Who were they?
The Anglo-Normans had landed in Ireland during the 12th century and it was from that point on that the history of Ireland would change. The Anglo-Normans created a substantial presence in Ireland with the Conquest of Connacht in 1235 playing an important role in consolidating their part in Irish history. The language of the landed society was Norman dialect of French which was later displaced by Gaelic and then English.
There are three possible derivatives of the surname Lynch;
There are three possible derivatives of the surname Lynch;
- the first is Anglo-Norman, from the de Lench family that had arrived with or after Strongbow. They settled first in county Meath. A branch then established itself in Galway where they became one of the strongest of the famous "Tribes of Galway."
- more numerous perhaps in numbers, although less in prominence, were the Lynchs that came from the Gaelic O'Loingsigh, grandson of loingseach meaning "seaman." The O'Loingsigh name was used by a number of small clans at various locations around Ireland. The name here is mainly to be found in Cork, Kerry, Cavan, Meath, and Clare.
- a third less plausible origin exists - the Austrian town of Linz. It has been suggested that the Lynch family in Kent and possibly the Anglo-Norman Lynchs in Ireland as well may have come originally from this town.
The exact origins of the Anglo-Norman Lynches who settled in Galway is somewhat difficult to establish and therefore it makes it even more difficult to establish where the Lynches in County Meath originated from. McNulty suggests that Andrew Lynch, ‘the first Anglo-Norman Lynch in Ireland’ had been provided with an estate in Summerhill, County Meath by Henry II. His descendant John is said to have been the first Lynch to settle in Galway however this is disputable as McNulty adds that ‘it is not possible to determine whether Andrew Lynch, John Lynch or William le Petit is the ancestor of the Lynches of Galway’.
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