Rónán


Rónán, anglicised as Ronan, is an Irish and Breton male given name and surname derived from rón, the Irish word for 'seal'. The given name dates back to Primitive Irish in the form ᚏᚑᚅᚐᚅᚅ  , found as an ogham inscription which translates as 'Rónán, son of Comgán'.
In Irish Mythology, the name is derived from a legend, which tells the story of a mother seal who is warned never to stray too closely to the land. When the seal is swept ashore by a huge wave, she becomes trapped in a human form, known as a "selkie" or "seal maiden". Although she lives as the wife of a fisherman and bears him children, known as "ronans" or "little seals", she never quite loses her "sea-longing". Eventually, she finds the "seal-skin" which the fisherman has hidden and slips back into the ocean. However, she cannot forget her husband and children and can be seen swimming close to the shore, keeping a watchful and loving eye on them.

Saints with given name

There are twelve Irish saints bearing the name of Ronan commemorated in the Martyrology of Donegal, many of which may also have been named Ruadhán. These include: