Ó Rothláin

Castlebar, Co. Mayo, Connacht, Republic of Ireland.

Ó Rothláin (/oʊ ˈroʊlɔːn/ oh-ROW-lawn) is an Irish name meaning "descendant of Rothlán". It is the pre-anglicised, Irish form of the names Rowlan, Rowland, Rowlands, Rollan, Rollin, Rolan and Rowley.[1] The name can also be found spelled as Ó Rothlán, Ó Rothlain, O'Rothlain, Rothlán, and Rothlan.[2][3][4]

Significance in the History of Ireland and Connacht

Croagh Patrick (Irish: Cruach Phádraig), Co. Mayo, Ireland

The name Ó Rothláin is Irish, and has its main presence in history deeply rooted in County Mayo, Connacht.[5] According to Irish History the family were chieftains within Co. Mayo (titled as "Taoiseach").[6][7][8] Ó Rothláin is recorded in The Tribes, Customs and Genealogies of the Hy Fiachrach by John O'Donovan.[9] The earliest reference is found in Irish Annals dating back to 1208. According to the Annals of the Four Masters, Auliffe O'Rothlain, Chief of Calry of Coolcarney, was slain by O'Moran.[10] The next major mention of the name Ó Rothláin appears in the year 1337 in the Annals of Connacht (Annála Connacht),1337.9, stating that, "Master Ó Rothlain rested in Christ."[11] This same event again appears in the Annals of the Four Masters, M1337.3, "The Master Professor Ó Rothlain died."[12]

Questions of Origin

The Annals of the Four Masters

There is some rumour of segments of this family either being exiled or fleeing from Ulster for being Catholic in connection with the 1795 Battle of the Diamond.[13] Approximately 4,000 Ulster Catholics fled into County Mayo (see Crossmolina) after their defeat. The story states that the family settled in and around the town of Castlebar where they can still be found bearing the name of Rowland. However, while some Ulster Catholics may have married into the family or clan, this explanation is a doubtful explanation of the families presence in Connacht as historical references placing the family within Connacht pre-date 1795 by nearly 600 years.[14]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Flann O'Riain", Townlands of Leinster and the people who lived there, Open Air, 2000, retrieved 2 February 2011
  2. ↑ Irish Archaeological Society, Dublin, Volume 2(http://books.google.com/books?id=QM9XAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA171&dq=o%27rothlain&ei=R9c6S_2tDImCNNGOjLgB&cd=3#v=onepage&q=o%27rothlain&f=false)
  3. ↑ O'Hart, John. Irish pedigrees: or, The origin and stem of the Irish nation, Volume 2.(http://books.google.com/books?id=qFRmAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA571&dq=o%27rothlain&ei=V9k6S76xJZzKMvjoxacB&cd=4#v=onepage&q=o%27rothlain&f=false)
  4. ↑ Donahoe's magazine, Volume 4. 1880. (http://books.google.com/books?id=iijZAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA204&dq=o%27rothlain&lr=&ei=0rE7S7izNaG4NNzZ_KkB&cd=12#v=onepage&q=o%27rothlain&f=false)
  5. ↑ The Irish Archaeological Society. A chorographical description of West or H-Iar Connaught, written A.D. 1684. (http://books.google.com/books?id=ywIGAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA145&dq=o%27rothlain&ei=DNo6S6eyFZDYNoTd6aMB&cd=8#v=onepage&q=o%27rothlain&f=false)
  6. ↑ O'Clery, Michael. The annals of Ireland, tr. from the orig. Irish of the Four masters by O. Connellan. (http://books.google.com/books?id=ggAIAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA129&dq=o%27rothlain&ei=e607S678N4fMMIyfmMsB&cd=9#v=onepage&q=o%27rothlain&f=false)
  7. ↑ Knox, Hubert Thomas. The history of the county of Mayo to the close of the sixteenth century. (http://books.google.com/books?id=wDcwAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA69&dq=o%27rothlain&lr=&ei=0rE7S7izNaG4NNzZ_KkB&cd=14#v=onepage&q=o%27rothlain&f=false)
  8. ↑ Skene, William Forbes. Celtic Scotland: a history of ancient Alban, Volume 3. (http://books.google.com/books?id=rLQHAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA192&dq=o%27rothlain&lr=&ei=lbQ7S4ebOpO2NeKtrasF&cd=22#v=onepage&q=o%27rothlain&f=false)
  9. ↑ O'Donovan, John. The Tribes, Customs and Genealogies of the Hy Fiachrach. (http://books.google.com/books?id=IrPnKqd_63gC&pg=PA171&lpg=PA171&dq=o%27rothlain&source=bl&ots=rSNZ6unjck&sig=Q8D6v6qrBmz6PEz0HmeuiO1L5t4&hl=en&ei=bdY6S72hEsGFnQfmh5X0CA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8&ved=0CCgQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=o%27rothlain&f=false)
  10. ↑ Annals of the Four Masters. M1208.10. (http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100005C/index.html)
  11. ↑ Annála Connacht. (http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100011/)
  12. ↑ Annals of the Four Masters. M1337.3 (http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100005C/index.html)
  13. ↑ Lecky, William Edward Hartpole. A history of Ireland in the eighteenth century, Volume 3. (http://books.google.com/books?id=svULAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA426&dq=battle+of+the+diamond&ei=8ZY7S9e8HYHYMKPqma4B&cd=1#v=onepage&q=battle%20of%20the%20diamond&f=false)
  14. ↑ Annals of the Four Masters. M1208.10. (http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100005C/index.htm

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