Ó Liatháin

Rev Patrick Woulfe

Irish Names and Surnames

1923

Ó LIATHÁIN—I—O Lyhane, O Leaghan, O'Lehane, Lyhane, Leehane, Lehane, Leyhane, Lihane, Lyhan, Leehan, Leeane, &c, (O'Lyons, Lyons); 'descendant of Liathán' (diminutive of liath, grey); the name of two distinct families, one seated in Cork, and the other in Sligo. The Uí Liatháin of Cork were, according to O'Donovan, one of the families into which the great old Cork clan of Ui Liathain divided after the establishment of surnames. The surname is not to be confounded with the clan-name, which included several families with distinct surnames. The surname Ó Liatháin is still common in Co. Cork, but is very often anglicised Lyons. The Sligo family belonged to the Ui Fiachrach race, and was formerly seated in the parish of Dromard. The name has now disappeared from Co. Sligo, having, as it would seem, removed to Donegal, where it still survives, anglicised Lyons.

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