Just a bit about the name :
O'Halloran
O'Halloran, in Irish O hAllmhurain, is the name of two distinct septs. These were located in adjoining counties, Clare and Galway, where their present day descendants are numerous, though seldom found in Leinster or Ulster. The propinquity of these two counties makes it a matter of doubt to which sept dwellers on their border belong, except in cases where a pedigree or family tradition exists. The Co Galway sept, whose slogan was "Clann Fearghaile abu", were Chiefs of Clann Fearghaile, an extensive territory near Lough Corrib: they were the original proprietors of the lands on the western boundary of Galway City. The retained their leading position in Iar-Connacht to the end of the sixteenth century for they appear as such in the "Composition Book of Connacht" (1585). The Clare sept is of the same stock as the MacNamaras of Thomond; they were located in Ogonnelloe on the shore of Lough Derg and spread southwards into Co. Limerick. Though originally of less importance than their Galway namesakes, they have, however, produced all the notable men of the name. Sylvester O'Halloran (1728-1807), surgeon and eye-specialist, historian, antiquary and Irish language enthusiast, and his brother Rev. Joseph Ignatius O'Halloran, S.J. (1718-1800), Professor of Philosophy at Bordeaux were born and bred in Limerick: as was Sir Joseph O'Halloran (1763-1843), who, though he served for fifty years with distinction in the British army, retained his association with Limerick till his death. He had eight sons in the same service, tow of whom Thomas and William, subsequently became prominent in Australia. According to family tradition Sylvester O'Halloran and the rest of that distinguished Limerick family were of the Co. Galway not of the Thomond sept. Another of that name, Laurence Hynes O'Halloran (1766-1831), after an adventurous life as poet, sailor, teacher and wanderer, was transported to Australia and ended as the headmaster of a school in Sydney.
