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MCGOVERN Family History

Recorded invarious spellings including MacGovern, McGovern, McGowran, Govern, and the original Magauran, this is an Irish surname of some history and reputation. It derives from the ancient Gaelic Mag Shamhradrain, translating as "the descendant of the summer person" "samhra" meaning summer. Quite why anybody should have such a nickname is unclear, but it is claimed that the first name holder was one "Samhradan" who lived about the year 1100. Certainly the clan held lands for many centuries in what is now County Cavan, at a place called Tullylaw, and also at the village of Ballymagauran. They seem to have had a long love-hate relationship with the Maguires...