History of the Cosgrove Name
The Cosgraves and Cosgroves are mainly found in three areas. Most of today's representatives of the Leinster sept of O'Cosraigh are found in the east coast of Leinster, from Dublin to Wexford. Before it was dispersed by the O'Tooles and the O'Bymes this sept was in possession of part of north Wicklow not far from of Bray. In the sixteenth century they are often mentioned as people of standing, particularly in Co. Wexford. In Ulster and Connacht the name is usually spelt Cosgrove. In Connacht the sept, again O' Coscraigh (or its shortened form O'Coscair), is of the Ui Maine and was located on the eastern shore of Galway Bay. Presumably Coningus O'Coscraigh, Bishop of Clonmacnois (d. 997) and Benedictus O'Cascry, Bishop of Killaloe (d. 1325) were of this sept.
In Ulster, Cosgrove is the modem form of three distinct Irish surnames, O'Coscraigh, of different stock as those mentioned above -- was the name of the chiefs of Feara Ruis (near Carrickmacross) hard to distinguish, with the prefixes Mac and 0 discarded, from the neighbouring family of Mac Coscraigh, erenaghs of Clones. These were called MacCosguyr, MacKuesker etc., in sixteenth century records in English; they appear as MacCosker among the principal Irish names in Co. Fermanagh this is preserved in the form MacCusker still found in or near Co. Tyrone. Macllcosker, found in the Co. Armagh Hearth Money Rolls ((1664) is not the same, being MacGiolla Coscair in Irish. A third origin in Ulster is MacCosrach, MacCosrichen in Tudor English. In the Fiants, today abbreviated to Cosrove and indistinguishable from the others.
Synonyms of Cosgrove include Cuskery and Cosker. The local pronunciation in West Limerick is Cosgree, and is much nearer phonetically to the Irish than is Cosgrave. William T. Cosgrave, was the First Taoiseach of the Irish Free State, his son Liam was Taoiseach from 1973 to 1976
From: Kathryne Blasius Durant
Sent: Sunday, July 09, 2000 9:43 AM
Subject: Re: Your Cosgrove posting on GENUKI
Hi-
I do have some research time into the Cosgroves in County Cavan, IRE.
My great grandmother Kathryn immigrated with two sisters and settled in
Westchester County, NY. There is a bit of a Cosgrove clan there around
White Plains, Ossining, and Tarrytown, NY. My research has
also proven to me that before the 1850's, you might want to research the
name MacCosgrave, or O'Cosgrave, whose clan originated from County Monaghan,
just on the border of County Cavan. When the English came over the
sea, it proved worthwhile for many families to try and ""Englishize" their
names. (This is the way I am tracing Kathryn's relatives. You
may also be interested in knowing that there is a church called St. Claire
in County Cavan, I do not at this time know the name of the town, where
my Kathryn's sister was a nun, that Cosgroves were affiliated with...it
is my latest link to try and connect with.) The name Cosgrove,
by the way, is a typically Irish name...that is to say, it is rarely found
outside of the island. For me, with English relatives also, it makes
things easier. I hope that perhaps I have given you some information
that is helpful. I do believe that Cosgroves from Cavan, especially
because I have been in contact with so many other County Cavan Cosgrove
people, that one day we will be able to tie this all together. Please
let me know if you find out anything of interest!