shanballymore) came into the hands of Norman ‘Nagle’ family

Grove White Notes

Over the years various researchers have studied the Críchad an Chaoilli text and along with other research and have offered thoughts and insight to the history of the area.

Among the finest works of local history in Cork are the Grove White notes listing places in north Cork, published in four volumes between 1906 and 1915. Colonel James Grove White was an officer in the British army with an all-consuming interest in the local history of north Cork.

Some extracts relating to our area…..

“The Sonnach of Ua Gobhann, Chief of the Hi Bece Abha Upper, which is named Stonnagh, now Shanagh, in the list of the lands of Lord Roche, was accordingly a fort defended by a palisade"
“Ua Gobhann means descendant of Gobha, or 'smith', and hence the ancestor of Ua Gobhann, from whom the name was taken, was a smith".

In one of the extracts concerning Clenor taken by Colonel Grove White from the Pipe Roll of Cloyne, there is mention of Dominus Denis Ygown, or O'Gown, i.e., Ua Gobhann, who no doubt was descended from the Chief of Sonnach Gobhann”.  

“We are informed in the Fermoy Topography that the Comarbship of the church of Claen Uir, or Clenor, is the hereditary privilege of the Hi Annadha, and Colonel Grove White quotes a passage from the Pipe Roll of Cloyne in which it is stated John Ohanneda held land from Lord Roche in the ville of Clenor. In the Fermoy Topography it is also stated that the Daire or "oak-wood" of the Hi Ceinneidigh was in the district of the Hi Bece Abha\ Upper, whose chief was Ua Gobhann; and Colonel Grove White again informs us, by aid of the Pipe Roll, that Philip O'Kennedy and Harry O'Kennedy held land adjoining the lands of Dominus Denis Ygown in the manor of Clenor "

In various documents collected by Grove White he identifies that in various land surveys in subsequent years.

The name of the area “Sonach Gobann” may have evolved or became Anglicized.

1601 AD : Pardon granted By Queen Elizabeth to John 0’Leyne, of Sonnagh,

1611 AD: in  a re-grant of land to David Lord Roche, Viscount Fermoy, Sonnagh is mentioned.

1657 AD:  in the book of Dist. and Survey circa 1657, gives :—"Shenagh”

1665 AD: David Nagle held goods of value £13 at Shyneagh

1837 AD: Lewis writes :—"On the Clogher estate, which once belonged to the celebrated Edmund Burke, was an ancient and strongly fortified castle called Shanogh,

1840: AD The Field Book of 1840 gives:—"Shanagh Castle, in south part of Shanagh townland. There is scarcely any remains of this castle to be seen."

                   
Based on this it is commonly suggested that the present day Shanagh townland, Parish of Templeroan is the area of the ancient Sonnach Gobann and the now ruined Shannagh Castle may have been the original site of the fort - Sonach Gobann.

From the ‘Crichad an Chaoilli’ being the Topography of Ancient Fermoy. 1932  P. Power wrote :

From 1309-1361 there is evidence the Nagle sept settled in the valley of the Blackwater Cork, but it is only in the latter half of the 1500's that there are any cohesive records of their family groups. They were, for the most part, centered around their stronghold in Monanimy. This castle stands on the north bank of the Blackwater River and opposite Killavullen, although the main part of Monanimy parish lies south of the river and reaches up the slope of Nagle Mountain. Ballinamona Castle and the demolished castle at Shanagh are both believed to have been constructed by the Nagles.

 

 

Separate to the Críchad an Chaoilli, after the Anglo Norman invasion, Pope Nicholas IV ordered a detailed valuation for ecclesiastical taxation of parish churches for the purpose of taxation in 1291.

The “Calendar of Documents relating to Ireland 1302-1307” references all the churches surveyed in Pope Nicholas’ valuation.  Some of the churches in the Deanary of Fermoy are listed below:

Of interest to us in the list is the church called “Sonnachgowin”

In another document ( below ) this church was listed as  “Sothwauthgowyn”

While the text from the Críchad an Chaoilli, document is written in Irish  - the Church valuation would have been written in English and most likely all names and details would have been transcribed from local oral pronunciations. While the spelling of Sonnach is identical  - the spelling of Gowin from Gobann is significant. It identifies the pronunciation of this Ui Gobann surname at that time – which is similar to the Gowen pronunciation today.
 

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