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Castle Leslie, County Monaghan
Photograph: Lukiebaggs at English Wikipedia · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Province of Ulster

County Monaghan

Muineachán

Known as The Drumlin County. For the drumlins, the low egg-shaped hills left by the ice that make the whole of south Ulster hard to cross and easy to hide in.

Did you know? Monaghan's drumlin fields, Patrick Kavanagh's 'stony grey soil', were shaped not by farmers but by the ice sheets of the last glaciation.
Carlow Cavan Cork Donegal Dublin Clare Galway Kerry Kildare Kilkenny Laois Leitrim Limerick Longford Louth Mayo Meath Monaghan Offaly Roscommon Sligo Tipperary Waterford Westmeath Wexford Wicklow Antrim Armagh Down Fermanagh Londonderry Tyrone

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Clans & surnames of Monaghan
Boylan Ó Baoighealláin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Baoigheallán” Callan Ó Cathaláin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Cathalán, 'little battle-mighty one'” Comiskey Mac Cumascaigh Gaelic sept · “son of Cumascach, 'the confuser' or 'mixer'” Connolly Ó Conghalaigh Gaelic sept · “descendant of Conghalach, 'valiant as a hound'” Corrigan Ó Corragáin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Corragán” Donegan Ó Donnagáin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Donnagán — a diminutive of donn, 'the dark one' or 'brown'” Duffy Ó Dubhthaigh Gaelic sept · “descendant of Dubhthach, 'the dark one'” Finnegan Ó Fionnagáin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Fionnagán, 'little fair one'” Gorman Mac Gormáin Gaelic sept · “son of Gormán, 'the noble dark one'” Halpin Ó hAilpín Gaelic sept · “descendant of Ailpín” McCabe Mac Cába Scots-gallowglass · “son of Cába” McKenna Mac Cionaoith Gaelic sept · “son of Cionaoth” McMahon Mac Mathghamhna Gaelic dynasty · “son of Mathghamhain, 'bear'” McNally Mac Con Allaidh Gaelic sept · “son of Cú Allaidh, 'the wild hound' — the wolf” Mulligan Ó Maolagáin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Maolagán, 'the little tonsured one'”

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On the ground in Monaghan

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Quick answers
What is the Irish name for County Monaghan?

Muineachán. Monaghan is one of the 9 counties of Ulster (Cúige Uladh).

Who ruled County Monaghan in the Middle Ages?

Around 1014 it was held by Airgíalla (Oriel); by 1450, Oriel (MacMahon). The full era-by-era chronology is on this page.

What surnames come from County Monaghan?

Names historically associated with Monaghan include Boylan, Callan, Comiskey, Connolly, Corrigan, Donegan, Duffy, Finnegan, among others.

Trace your ancestors in Monaghan

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