Folan (Irish: Ó Cualáin or Ó Culáin), is an Irish family name. They were a Brehon family in County Galway. The Folan family are of Conmhaícne origin.

Distribution

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The surname Folan is most numerous in County Galway, particularly in the area between Galway City and Clifden, in Connacht, Ireland.[1] In the Irish-speaking Gaeltacht of Galway the Irish language Gaelic spelling Ó Cualáin is frequently used.

History

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16th Century Brehon Family

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There was a Brehon family called O'Folan in County Galway in the sixteenth century.[2]

  • Servreagh O'Folan, Gentleman, signed a fiant in 1585, called "Indentures of Composition, The Country of the O'Flaherty's of Eyre Connacht, A.D. 1585", which referenced him as a landowner in Moyrus in the Barony of Ballynahinch, County Galway.[3]
  • Nehemias Folan of the Newtone, Gentleman, was listed as a landowner in Loughrea, County Galway, in a fiant dated 1585. In a fiant dated 1594 he is described in Latin as "in Christo Nehemian Ffolan, generosum, meum attornatum".[3] In a 1615 trial concerning Sir Roger O'Shaughnessy in Loughrea, he was noted as "Nehemias Folan, of Balladowgan, County Galway, Esquire, 60 years old".[4]
  • Soyrbrehagh Og Folan, in an indenture dated May 1606, is noted as "Soyrbrehagh Og Folan of Ierconnaght in the Co. of Galway, atornie for seisin".[5][6]
  • Feargananim Folan, in a deed for the O'Flahertys in 1614, entitled "Donogh McMoyler et al., is dede A.D. 1614", is described as "our true and lawfull attorney", and signs as Forinan Folan.[3]

Lands confiscated in 1651

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Several O'Folans are mentioned in Elizabethan era fiants as being pardoned for rebel activities.

  • In fiants dated 1590, "Sirwrehagh Folain,of Moiris, Gentleman, Nehemiah Folain of Moyris, Boetius Folain, Mackragh Folain, Fernand Folain and Connor McSerally of Moyris", and "Nehenas Folone of Newtown, Co Galway", were all given Royal Pardons.[7]
  • Salamon Folan took part in the Irish Rebellion of 1641, and was one of the group of men led by Colonel Edmond O'Flaherty at the siege of Tromroe Castle in County Clare.[8]
  • Ferdinando Follin, (Feargananim Folan), of Moyrus, Carna, County Galway, was registered as owner of lands consisting of 3,678 acres (14.88 km2), and 193 acres (0.78 km2). Following the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland in 1651, his lands were confiscated.[9]

People with the surname

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Contemporary people with the surname

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People with the surname in military history

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Many Folans served in the Connaught Rangers Regiment of the British Army.

Other people with the surname in history

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  • Dermot Folan was vicar of Moycullen and Kilcummin in 1628.[36]
  • Thomas Folan was the Prior of the Dominican Convent in Galway from 1865 to 1873, and was also King of the Claddagh up to his death in 1874.[37]

References

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  1. ^ "Folan Surname Meaning, Origins & Distribution". Forebears.co.uk. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  2. ^ "The Surnames of Ireland" Edward Mac Lysaght, Irish Academic Press, Dublin, 1985
  3. ^ a b c "A History of West or H-Iar Connacht" Roderick O'Flaherty, Irish Archeological Society, Dublin, 1846
  4. ^ The Tribes, Customs and Genealogies of the Hy Fiachrach. John O'Donovan, Irish Archaeological society, Dublin, 1844
  5. ^ The Lynch Blosse Papers. K. W. Nicholls Analecta Hibernica, Page 161, The Irish Manuscripts Commission Ltd, 1980
  6. ^ K. W. Nicholls (1980). "The Lynch Blosse Papers". Analecta Hibernica (29). The Irish Manuscripts Commission Ltd.: 113, 115–218. JSTOR 25511960.
  7. ^ The Sixteenth Report of the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records of Ireland,Calendar of Fiants of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth 1586–95, Alex Thom., Dublin, 1884
  8. ^ Deposition of Salamon Folan, 1641 Depositions Project, MS 830 281r, Trinity College, Dublin, 1653
  9. ^ Books of survey and distribution Vol. III. County of Galway, 1680
  10. ^ KittyHolland (11 September 2017). "New Garda Commissioner appointed". Rte.ie. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  11. ^ Francis Farragher (24 October 2015). "Galway native appointed to top Garda post". Connachttribune.ie. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  12. ^ "New Deputy Garda Commissioners appointed". Rte.ie. 20 October 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  13. ^ "The Telegraph Caleb Folan and buoyant Hull make a splash". The Telegraph. Retrieved 17 August 2008.
  14. ^ Kieran Beckles (21 February 2009). "Rowing: Cormac Folan - Olympic Dreams &#1 24; Football". The Sport Review. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  15. ^ Kelley, Tracey. "Interview with Yoga Expert Lilias Folan". Yoga.lovetoknow.com. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  16. ^ "Yoga Journal".
  17. ^ John Anderson (8 November 2012). "'Lunch Atop a Skyscraper' Uncovered". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  18. ^ "Raftery Documentary". The Irish Times. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  19. ^ "Irish Times Review Crash and Burn". The Irish Times. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  20. ^ "Galway County Council".
  21. ^ "The Irish Times, Local Election Results for Galway County Council". Irishtimes.com. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  22. ^ COBA: A Classic Maya Metropolis William J. Folan, et al., New York: Academic Press, 1983.
  23. ^ "Calakmul: New Data from an Ancient Maya Capitol in Campeche, Mexico." Folan, William, et al., Latin American Antiquity, Vol. 6, No. 4, Dec. 1995.
  24. ^ "Crimean War Roll of Honour". Angelfire.com. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  25. ^ "The London Gazette". Thegazette.co.uk. 20 June 1916. p. 6142. Retrieved 28 January 2017. Supplement:29631
  26. ^ "The National Archives".
  27. ^ a b Forgotten Heroes, Galway Soldiers of the Great War 1914–1915. William Henry, Mercier Press, Dublin 2007
  28. ^ "Fo". Roll-of-honour.org.uk. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  29. ^ "Fredericksburg National Cemetery".
  30. ^ "Church Street Cemetery Hillsborough".
  31. ^ Massachusetts in the army and navy during the war of 1861-65, vol. 2, chapter 4, Thomas Wentworth Higginson
  32. ^ "JOHN B. FOLAN, 77, DIES". The Washington Post. 24 March 1994. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  33. ^ The Dead of the Irish Revolution, Eunan O'Halpin, Daithí Ó Corráin 2020, Yale University Press.
  34. ^ "Irish War of Independence Roll of Honour".
  35. ^ Connacht Tribune 1909–2010; Page: 12; Date: 19 November 1960.
  36. ^ The Wardenship of Galway. Rev Fr Martin Coen, Kennys, Galway, 1984
  37. ^ Dominicans in Ireland, 1841-1845. Hugh Fenning, Collectanea Hibernica
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