Crehan

An early reference to the name is in the Annals of the Four Masters which was written between 1632 and 1636, and which says that Murrough O'Creaghan, Lord of Hy Fiachrach was killed for a violation of the shrine of Columbkille in 1200.

[4] Although most early references to the surname place it in the west of Ireland, historian and genealogist John O'Hart stated that O'Criochain, who were descended from Colla-da-Chrioch, and anglicised as O'Creighan, O'Greighan, Cregan, Crehan, Creighton, Creehan, Grehan, and Graham, were a numerous clan in Fermanagh.

[5] According to the genealogist Edward MacLysaght, the Crehans, Creans, O'Creans, Cregans, O'Cregans, and Creegans together were a minor sept of the Cenél nEógain in Donegal which had a branch in the neighboring County Sligo.

[9] A 16th century manuscript, A Description of Ireland as it is in hoc anno 1598, describes a John O'Crean who was head of his house or town of Bellanagare, which was then within the boundaries of County Sligo.

[13] It was besieged for eight to ten days during the Irish Rebellion of 1641 when a number of English residents had taken refuge there and Andrew O'Crean negotiated the terms of surrender of his castle.

[14] During the siege, Andrew O'Crean sent Ann Gasgein and her husband John Stanoway who were English to what he thought was the relative safety of Owen MacDermot's house.

An Irish officer described how "the garrison of Crean's Castle behaved themselves so gallant as they beat them from it; upon which the enemy sounded a parley; and promised a fair and honourable quarter; whereupon our men came away, and after coming into the street were disarmed, stripped and foully murdered, together with all the boys and women".

[16] According to the appendix of the above-mentioned manuscript of 1598, as found in its 1878 publication, the representative of the O'Crean of Annagh family in the 19th century was Crean-Lynch of Clogher House in County Mayo.