COGHLAN Family History

This name, with variant spelling Coghlan, Co(u)ghlin and Cohalan, is an Anglicized form of two distinct Gaelic Irish sept names, the first being MacCochlain of County Offaly, and the latter, O Cochlain of County Cork. The Gaelic prefix "mac" indicates "son of" and "O", "male descendant of", plus the personal byname "cochlan" meaning "a short hooded cloak"; hence, "descendant of the cowled or hooded one". The MacCoughlan territory comprised the modern barony of Garry castle, County Offaly, and they had many strongholds in the Banagher - Clonmacnois area.