Eaghra Poprigh mac Saorghus explained

Eaghra Poprigh mac Saorghus (died 926) was eponym and ancestor of the clan Ó hEaghra, King of Luighne Connacht.

Ancestry

Eaghra Poprigh mac Saorghus was a member of the Gailenga people of north Connacht. They were originally from the kingdom of Brega on the east coast of Ireland. Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh (665.5., pp. 654–665) gives his pedigree as:

Eaghra Paiprigh, from whom are Ui Eaghra, s. Saorghus s. Béac s. Flaithgheas, from whom are Clann Flaithgheasa, s. Taichleach (aforementioned) s. Ceann Faoladh s. Diarmuid s. Fionnbharr s. Bréanainn s. Nad Fraoich s. Fidhsheang (or Finnéan, or Idhéan, or Fidhean, or Iodhan) s. Fiodhchuire, from whom are Ui Fhiodhchuire, s. Airtchearb s. Nia Corb s. Loí, from whom are Luighne, s. Cormac Gaileang s. Tadhg.

The last name is that of Tadhg mac Cian, described at 660.6 (pp. 646–647) as the son of Cian, son of Ailill Aulom. Cian is given as the son of Sadhbh inion Conn Cétchathach (661.1, pp. 646–647). At 660.4 on the same pages is written:

It is the family of Cian which is announced openly here according to the old books which begin thus below: The families of Éibhear in Leath Chuinn: eastern and western Gaileanga, southern and northern Cianachta, eastern and western Luighne, and the four (or seven) Dealbhna, i.e., Dealbhna Mhór and Dealbhna Bheag in Midhe and Dealbhna of Eathair in western Midhe, and Dealbhna of Tír Dhá Loch in Connacht.

Members of the family feature in the Old Irish tale, Battle of Maigh Mucruimhe, in which Cian and his six brothers were killed in the battle.

Annalistic references

The Annals of the Four Masters, sub anno 926, state "Eaghra, son of Poprigh, lord of Luighne, in Connaught; ... died."

Descendants

At 665.5 and 666.2, Mac Fhirbhisigh names his sons as Muirgheas and Maghnus. Muirgheas's descendants are given down to the brothers, Murchadh and Aodh Ua hEaghra (King of Luighne in 1155). Maghnus's descendants are brought down to Tadhg and Cian mac Tadhg mac Cormac Ó hEaghra, and their first cousins, Oilill, Brian and Cormac Óg mac Cormac Óg mac Cormac Ó hEaghra, these five men being alive in 1664.

Other descendants would include:

Charles O'Hara, 1st Baron Tyrawley, died 1724, father of
James O'Hara, 2nd Baron Tyrawley, 1682–1774, father of
Charles O'Hara, 1740–1802, surrendered the British army at the Siege of Yorktown 1781.
Robert O'Hara Burke, 1820–1861, leader of the ill-fated Burke and Wills expedition.

Family tree

Donal F. O'Hara, fl. c. 1951.

External links

http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100005A/
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~irlkik/ihm/connacht.htm#lui

References

O'Hara Genealogy, pp.xi-xiv, in The Book of O'Hara, ed. Lambert McKenna, s.j., Dublin, 1951.
The History of the County of Mayo to the Close of the Sixteenth Century. With illustrations and three maps, Hubert T. Knox. Originally published 1908, Hogges Figgies and Co. Dublin. Reprinted by De Burca rare books, 1982. .
Leabhar na nGenealach. The Great Book of Irish Genealogies, eag./ed. Nollaig Ó Muraíle, De Burca, Dublin, 2004-05.