R-U152 - Nolan, Martin, and Dowd Northwest Irish Surnames 28 October 2007 e-mail From: Glenn Nolen To: David Faux Date: Sun, Oct 28, 2007 at 3:52 PM Subject: Re: Aengaba of Norway in the Celtic texts of Ireland Mailed-bygmail.com The only surnames in your study that I see of interest may be the Martin and Dowd surnames. These are two prominent surnames of Northwest Ireland. Martin, Martyn or Martine is one of the founding tribes of Galway: Normans. The people of Galway spoke a mixture of Norman - French with some Gaelic words until the reign of Henry VIII. The Donill Oge Ovolloghan in the below article is in fact Donell Oge O'Hollaghan (O'Huallachain). With O'Houlahan (O'Huallachain) (O'Nolan) you have three prominent Northwest Irish surnames: Martin, Dowd, and Nolan. Martin and Nolan are prominently mentioned on the old map of Galway at http://www.galway.net/galwayguide/history/hardiman/chapter1/old_map.html. "In the second, the armorial bearings of the families of Deane, Joyce, Martine and Skereth, with this inscription over, Antiqua quorumdam Galviae stirpium insignia, and the following underneath:" "And in the fifth, the armorial bearings of the families of Fallone, Labarth, Nolan, Quinne, Tully and Porte, with the following inscription. underwritten:" http://www.galwayadvertiser.ie/ent/980813/page5.htm Did the Tribes of Galway speak Irish? The Old English colony and the 'mere Irish' "When they arrived in Connacht, they would have spoken Norman - French, and during the chaos of the 14th and early 15th centuries, Galway was virtually cut off from English influence. It is in this connection that Henry VIII's insistence that the people of Galway learn English finds its proper context." O'Dowd is a prominent Co. Sligo surname. My Nolan family intermarried within the Martin family of Galway and purchased the O'Dowd Enniscrone Castle. And of course, any surname beginning with O or Mc probably represents an Irish surname. http://www.galway.net/galwayguide/history/hardiman/chapter1/ancient_families.html Martin This family is of early origin in Galway. Their pedigree relates, that Oliver Martin was the first of the name, that settled in Ireland, that he was a follower of Strongbow, and that the name was derived from Martius, warlike. Some antiquaries, however, are of opinion, that they were of ancient Irish descent. O'Brien and Vallancey, say, "they are derived from the belgian firbolg, or Martini, Ir. Mairtinigh, respectable remains of which still subsist, in the Cities of Limerick and Galway." Richard Martin of Dangan or Ballinehinch Castle, Esq. is descended from the eldest branch of this family, and the houses of Curraghmore ?, Ross?, Spiddle ? and Tullyra? [x2] are numbered amongst the most respectable in this Province. [y] Arms. Azure,a calvary cross, on five degrees argent, between the sun in splendor, on the dexter limb, and the moon in crescent, on the sinister. or. [z2] Crest. An etoile wavy, of six points.