| O'Cahan | |
|---|---|
.svg) | |
| Parent house | Northern Uí Néill |
| Country | Ireland |
| Founded | 11th century |
| Founder | Cathán Ua Néill Cú Maighe Ua Catháin (first recorded) |
| Final ruler | Donnell Ballagh O'Cahan (died 1627) |
| Titles |
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| Cadet branches | McCloskey Ó Maoláin |
The O'Cahan (Irish: Ó Catháin 'descendants of Cahan') were a powerful sept of the Northern Uí Néill's Cenél nEógain in medieval Ireland. The name is presently anglicized as O'Kane, Kane and Keane.
The O'Cahan's originated in Laggan in the east of present-day County Donegal and from there moved eastwards in the twelfth century, ousting the O'Connor from Keenaght in present-day County Londonderry. They held the lordship of Keenaght and Coleraine until the seventeenth century, to which it was commonly referred to as "O'Cahan's country". Under the sub-ordination of their kin, the O'Neills, they held the privilege of inaugurating the chief of the O'Neill by tossing a shoe over the new chief's head in acceptance of his rule.
There is also an unrelated sept of O'Cahan in the province of Connacht, the O'Cahan Ui Fiachra (Ó Catháin Uí Fiachrach). At first, O'Cahan held the title chief of Cenel Ianna. After expelling O'Drennan (Ó Draighneán), chief of Cenel Sedna, O'Cahan was henceforth known as chief of Cenel Sedna. The earliest recorded O'Cahan was Eoghan O'Cahan (Eogháin Ua Catháin), abbot of Clonfert (Cluan-fearta-Brennainn), County Galway, died 980 A.D.