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O'Hagan is an Irish surname originally from the pre 10th century Old Gaelic Ó hAodhagáin, meaning perhaps "Little Fire from the Sun", being derived from Aodh the pagan sun god and Og meaning young, they are the "male descendant of Aodh" the pagan sun god, a personal name meaning "fire".[1] Aodh was a pagan god worshipped by the early natives. The first recorded O'Hagan was a district justice of the peace
Until the destruction of Gaelic order in the 17th century the O'Hagans were the chiefBrehons to theCinel Eoghain, and holding the title Lord ofTulach Óg inCounty Tyrone,Northern Ireland. The chief exercised the hereditary right of inaugurating O'Neill as king or overlord of Ulster. In medieval times, members of thesept were territorial magnates in Counties Monaghan and Armagh, and two places called Ballyagan, (from "baile", a settlement), one inCounty Londonderry and the other inCounty Antrim, further locate the O'Hagans.
Chiefs of the Clan Feargusa, they descended fromFergus Cerrbél mac Conaill Cremthainne (Fergus Crooked Mouth) grandson ofNiall of the Nine Hostages said to beHigh King of Ireland from 370 to 406 who in turn descends fromConn of the Hundred Battles the Milesian Gaelic King of Tara / Ireland in the 2nd century. For over six hundred years the O'Hagans were hereditary brehons and inaugurators ofO'Neill (surname) who were descended from theUí Néill.
Before the 13th century branches of the sept were established inCounty Monaghan andCounty Armagh and soon spread into the neighbouring counties ofAntrim,Londonderry andDown. Two places called Ballyagan, one in County Londonderry and the other in County Antrim attest to the O'Hagans' predominance in the region.
According to tradition, O'Hagan inaugurated O'Neill by putting on his slipper hence the shoe always appears in the coat of arms. O'Hagan Gaelic meaning on coat of arms. "Vincere aut mori" meaning Victory or death. Quoted from family coat of arms crest/shield. The inauguration took place at the coronation chair on the O'Hagan lands atTullyhogue Fort. In the 16th century the 'Leac na Rí', or Stone of the Kings, inauguration stone, which is said to be blessed bySaint Patrick, was embedded in the coronation chair. The chair was destroyed around 1602 at the orders ofLord Mountjoy before the surrender of Hugh O'Neill to Mountjoy. O'Hagans are one of the oldest families in Omeath Co.Louth, arrived when O'Neill attacked Mountjoy at narrowwater on his journey to Carlingford.
During the 17th century O'Hagans staunchly opposed English aggression and a number were at theBattle of Kinsale in 1603, suffering great losses with the dispossessions that followed. Some were hanged at Carrickfergus County Antrim.
There were several O'Hagans among the 98 who fled the north of Ireland in 1607 withHugh O'Neill, 2nd Earl of Tyrone andRory O'Donnell, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell in an event commonly referred to as theFlight of the Earls which marked the end of the Gaelic order in Ireland.
Bernard Anthony O'Hagan [Tony] Lecturer Sinn Fein counciller Mid Ulster (b 12/9/1953 -16/9/1991) Murdered.
