The Mulligans of County Cavan
The Family Name
The surname Mulligan translates as ‘O Maolagain = bald / tonsured’ and Milligan O Maoileachain = bald / tonsured’. The two names are associated with the area just north and west of Donegal. "Mulligan" comes from the Irish O Maolagain, from a diminutive of maol, literally meaning ‘bald’, and referring to the distinctive tonsure of the early Irish monks. Milligan is another common variant, found most frequently in counties Antrim, Down and Derry.
The Mulligans who are the subject of these pages originated in Co. Cavan, Ireland. Descendants of the family live today in the same area, indeed in the same house, from which the brave sallied forth to start their new lives.
The Mulligan family have been in New Zealand since New Year’s Day, 1874. Their arrival here can only be described as ‘inauspicious’. Their ship, the Surat ran aground on rocks on a stretch of the Otago coast.
Despite this beginning, James and his sister, Margaret, stayed in New Zealand, and began their new lives. They established themselves in Dunedin, in New Zealand's Otago province, and from there their families have spread throughout the country.
The 'Other' Family Name
In 1847 Francis Mulligan married Sophia Humphrys, and our New Zealand family are descended from this union. However, while we use the name of the male partner, we should also recognize and remember the female partner, Sophia. It is important to note that 'correct' spelling of her family name was HUMPHRYS. There is no 'E' in the name. That name was also given to Francis Humphrys Mulligan, of New Zealand, and Francis Humphrys Mulligan, of Lisnashanna.
It should be noted also that there are likely members of the Canadian family with the name.
Finally, a simple search of Marriage records for the name 'Humphrys' between 1840 and 1860 for Co Cavan produces 36 entries, with a variety of spellings - Humphris, Humphreys, Humphries, and so on.
Key family places in County Cavan
[Click the map to explore Cavan in Google Maps (in a new window)]
Cavan: The County Name
County Cavan is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Ulster and is ... named after the town of Cavan and is based on the historic Gaelic territory of East Breffny (Bréifne).
Cavan borders six counties: Leitrim to the west, Fermanagh to the north, Monaghan to the north-east, Meath to the south-east, Longford to the south-west and Westmeath to the south. Cavan shares a 70 km (43 mi) border with County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland. Cavan is the 19th largest of the 32 counties in area and the 25th largest by population.
The Irish/Gaelic name is Contae an Chabháin.[Wikipedia]
Regaskin: The Townland Name
Regaskin, also called Ragaskin, is the Townland from which our branch of the Mulligan family hails. A closely related branch, also descended from Francis and Sophia, lived in the Townland of Lisnashanna. The Humphrys family farms are associated with the Townland of Kilnacreeve.
But what is a "townland"? A townland (Irish: baile fearainn; Ulster-Scots: toonlann) is a traditional small land division used in Ireland and in the Western Isles of Scotland, typically covering 100–500 acres (40–202 ha). The townland system is of medieval Gaelic origin, predating the Norman invasion, and most have Irish-derived names. The term "townland" in English is derived from the Old English word tūn, denoting an enclosure. The term baile, anglicised as "bally", is the most dominant element used in Irish townland names. Today, the term "bally" denotes an urban settlement, but its precise meaning in ancient Ireland is unclear, as towns had no place in Gaelic social organisation. [Wikipedia
The closest New Zealand equivalent is probably "district".
Ballyhaise: The Village
The nearest village to Regaskin, and the location of the familiy's church, is a short 3 kilometres north and slightly east, along what is called the R212 road.
It is situated approximately 7 km (4.3 mi) north-northeast of Cavan and 11 km, via the N54, from the border with County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland. The River Annalee flows near the village. As of 2022, the village had a population of 748, within the [Civil] parish of Castletara and contains both Roman Catholic and Church of Ireland churches. [Wikipedia]
"Bally" is an English spelling of the Irish word ‘Baile’ which can mean both ‘town’ and ‘home’. It is likely that the portmanteau word Ballyhaise means "the home (or town) of Hayes".
The Irish/Gaelic spelling is Béal Átha hÉis.