O'Donoghue

Donoghue or O'Donoghue is an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of the Gaelic Ó Donnchadha or Ó Donnchú ‘descendant of Donnchadh’, a personal name composed of the elements donn = ‘brown-haired man’ or ‘lord’ + cath = ‘battle’.

Spelling variations (which include an initial O' or omit it) include Donoghue, Donaghoe, Donoughe, Donaho, Donahoe, Donough, Donahue, Donahow, Doneghoe, Donehue, Donighue, Donoho, Donohoe, Donahugh, Donohough, Donohow, Donohue, Donaughue, Donaghie, Donaghy and many more. Some of these variations exist also in Northern Ireland and Scotland, with the same elemental meaning in Scots Gaelic.

The O'Donoghue name is first found in County Kerry, Ireland, where they held and still hold a family seat, O'Donoghue of the Glens, from very ancient times. This family is associated with two powerful ancient kingdoms of Munster, Eóganacht Raithlind and Eóganacht Locha Léin, having migrated from the former to conquer the latter.

See the main article, Eóganachta, for further discussion on the O'Donoghues and their relations.

The Scottish Clan Robertson, anciently known as Clann Dhònnchaidh, 'Children of Dònnchadh' is of separate origin, though of the same elemental meaning in Scots Gaelic.

People with the surname O'Donoghue

• Bernard O'Donoghue, Irish poet and academic
• Daniel John O'Donoghue, Ontario labour leader and political figure
• Daniel O'Donoghue of the Glens, Irish politician
• Florence O'Donoghue, Irish historian and intelligence specialist
• John O'Donoghue (politician), Irish Fianna Fáil politician, former cabinet minister and former Ceann Comhairle
• Juan O'Donojú, Spanish military officer and last Viceroy of New Spain
• General Sir Kevin O'Donoghue KCB CBE, the first Chief of Defence Materiel in the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence
• Martin O'Donoghue, Irish economist and Fianna Fáil politician
• Geoffrey Paul Vincent O'Donoghue of the Glens (see his profile)
• Patrick O'Donoghue, Irish-born current Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Lancaster in England
• Peter O'Donoghue, herald at the College of Arms in London, England

In entertainment, sports, activism

• Ben O'Donoghue, Australian celebrity chef
• John E. O'Donoghue, Major League Baseball pitcher
• John P. O'Donoghue, Major League Baseball pitcher
• Lowitja O'Donoghue, Aboriginal Australian civil rights activist
• Michael O'Donoghue, Irish-American comedian, writer and occasional performer for Saturday Night Live
• Neil O'Donoghue, former NFL kicker
• Danny O'Donoghue, lead singer of the irish band "The Script"

See also

• The O'Donoghue Society
• Donoghue (disambiguation)
• O'Donohue
• Donohue
• Donohoe
• Donahue
• Donough
• Irish nobility
• Ross Castle

Other Munster families

• O'Mahony
• O'Donovan
• McGillycuddy of the Reeks and/or O'Sullivan Mor
• O'Callaghan
• O'Brien, Prince of Thomond
• O'Grady of Kilballyowen

References

• Byrne, Francis J., Irish Kings and High-Kings. Four Courts Press. 2nd edition, 2001.
• Curley, Walter J.P., Vanishing Kingdoms: The Irish Chiefs and their Families. Dublin: Lilliput Press. 2004.
• MacLysaght, Edward, Irish Families: Their Names, Arms and Origins. Irish Academic Press. 4th edition, 1998.