Colonel Bryan Magauran facts for kids
Colonel Brian Mág Samhradháin (also known as Bryan Magauran) was an important leader of the McGovern family. He was a Baron or Lord of the Tullyhaw area in County Cavan for a short time in the late 1600s. He played a part in the big changes happening in Ireland during that period.
Brian's Fight for His Lands
Brian Mág Samhradháin was the last of his family to be a lord of Tullyhaw. His family's lands had been taken away after a time called the Cromwellian Settlement. This meant Brian had to live as a tenant farmer, working land that was no longer his family's.
However, things changed during the Williamite War in Ireland. This was a conflict where King James II of England fought against William of Orange for the throne. When King James II came to Ireland in 1689, Brian supported him.
The Irish Parliament at the time said that James was still the rightful King. They also passed a law that gave religious freedom to all Catholics and Protestants in Ireland. Because Brian supported King James, his family's lands in Tullyhaw were given back to him.
Fighting at the Battle of the Boyne
King James II gathered an army in Ireland, but he was eventually defeated by William of Orange. This happened at the famous Battle of the Boyne on July 1, 1690.
Bryan Magauran fought on King James's side in this battle. He was a captain in a group of soldiers led by Colonel Oliver O'Gara. Brian's brother, Daniel Magauran, was also in the same group as a lieutenant.
Colonel O'Gara was an important figure. He was part of the Patriot Parliament in 1689. His soldiers also helped in other battles, like trying to capture the town of Sligo. It is thought that Bryan Magauran was with Colonel O'Gara during these events. Later, Bryan was called Colonel Magauran, which means he might have been promoted after the Battle of the Boyne.
Another person from the Mág Samhradháin family was also a captain in a different group of soldiers during this time. We don't know his first name, but he was likely related to Brian.
The End of the Mág Samhradháin Lordship
Brian Mág Samhradháin's grandson, Major Edward Magauran, wrote about his family's history. He mentioned the Battle of the Boyne and how it affected their family.
Major Edward explained that his family's castle in a town called Balli M'Gauran was destroyed by Oliver Cromwell. The family's lands were taken away. But then, King James II gave the lands back to Brian Mág Samhradháin because Brian helped him.
However, after King James was defeated, Brian didn't get to keep the lands for long. King William gave those lands to people who had supported him instead. This was a sad time for Brian. He lost his title and property. He even had to become a tenant farmer on a small part of the lands his ancestors had ruled for many centuries.
Major Edward also wrote about Brian's brother, Captain Donell Mág Samhradháin. He mentioned that his own cousin, Hugh, was the son of Captain Daniel M'Gauran. This shows how the family members were connected and how they served in the military during those times.
In 1854, a historian named John O'Hara said that Bryan Magauran was the last person to hold even a small part of the Ballymagauran property. He also noted that Brian's family history could still be traced.
