Hi,

I have just recently (within a year ago) began doing some research on my heritage. As I have always known I am of Irish descent (being born in America) and it turns out my name (Kane) is the famous warrior clan of Ulster... (Under the O'Neill, according to my reasearch) But, like most Irish names, there seems to be countless spellings. As a just beggining (self-taught) student of Irish I was wondering which spelling made the most sense to an Irish speaker... Any help I can get would be much apprieciated...

Ó Cathain?
Ó Cahan?
Ó Cathan?
et cetera...

Thanks

John Kane would be

Eoin/ Eoghan Ó Catháin [OHn OH Kouh-ounn]

(Ní Chatháin [Knee Kuh-ounn] for female)

(One of those ones its hard to write the pronunciation down for)

le meas,
Colm

Thanks,

That clears up a lot of confusion, the books give me at least four different versions. One thing still confuses me though...

John is translated as Eoin? Eoghan? Perhaps it is kind of an amature assumption, but I had always thought it was Seán...?

well, thanks again.

Eoin and Seán are both Irish equivalents of John. Eoin is a much older form of the name and is used in the context of Saint John (Naomh Eoin) etc. Seán would be the generally accepted modern equivalent of John.

Eoghan is a seperate, unrelated name as far as I know. It's not a variant spelling of Eoin despite the pronunciation.

Eoghan is the Irish form of the name Eugene. Though I prefare its spelling over that of Eoin

Eoghan is the Irish form of the name Eugene. Though I prefare its spelling over that of Eoin

A chairde,

Thanks for all the help, just trying to peice it all together bit by bit... I'll get it eventually.

If I have any more questions I know where to come, thanks again...

Eoin Ó Catháin