O'Donoghue
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Donoghue or O'Donoghue is an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Donnchadha ‘descendant of Donnchadh’, a personal name composed of the elements donn = ‘brown-haired man’ or ‘chieftain’ + cath = ‘battle’.
Spelling variations (which include an initial O' or ommit it) include Donoghue, Donaghoe, Donaho, Donahoe, Donough, Donahue, Donahow, Doneghoe, Donehue, Donighue, Donoho, Donohoe, Donahugh, Donohough, Donohow, Donohue, Donaughue, Dunphy, Donaghie, Donaghy and many more.
The O'Donoghue name is first found in County Kerry, Ireland, where they held a family seat from very ancient times.
The Scottish Clan Robertson, anciently known as Clann Dhònnchaidh, 'Children of Dònnchadh' or Duncan, is of separate origin.
Notable people with this relatively-common surname include:
- John E. O'Donoghue, Major League Baseball pitcher
- John P. O'Donoghue, Major League Baseball pitcher
- Lowitja O'Donoghue, Aboriginal Australian civil rights activist
- Martin O'Donoghue, Irish economist and Fianna Fáil politician
- Michael O'Donoghue, Irish-American comedian, writer and occasional performer for Saturday Night Live
- Patrick O'Donoghue, Irish-born current Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Lancaster in England
- Peter O'Donoghue, herald at the College of Arms in London, England
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Chieftans of the O'Donoghue Clan had resided in Ross Castle, Killarney Ireland. It was one of the last, if not the last castle to fall to the British during the Cromwellian period of invasion.
