The Irish surname Ó Comáin is rooted in an Irish chiefdom. Its

anglicised Anglicisation or anglicization is a form of cultural assimilation whereby something non-English becomes assimilated into or influenced by the culture of England. It can be sociocultural, in which a non-English place adopts the English language ...

forms include Comain(e), Coman, Comeens, Comin(s), Commane, Comman(s), Commin(s), Common(s), Commyn, Comyn(e), Cowman(s), Cummane, Cumings, Cummin(s), Cumming(s), Cumyn, Cummyn, Kimmons, MacSkimmins, McCowman. It is sometimes incorrectly mistranslated as ''Hurley'' due to the superficial resemblance between the unrelated Gaelic words ''comán'' and ''camán'', the latter referring to a hurling stick. The names are derived from the Gaelic personal name ''Comán'' (meaning "noble" or "steadfast") or ''Commán'' ("companion" or "communion"), a name from early Irish history. The surname is rooted in the provinces of

Connacht Connacht or Connaught ( ; or ), is the smallest of the four provinces of Ireland, situated in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, C ...

(

sept A sept () is a division of a family, especially of a Scottish or Irish family. The term is used both in Scotland and in Ireland, where it may be translated as Irish , meaning "progeny" or "seed", and may indicate the descendants of a person ...

: Ó Cuimín) and

Munster Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...

(sept: Ó Comáin), particularly in

County Clare County Clare () is a Counties of Ireland, county in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster in the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern part of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Clare County Council ...

, and the 8th and 9th century chiefdom of ''Tulach Commáin''. a burial and inauguration site for chieftains, and their capital ''Cahercommaun'' ("The Dwelling of Commaun/Commane") also in Clare. The various spellings can largely be attributed to the lack of

Standard Irish Standard may refer to: Symbols * Colours, standards and guidons, kinds of military signs * Heraldic flag, Standard (emblem), a type of a large symbol or emblem used for identification Norms, conventions or requirements * Standard (metrology) ...

until 1948, and the historical practice of English-speaking officials transcribing Irish names phonetically, often based on how the names were pronounced. In many cases, English officials transcribed names they were already familiar with, for example writing down ''Comyn'' or ''Cumming,'' well-known Scottish surnames of Norman origin, despite having no connection to the Irish name ''Ó Comáin''.

Chiefdom of Tulach Commáin

''Tulach Commáin'' was a small Irish chiefdom, coexisting with the larger and more ancient chiefdom of the Corcu Mruad. It likely emerged from the disintegration of this larger

polity A polity is a group of people with a collective identity, who are organized by some form of political Institutionalisation, institutionalized social relations, and have a capacity to mobilize resources. A polity can be any group of people org ...

, possibly forming part of the Dál Cais and

Thomond Thomond ( Classical Irish: ; Modern Irish: ), also known as the Kingdom of Limerick, was a kingdom of Gaelic Ireland, associated geographically with present-day County Clare and County Limerick, as well as parts of County Tipperary around Nena ...

's chiefdom confederacies. The chiefdom's capital, Cahercommaun (''Cathair Commáin'' or "Commane's Residence"), served as the political and ceremonial centre of ''Tulach Commáin'' in the 8th and 9th centuries. In the Gaelic nobility of Ireland, ''Tulach Commáin'' likely functioned as an autonomous ''

túath ''Túath'' (plural ''túatha'') is the Old Irish term for the basic political and jurisdictional unit of Gaelic Ireland. ''Túath'' can refer to both a geographical territory as well the people who lived in that territory. The smallest ''túath ...

'' or as part of a larger composite chiefdom. It served as a hub of political, social, and religious activity, with its elaborate structures and associated monastic sites indicating its importance as a regional power.

The identity and origins of ''Tulach Commáin''

In the Anals of Innisfallen, the death of Colman mac Comáin on one of the Aran islands is recorded in 751 A.D, according to Gibson, likely son or descendent of ''Comáin'' chief of ''Tulach Commáin.'' A possible brother is mentioned in the Anals of Innisfallen and

Annals of Ulster The ''Annals of Ulster'' () are annals of History of Ireland, medieval Ireland. The entries span the years from 431 AD to 1540 AD. The entries up to 1489 AD were compiled in the late 15th century by the scribe Ruaidhrí Ó Luin� ...

, the demise of Célechair mac Commáin (son of ''Commáin'') is recorded in the Battle of Corcmodruadh in either 704 or 705 A.D. Gibson identifies him as of the Eóganacht Uí Cormaic, a branch of the prominent Eóganacht dynasty. Gibson's work draws on references such as O'Brien's ''Corpus Genealogiarum Hiberniae'' and Byrne's ''Irish Kings and High-Kings'', which outline the genealogical framework of the Eóganacht. According to Frost, the Uí Cormaic settled in what is now the Islands Barony, possibly on the territory of the

Corcu Baiscinn The Corcu Baiscind were an early Érainn people or kingdom of what is now southern County Clare in Munster. They descended from Cairpre Baschaín, son of Conaire Cóem, a High King of Ireland. Closely related were the Múscraige and Corcu Dui ...

, located directly east of ''Tulach Commáin''. Gibson suggests that ''Cahercommane'', associated with ''Tulach Commáin'', may have been the centre of a short-lived Eóganacht chiefdom, or part of the larger ''mór túath'' (over-kingdom) of the Corcu Mruad.

