The Nolans or O’Nolans are the remnants of the tribe that has lived longest in the South East of Ireland. It is a well known fact that they were living in the area prior to the time of Christ. Sometime in the early part of the 5th century they were attacked by the Ui Cinnsealaigh people who came into the area from Munster. The Ui Cinnsealaigh were technologically superior to the resident Fothairt and Ui Bearraic people who lived in the South East of Ireland.
They drove down the valleys of the Slaney and the Barrow rivers and pushed the older tribes towards the mountain chain now known as the Blackstairs and southwards to the area near Wexford now known as the baronies of Forth and Bargy. In the mountainous areas of Carlow the Forthairt people eventually adopted the name O’Nuallain and the Ui Bearraic people became known as the Ui Neill. It is still a matter of fact that the Nolans are the most numerous people living in what is still called the Barony of Forth in Carlow.
The Ui Bearraic people are still remembered by the name of a townland called Barrack in eastern Carlow. After the Norman invasion the area was occupied for a time by Norman overlords to whom the O’Nolans paid tribute. When the Kavanaghs revival occurred in the 14th century the O’Nolans became their staunchest allies and they paid their rents to the Kavanaghs.
There was a period of relative calm in the area during the latter part of the 15th century and this continued right through until the early decades of the 16th century. During this period many valuable marriage alliances were formed with the powerful Anglo Norman families such as the Fitzgeralds and the Ormondes.
From about 1530 onwards, in the face of relentless pressure from the English administration the fortunes of the clan and its leaders began to wane. “Numerous authorities are of the opinion that the progenitor of the NOWLAN [NOWLAND, NOLAN, NOLAND, NOWLIN, NOLIN, NOLEN] family was one EOCHAIDH FIONN FOHART, whose elder brother CONN CEADCATHACH (Conn of the Hundred Battles) was King of Ireland in the early part of the second century of the Christian era". "The NOWLAN name has always been associated with the barony of Forth on Co. Carlow. In pre-Norman days their chiefs, who held high heredity office under the Kings of Leinster, were known as Princes of Fothairt (modern Forth)....
The NOWLAN Clan is one of the oldest families in Ireland, so old in fact that our origins are lost in the mists of time. But the old Druid genealogists preserved our lineages back to Eochaidh Fionn of Fothairt, son of Feidhlimidh Reachmhar, King of Ireland in 164 –174 AD, and even further back to Cobhthach Caol mBreach, a King of Ireland who ruled from 591 to 541 BC.
The ancient Irish annalists referred to our family as O’NUALLAIN Fotharta Laighean, or the “ancient ones of Leinster”. It is believed that the O’NOWLAN'S were settled in Leinster long before the Milesian Celts ever arrived and are probably descended from the mythical Da Danaans. Origin and Meaning This Gaelic surname means descendent of Nuallan.
The word Nuall means ‘noble’ or ‘famous’. In Irish the name is Ó Nualláin meaning descendent of Nuallán but the derivation of this name is obscure meaning a shout or a cry. It is possible that the surname doesn’t necessarily follow from this derivation. Nolan is the name of a sept associated with the barony of Forth in Co.Carlow. In the 16th century a branch of the Nolans migrated to Connacht. There they established themselves as landowners in Mayo and Galway Development and History The head of the Nolan family was Prince of Foharta currently known as Forth in County Carlow and still remaining the heart of the Nolan homeland. In 1890 Nolan was the 40th most prevalent surname in Ireland and it had approximately 14, 300 bearers. In the US the surname Nolan there is an estimated 44, 000 bearers of the surname Nolan.
They drove down the valleys of the Slaney and the Barrow rivers and pushed the older tribes towards the mountain chain now known as the Blackstairs and southwards to the area near Wexford now known as the baronies of Forth and Bargy. In the mountainous areas of Carlow the Forthairt people eventually adopted the name O’Nuallain and the Ui Bearraic people became known as the Ui Neill. It is still a matter of fact that the Nolans are the most numerous people living in what is still called the Barony of Forth in Carlow.
The Ui Bearraic people are still remembered by the name of a townland called Barrack in eastern Carlow. After the Norman invasion the area was occupied for a time by Norman overlords to whom the O’Nolans paid tribute. When the Kavanaghs revival occurred in the 14th century the O’Nolans became their staunchest allies and they paid their rents to the Kavanaghs.
There was a period of relative calm in the area during the latter part of the 15th century and this continued right through until the early decades of the 16th century. During this period many valuable marriage alliances were formed with the powerful Anglo Norman families such as the Fitzgeralds and the Ormondes.
From about 1530 onwards, in the face of relentless pressure from the English administration the fortunes of the clan and its leaders began to wane. “Numerous authorities are of the opinion that the progenitor of the NOWLAN [NOWLAND, NOLAN, NOLAND, NOWLIN, NOLIN, NOLEN] family was one EOCHAIDH FIONN FOHART, whose elder brother CONN CEADCATHACH (Conn of the Hundred Battles) was King of Ireland in the early part of the second century of the Christian era". "The NOWLAN name has always been associated with the barony of Forth on Co. Carlow. In pre-Norman days their chiefs, who held high heredity office under the Kings of Leinster, were known as Princes of Fothairt (modern Forth)....
The NOWLAN Clan is one of the oldest families in Ireland, so old in fact that our origins are lost in the mists of time. But the old Druid genealogists preserved our lineages back to Eochaidh Fionn of Fothairt, son of Feidhlimidh Reachmhar, King of Ireland in 164 –174 AD, and even further back to Cobhthach Caol mBreach, a King of Ireland who ruled from 591 to 541 BC.
The ancient Irish annalists referred to our family as O’NUALLAIN Fotharta Laighean, or the “ancient ones of Leinster”. It is believed that the O’NOWLAN'S were settled in Leinster long before the Milesian Celts ever arrived and are probably descended from the mythical Da Danaans. Origin and Meaning This Gaelic surname means descendent of Nuallan.
The word Nuall means ‘noble’ or ‘famous’. In Irish the name is Ó Nualláin meaning descendent of Nuallán but the derivation of this name is obscure meaning a shout or a cry. It is possible that the surname doesn’t necessarily follow from this derivation. Nolan is the name of a sept associated with the barony of Forth in Co.Carlow. In the 16th century a branch of the Nolans migrated to Connacht. There they established themselves as landowners in Mayo and Galway Development and History The head of the Nolan family was Prince of Foharta currently known as Forth in County Carlow and still remaining the heart of the Nolan homeland. In 1890 Nolan was the 40th most prevalent surname in Ireland and it had approximately 14, 300 bearers. In the US the surname Nolan there is an estimated 44, 000 bearers of the surname Nolan.