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Mooney- history
of the name.
Mooney comes from the Irish Ó Maonaigh, which derives from the Old Irish
maonach, meaning "wealthy".
It arose as a surname independently in each of the four provinces. In Ulster, it
was the name of a family based in the parish of Ardara, in Co. Donegal, who were
hereditary holders of the church lands of Shanaghan. the eponymous ancestor was
Monach, son of Ailloll Mór. Other variant anglicisations in this area include
Moany and Money. The Connacht family were located in the parish of Easky in the
barony of Tireragh in Co. Sligo, where "Meeny" is often the English
version used. In Munster, reflecting the different pronunciation, the English is
often "Mainey". But the most notable family arose in Leinster, in the
modern Co. Offaly, where they were concentrated around the parish of Lemanaghan.
They were hereditary guardians of the shrine of St. Monaghan. Their descendants
are by far the most numerous today, although the name has now spread throughout
Ireland. The Sligo family gave their name to the townland of Ballymeeny in Esky
parish. The Offaly family are very well represented, with Ballymooneys in Offaly,
Laois and Wicklow, as well as Mooneysland, also in Offaly, and 2 Mooneystowns
and a Knockmooney in Meath. In Munster, where the name is relatively uncommon,
Ó Maonaigh was generally anglicised as "Mainey", more accurately
reflecting the southern pronunciation of the name. The later to become infamous
Tammany Hall was founded in New York City in 1789 by William Mooney, a former
soldier and a prominent anti-Federalist. Donagh Mooney, an Irish Franciscan, was
guardian of the young O’Neill, Earl of Tyrone and O’Donnell, Earl of
Tirconnell at Louvain in 1626. .Ria Mooney (1904-1973) joined the Abbey theatre in 1924
and played the lead in the first production of The Plough and the Stars. She
went on to produce and direct in New York and, back in Dublin from the 1940s, in
the Gate, the Abbey and the Gaiety. |
