History vs Galvin
There still remains a doubt about the link between the O’Galvin (originally O’Gealbhain) and the Galvin. O’Galvin is typically Irish. But according to certain source of information, Galvin would never have been translated… If so, the Galvin would originate from Breton (France).
We have no evidences to what we advance. Here is the data we have gathered so far. Please feel free to comment or add to this hypothesis.
MEANING OF THE GALVIN NAME (Gealbhain)
The name is said in Irish geall a bhain "bright white" which could stand for their hair being blond which would be unusual for ancient Ireland as the majority were black haired, especially in the west of Ireland where they lived. Another explanation of the reference to "bright white" is also given. It could also stand for the very grey or white hair has they grew in age.
COAT OF ARMS
The colour red signifies justice, bravery and generosity.Silver signifies peaces and honesty. The helmet signifies war like strength as heraldry is for the battlefield. The salmon is very Irish in that it comes from mythology. Where a young Fionn Mc Cual a famous Irish hero got his thumb burned while cooking a salmon and sucked his thumb in an attempt to cool it, he then became wise as he took the knowledge from the salmon of knowledge. Salmon were seen to be wise as they went out sea and returned to the same river each year and were difficult to catch and were seen as a luxury food fit for a king.
HISTORICAL DATA
The historical data is presented chronologically, from ancient to more contemporary time, with references to the Galvin family has it is available.
Archaeologists believe that the first human settlements in Ireland were made relatively late in European prehistory, about 6000 B.C.
Ireland's original inhabitants were classic Middle Stone Age (Mesolithic) hunter-gatherers who used stone implements. Later, about 3000 B.C., they evolved into classic Bronze Age (Neolithic) people who cultivated crops, raised domestic animals and (even though metals were extremely rare in Ireland) made weapons, tools and jewellery out of bronze. At the same time they fine tuned their stone implements (such as stone axes that were mass produced and traded abroad). Starting about 2000 B.C., they built the massive stone sanctuaries and tombs ("megaliths") that still dot the countryside. By the 1st Century B.C., Ireland (as well as Scotland) was under the control of a race called the Picts, a Neolithic people described in Irish folklore as the "Fir Bolg".
Then came the Celts, and nothing has had a greater impact on Ireland. They dominated the entire Island until 1170 A.D., and further dominated major parts of it until 1600 A.D. The first Celts, probably a small migration, arrived in Ireland about 600 B.C., bringing Iron Age skills with them. A major migration arrived about 350 B.C., and it is certain that the Celts were well established throughout the island by 150 B.C.
The Celts originated in central Europe, but at an early date expanded into southern France and northern Spain. They were fair of skin, red-blond of hair, taller and larger than their contemporaries. Their language was a branch of the Indo-Germanic languages that also includes German, Latin, Slavonic and Persian. Eventually, there evolved several dialects of Celtic, including the dialect of the so-called Q-Celts [a.k.a. C-Celts], which eventually prevailed, and that of the P-Celts. The Celts were bound together by a common culture and a common language, but otherwise probably were nothing more than a loose confederation of largely autonomous tribal units, prone to tribal warfare with one another.
The central European Celts were a formidable military force. They used iron weapons, and were fierce in battle. They dominated central and Western Europe early in the 1st Century B.C., sacked Rome in 390 B.C., raided Delphi a century later, and founded the kingdom of Galatia in Asia Minor.
Archaeological evidence indicates the Celts arrived in Ireland in two major waves: (1) One wave, probably Q-Celts [a.k.a. C-Celts], came directly (by sea) from the Continent (southern France, and/or northern Spain) to South-western Ireland, and (2) The second wave, probably Q-Celts but perhaps P-Celts, traveled from France and the mouth of the Rhine first to northern Britain, and thereafter to northeast Ireland. In addition to the major migrations, there would appear to have been virtually continuous smaller migrations of Celts from the Continent to Ireland; this would explain how artefacts reflecting the La Tène cultureculture of 5th Century B.C. Switzerland were present in 2nd Century B.C. Ireland .
