The Conlon family is an
Irish noble family, the original Gaelic spelling being Ó Connalláin. In the tenth and eleventh centuries, the O'Conalláin were Princes of Ui Laeghari, an extensive territory in the counties of
Meath and
Westmeath, where the
High King of Ireland historically derived his seat at the
Hill of Tara.[1] The O'Conlons were chiefs of Crioch Tullach, in
County Tyrone and branches of this family in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries settled in the counties of
Roscommon,
Galway and
Mayo. As a sept of the
Northern Uí Néill, they claim descent from
Niall of the Nine Hostages and his son
Conall Gulban, both High Kings of Ireland.
Name
O'Conlon is a variation of the anglicised version of Ó Connalláin. The name may be derived from two Irish Gaelic words "Con" (the genitive case of Cú, meaning "hound") and "Lón" meaning lion - thereby implying a person who has the characteristics of a lion born of a hound - strength and speed. It is sometimes spelt Conlan, Conlen and Conlin. Like most surnames, it is occasionally used as a first name.
Origins
The O'Conlons are a sept of the
Cenél Conaill, or "kindred of Conall", specifically descended as part of Cenél Aedha, through Aedha mac Ainmirech great-great grandson of Conall Gulban. His father, Ainmirech mac Sétnai is brother of Lugaid mac Sétnai, founder of the Cenél Luighdech. The Cenél Aedha are said to have given their name to the barony of
Tirhugh (Tír Aedha) in County Donegal.
Their kingdom was known as
Tír Conaill, with their powerbase at Mag Ithe in the Finn valley, however they gradually expanded to cover what is now counties
Donegal and
Fermanagh. The Cenél Conaill clashed regularly with their kin the Cenél nEogain, eventually capturing the latter's original power-base of
Ailech in the
Inishowen peninsula—in modern-day
County Donegal—by the 12th century. Related dynasties descended through Conall Cremthainne and Diarmait mac Cerbaill included the
Síl nÁedo Sláine, the
kings of Brega, descended from Colmán Már's youngest brother
Áed Sláine and the
Kings of Uisnech, among others, belonging to
Clann Cholmáin.
Spot Conlon, a fictional character in the 1992 film
Newsies, based on an actual person who was quoted in regards to the New York Newsies Strike of 1899.
The O Clery Book of Genealogies, Seamus Pender (ed.), in Analecta Hibernica, No. 18, 1951 pp. 1-198
Burke, Bernard and Ashworth Peter Burke, A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry of Ireland. London: Harrison & Sons. 9th edition, 1899.
Marquis de Ruvigny, Melville H., The Nobilities of Europe. London: Melville and Company. 1910. (repr. Adamant Media Corporation, 2000
^O'Domhnaill Abu (Spring 1987) O'Donnell Clan Newsletter no.7, (ISSN 0790-7389)
Surname list
This page lists people with the
surnameConlon. If an
internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that
link by adding the person's
given name(s) to the link.