O'Gara of Coolavin – Ó Gadhra Cúil Ó bhFinn

O'Gara Ó Gadhra means descendant of Gadhra' (an old Irish personal name, perhaps from gadhar, a dog, mastiff); the name of a Connacht family, of the same stock as the O'Haras of Leyney. Both families are descended from Lugh, son of Cormac Gaileng, and had from him the common clan-name of Luighne. When the two families separated, about the end of the tenth century, they divided this territory between them, the O'Haras taking the northern, or Sligo, portion, and the O'Garas the southern, in Co. Mayo. The O'Garas were then styled lords of Sliabh Lugha, but after the English invasion of Connacht they were driven out of this territory and forced to seek a new settlement. This they acquired in the district anciently known as Greagraidhe, and now as the barony of Coolavin, in Co. Sligo, from which in later times they were known as lords of Coolavin.

Website: www.ogara.org

Email: cuppanagh@gmail.com

Contact: Mrs. Maura O'Gara-O'Riordan, 3 Cherry Park, Newcastle, Galway City, Ireland.

DNA Project in progress.