Nehemias Folan (1555–?) Irish Brehon.

Nehemias Folan
Born1 January 1555
Moyrus, Galway, Ireland
DiedDOD unknown
Ballydugan, Loughrea, Ireland
OccupationBrehon Lawyer
NationalityIrish
SpouseCatherine MacSwiney
RelativesServreagh O'Folan

He was an Irish Brehon Lawyer and was a Commissioner for the Composition of Connacht in 1585.[1]

Details

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Folan was a member of a Brehon family resident in County Galway in the 16th century. They served as lawyers to members of the Ó Flaithbheartaigh's and other families in the region, but were also a land-owning and merchant family connected with The Tribes of Galway.

In a fiant, "Carta Dermicci O'Halloran, A.D. 1594", written in Latin, he is described as "in Christo Nehemian Ffolan, generosum, meum attornatum.[2]

He was listed as a landowner of the Newtone, Gentleman, near Loughrea, County Galway, in a fiant, "Indentures of Composition, The Part of Connacht Called Clanrickard, A.D. 1585".

In a deed dated 1594, he purchased land from Dermot O'Shaughnessy for 100 pounds, to "To hold for ever of the chief lord of the fee, by the service thereout due and of right accustomed.[3]

He also gave a deposition in a trial in 1615, concerning the inheritance of Sir Roger O'Shaughnessy and his sons, in Loughrea, County Galway. He is described as "Nehemias Folan, of Balladowgan, County Galway, Esquire, 60 years old.[4]

In 1628, he donated a Silver Chalice to the Franciscan Killconnell Friary, Loughrea, in his memory and that of his wife, Catherine MacSwiney. This Chalice is still in existence.[5]

He was the Son of Servreagh O'Folan, and appears to have also had two brothers who were also brehon lawyers.
Soyrbrehagh Og Folain, in an indenture for John Kinge in May 1606, is described as "Soyrbrehagh Og Folain of Ierconnaght in the Co. of Galway atornies for seisin".[6]

Feargananim Folan, in a deed for the O'Flahertys in 1614, FFargananym McServreagh of Moyrish, is described as "our true and lawfull attorney", and signs as Forinan Folan.[2] He is listed as owner of parcels of lands consisting of 3,678 acres (14.88 km2), and 193 acres (0.78 km2), and was dispossessed of the family lands in 1651.[7]

Other bearers of the name

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Other O'Folan's from County Galway included:

See also

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References

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  1. ^ The Compossicion Booke of Conought, A. Martin Freeman, (ed.), Dublin, 1936
  2. ^ a b "A History of West or H-Iar Connacht" Roderick O'Flaherty, Irish Archeological Society, Dublin, 1846.
  3. ^ "Calendar of Patent Rolls Elizabeth I 1595", Volume II, 1595.
  4. ^ "The Tribes, Customs and Genealogies of the Hy Fiachrach" John O'Donovan, Irish Archaeological society, Dublin, 1844.
  5. ^ The Chalices and Books of Kilconnell Abbey, Brendan Jennings, Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society, Vol. 21, No. 1/2 (1944), Galway, 1944.
  6. ^ The Lynch Blosse Papers. K. W. Nicholls Analecta Hibernica, Page 161, The Irish Manuscripts Commission Ltd, 1980.
  7. ^ Books of survey and distribution Vol. III. County of Galway, 1680.
  8. ^ Deposition of Salamon Folan, 1641 Depositions Project, MS 830 281r, Trinity College, Dublin, 1653.
  9. ^ "Naval and Military Archive". Naval & Military Archive. Retrieved 28 August 2024.

Bibliography

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  • The Compossicion Booke of Conought, A. Martin Freeman, (ed.), Dublin, 1936.
  • A History of West or H-Iar Connacht Ruaidhrí Ó Flaithbheartaigh, Irish Archeological Society, Dublin, 1846
  • Books of survey and distribution Vol. III. County of Galway, 1680
  • Irish Families, Edward Mac Lysaght, Irish Academic Press, Dublin, 1985
  • The Tribes of Galway, Adrian James Martyn, Galway, 2001.
  • The Chalices and Books of Kilconnell Abbey, Brendan Jennings, Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society, Vol. 21, No. 1/2 (1944), Galway, 1944.
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