The Galvin Family seems to originate from the Érainn who were the second of the Celtic groups to come to Ireland. They arrived from the Continent between 500 and 100 B.C., and established their La Tène culture throughout the island as a military aristocracy possessing superior iron weapons technology. They were akin to the Belgae of Southwest Britain, and were generally known as the Ulaid in the North, and as the Érainn or Desi in the South, although all the tribes of this ethnic group were known ultimately to be Érainn. The great Érainnian population groups of around A.D. 600, such as the Muscraige of Munster, gave rise in the middle Ages to the independently branched tribal groups .Briefly, we can find that the tribe of the Érainn is broken down in many tribal groups. One of the groups formed the Dalcassian clan (Dal gCais) which we will see the link with the Galvin sept shortly.
The Dal gCais
The Dal gCais were the great clan of Thomond, or North Munster, an area more especially associated with County Clare (excluding the Burren and Corcomroe on the northwest corner) and adjacent parts of Tipperary and Limerick.
They were the axe-wielding foot soldiers who formed the core of the army that defeated the Vikings in 1014, one of the most significant dates in Gaelic history. The chief families of this tribe were above all the O’Briens, but also the MacConsidines, MacDonnells, MacLysaghts, MacMahons, O’Ahernes, O’Kennedys, O’Shanahans, O’Duracks, MacGraths, O’Fogartys, O’Galvins, O’Gradys, O’Hanrahans, O’Hickeys, O’Mearas, O’Molonys, O’Moroneys, O’Haruzgans, O’Lonergans, Creaghs, O’Quins, MacNamaras, Maclnerneys, O’Deas and O’Griffeys .
The O' meaning belonging to as opposed to Mac which means son of .
The O’Briens derive their descent from Brian Boru, High King of Ireland, who was slain at Clontarf in 1014, at the moment of his final decisive victory over the united Viking army. His individual career is remarkable in the history of the Gael, and is so distinguished and outstanding that it cannot be mitigated by faint praise, for among other things he brought a degree of unity and common purpose to the Gael never seen before or since.
He came out of virtual obscurity to bring Ireland out of its perpetual chaos just enough to guarantee its existence into the future. Such was his greatness that neither his nobility nor the quality of the seed that produced him can ever be called into question.For those interested, the book Lion of Ireland by Morgan Llewellyn gives his life story with remarkable accuracy and human interest.
In any case, it was Brian who raised his clan, the Ui Toirdealbhaigh, to pre-eminence among the Dalcassians. He laid the foundation for his progeny’s future greatness, just as the guerrilla tactics of the Ui Toirdealbhaigh, under Brian’s leadership, laid the foundation of Brian’s later reputation and success as a "Viking-stopper." The O’Briens became not only the ruling family in Thomond, but some of them were over-kings of Munster and some High-Kings of Ireland as well. Their own possessions included the whole of County Clare, and large parts of Tipperary, Limerick, and Waterford as well.
The O’Briens divided into several branches, the most important of which were the O’Briens of Ara, in northwest Tipperary, the chief of which was known as Mac I Bhriain Ara; those of Coonagh in the east of County Limerick; those of Pobelbrien, now the barony of that name in County Limerick (their chief stronghold was Carrigogonnell, on the Shannon); those of Aherlow, in Tipperary, and finally those of Cumaragh, in County Waterford, who had extensive possessions along the Cummeragh Mountains, that is, the valley between Dungarvan and the Suir. Other families of the Ui Toirdealbhaigh, whose original territory was in the east of County Clare, include the MacConsidines, MacLysaghts, MacDonnells and MacMahons.
The O’Galvins, or Gallivans (0 Gealbhain) were a prominent Dalcassian sept in the early fourteenth century, and representatives of the family have remained in the original Clare homeland, with branches also settling in Kerry and Roscommon.
It was reported that the Galvin family had to split from their clan in xxxx after an internal squeamish. The battle occurred in Corcomroe and the Galvin were on the losing side and had to move to ?.
More Replies:
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Re: History vs Galvin
Sinead Galvin 11/21/05
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Re: History vs Galvin
Kim LaReaux 11/21/05
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Re: History vs Galvin
Nora Galvin 11/08/09
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Re: History vs Galvin
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Re: History vs Galvin