O'Gara — Irish Surname Origin & Meaning
Irish form: O Gadhra
Meaning: 'descendant of Gadhra' (gadhar, hound, i.e. fierce as a hound)
Traditional stronghold: Sligo
Pronunciation: oh-GAH-ra; Irish O Gadhra: oh GY-ra
History of the O'Gara name
O'Gara derives from O Gadhra, built on gadhar, meaning a hound or dog, likely conveying fierceness or tenacity as an original nickname. The family were chiefs of Coolavin in County Sligo, a small but long-persisting lordship in south Sligo that endured as a recognised Gaelic territory into the seventeenth century, later commemorated in the title borne by their descendants as titular Princes of Coolavin. The O'Garas were notable patrons of Gaelic learning, commissioning historical and genealogical work in the early modern period even as their political power waned. The surname remains today most closely associated with County Sligo and the neighbouring parts of Roscommon.
Variants: Gara · O'Gara
Related names from the same part of Ireland: McGowan · Boland · Higgins · Feeney · O'Dowd · O'Hara · Harte · McDonagh