from Clann O'Nuallain - Clan O Nolan

Dedicated to create and maintain, for current and future generations, an archive of historical and anecdotal information of interest to Nolans everywhere - a goal set by the Clann O Nuallain - Clan O Nolan in 1995

A member of  Finte na hÉireann ~ Clans of Ireland

Ireland was one of the first places in Europe to adopt hereditary surnames, with some evidence from around the early 900s. The reason is simple. Medieval Irish society was organised around the extended family. Who you were related to determined what you could own, what work you could do, who you fought with and against.  Hereditary patronymic surnames were wonderful badges of allegiance, showing everyone immediately who 'your people' were.  After the collapse of the old Gaelic order in the seventeenth century, public administration was in English. So if administrators wanted to identify people, they had to make English-language versions of their surnames. In the process, extraordinary changes were forced on these names. First, Uí, Ní, O and Mc were treated as almost entirely optional. Then the stems of the names would be phonetically transcribed, or (mis-)translated or simply turned into already-existing English surname.
So if Irish surnames are misspelt (ie Nualláin, Nowlan, Nolan, Nolen, Nolin, Noland, Noling, Knowland, etc) and mangled in English-language records, you know why.

With the revival of interest in Irish at the end of the nineteenth century, individuals began to reclaim the O and Mc prefixes. After 1916 and Independence in 1922, that reclamation accelerated dramatically. So the surname you have today might not be the same one your great-grandparents are recorded under. Search with an open mind.

SOME HISTORY ABOUT NOLANS OF GALWAY

The source of the information below is University of Galway website Landed Estates. 
As the title suggests, those pages describe land-owning Nolan families from the 1500s onwards.  Use of the term ownership is generic and ignores the fluctuating legal structures of the time.  It is important to note that Nolans lived in many stations of society and may not be represented by these Landed Estates.

Roger Nowlan Webmaster for nolanfamilies.org has brought into one place an easy-to-use information resources archive

• to help in the writing and continual updating of the Online Nolan Family History website
• to help  Nolan descendants in their quest to elucidate their own Nolan family history

In time, we hope this website will become the #1 online research archive for Nolan family researchers everywhere. If you are a Nolan family researcher:

• Submit a short story/note regarding your Nolan family origins
• Submit transcriptions of Nolan Tombstones, memorials, etc
• Submit short articles and/or research notes related to Nolans for inclusion in this website's knowledge base.

Contact Roger directly 

And join Roger's monthly online ZOOM chat sessions of the Nolan Family Research Group. Held on the third Tuesday of each month at 2pm Eastern Time (Montreal-Toronto-New York) or alternatively 7pm Greenwich Mean Time (London).  Contact him for the link.

We have invited some historians from the University of Galway to discuss aspects of Galway history as it applies to Nolans of all economic groups. 

Here is a brief note about the late faculty member Labhrás Ó Nualláin, Chair of the Economics Department from 1970-1982

MEMOIRE OF AN IRISH ECONOMIST

Memoirs are a dime a dozen in this varied world of modern print. Initially, many glitter in the glow of television lights, attract attention, and die a death of indifference on a lonely bookshelf – their purchase, the popular thing to do at the time.

Not this one. At first sight, the main title, “Memoire of an Irish Economist” might suggest a similar fate. If the truth is told, economists, even in the crazy world of ‘boom and bust’ are often seen as a bore. Their subject matter is for a parallel world, far removed from that of sport, music and the dail y scandal.

Yet the subtitle of this intriguing memoir, “Working Class Manchester to Irish Academia” makes us look again. This fine work, edited by Niamh Ó Dochartaigh, is different. Today, as millions flee their homelands from war or economic degradation, this book tells the story in reverse. Labhrás Ó Nualláin (1912-2000) was born Laurence Nolan in Manchester - the Gaelic version of his name gives a clue to why his story upsets the normal migration pattern.  

Joining the UCG faculty in 1953, Professor Ó Nualláin was appointed to the Chair of Economics in 1970. He held the post until his retirement in 1982.  A long university career at University of Galway.

Read the full story HERE

It's time to renew your membership in Clann Ó Nualláin - Clan O'Nolan
Stay informed of our activities and future meetings.

Please print copy the form and print it out.  After you have completed the information please scan it and email it back to chrisanolan3@gmail.com
OR mail the printed form including your dues payment to the Treasurer's address below. 

CLANN O NUALLÁIN - CLAN O'NOLAN

2023 Membership Form

Membership Renewal [   ] New Member [.  ] 

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SUGGESTED ANNUAL DUES CONTRIBUTION 

To help support your Clan organization, we suggest an annual dues contribution of 25 EURO or 25 GBP / 30 USD, AUD, CND 

Payable in USD via VENMO to @christopher-nolan-14
or in EURO via Paypal to @chrisanolan3 

Or by check (preferably in EURO) to: 

Pa Nolan, Treasurer, Nolan Clan 

c/o Mopoon Villa, Sydenham Road, Dundrum, Dublin 14, Ireland 

Please be sure to include in the memo field 
<< Your Name - Nolan Clan 2023 Dues >>

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