Kirwan (No.1) family genealogy

Of Galway

Arms : Ar. a chev. sa. betw. three Cornish choughs ppr.

ANDREW KIROVANE, of Galway, gent., had:

2. Peter (or Patrick) who had:

3. Robert (his fourth son), of Galway, gent., who died 23rd December, 1636. He m. Maria, dau. of Nicholas Martin,[1] of Galway, gent., and had four sons and three daughters:

4. Nicholas Kirwan: son of Robert.

Notes

[1] Martin: The study of the origin of Family Arms has often interested us. Richard Martin (of Ballinahinch, in Connemara), M.P. for the county of Galway, the author of the Act of Parliament for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, popularly known as "Martin's Act;" and his son Thomas Martin, M.P. for said county, used to state that the origin of the Arms borne by their family, was as follows:

In days when the various Irish septs, if they had no common enemy to oppose, were engaged in fighting among themselves, the Martins and the O'Flaherties were thus amusing themselves. The O'Flaherties advanced against the Martins in such force, that the utter extirpation of the latter family must have necessarily followed upon their defeat. The fateful encounter of the opposing parties took place on a Good Friday, and, after a fearful struggle, the Martins proved victorious, and were enabled to return home safely for the celebration of Easter. In grateful commemoration of this signal deliverance from "ye bloodie O'Flaherties," they (the Martins) adopted thenceforward for the family Arms a Calvary Cross, etc.; with the Motto: Auxilium meum a Domino.