MacGorman
MacGorman, also known as McGorman, Gorman, or O'Gorman, is an Irish Gaelic clan based most prominently in what is today County Clare. The paternal ancestors of the clan are of the Laigin and emerged in what is today County Waterford. As leaders of the Uí Bairrche, they competed with the Uí Cheinnselaig in the 5th century for the Kingship of Leinster, ultimately losing out in that specific arena, but holding on to significant lands in the Leinster area.
Through influence over the Sletty monastery founded by Fiacha mac Breccáin, the family played a role in early Christianity in Ireland. The Life of St. Patrick from the Book of Armagh was authored on the request of Áed of Sletty. As well as this, the mother of Columba of Iona came from this dynasty. After working to fight off the Vikings in Dublin and Waterford, the MacGormans eventually lost out to the Normans in the 12th century. The family relocated to Thomond upon being invited by the Ó Briain. From this point on they were Lords of Uí Bhreacáin until losing influence when Thomond's sovereignty came to an end.
Etymology
There are multiple origins for the surname Gorman. The Irish name is an Anglicised form of the Gaelic Mac Gormáin and Ó Gormáin, meaning "son of Gormán" and "descendant of Gormán". The personal name Gormán is derived from the diminutive of gorm, meaning "dark blue", "noble". One English origin of the name is from the Middle English personal name Gormund. This name is made up of the elements gar "spear" + mund "protection". The English surname Gorman can also be a topographic name for someone who lived near a triangular piece of land. The German surname is sometimes a variant of Gehrmann. German Gorman can also be of Slavic origin, from an occupational name, derived from the Slavic góra meaning "mountain".One of the earliest mentions of the name "Gorman" can be found in a reference by Geoffrey of Monmouth to a Danish king named "Gormandus" who raided parts of Britain around 593 AD and settled near South Wexford.
Early bearers of the surname are William Gorman in 1296 and Adam Garman in 1327. The John atte Gore recorded in 1296 within the Sussex Subsidy Rolls is identical with the John Gorman recorded in 1332.
| Male | Daughter | Wife ' | Wife ' |
| Mac Gormáin | Nic Ghormáin | Bean Mhic Ghormáin | Mhic Ghormáin |
| Ó Gormáin | Ní Ghormáin | Bean Uí Ghormáin | Uí Ghormáin |
Irish ''Mac Gormáin'' family
Most of the following is taken from a family history composed by Allan O'Gorman of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in 1966, based largely on notes obtained from Father John Robert O'Gorman of Renfrew, Ontario, Canada, who conducted family research at Dublin Castle in 1903. A copy of Allan O'Gorman's document was presented to Naoise Cleary and Ger Kennedy of the Clare Cultural Centre in Corofin, County Clare, in July, 1989, by Brendan Vincent Justin O'Gorman of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, a great-nephew of Father John Robert O'Gorman.According to Keating, the Mac Gormáin family descended from the chieftains of the Uí Bairrche. The family lived in Leinster and held the lands of Slievemargy in present-day County Laois and lands near Carlow. The family was forced from the lands with the arrival of the Normans and moved into County Monaghan. According to James Frost, the family was likely driven from the lands by the Norman lord Walter de Riddlesford, who became the master of Carlow at around this time. A poem, written by Maoelin Oge MacBrody, states that after the Mac Gormáin family was driven from its lands a group of them made for Ulster and another made westwards towards Daire Seanleath in Uaithne Cliach. The family then settled in lands controlled by the O'Briens, settling in the area of Ibrackan. The Mac Gormáin family of Ibrickan were known in the 15th century for their wealth, hospitality and their patronage of the Gaelic poets. The first of the family to settle in Munster was Murtagh, son of Donogh. The chiefs of the family held parts of the lands of Moyarta and Ibrackan in County Clare. A branch of the family were hereditary marshalls to the O'Briens and held lands in Clare. The family is listed as one of the septs of Thomond in 1317.
