Cathal or Cahal is a common given name in Ireland, spelled the same in both the

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

and

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national id ...

languages. The name is derived from two Celtic elements: the first, ''cath'', means "battle"; the second element, ''val'', means "rule". There is no feminine form of ''Cathal''. The Gaelic name has several

Anglicised Anglicisation is the process by which a place or person becomes influenced by English culture or British culture, or a process of cultural and/or linguistic change in which something non-English becomes English. It can also refer to the influen ...

forms, such as ''Cathel'', '' Cahal'', '' Cahill'' and ''Kathel''. It has also been Anglicised as ''

Charles Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was ...

'', although this name is of an entirely different origin as it is derived from a Germanic element, ''karl'', meaning "free man". As is evident from the list below, the name was in medieval times most popular in Ireland's two western provinces,

Munster Munster ( gle, an Mhumhain or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the south of Ireland. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" ( ga, rí ruirech). Following th ...

and Connacht.

People with the name

Pre-19th century

*St. Cathal of Taranto (d. 685), archbishop * Cathal mac Áedo (d. 627), king of Munster *

Cathal Cú-cen-máthair Cathal Cú-cen-máthair mac Cathaíl (died 665), often known as Cú-cen-máthair, was an Irish King of Munster from around 661 until his death. He was a son of Cathal mac Áedo Flaind Chathrach (died c. 628) and belonged to the Glendamnach sept ...

(d. 665), king of Munster *

Cathal mac Muiredaig Cathal mac Muiredaig Muillethan (died 735) was a King of Connacht from the Uí Briúin branch of the Connachta. He was the son of Muiredach Muillethan mac Fergusso (died 702), a previous king and brother of Indrechtach mac Muiredaig Muillethan ...

(d. 735), king of Connacht *

Cathal mac Finguine Cathal mac Finguine (died 742) was an Irish King of Munster or Cashel, and effectively High King of Ireland as well. He belonged to the Eóganacht Glendamnach sept of the dominant Eóganachta kin-group whose members dominated Munster from the 7 ...

(d. 742), king of Munster * Cathal mac Murchadh (d. 816), king of Uí Maine *

Cathal mac Conchobair Cathal mac Conchobair (died 925) was King of Connacht. Family background Cathal was the third son of Conchobar mac Taidg Mór (died 882) to rule Connacht, following his older brother Áed mac Conchobair (died 888) and youngest brother Tadg ma ...

(d. 925), king of Connacht *

Cathal mac Tadg Cathal mac Tadg was King of Connacht, 973. Cathal only briefly succeeded his brother. Murchadh Glunillar ua Flaithbheartach, King of Aileach, invaded Connacht and gave battle to Cathal at Ceis Corran. Cathal was killed as were some of his prime v ...

(d. 973), king of Connacht *

Cathal mac Donnubáin Cathal mac Donnubáin is the second known son of Donnubán mac Cathail, king of Uí Fidgenti and an ancestor of the medieval and modern O'Donovan family. He may have succeeded his brother Uainide mac Donnubáin as King of Uí Chairpre Áebda ...

(fl. 1014), king of Uí Chairpre Áebda *

Cathal Crobhdearg Ua Conchobair Cathal Crobhdearg Ua Conchobair (Anglicised as Cathal O'Connor/O'Conor and Cathal the Red-handed O'Conor) (1153–1224), was a king of Connacht. He was the youngest son of the High King of Ireland Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair and brother to the l ...

(d. 1224), king of Connacht *

Cathal mac Conchobair Ruadh Ua Conchobair Cathal McConnor Roe O'Connor ( Irish: ''Cathal mac Conchobair Ruadh Ua Conchobair'') was king of Connacht in Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean ...

(d. 1288), king of Connacht *

Cathal mac Domhnall Ua Conchobair Cathal or Cahal is a common given name in Ireland, spelled the same in both the Irish and English languages. The name is derived from two Celtic elements: the first, ''cath'', means "battle"; the second element, ''val'', means "rule". There i ...

(d. 1324), king of Connacht *

Cathal Óg Mac Maghnusa Cathal Óg Mac Maghnusa (February 1439 – March 1498) was an Irish historian. He was the principal compiler of the ''Annals of Ulster'', along with the scribe Ruaidhrí Ó Luinín. He was also chief of the McManus clan from 1488 to 1498. Refere ...

