History & Origin of the Surname

Patrick Wolfe's "Irish Names and Surnames" on O'Donnagain

"The name of several distinct families in Ireland. They were chiefs of the extensive district of Ara, now the barony of Ara (or Duhara) in the north-west of Co. Tipperary, and of Ui Cuanach, now the barony of Coonagh in Co. Limerick. They are frequently mentioned in the Annals during the 11th and 12th century, but after the Anglo-Norman invasion they began to decline and soon disappeared from history. Their territory in later times was occupied by a branch of the O'Briens, the chief of which was styled Mac I Brien Ara. The O'Donegans of Cork were anciently chiefs of the Three Plains, now the barony of Orrery in the neighborhood of Rathluirc. Their patrimony was granted by King John of England to William de Barry, under the name of Muskerry-Donegan. There were in ancient times, three distinct families of O'Donegans in Ulster, and the name is still extant in that province. The O'Donegans were numerous at the end of the 16th century in the midlands and in North Connacht; and through by no means common, the name is at the present found in all provinces."

Septs (divisons of the Clan)

There are at least four distinct septs from medieval Ireland from the name O'Donnagain:

Westmeath (including Leix, Offaly and Kildare): family of Thomas Dongan, Earl of Limerick and Governor of New York, USA

Northwest Cork: known as 'Muskerry of the Three Plains' and O'Donegan's country, territory lost to the Norman Barrys

Southwest Cork: land included Ballydonegan in Barony of Beare, land lost to the O'Sullivan Beare clan

Tipperary and Limerick: Ruaidhi O'Donnagain, King of Aradh, fell to the son of Brian Boru

Coat of Arms

       

References with more information

"The Dongan Family in the County of Kildare at the commencement of the seventeenth century"
Journal of the Co. Kildare Archaeological Society and Surrounding Districts
by County Kildare Archaeological Society; vol. 4, 1903-1905, page 67
Journal Article on Google Books

"Thomas Dongan, second earl of Limerick, Governor of New York, August 27, 1683 - August 11, 1688"
An Address Before the Dongan Club, of Albany, N.Y. by Franklin Martin Danaher, July 22, 1889
Speech on Google Books

"Thomas Dongan and the Granting of New-York Charter 1682-1688"
The Memorial History of the City of New-York by James Grant Wilson; vol. 1, 1892, page 399
Chapter 11 on Google Books

"Annals of Ulster: A Chronicle of Irish Affairs"
By Annals of Ulster, William Maunsell Hennessy, Cathal MacMaghnusa Maguire, B. MacCarthy, Royal Irish Academy
Published by Printed for H.M.S.O. by Alexander Thom, 1895

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