The name O’ Finnerty or O’ Finnaughty is drivered from the Gaelic Fionn Sneachta meaning Fair Snow or White Snow. Fionn was used in ancient Ireland to describe one with blonde hair or fair shin. Down through the ages the name has changed from Fionn Sneachta to Fionnachta, Finnaughty to Finnerty.

          The O’ Finnaughty were Lords of Clonconway, whose seat of power was at Donamon. They had their jurisdiction 48 Ballys or town lands along the banks of the River Suck i.e. the barony of Ballymoe Co Galway. They were of the same stock as the O’Connors High Kings of Ireland having been descended from Sil Muireadach Conmaigh (Conway) was the eldest son of Muireadach O’ Connor and because of this was entlided to special privileleges. The other sons of Muireadach and their descendances must show homage to Conmaigh (The Conway) Conmaigh could drink the first cup at every feast or banquet of the king. The present stronghhold once stood.

They lost possession of their estates at Donamon to the De Burgh’s. De Burgh was  gallowglass soldier who fought on the side of the King Roderick O’ Connor at a battle near Lanesborough and was very brave in protecting the King, who promised him the first vacant Cantred in his kingdom as reward for his bravery. The O’ Finnaughty at Donamon being an aged knight was married to a much younger woman called Nuala na Meadóige, (Nuala of the Dagger) The wife of O’ Finnaughty wrote to DeBurgh telling him she would have her aged husband killed and he could have his vacant Cantred if he promised to marry her, whither DeBurgh agreed to this or not is not on record, however she kept her part of the promise and had her husband assassined while he was out walking in a wooded area near his castle, when king Roderick heard the newa he shed bitter tears for his kinsman. He said to DeBurgh go and take what is preomised to you. DeBurgh did not marry the murderous widow, but instead he married the daughter of O’ Fionnaughty by a previous wife. Thus came to an end the reign of the O’Fionnaughty at Donanom.

A priest of the family called Fr James Finaghty or Finnerty was Vicar-General of the Diocese of Elphin during the 1660’s. His suffering for the Catholic faith is recorded by Edmund Teige in 1668 who wrote of the Persecution of the Irish Catholics during Cromwell’s reign of terror in the seventeenth century he said and I quote “Fr James Finaghty frequently suffered tortures and cruel afflictions from the common enemy for the faith of Jesus Christ; five times was he arrested and once he was tied to a horse’s tail, and dragged naked through th streets, then cast into an horrid dungeon; nevertheless, being again ransomed by a sum of money, he continues to labour untiringly and fearlessly in the vineyard of the lord” This Fr O’ Finaghty is mentioned in the Annals of The Four Masters, and is buried in Chaplefinnerty Graveyard near ahascragh in the Co. Galway, his gravestone is still to be seen, the inscription on his Headstone is in Ecclesiastical Latin.

Pray for the soul of Father James Finaghty

Who built this Church and sorrounding buildings

In honour of the Abbess Saint Gobnaid

Died: Febraury 1^st  1683

Very few of the O’ finnerty Clan are now resident in the immediate area of Donamon they are scattered all over the world. Many members of the Finnerty Clan moved to Co. Mayo, Roscommon, Galway.