C u n n a n e

The surname Cunnane, where it occurs in this spelling, is localised in the East Mayo

parishes of Annagh, Bekan, Knock and Aghamore, with some lesser occurrences in the

adjoining parishes of Kilcolman, Killedan and Kilbeagh.

The Irish form of this surname is O'Cuineain ( sometimes O'Conain ) which means

" descendent of Cuinean ", where the latter is an attenuated form of the Christian name,

' Conan '.

In other parts of the country, this surname is anglicised Kinnane, Guinane, Quinane and

Queenan. Two other Irish surnames O'Cuinneain, which was born by a family in the

Tipperary, Limerick, Clare area, and O'Cuinin have the same anglicised forms as

O'Cuinneain. In some areas, O'Cuineain has been mistranslated as "Rabbitt or "Rabbett"

since the Irish for rabbit sounds remarkably similar - Coinin - but this seldom happened

in the vicnity of Ballyhaunis, where my ancestors hailed from.

Cloontumper is in the civil parish of Annagh, but it's northernmost part borders on the

townland and parish of Bekan; the occupants of this part of Cloontumper sometimes used

' Bekan ' as their address, and had their children baptised in the church at Bekan, even

though they lived within the boundaries of the old ( or civil ) parish of Annagh.

My line , , ,

" Sibby " Cunnane's origins are not known. What is believed is that she was born c.1792.