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The name Madden has several variants including MacAvaddy, Madagane, Madan, Maddan, Maldigan, Maddin, Maddon, Maden, Madigan, Madin, Madine, Madon, Madudhan, Maidan, Maiden, Meadon, O'Madagane, O'Maddane, O'Madden and O'Madigane. (Madden, 2004 p.ii).
The sept (a Celtic clan), whose name was in its early form, O Madadháin, later O Madáin, was a branch of the Ui Maine1. Brian Breffny, in his Irish Family Names, Arms, Origins and Locations states that the sept held a territory on both sides of the River Shannon—the western part being in Longford Barony in County Galway, the eastern part in the Barony of Garrycastle, County Offaly.
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1 Uí Maine, or Hy Many, was centered in eastern Co. Galway and southern Roscommon. About the 5th century, a northern tribe said to be descended from Colla dá Críoch moved into East Galway and they occupied an area around Ballinasloe. One of their chieftains was called Máine Mór, from whom are descended the tribes of Uí Máine, aka Hy Many. Like many areas of medieval Ireland the territory of Uí Maine contained a variety of septs and tribal groups who are often inter-connected by actual or synthethic genealogies.Gerard Madden in his History of the O'Maddens of Hy-Many tells us that –
The ancestors of the O'Madden sept originated from around Clogher in County Tyrone. Maine Mór, son of Eochaid Ferdiaghial (ruler of this part of Ulster) led some of the tribe south and with the spiritual assistance of Saint Grellan, defeated the pagan kings in East Galway before establishing the first known and most enduring plantation of the area. Maine Mór († c. 487 AD) chief for fifty years was the common ancestor of the O'Kellys and the O'Maddens.
The Hy-Many territory of the Maddens stretched from Clontuskert near Ballinasloe in County Galway to Tuamgraney in County Clare and from Athlone and Lusmagh in County Offaly westward to Seefin and Athenry, County Galway.
From the year 700 AD, Hy-Many was divided between two brothers—Eoghan Finn of the northern Hy-Many and Eoghan Buac of the southern Hy-Many. Anmchad (or Ambrose) son of Eoghan was the progenitor of a group of families known as Síol Anmchadha (or Silanchia) which gave its name to the southern territory.
The first Madden was Madadhan, a chieftain of the sept who was allegedly murdered by his own brother in 1008. The name is a diminutive of Madadh—a young dog that has become known in modern Irish as madra.
The Maddens defended their territory against all new comers with varying degrees of success for about 700 years. With the arrival in the 13th century of De Burgos, Earl of Ulster (a very powerful family), the Maddens, while regarding themselves as independent, kept on good terms with them and accepted them as overlords. The area of Síol Anmchadha, O'Madden territory, was reduced in time with the main towns and villages being Kiltormer, Laurencetown, Clonfert, Eyrecourt, Killimor, Meelick, Lusmagh and Portumna.
In the 15th century a branch of the Galway Maddens reportedly moved to England. Thomas and Robert of this family returned to Ireland some two hundred years later—Thomas settling at Baggotsrath and Robert at Donore. The 17th century witnessed the decline of this once great family and by 1839 it was significantly reduced in number. By 1909 there were fewer than six families having the name O'Madden in the whole of Ireland.
Other References of Interest:
his site is dedicated to my Irish ancestors
John Madden and Bridget Whittaker
John Madden and Bridget Whittaker
Dia dhuit! WELCOME to Ray & Sheila's genealogy website in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Our objective is to trace and record as many descendants as we can of Bridget and John MADDEN, Parish of Clontuskert, Ballinasloe, County Galway, Ireland. If you believe you are related send us an email with your family names and we'll see if there's a connection. We can then add more leaves, twigs and branches to the MADDEN family tree and make it grow. We hope you enjoy your visit and wish you well. Slán agus beannacht.
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