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Irish surname From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Crehan or O'Crehan is a surname with origins in the west of Ireland. Historically, it was rendered as Crean, O'Crean, Cregan or O'Cregan.[1] Creaghan and O'Creaghan are a mix of the English language and the Irish language. Cryan is another variant of the name.
An early reference to the name is in the Annals of the Four Masters which was written between 1632 and 1636, and which says that Murrough O'Creaghan, Lord of Hy Fiachrach was killed for a violation of the shrine of Columbkille in 1200.[2] The Book of Ballymote, which according to its 1887 publication, was compiled in the 15th century and has a genealogy of the "Hy-Fiachra" race.[3] The Annals of the Four Masters also state that in 1243, Malone O'Creghan who was the Archdeacon of Tuam died in Dublin, having returned across the sea as a professor.[4]
Although most early references to the surname place it in the west of Ireland, historian and genealogist John O'Hart stated that O'Criochain, who were descended from Colla-da-Chrioch, and anglicised as O'Creighan, O'Greighan, Cregan, Crehan, Creighton, Creehan, Grehan, and Graham, were a numerous clan in Fermanagh.[5] According to the genealogist Edward MacLysaght, the Crehans, Creans, O'Creans, Cregans, O'Cregans, and Creegans together were a minor sept of the Cenél nEógain in Donegal which had a branch in the neighboring County Sligo.[1] Historian C. Thomas Cairney also stated that the O'Creans, Crehans and Creghans were a sept of the Cenél nEógain from Donegal and who later moved to Sligo.[6]
The Creaghs were a separate family who were originally from the clan called the Dalcassians of the 10th century in County Clare and who later became merchants in Limerick and Cork, as well as producing several churchmen in the 15th century.[7]
The O'Crean family were important and wealthy merchants who were originally from Donegal but who came to Sligo in the late 15th century. In Sligo, there is a O'Craian or Crean tomb that dates to 1506 and includes a crest of the O'Creans.[8]
The Annals of the Four Masters also describe a Donnell O'Craidhen (O'Crean) who was a merchant who died while hearing mass in Donegal in 1506 and a Henry O'Craidhen (Crean) who was a "rich and affluent" merchant who died in 1572 in Lower Connaught.[9]
A 16th century manuscript, A Description of Ireland as it is in hoc anno 1598, describes a John O'Crean who was head of his house or town of Bellanagare, which was then within the boundaries of County Sligo.[10] According to the same manuscript, the head of the family in the 16th century was O'Crean of Annagh.[11] James Crean was High Sheriff of Sligo in 1590.[12]
In 1608, Daniel O'Crean returned from Spain and established a Dominican Order in Sligo.[13] Andrew Crean was High Sheriff of Sligo in 1629, 1630, 1641, and 1642.[12]
Crean's Castle was in Sligo and it was a fortified tower house.[13] It was besieged for eight to ten days during the Irish Rebellion of 1641 when a number of English residents had taken refuge there and Andrew O'Crean negotiated the terms of surrender of his castle. Among the Irish besiegers were captains Richard O'Crean and John O'Crean.[14] During the siege, Andrew O'Crean sent Ann Gasgein and her husband John Stanoway who were English to what he thought was the relative safety of Owen MacDermot's house. However, when they arrived MacDermot was away and they were met by his wife who had them removed. When MacDermmot returned he sent Stanoway with his wife and children with an armed guard of four men to go to the garrison at Boyle. However, whilst on their journey, one of the armed guards broke away and went to the Irish camp at Ballinafad. He returned and when they were approaching Boyle he whistled and Stanoway and his family were attacked by seven armed men. Stanoway was stabbed to death and his wife Ann Gasgein was stripped, but she survived to give a disposition of these events in 1653.[15]
After the rising of 1641, the O'Creans seem to have dropped the O in their surname and it became simply Crean. After the rising had been suppressed, Andrew Crean and his wife, Agnes French, were transplanted from Annagh in County Sligo and were compensated with 600 acres in Annagh in County Mayo. A Julian Crean is recorded with them who jointly received 634 acres.[16]
During the Irish Confederate Wars in 1645, parliamentary forces under Charles Coote from Ulster attacked Sligo which was the northern gateway to Connacht. An Irish officer described how "the garrison of Crean's Castle behaved themselves so gallant as they beat them from it; upon which the enemy sounded a parley; and promised a fair and honourable quarter; whereupon our men came away, and after coming into the street were disarmed, stripped and foully murdered, together with all the boys and women".[17]
Nicholas Taaffe, 6th Viscount Taaffe was born circa 1685 at Crean's Castle, the son of Francis Taaffe and Ann Crean, daughter of John Crean of Crean's Castle.[18] John Crean was the son of Andrew Crean of Annagh.[16]
According to the appendix of the above-mentioned manuscript of 1598, as found in its 1878 publication, the representative of the O'Crean of Annagh family in the 19th century was Crean-Lynch of Clogher House in County Mayo.[11] This was through maternal descent from the Creans of Annagh.[16]
In the 20th century, the Crehan spelling variant is found most usually in County Galway and in County Mayo it is most often found as Crean, Grenhan and sometimes as Graham. The Creegan variant is most likely to belong to County Sligo. The Crean variant is often found in Munster. O'Corrain which is Curran in English has become Crean in some places.[1]
The O'Creans of Dongal and Sligo have their own coat of arms.[1]
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