Attached is a plain text document, a brief history of the O'Gara
families.  Most of the work was done by two of my aunts, Mary Eda
(O'Gara) Marcault and Dorothy Jane (O'Gara) Cummings.

Research into the O'Gara families of Ireland shows that the name

originated in County Sligo, and derived from a Chief named Gadhra, a

Gaelic word meaning mastiff; Hence, it is a nickname denoting a person

possessing the qualities of faithfulness. The surname was first used in

1050 A.D. in the Gaelic form O'Gadhra (grandsons or descendants of

Gadhra) and so is over 900 years old. Because no fixed spelling existed

until the spread of education in recent times, variations of the name

include O'Garry, O'Garey, O'Geary, O'Geirie, Gara, O'Gwyrie, Gearu,

Garry, Guiry and O'Gara.

The O'Gara Coat of Arms has a red shield at the top and a blue below,

on which there are four demi-lions. The Crest shows a demi-lion holding

a laurel wreath, the motto: "Strong and Faithful".

The O'Gara sept were of the same stock as the O'Hara family, the Chief

of Gadhra being a nephew of the O'Hara Chief Eadhra. Around 1000 A.D.

the O'Haras and the O'Garas established separate chieftainries, O'Gara

taking the northern areas of County Sligo and the O'Haras the southern

part, in the Barony called Leyney, County Sligo. By 1250 A.D. the

O'Garas had extended their territory and had taken over the eastern

part of the Barony of Costello, County Mayo. In 1340 A.D. the Norman

family of Jordan pushed them out towards the eastern part of Mayo.

Between 1450 and 1550 A.D. the O'Garas appear in Irish annals as Lords

of Coolavin, County Mayo. Their castle is still an Irish place named

Moygara, and is on the edge of the lake called Lough Gara, famous for

the discoveries of boats and implements belonging to Stone Age lake

dwellers who once lived there. These O'Garas are famous also for

being the sponsors of the annals of the Four Masters written by the

O'Cleary brothers in Donegal in 1632, the first complete history of

Ireland, it's clans and septs. Fergal O'Gara, who lived in Moygara

Castle, was the patron of this world-famous book, as is noted in the

book's introduction. The O'Garas have been one of the most important

cultural influences in Irish history. The ruins of Castle Moygara

(moy being "plains", i.e. Plains of the O'Garas) Friar O'Gara, an

exile in Belgium around 1670, left a fine collection of Irish poems.

Colonel Oliver O'Gara commanded O'Garas Regiment in the Irish Brigade,

in the service of France after Cromwell's invasion of Ireland in 1650,

as the O'Garas' lands were confiscated. A branch of the O'Gara family

established themselves in Brussels, Belgium and became successful

merchants. One of them was given a title, Count Charles O'Gara.

Patrick O'Gara was a noted patriot in 1740. Around 1810, some

O'Garas returned to their lands in Ireland, while others settled

in Limerick and Kerry. Arthur O'Gara was a general in Napoleon's

army.

The following was copied from a history book at the tourist office

in Boyle, Ireland:

Three and one-half miles southwest overlooking the northwest corner

of Lough Gara are the ruins of Moygara, Chief Seat of the O'Garas.

A castle was built there in the 13th century by the Normans, but it had

fallen to the O'Garas by 1338. The remains are probably 16th Century

and comprise a large square tower and a rectangular bawn with square

towers. There is a Sheila-na-gig over the entrance. Nearby is a

prehistoric chamber tomb.