Egan (No.2) family genealogy

Mayor of Kilkenny

(A Branch of the Tipperary "Egan" Family.)

The Armorial Bearings of "Egan," of Tipperary, were temp. Charles I.,—Arms: Gu. a tower ar. supported by two men in armour, their exterior hands resting on their hips, in each of the others a halbert all ppr. in chief a snake or.

THE Kilkenny branch of the Egan family is one of the oldest now existing of the original sept; being settled there for upwards of three centuries. Its first members migrated from Ballymac-Egan, in Tipperary, and settled in the parish of Ballycallan, county Kilkenny. During the period of the "Confederation of Kilkenny," Flan MacEgan, who at that time was one of the most eminent scholars of Munster, was in 1642 invited to proceed to Kilkenny and there superintend the printing of the Transactions of the Confederation; and from that to the present time Kilkenny has been well-known as a publishing centre.

During the Confederation period many of the Kilkenny publications were issued by Bishop Rothe, whose history may be said to be identical with that of the Confederation. It was in Kilkenny, in 1762, that Bishop de Burgo's celebrated work Hibernia Dominicana was published; and added to the fame which that old city had already acquired from its literary men.

In our own time, the Transactions of the Royal Archaeological Association of Ireland, which in the main treat of the antiquities of Kilkenny, have originated there; and the works of Banim, the Novelist, as well as the historical works lately issued by the Most Rev. Dr. Moran, have well kept alive the ancient renown of the "Fairie Citie."

At the present day, Kilkenny has made a decided step in advance as a publishing centre. Mr. P. M. Egan (Patrick MacEgan), a member of the Ballycallan branch of the "Egan" family, now represents the literary fame of Kilkenny. He is descended from Daniel Egan (born in 1730), who, as it appears by the Muniments of the Kilkenny Corporation, held land in the neighbourhood of John street, in that city, before and up to A.D. 1790. Commencing with said Daniel, the pedigree is as follows:

1. Daniel Egan, of Kilkenny, born in 1730, married and had:

2. Patrick Egan, who was educated for the Roman Catholic Priesthood, but afterwards devoted himself to trade. This Patrick (born 1770) m. and had:

3. Michael Egan (b. 1810), who m. and had:

4. P. M. Egan, Mayor of Kilkenny, in 1887.

Numerous works in connection with primary education have, from time to time, emanated from P. M. Egan's pen, all of which have been very successful in this country; while some of them have a large circulation in England and Scotland. Mr. Egan's Educational Works have, we have been informed, now reached a circulation of half a million! In illustration of the history and antiquities of Kilkenny, Mr. Egan has written an Historical Guide (some 400 pp.) to the County and City, which

is highly popular; and he has published a large work, from the pen of Mr. John Hogan, upon Kilkenny the Ancient City of Ossory, the Seat of its Kings, the See of its Bishops, and the Site of its Cathedral.

Within the past twelve months Mr. Egan's first Novel, Scullydom, has been issued from the Kilkenny Publishing Works, and has been most favourably received by all sections of the Press, as a work of no ordinary merit; and, better still, as an omen of yet more brilliant effusions which no doubt may be expected from him. In recognition of Mr. Egan's worth as a literary man, and a citizen, the people of Kilkenny have deservedly honoured him by conferring on him the greatest favour in their gift, viz., electing him MAYOR OF KILKENNY, for the year 1887.