(d. 1498), main compiler of the ''Annals of Ulster'' *

Cathal Buí Mac Giolla Ghunna Cathal Buí Mac Giolla Ghunna (c. 1680 – 1756) was an Irish poet. Biography Cathal Buí Mac Giolla Ghunna (?1680-1756) is one of the four most prominent south Ulster and north Leinster poets in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. He has ...

(d. 1756), poet

Later

Cathal Barrett Cathal Barrett (born 21 July 1993) is an Irish hurler who plays for Tipperary Championship club Holycross–Ballycahill and at inter-county level with the Tipperary senior hurling team. He usually lines out as a right corner-back. Playing ca ...

(born 21 July 1993) is an Irish hurler who plays for Tipperary *

Cathal Berry Cathal Berry is an Irish Independent politician (Ireland), Independent politician and retired soldier who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Kildare South (Dáil constituency), Kildare South constituency since the 2020 Irish general election, ...

, is an Irish Independent politician, former Irish Army officer and medical doctor who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Kildare South *

Cathal Black Cathal Black is an Irish film director, writer, and producer. Background Black was born in Dublin, Ireland and grew up in Phibsborough. His father worked at the Guinness Brewery. Black's mother died when he was around 9 or 10 years old. His fat ...

, is an Irish film director, writer, and producer * Cathal Breslin (b. 1978), concert pianist from Northern Ireland *

Cathal Brugha Cathal Brugha (; born Charles William St John Burgess; 18 July 1874 – 7 July 1922) was an Irish republican politician who served as Minister for Defence from 1919 to 1922, Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann in January 1919, the first presid ...

(d. 1922), revolutionary * Cahal Carvill (born 22 April 1987) is a Northern Irish hurler *

Cathal Coughlan (musician) Cathal Coughlan (16 December 1960 – 18 May 2022) was an Irish singer and songwriter from Cork, best known as the frontman of the band Microdisney, formed with Sean O'Hagan in 1980. Their second album ''The Clock Comes Down the Stairs'' reac ...

(born 16 December 1960), singer and musician with the bands

Microdisney Microdisney were an Irish rock band formed in Cork in 1980. They were founded and led by songwriters Cathal Coughlan (keyboards, vocals) and Sean O'Hagan (guitar). Originally typeset as Micro Disney, the band had become Microdisney by the t ...

and the Fatima Mansions *

Cathal Casey Cathal Casey (born 4 September 1967) is an Irish former hurler who played as a right wing-back for the Cork senior team. Born in Ballynoe, County Cork, Casey first arrived on the inter-county scene at the age of seventeen when he first linked ...

(born 4 September 1967) is an Irish retired hurler *

Cathal Corey Cathal Corey () is a Gaelic football manager and former player from County Tyrone. He played for the Kildress Wolfe Tones club, though he never played for his county. However, he has managed several clubs throughout Ulster, as well as the Sligo ...

, Gaelic football manager and former player *

Cathal Crowe Cathal Crowe (born 1 October 1982) is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Clare constituency since the 2020 general election. Political career Crowe was first elected to Clare County Council in 2004 at 21 ...

, (born 1 October 1982) is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician *

Cahal Daly Charles (Cahal) Brendan Cardinal Daly KGCHS (1 October 1917 – 31 December 2009) was an Irish philosopher, theologian, writer and international speaker and, in later years, a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. Daly served as the Roman Cath ...

(1917–2009), Roman Catholic Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland from 1990 to 1996 *

Cathal Daniels Cathal Daniels (born 13 September 1996) is an Irish eventing rider. A two-time championship medalist, he won a team silver medal at the 2018 World Equestrian Games The 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games were held in Mill Spring, North Carolina, ...

(born 13 September 1996) is an Irish eventing rider. * Cathal J. Dodd (b. 1956), singer and voice actor * Cathal Dunbar (born 1996) is an Irish hurler who plays for Wexford Senior Championship * Cathal Dunne (b. 1951), singer, represented Ireland in Eurovision Song Contest 1979 *

Cathal Gannon Cathal Gannon (1 August 1910 – 23 May 1999), was an Irish harpsichord maker, a fortepiano restorer and an amateur horologist. Beginnings and education Gannon was born in Dublin, Ireland, into a craftsmen family of carpenters, many of wh ...

