Hoolahan (No.3) family genealogy
Chiefs of Siol Anmchada in Hy-Maine
Arms: Az. a tower or, supported by two lions ramp. ar. in base two crescents of the last, on a chief of the third three annulets gu.
Of OULAHAN (a Branch of this family) the Arms are: Az. two lions argent, supporting a Castle of four turrets of the second, or, in the centre chief point a cross gu. in base two crescents [1] argent, and in chief three annulets gules. Crest: [2] A demi-savage, handcuffed.
FLANCHADH [Flancha], brother of Cobthach who is No. 100 on the "O'Madden" (of Connaught) pedigree, was the ancestor of O'h-Uallachain;[3] anglicised O'Hoolahan, Hoolahan, Oulahan, etc.
100. Flanchadh: son of Maoldun (or Maoldubhan).
101. Flann: his son.
102. Uallachan ("uallach:" Irish, proud, haughty, merry, supple, vain): his son: a quo O'h-Uallachain.
103. Iomrosan: his son.
104. Cartmil: his son.
105. Laidir Ara: his son.
106. Duilleabhar: his son.
107. Luchd: his son.
108. Logach: his son.
109. Lughach Leathdearg: his son.
110. Bromansutal Fionn: his son.
111. Bruithe: his son.
112. Brandabhach Beuldearg: his son.
113. Iodnaoidhe: his son.
114. Fearmuin: his son.
115. Columan: his son.
116. Umhan: his son.
117. Fionnachtach: his son.
118. Brangaile: his son.
119. Ros: his son.
120. Fliuchgaile: his son.
121. Corcrann: his son.
122. Dubhdhar: his son.
123. William O'Huolaghane: his son. He was the first of the family who settled at Killea (Rahilla or Red Hills), county Kildare. He built a residence, and outhouses on a farm there, between A.D. 1657 and 1660. There is a tomb over his remains in Lacka grave-yard, west of the town of Kildare.
124. William Houlaghan, of Killea: his son. There is a headstone to his memory in Carna grave-yard, south of the Curragh.
125. Simon [4] Houlahan, of Killea (Rahilla or Red Hills), county Kildare, who was son of William, d. 12th May, 1790, aged sixty years, He m. a farmer's dau., of Rathbride, county Kildare, named Margaret Moore [5] (d. 16th March, 1808, aged eighty years), and had:
I. William.
II. Pierce, of Lacka, who m. a Miss Doorley, sister of the Gallant Captain Doorley, one of the Kildare "Rebels" of 1798.
III. John, of whom presently.
IV. Christopher.[6]
This Simon (No. 125) had a brother William [7] who was father of John Oulahan, known as "Little John," who was the father of John, who was the father of two children living in 1877 in the old homestead of Killea, co, Kildare.
126. John Houlahan, of Killea: son of Simon; b. at Killea in 1750, and d. at his farm at Tully (south of the town of Kildare) in 1834. He was one of the leaders of the Kildare United Irishmen, in 1798. He m. a Miss MacCabe, dau. of a farmer, near the Hill of Allen, co. Kildare (who was the first person buried in Allen graveyard), and had:
I. Simon, who was killed at the battle of Monastereven, on the 24th May, of that year, under the command of Roger Garry.
II. John.
III. Patrick.[8]
And two daughters:
I. Anne, who m. a Mr. Higgins.
II. Mary, who m. Peter MacDaniel.
127. John Oulahan: son of John; b. at Friarstown, near Red Hills, in 1790, and d. in Dublin, 29th May, 1825. He m. Alice, dau. of Richard Byrne, of Donoughmore Mills, co. Meath (a farmer and miller, who d. in Dublin in 1856), and had two surviving sons and a daughter:
I. John, who d. unm. in Dublin, in 1856.
II. Richard, of whom presently.
I. Mary-Anne.
128. Major Richard Oulahan, of Washington, D.C., United States of America: son of John; bapt. 24th Feb., 1822, and living in 1887. In 1849, this Richard emigrated from Dublin to New York, United States; served as first Lieutenant in the 164th New York Volunteers (Irish Legion) in the late American Civil War; and in 1864, after muster out of the Military Service, he received from President Andrew Johnson, a commission of Brevet-Major of United States Volunteers, and an appointment in the Treasury Department, Washington, D.C. which he still (1887) holds. This Richard [9] had three sons and two daughters;
I. John-Kenyon, of whom presently.
II. Joseph, b. in 1857, and living in 1887.
III. Richard Oge, b. in 1867, living in 1887.
The two daughters:
I. Alice, m. to John W. Sanderson, of Washington, by whom she had—I. Marie-Louise, born 1876; II. Alice-Irene; and III. Charlie; all living in 1887.
II. Mary, living in 1887.
129. John-Kenyon Oulahan, of Washington, D.C.: son of Major Richard Oulahan; b. in 1851, and living in 1887.
Notes
[1] Crescents: The "crescent" is the distinctive mark of the second branch of a family. In this case "O'Madden" (a branch of "O'Kelly" of Hy-Maine, Ireland,) is the head family.
[2] Crest: See "Fairbairn's Crests," Plate 10. O'Dugan, in his Topography says: "A rough fettering lord of distinguished valour is O'h-Uallachain." "O'Kelly" of Hy-Maine has this crest; and so have "O'Kelly," "Hollyland," and "Holyland" in England: a fact which would go to prove that "Hollyland" and "Holyland" are Houlahan disguised; and that "O'Kelly," of England, is a branch of "O Kelly" of Hy-Maine. For another crest of "O'Kelly" of Hy-Maine, see Burkes "General Armory."
