Concannon

Recorded in the spellings of O'Concannon and Concannon, this is a famous Irish surname. The name is particularly associated with County Galway, and it is said that for many centuries was found only there. The clan claim descent from a warrior called 'Cuceannan' who was killed in battle in 991 a.d. The name is believed to translate as 'the fair headed hound' which is possible, anything is possible with surnames. Irish surnames in particular, descend from the original chieftain, and many are or were, nicknames for some aspect of the chief. As 'Kennedy' means 'ugly head', then 'fairheaded hound' is quite complimentary. Unfortunately, without actually being present when a name was given a thousand or more years ago, it is quite impossible to give an actual or factual meaning, and be sure of it. What we do know is that the clan were known as 'The lords of Ui Diarmada' in what is now County Galway, and that in 1585 the chiefs were recorded as being in possession of the village and castle of Kultallagh in the parish of Kilkerrin. It seems that although still in occupation in 1848, by 1878 they were no longer recorded as landowners. Probably the first known recording of the surname is on a gravestone at Knockmoy Abbey, in County Galway, when Maurice O'Concannon was buried there in circa 1350.