(1 August 1910 – 23 May 1999), was an Irish harpsichord maker, a fortepiano restorer and an amateur horologist * Cathal Óg Greene (born 1987) is a Gaelic footballer for London. * Cathal Hayden is a Northern Irish fiddle and banjo player of note. * Cathal Magee (born 1954) was the Chief Executive Officer of the Health Service Executive (HSE) in Ireland from 2010 to 2012. * Cathal Mannion (born 22 October 1994) is an Irish hurler who plays for Galway Senior Championship *

Cathal Mac Coille Cathal Mac Coille (born 1952) is a retired Irish broadcaster, researcher and journalist. He was a co-presenter of '' Morning Ireland'' on RTÉ Radio 1 for most of the period from 1986 until his retirement in 2017. He currently writes opinion ...

(born 1952) is a retired Irish broadcaster, researcher and journalist * Cathal MacSwiney Brugha (born 13 January 1949) is an Irish decision scientist, the Emeritus Professor of Decision Analytics at University College Dublin's College of Business. * Cathal McCabe (born 1963 in County Down, Northern Ireland) * Cathal McCarron, is an All Ireland Winning Gaelic footballer for Tyrone. *

Cathal McConnell Cathal McConnell (born 1944) is a musician and singer best known as the mainstay of traditional band The Boys of the Lough, of which he was a founder member. His main instruments are the Irish flute and the tin whistle. Early life McConnell came ...

(born 1944) is a musician and singer *

Cathal McInerney Cathal McInerney is an Irish sportsperson. He was born in 1991. He plays hurling with his local club Cratloe and was a member of the Clare senior inter-county team from 2011 until 2020. He made his Championship debut for Clare against Tipper ...

, is an Irish sportsperson. *

Cathal Naughton Cathal Naughton (born 3 July 1987) is an Irish retired hurler who played for Cork Senior Championship club newtownshandrum. He played for the Cork senior hurling team for 8 years, during which time he usually lined out as a left wing-forward. ...

(born 3 July 1987) is an Irish retired hurler who played for Cork Senior Championship * Cathal Kelly, is a Canadian writer * Cathal O'Connell, is an Irish hurler who plays as a forward for the Clare senior team. * Cathal Ó Murchadha, born Charles Murphy (16 February 1880 – 28 April 1958) was an Irish politician and republican * Cathal Ó Searcaigh (b. 1956), poet *

Cathal Ó Sándair Charles Saunders (1922–1996), gaelicised as , was one of the most prolific Irish language authors of the 20th century. An Gúm published 120 of Ó Sándair's books between 1943 and 1984. The annual award for the best book for children and young ...

, born Charles Saunders was one of the most prolific Irish language authors of the 20th century * Cathal O'Shannon (23 August 1928 – 22 October 2011) was an Irish journalist and television presenter * Cathal Parlon plays his Senior Club Hurling with Coolderry in Offaly. *

Cathal Pendred Cathal Pendred is an Irish actor and former mixed martial artist who competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He was the Cage Warriors Welterweight World Champion. Background Pendred was born in Boston, Massachusetts to Irish immigr ...

(b. 1987), retired mixed martial artist* * Cathal Ryan is a Gaelic footballer from County Laois. * Cathal Smyth (b. 1959), singer and songwriter, better known as

Chas Smash Cathal Joseph "Carl" Smyth (born 14 January 1959), also known as Chas Smash, is an English singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. His career spans more than 40 years. Smash came to prominence in the late 1970s as secondary vocalist, trump ...

of the British band Madness

Places

Cathal Brugha Street Cathal Brugha Street ( ) is a street on the northside of Dublin, Ireland. Location The street runs eastwards from near the Parnell Square end of Upper O'Connell Street, crossing Marlborough Street and changing name to Seán Macdermott Stre ...

, is a street on the northside of Dublin, Ireland. *

Cathal Brugha Barracks Cathal Brugha Barracks () is an Irish Army barracks in Rathmines, Dublin. A key military base of the Irish Defence Forces, it is the headquarters of 2 Brigade, and houses the Military Archives of the Department of Defence. History The barra ...

, is an Irish Army barracks in Rathmines, Dublin

References

{{given name Irish-language masculine given names English-language masculine given names Scottish Gaelic masculine given names

People with the name

Pre-19th century

Later

Places

See also

References