Reagan The family name of Regan - of which Reagan is a variant - is derived from riodhgach which is the Irish for impulsive. The name is strong around Dublin/Meath, Limerick and Cork. In the Cork area the family was first strong in the Eastern part of the county around Fermoy (where a number of town names end directly regan)but later moved to West Cork. Variations of the name include O'Regan and O'Reagan. |  |
Regan The family name of Regan is derived from riodhgach which is the Irish for impulsive. The name is strong around Dublin/Meath, Limerick and Cork. In the Cork area the family was first strong in the Eastern part of the county around Fermoy (where a number of town names end directly regan)but later moved to West Cork. Variations of the name include O'Regan and O'Reagan. | |
Riordan Originating between Thurles and Birr the name Riordan is derived from the Irish words for Royal Poet. Early in the 12th Century the clan migrated to West Cork and the name remains very popular around Muskerry. |  |
Roche Although the name Roche can be traced back to the Normans the orignal bearer of the name was in fact named after the area of Rhos in Wales. This knight - FitzGodebert de la Roche - settled in Wexford. Becoming more Irish than the Irish themselves the family were regularly involved in rebellions against English rule. A section of the family later moved to Cork where they settled in the area around Fermoy. |  |
Rourke Derived from the old Norse/Viking word for Hrothekr which means famous king and which became adapted into Irish as Ruarc. The original Ruarc was a ninth century king and the family have a long association with Connaught...providing four Kings. |  |
Ryan Dating to the 14th Century near the border of Limerick and Tipperary the name Ryan originally meant son of a devotee of St. Riaghan. The Irish version of this name is O Maoilriaghain and this was first anglicised as Mulryan before becoimng further modified as Ryan. |  |