The surname

Surname

A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...

 McGovern is of Irish

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

 origin and is found predominantly in the counties of Cavan

County Cavan

County Cavan is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Cavan. Cavan County Council is the local authority for the county...

 (among the fifteen most common names), Fermanagh

County Fermanagh

Fermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas....

 and Leitrim

County Leitrim

County Leitrim is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Leitrim. Leitrim County Council is the local authority for the county...

.

The Irish name

Irish name

A formal Irish-language name consists of a given name and a surname. Surnames in Irish are generally patronymic in etymology, although they are no longer literal patronyms, as Icelandic names are...

 is Mag Shamhráin and sept

Sept

A sept is an English word for a division of a family, especially a division of a clan. The word might have its origin from Latin saeptum "enclosure, fold", or it can be an alteration of sect.The term is found in both Ireland and Scotland...

 takes its name from one Samhradhán who lived c. 1100 AD descended from 8th-century Eochaidh, one of the O'Rourkes. Eochaidh gave his name to Teallach Eochaid, modern day Tullyhaw

Tullyhaw

Tullyhaw is a Barony in County Cavan. The area has been in constant occupation since pre-4000 B.C....

 in Cavan. This was long the territory of the McGoverns. Their strongholds were at Ballymagauran

Ballymagauran

Ballymagauran is a village and townland in County Cavan, Ireland. It lies on the border with County Leitrim, within the parish of Templeport and barony of Tullyhaw on the Ballinamore to Ballyconnell road.-History:...

, Bawnboy

Bawnboy

Bawnboy is a small village in a valley at the foot of Slieve Rushen, between Ballyconnell and Swanlinbar, in County Cavan, Ireland). The current population is about 250. A bawn is the defensive wall surrounding an Irish tower house...

 and Lissanover in Cavan.

Chiefs of the Clan

The following is a provisional list of the chiefs of the McGovern Clan, Barons or Lords of Tullyhaw.

• c.720-750 Eochaidh son of Maonach (After whom is named Teallach n-Eachach or Tullyhaw)
• c.750-780 Oireachtach son of Eochaidh
• c.780-810 Dúnghal son of Oireachtach
• c.810-840 Cosgrach son of Dúnghal
• c.840-870 Íomhaor son of Cosgrach
• c.870-900 Ruarc son of Íomhaor
• c.900-930 Tadhg Tir son of Ruarc
• c.930-960 Conchobhar son of Tadhg Tir
• c.960-990 Aonghus son of Conchobhar
• c.990-1020 Flann son of Aonghus
• c.1020-1050 Fearghal son of Flann
• c.1050-1080 Conchobhar son of Fearghal
• c.1080-1120 Samhradhán son of Conchobhar
• c.1120-1160 Muireadhach son of Samhradhán (i.e. the first chief to bear the name Mág Samhradháin or McGovern)
• c.1160-1200 Giolla na Naomh Mág Samhradháin I, son of Muireadhach
• c.1200-1231 Giolla Íosa Mág Samhradháin (died 1231), son of Giolla na Naomh I
• 1231-c.1240 Giolla na Naomh Mág Samhradháin the II, son of Giolla Íosa
• c.1240-1258 Brian Mág Samhradháin (died 1258)
• c.1258-1272 Donnchadh ‘Cime’Mág Samhradháin (died 1272), son of Giolla na Naomh II
• 1272-1275 Tomás Mág Samhradháin I (died 1275), son of Giolla na Naomh II and brother of Donnchadh
• 1275-1298 Brian ‘Breaghach’ Mág Samhradháin (died 3rd May 1298), son of Donnchadh
• 1298-1303 Maghnus Mág Samhradháin (died 1303), son of Donnchadh and brother of Brian ‘Breaghach’
• 1303-1343 Tomás Mág Samhradháin the II (died 1343), son of Brian ‘Breaghach’
• 1343-1362 Niall Mág Samhradháin (died 1362), son of Tomás the II
• 1362-1393 Fearghal Mág Samhradháin (died 1393), son of Tomás the II and brother of Niall
• 1393-1458 Tomás Óg Mág Samhradháin (died 1458), son of Fearghal
• 1458-15 Feb 1495 Feidlim Mág Samhradháin (died 1495), son of Tomás Óg & grandson of Fearghal
• Feb 1495-15 Feb 1496 Domnall Bernach Mág Samhradháin (died 1496), son of Tomás Óg & brother of Feidlim
• Feb 1496-1507 Brian Mág Samhradháin (died 1507), son of Domnall Bernach and grandson of Tomás Óg
• 1507-1512 Cathal Mág Samhradháin (died 1512), son of Aedh, 3rd cousin of Brian , grandson of Eoghan & great-grandson of Niall
• 1512-1532 Tomas Mág Samhradháin (died 1532), son of Maghnus and grandson of Tomás Óg
• 1540- Aithne Mág Samhradháin
• -1586- Tomas Óg Mág Samhradháin (pardoned 19/1/1586)
• -1609-1622 Phelim Magawrane (died 20th January 1622)
• 1622- Brian Magawrane, son of Phelim
• -1641- Charles mac Gawran, son of Brian
• -1690- Colonel Bryan Magauran (Bryan M’Gowran) (Colonel Bryan M’Gauran)

Pedigree of McGovern Chiefs

Samhradhan

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Muireadhach

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Giolla na Naomh

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Giolla Iosa (d. 1231)

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Giolla na Naomh (fl. 1255)

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Donnchadh Cime (d. 1272) = May Mor O’Rourke

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Brian Breaghach (d. 1298) = Maoilmheadha Mac Kiernan (d. 1323)

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Tomas (d. 1343) = Nualaidh Maguire

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Fearghal (d. 1393)

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Tomas na Feasoige (d. 1458)

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Tomas Og (d. 1494)

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Maghnus (d. 1497)

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Tomas (d. 1532)

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Brian

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Feidhlimidh (d. 20 Jan 1622)

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Brian (b. 1592, fl. 1626)

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Cathal (fl. 1655)