Former Clan Chieftain - Born 9th April 1920 - Died 20th June 2009
In loving memory of Major Frank Sheridan, our former Clan Chieftan. Frank was born and reared in Aughnacliffe, County Longford. As a young Man he joined the Army and fought as a Paratrooper in World War II. After the War he moved to Dublin where he married and had 7 Children. He will be sadly missed by all. May he rest in peace.
The inaugural meeting to arrange a Clan Gathering, organised by the Clan Chieftain, Mr Frank Sheridan born in County Longford. The inaugural meeting was held in the ancesteral home of the Sheridans, in Granard, County Longford, Ireland in 1995. Since that time, there have been six Sheridan Clan Gatherings, which have blossomed into truly International events, with Sheridan decendants attending from all over the world.
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Map - Robert Morden - 1695 |
The Sheridan family originated in
County Longford, Ireland, where the Family were Erenagh of Granard, that is to say Lords of the Church. This gave the Family all the rights and privileges granted to Church Leaders at that time. The name Sheridan was first recorded in Granard County Longford in the 8th Century AD. From Granard the Sheridan Family spread throughout Ireland and the world.
The Name is O' Sirideain in Irish, i.e. descendant of Siridean, a personal name the derivation of which is uncertain, although believed by some to be a derivative of the English word to mean Sheerers of Hay crop.
While Cavan is the county in which they are still to be found in greater numbers than elsewhere, the Sheridans are now dispersed Worldwide.
The prefix O' has been dropped since the seventeenth century. The Sheridans have been chiefly notable for their achievements in the arts and literary field.
The most famous Sheridan, of course, was Richard Brinseley Sheridan (1751-1816) the Dublin-born dramatist and orator, long a prominent member of the English parliament.
His mother Frances Sheridan (1724-1766), was also a successful writer, as was his brother Charles Sheridan (1750-1806); and yet another member of this remarkable literary family was Thomas Sheridan (1719-1788) who was also one of the leading actors of his day.
These do not complete the list of Sheridans prominent in the literary sphere, for Denis Sheridan (b. 1612) assisted Bedell to translate the Bible into Irish and his son William Sheridan (1636-1711) was Protestant Bishop of Kilmore.
