Coen family genealogy
A Branch of the "O'Dowd" Family, Princes of Hy-Fiachra
Arms: Or, a lion ramp gu. Crest: A bear's head couped sa. muzzled gu.
CAOMHAN, a younger brother of Dubhda, who is No. 97 on the "O'Dowd" pedigree, was the ancestor of O'Caomhain; anglicised O'Keevan, Keevan, Kevin, Kevens, Keveny, Kavanagh (of Connaught), Coen, Cohen, Cohan, Cowan, and Cuan. This Caomhan was Chief of his Sept, A.D. 876.
The O'Keevan portion of the family, who were also known as Muintir Keevan, possessed the district of Moylena, in the county Tyrone, which was lately known as "The Closach;" and the Armorial Bearings of that branch of the O'Caomhain family are—
Arms: Vert a saltire or, betw. in chief and in base a lizard pass. of the last, and in fess two daggers erect ar. pommels and hilts gold. Crest: A dagger erect ar. pommel and hilt or, the blade impaling a lizard vert.
Tracing the pedigree to its source: Caomhan was son of Conmac, son of Duncatha,son of Cathal, son of Olioll, son of Donoch, son of Tiobrad, son of Maoldubh, son of Fiachra Ealg (or Ealgach), son of Dathi, the 127th Monarch of Ireland, son of Fiachra, brother of Niall of the Nine Hostages, whose son Eoghan (Owen) married Indorba, a princess of Britain.
The descendants of this last mentioned Fiachra were called Hy-Fiachrach; and gave their name to Tir Fiachrach, now known as the barony of "Tireragh," in the southern portion of the county Sligo. They also possessed the territories now constituting the present baronies of Carra, Erris, and Tyrawley, in the county Mayo. Beal-atha an-fheadha (os vadi sylvae), now the town of "Ballina," being their chief seat.
From Caomhan, downwards, the following is the pedigree:
97. Caomhan ("caomhan:" Irish, a noble person): son of Conmac; chief of the Sept, A.D. 876.
98. Cathal: his son.
99. Diarmaid: his son.
100. Giolla-na-Naomh: his son.
101. Cathal: his son.
102. Domhnall: his son.
103. Diarmaid: his son. .
104. Giolla-na-Naomh: his son.
105. Tomhas: his son.
106. Domhnall: his son.
107. Tomhas: his son.
108. Diarmaid: his son.
109. Daibhidh (or David): his son.
110. Domhnall (or Donal): his son.
111. Giolla-na-Naomh: his son.
112. Tomhas (or Thomas): his son.
113. David: his son.
114. Aodh (or Hugh): his son.
115. David: his son; had a brother Donal.
This list brings us down to Strafford's Viceroyalty of Ireland (temp. Charles I.), when the family estates were confiscated by that Viceroy.
James and Charles Coen fell as officers at the Boyne, fighting for King James II., against William III.
The late Right Rev. Thomas Coen, Roman Catholic Bishop of Clonfert, was, and the Very Rev. T. Coen, V.F., and F.B. of Aughrim (Ballinasloe), living in 1887, is, a home representative of this family. There is also settled in England a branch of this ancient Irish family, descended from the James Coen, who, as above mentioned, fell at the Battle of the Boyne. Of this branch was (1) James Coen, who died in 1860, and whose son (2) John-Joseph Coen (deceased) married Catherine, grand-daughter of James Browne (of Kilmaine, and) of Rahins, in the county of Mayo, by his wife Catherine MacNally, niece of Sir Thomas Henry Burke (of the Clanricarde family), and had one surviving son and four daughters:
I. James Coen, of whom presently.
I. Margaret, who married Francis MacKeowen.
II. Mary-Theresa, who m. John Robert Coles.
III. Nora.
IV. Katherine, both living unm. in 1887.
3. James Coen, Barrister-at-Law, of the Middle Temple, London, Ex-Captain, V.B.: son of John-Joseph; m. Rose, dau. of Stuart Knill, Knt. of St. Gregory, J.P., Blackheath, Kent, and Alderman of London; living in 1887.