Ó Beaglaoich

Rev Patrick Woulfe
Irish Names and Surnames
1923

Ó BEAGLAOICH—III—O Beagly, O Begely, O Biggely, O Begley, Begley, Bagley, Bigly; 'descendant of the little hero' (Irish beaglaoch), but perhaps the original name was Ó Beigfhile, 'descendant of the little poet' (compare with the older anglicised forms). In the 16th century, this surname was almost peculiar to Donegal and Cork. The O'Begleys of Cork seem to have come southwards with the MacSweeneys, under whom they served as gallowglasses.

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