Servreagh O'Folan

Who is Servreagh O'Folan?

Servreagh O'Folan, Irish Brehon, fl. 1585.

O'Folan was a member of a Brehon family resident in Conmhaícne Mara in the 16th century. They served as lawyers to members of the Ó Flaithbheartaigh's and other families in the region, but were also a land-owning and merchant family connected with The Tribes of Galway.

Servreagh O'Folan is listed as a Gentleman on a number of fiant in the 1580s.

The Composition of Connacht of 1585 listed him as a landowner in Moyrus in the Barony of Ballynahinch, County Galway.

Murrough na dTuadh Ó Flaithbheartaigh, the Chieftan of the O'Flaherty Clan came to Galway City and signed an Official Fiant in 1585 with "the Chief men of his countrie". Servreagh O'Folan was one of the men who signed the Fiant with him.

In a fiant dated 1590, "Sirwrehagh Folain,of Moiris, Gentleman", was given a Royal Pardon following a rebellion in Connacht.

He appears to have also had three sons who were also brehon lawyers.

Soyrbrehagh Og Folain, in an indenture for John Kinge in May 1606, is described as "Soyrbrehagh Og Folain of Ierconnaght in the Co. of Galway atornies for seisin".

Feargananim Folan, in a deed for the O'Flahertys in 1614, FFargananym McServreagh of Moyrish, is described as "our true and lawfull attorney", and signs as Forinan Folan. He is listed as owner of parcels of lands consisting of 3,678 acres, and 193 acres, and was dispossessed of the family lands in 1651.

Nehemias folan of the Newtone, Gentleman, was also a landowner and brehon lawyer. In a document titled "Carta Dermicci O'Halloran, A.D. 1594", written in Latin, he is described as "in Christo Nehemian Ffolan, generosum, meum attornatum".