Today the members of the family bear Anglicised names such as Gorman, MacGorman, McGorman, and O'Gorman. Most members of the family bear the names Gorman or O'Gorman despite the original Gaelic names was Mac Gormáin. According to MacLysaght, this is because at the time of the Gaelic revival in Ireland, the majority of bearers of the name had dropped all prefixes from their name. Though with the revival many Gormans mistaking added the historically incorrect prefix because they did not know any better. MacLysaght thought that the man who was chiefly responsible for the choice in the prefix was the Frenchman Chevalier Thomas O'Gorman, who constructed Irish pedigrees after being ruined in the French Revolution. Within the 1669 Census of Ireland, the surnames Gormon and Gorman are listed as principal names for two baronies within County Clare: 9 Gormons are recorded in the Islands barony which consisted of 1651 people; and 6 Gormans are recorded in the barony of Moyferta, which consisted of 1024 people. In the 17th century O'Gorman was a principal name of County Armagh; and McGorman was a principal name of counties Monaghan and Louth. In 1890 most O'Gormans are found in County Clare.
History
Descent from Cathair Mór, High King
According to historian C. Thomas Cairney, the MacGormans were one of the chiefly families of the Uí Bairrche who were a tribe of the Erainn who were the second wave of Celts to settle in Ireland between about 500 and 100 BC.The Uí Bairrche kindred of the Laigin took their name from Dairé Barrach, a son of Cathair Mór, who lived during the 2nd century AD. It is possible that they are mentioned in Ptolemy’s Geographia as the Brigantes; it is unknown what connection, if any, they have to similarly named groups in Britain or Europe. Ptolemy may have simply used the term because of its phonetic similarity. In any case, Dairé lived at Dún Ailinne, one of the ancient Gaelic royal sites of Ireland and capital of the Laigin, located in what is now County Kildare. From here he gained a pupil in Mug Nuadat, ancestor of the Eóganachta, whom he supported in becoming King of Munster in conflict with Conn of the Hundred Battles. Dáire himself may have been High King of Ireland for a “difficult month” if the 7th century AD poem about the early Kings of Tara named Baile Chuinn Chétchathaig is to be believed.
Kings of Leinster and the Uí Bairrche
The Uí Bairrche are thought to have originally held lands around what is today County Wexford in the area named after them; Bargy. At this time they were very powerful, as one of the sons of Dáire Barrach named Muiredach Mo Sníthech is listed by the 5th century poet Laidcenn mac Bairchid, as a King of Leinster and may have possibly even ruled at the Hill of Tara. The kingship of the Uí Bairrche descended through another son of Dáire named Fiacha. What is known from this time is that the Uí Bairrche lost out in a power struggle with their cousins the Uí Cheinnselaig, who as a consequence pushed them out of their lands and allowed the Déisi Muman to settle there instead, according to the tales in the Expulsion of the Déisi. Indeed, they only returned when Eochaidh Guinech of the Uí Bairrche killed his maternal grandfather Crimthann mac Énnai, King of Leinster in 483. Eochaidh “took the oak with its root” with the Déisi and subsequently drove part of them into Ossory.The Uí Bairrche had an important role in the early days of the Christian Church in Ireland. A member of the family, Fiacha mac Breccáin was said to have been converted to Christianity by Patrick himself. Fiacha was a bard and his uncle Dubthach maccu Lugair was the Chief Ollamh of Ireland; the conversion of the two helped to reconcile elements of native Gaelic tradition with Christianity. Fiacha founded a monastery at Sleaty and is considered a saint by Christians. His brother Ailill Mór mac Breccáin moved north during the political turmoil in Leinster and his grandson Sinnell mac Manach was Abbot of Cleenish and later considered a saint; it is here, under Sinnell, that Columbanus began his studies. The mother of Colm Cille named Eithne also descended from Ailill Mór mac Breccáin. Later on, in the 7th century, Aodh, the Abbot of Sleaty was the man who requested the writing of the Vita sancti Patricii, contained in the Book of Armagh.
When the Uí Bairrche had returned to Leinster, they moved to Slíabh Mairge, in what is today the south-east corner of County Laois, as well as parts of County Carlow and County Kilkenny. The kindred still had a prominent position; the mother of Diarmait mac Cerbaill, the last High King of Ireland inaugurated according to the traditional Gaelic pagan rites, was Corbach, daughter of Maine, a member of the Uí Bairrche. A notable king of the age was Cormac mac Diarmata, whom many Christian hagiographies associated with their rivals the Uí Cheinnselaig or the Osaraighe; such as that of Abbán and Cainnech of Aghaboe; paint him as pillaging monasteries and the like. Cormac and his brother Crimthann are also described as being in conflict with Finnian of Clonard. Cormac was closely associated with Comgall and gave him some lands, before retiring to become a monk at Bangor.