Colgan folk gather for insight into past history

WELL known Leixlip historian, John Colgan hosted a gathering of Colgan folk at the Spa Hotel, Lucan on 14/15 September.

The former Town Commissioner estimated that 66 people, including four from USA and seven from the UK, attended

The group heard presentations on Colgan history in the morning including a brief report on the Colgan surname DNA project under his administration.

Dr Declan Doogue, naturalist, spoke and displayed some artifacts connected to Nathaniel Colgan, a court clerk famous for studying the flora of county Dublin.

Items belonging to the Archbishop Joseph Colgan, Madras, was displayed. Carmel Stewart, nee Colgan, displayed photos of the Cappagh Colgans.

In the afternoon, twenty people attended a walk-about in Dublin, ending at Clarendon Street, which is the area where Mr. Colgan’s family lived for over a hundred years.

On Sunday a coach trip to counties Kildare, Westmeath and part of Offaly took place, “The” said Mr. Colgan. “ The feedback suggested the event was a great success,” said Mr. Colgan, “People discovered new relatives attending and a sense of communal interest pervaded,” he said.

He and others have been trying to make links by providing their DNA to a US company, Family Tree Dna.Com. Up to now 17 Colgan’s have done this.