[3] O'h-Uallachain: After this family was dispossessed of their territory in Hy-Maine, in Connaught, branches of them settled in Dublin, Galway, Kildare, Kilkenny, King's County, Mayo, Meath, and Westmeath; and assumed one or other of the following sirnames: Colaghan, Coolacan, Coolaghan, Halahan, Halegan, Halligan, Holahan, Holhane, Holhgane, Holighan, Holland, Holligan, Hoolaghan, Hoolaghane, Hoolahan, Houlaghan, Houlaghane, Houlahan, Howlegan, Howlan, Hulegan, Huolaghane, Olehan, Oulahan, Oullaghan, Oullahan. Woolahan, and Merrie, Merry, FitzMerry, MacMerry, Nolan (of Mayo), Noland (in England), Proud, Proude, Soople, Suple, Supple, Vain, Vane, Whelton, and Wilton.
[4] Simon: On the tombstone (or headstone) over the remains of this Simon, in the graveyard of Carna, near Suncroft, Curragh Camp, Kildare, are the following words:
"Erected by Pierce Houlahan in memory of his father Simon Houlahan, who departed this life May the 12th, 1790, aged 60 years.
"Also his mother 'Margret' Houlahan, alias Moore, who departed this life March 16th, 1808, aged 80 years. Also his sister Honor Houlahan who departed August 26th, 1805, aged 35 years. May they rest in peace. Amen."
[5] Moore: This Margaret Moore was the aunt of a saintly invalid priest. Father Moore of Rathbride, on north edge of the Curragh, who blessed a well on his widowed mother's farm which (well) became locally famous: and "Father Moore's Blessed Well" is still the resort of the afflicted, for miles around: "thousands having been cured of various diseases by its healing waters."
[6] Christopher: This Christopher Oulahan had six children: 1. Simon, 2. William, 3. Honora, 4. Mary, 5. Pierce, 6. Christopher. And this Pierce (5) had also six children: 1. Christopher, b. in 1854; 2. Mary, b. in 1856; 3. Simon, b. in 1858; 4. John, b. in 1860; 5. Elizabeth, b. in 1862; 6. Marcella, b. in 1864.
[7] William : In our opinion this William was the ancestor of the Dublin branch of this family; from him the descent was as follows:
125. William Oullahan, a merchant in Dublin. Will dated 6th Dec., 1781; proved 20th April, 1782.
126. Henry: his son; had five brothers: 1. William, 2. Daniel, 3. Robert, 4. Thomas, 5. Joseph; and a sister named Anne.
127. Robert: son of Henry; had six brothers: 1. John, 2. Henry, 3. William (whose son John was, in 1877, living in Baltimore, Maryland, United States America), 4. Lawrence, 5. Richard, 6. James.
128. Denis J. Oullahan, of the Firm of "Oullahan and Co.," Miners, City of Stocton, California: son of Robert; had three children living in 1877; a sister named Kate, who then was a Nun in Canada; and a brother named Richard.
[8] Patrick: This Patrick Oulahan married Anastatia Farrell, by whom he had a daughter named Bridget, who married P. Ryan of Frenchfurze: both living at North Aams, Mass., in 1881; had twenty-one children—seventeen of whom are now living: viz.—1. Mary, 2. Anne (Kane), 3. John, 4. Patrick, 5. Kate (Madden), 6. Lawrence, 7. Bridget, 8. Joseph, 9. Frank, 10. Agnes (m. to a Ryan), 11. Teresa, 12. Thomas, 13. Jane, 14. Peter, 15. Charles, 16. Anastatia, 17. Gertrude.
According to the Patent Rolls, 15o Jac. I., p. 1, Thomas Nolan (in Irish, Tomhas O'h-Uallachain), of Ballinrobe, co. Mayo, gent., obtained a grant by patent, of the four quarters of land in Ballinrobe, for ever, which belonged to the "Fryers' House, of Ballinrobe." Before the date of that Grant the said Thomas Nolan resided at "The Crevaghe" (now called Creagh), in the barony of Kilmain and county of Mayo. In the Indenture of Composition for that county, A.D. 1585, it was provided that he should have the Castle of the Creavaghe and three quarters of land thereto adjoining, free from the Composition rent, "in respecte of his sufficiencie to act as a Clerke in the said countrey." It may be here added, as a matter merely coincident, that the next grantee of those very lands in the succeeding century, under the Act of Settlement, was Mr. James Cuffe, ancestor of the late Baron Tyrawley, and of the late (if not the present) proprietor of the Crevaghe, whose first appearance here was in the capacity of clerk or secretary to Cromwell's Commissioners of Transplantation to Connaught (see Hardiman's "West Connaught," p. 251).
The above Thomas Nolan was one of the first "English Tavern" Keepers in Connaught. When the old Irish Biatachs (see Stat. Kilkenny, p. 4) and "Houses of Hospitality" ceased, they were succeeded by "English Inns" or Taverns. On 21st December, A.D. 1616, a licence was granted to John Coman of Athlone, merchant, and Thomas Nolan, of Ballinrobe, Esq., to keep taverns, and sell wines and spirituous liquors: to the former in almost every town in the county Galway, and in some towns of the counties of Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo and Westmeath; and "to Thomas Nolan, in the town of Callow, and in the whole barony of Kilconnell, and in the town and barony of Kilmaine, in Mayo county, during their own lives and those of Barnaby Coman, brother of John; of John Nolan, son of Thomas; of Peter Nolan, son of Richard Nolan, late of Athlone, merchant, deceased; and of Jane or Jennet Coman, daughter of the said John Coman." Rot. Pat. 15 Jac. I, p. 2. d. No. 58.
[9] Richard: See the 164th Regiment (Irish Legion), of the "Irish American Brigades," in the Appendix.