Gaelic sept

McDonagh

Mac Donnchadha

Also: MacDonagh, McDonough

“son of Donnchadh”

🏔 Sligo · Sligeach 🏔 Roscommon · Ros Comáin 🏔 Galway · Gaillimh Source: Wikipedia ↗

The sept's historic heartland, highlighted. People moved — a name can be found far from home.

The story

A princely branch of the MacDermots who ruled Tirerrill and Corran in Sligo from castles on the lakes. Thomas MacDonagh, poet and 1916 Proclamation signatory, and playwright Martin McDonagh carry the name's two temperaments.

Their world Around 1450 — The Gaelic Resurgence. Plague, absentee landlords and Gaelic recovery shrink English Ireland to a fortified strip around Dublin.

See them on the atlas ↗

What the name is made of

Mac Donnchadha
Mac — son of (Mc is the same word, contracted)
Donnchadha — the ancestor, trade or place the name is built on

Find this form in the Irish-to-English index → · What Ó and Mac actually mean

Is McDonagh an Irish name?

McDonagh is a Gaelic name: it was formed in Irish, from an Irish ancestor, before English was spoken here.

The five answers, and why it is rarely yes or no →

From Wikipedia — “McDonagh”

The surname McDonagh, also spelled MacDonagh is from the Irish language Mac Dhonnchadha, and is now one of the rarer surnames of Ireland.

Read the full article ↗ · Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Neighbours — other names from the same counties

Mooney · Roscommon, Sligo, Galway Brennan · Roscommon, Sligo Dolan · Roscommon, Galway Donnellan · Galway, Roscommon Fallon · Roscommon, Galway French · Galway, Roscommon Kelly · Galway, Roscommon Kenny · Galway, Roscommon MacDermot · Roscommon, Sligo Naughton · Galway, Roscommon O'Connor · Roscommon, Sligo Bermingham · Galway Blake · Galway Bodkin · Galway

Quick answers

Is McDonagh an Irish name?

McDonagh is a Gaelic name: it was formed in Irish, from an Irish ancestor, before English was spoken here. In Irish the name is Mac Donnchadha.

What does the surname McDonagh mean?

McDonagh (Irish: Mac Donnchadha) means “son of Donnchadh”. Origin: Gaelic sept.

Where in Ireland is the surname McDonagh from?

The historic homeland of the McDonagh name is Sligo, Roscommon, Galway. People moved, so the name can be found far beyond it.

What is the Irish for McDonagh?

Mac Donnchadha. Related spellings: MacDonagh, McDonough.

Looking for the McDonagh family crest? Read this first — arms belong to people, not surnames, and the honest version is more interesting. Tracing McDonagh ancestors? The step-by-step guide.

Not your spelling? Try the full A–Z. Know more about the McDonagh name? Add to the story.