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- The O'Cahan (Irish: Ó Catháin, meaning "descendants of Cahan") were a sept of the Cenél nEógain branch of the Northern Uí Néill in medieval Ireland. The surname is now Anglicised as O'Kane, Kane and Keane. The O'Cahan's originated in the Laggan district in the east of modern County Donegal, Republic of Ireland, and from there moved eastwards in the twelfth century, ousting the O'Connor from Keenaght in modern-day County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. 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. Eoghan O'Cahan (Eogháin Ua Catháin), abbot of Clonfert (Cluan-fearta-Brennainn), County Galway, Republic of Ireland, died 980 A.D. He was the earliest recorded O'Cahan and most likely belonged to the O'Cahan's of Galway. (en)
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