Royal connection

Célechair mac Commáin, being of the Eóganacht Uí Cormaic, would directly link him by genealogy to the Eóganacht dynasty, which dominated Munster's rulership in early medieval Ireland. The Eóganacht trace their origins to

Éogan Mór In Irish traditional history Éogan (or Eoghan Mór—a name also used by his grandfather, Mug Nuadat), eldest son of Ailill Ollamh, was a 2nd or 3rd century AD king of Munster. He ruled for either fifteen or seventeen years, though fifteen i ...

, a

King of Munster The kings of Munster () ruled the Kingdom of Munster in Ireland from its establishment during the Irish Iron Age until the High Middle Ages. According to Gaelic traditional history, laid out in works such as the ''Book of Invasions'', the earli ...

and the progenitor of the dynasty, through notable figures such as

Conall Corc Corc mac Luigthig (340-379),Genealogy of the House of Mac-Carthy formerly Sovereign of the Two Momonies or Southern Ireland, P. Louis Lainé, pg. 26, https://celt.ucc.ie/published/F830000-001.html also called Conall Corc, Corc of Cashel, and Corc ...

, founder of the

Eóganacht Chaisil Eóganacht Chaisil were a branch of the Eóganachta, the ruling dynasty of Munster between the 5th and 10th centuries. They took their name from Cashel (County Tipperary) which was the capital of the early Catholic kingdom of Munster. They were de ...

. This connection would place Célechair mac Commáin's lineage within a royal framework, with ancestors likely holding the title of

Rí Rí, or commonly ríg (genitive), is an ancient Gaelic word meaning 'king'. It is used in historical texts referring to the Irish and Scottish kings, and those of similar rank. While the Modern Irish word is exactly the same, in modern Scottis ...

(king) at various levels of the Eóganacht hierarchy. In

Séamus Pender Pender's Census, or Petty's Census, was undertaken by the English economist William Petty between December 1654 and 1659. This 'census' was completed on behalf of the Commonwealth government probably as part of the Down Survey. Content The census ...

’s ''Déssi Genealogies'', Suibne mac Comáin (d. 658) is mentioned in the succession of Kings of Déssi Muman (old Irish for Munster). Also mentioned in the succession is his son or descendent Congal mac Suibne, king of the

Déisi The ''Déisi'' were a social class in Ireland between the ancient and early medieval period. The various peoples listed under the heading ''déis'' shared a similar status in Gaelic Ireland, and had little or no actual kinship, though they were ...

, died 701.

Other historical and ecclesiastical records

"Commán" also appears in various Irish historical and ecclesiastical records, such as "Commán mac ua Theimhne," associated with Temenrige and commemorated in early Christian calendars.

Loss of ancestral lands

In the 13th century the clan was dispossessed of their lands, following the Anglo-Norman invasion, by the " De Burgos" (Burke) invaders.

19th Century

As late as the 19th century, ''Tulach Commáin'' the burial and inauguration site for chieftains, was regarded as a supernaturally potent spot. A local told an archaeologist ''"it has more fairies that all the other forts of the hill".''

Notable figures

Several historical and ecclesiastical figures may be associated with the name and variants: *

Commán of Roscommon Commán of Roscommon or Coman mac Faelchon (son of Faelchon) was an Irish saint, the founder, abbot and bishop of Roscommon, fl. 550. Life He was a member of the Cinel Domaingen, a branch of the Sogain of Connacht. He studied at the monastic sch ...

: (6th-century) Saint, bishop and founder of

Roscommon Roscommon (; ; ) is the county town and the largest town in County Roscommon in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is roughly in the centre of Ireland, near the meeting of the N60 road (Ireland), N60, N61 road (Ireland), N61 and N63 road (Irelan ...

(''St. Comman's Wood''). * Ferchess mac Commán earliest known mytho-historical figure in annals. * Suibne mac Comáin (d. 658) King of Déssi Munster. * Giolla Comáin mac Néill (died 991) was 2nd King of

Uí Díarmata Uí Díarmata was a local kingdom located in what is now north County Galway. Origins The ruling dynasty took its name from King Diarmait Finn of Connacht (died 833), and the territory in turn was named after them. It seems to have been create ...

. *

Colmán mac Comán Colmán mac Comán (died 751) was Abbot of Aran Islands, Aran, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. He was one of the few known successors of Enda of Aran, and appears to be the second such abbot listed in the Irish annals after Enda himself. Annalisti ...

: (8th-century) one of the four sages of Ireland, the second abbot listed in the

Irish annals A number of Irish annals, of which the earliest was the Chronicle of Ireland, were compiled up to and shortly after the end of the 17th century. Annals were originally a means by which monks determined the yearly chronology of feast days. Over ti ...

. * Pádhraic Ó Comáin: (19th-century) Irish writer and poet, known for his works in the Gaelic Revival movement. *

Gilla Cómáin mac Gilla Samthainde Gilla Cóemáin mac Gilla Samthainde was a Medieval Irish poet (fl. 1072). He was author of ''Annálad anall uile'', a poem of fifty-eight quatrains, and a number of other works. Some of his works were incorporated into Lebor Gabála Érenn. Ref ...

: (11th-century) a

medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...

Irish poet.

Notes

References

{{Dalcassians Surnames of Irish origin