The will of Sir Johhn Coghlan is discussed at length in an article in the Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries. (R.S.A.I.. Vol. 43 (1913) pp.223-31)

The following Will of Sir John Coghlan, who lived in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, will give one an idea of the Churches etc., in his territory. It was drawn up by the Curate of the Parish:-

"In the name of God, amen. To all about to inspect the present writing the Curater (pastor?) of the Parish of Fuire (Wheery) greeting in the Lord. We make known that in the presence of us and of the undersigned witnesses, for this purpose specially called and requested and for this purpose personally appointed, an honest (honourable) man, John Coghlan, Knight, my Parishioner, lying in the bed of wickness; infirm of body but sound of mind, weighing and considering that the life of man is short upon earth; that nothing is more certain than death but nothing more uncertain than the hour, desiring to provide for the salvation of his soul and to arrive at the joys of eternal bliss, has made his Will and last Testament and arranged it in manner and form following:-

"Imprimis he commends his soul to the Most High God, his Creator, when it shall depart from his body and his body to the worms of the earth, wishing it to be inhumed in the Church of the Blessed Virgin of Raonach (Reynagh). Next he has willed and ordained all his debts to be paid formally and discharged to the persons to whom they are due. Item: the said Testator has bequeathed of the goods conferred on him by God to the Church of Cluain-Mic-Nois, for the health of his soul, a cow. Item: to John, the son of Hugh, the Priest, a cow. Item: to the Churches of Gailne (Gillen) Fuire (Wheery) Techsarayn (Tisarn) and Raonach (Reynagh) he has bequeathed two cows. Item: he has bequeathed to Margaret Donadi four large cows and four small ones. Item: he has ordered that Solomon Mac Egan should not be disturbed as long as he lives in the half quarter of Cuil (Coole) thus left him by his father, Arthur. Item: he leaves the Castle of Coole and the rest of the same village to the Lady Margaret, his wife, as long as she lives unmarried, but should she marry, let it be restored to John Coghlan (this John was his nephew; is it not strange that he would not mention his father's name?) the son of Sabina (Saidhbhin, Sadhbh) the daughter of O'Dalachan, as is just according to the intention of the feofment of all other feudal (fiffs?) tenures. Item: he has granted, long since, to the said John all his unbroken steeds, horses, plate, coats of mail, pots and all his arms, flasks and iepti (?) and all his other utensils made of tin, and the great patena which he lately got by hereditary right from his mother, which donation he now confirms to him. Finally he has ordered that these his horses be given to the Lady Unina (Una or Winny) to wit Falfrida (Galrida?) Nigra (an Dubh) Brunda (Donn) - names of the horses. Item: he has ordered that whatever other of moveable goods, corn in the blade, cattle and furniture, he may have be divided into three equal parts and given, one part to the Lady, his wife; the other to his daughters Rosina (Roisin, Rosey) and Dorenna (Dorethea; Doireann, now Dolly, yet used in Connaught) and the third part to John, son of the aforesaid i.e., Ingen Dalachain, with six silver vases, which are called in English Tonna (tun-dishes?) and with two Cyphi (silver cups) purchased and made in his (the Testator's) own name, which eight vessels are not computed in the division. Item: he has ordered that the profits of four quarters tythes, which he lately had in farm for five years, should be divided and given, the third part to the aforesaid Lady, his wife, and the remainder to the said John and his mother and this with the usual incumbrances. And for the performance (observance) of all and singular the premises the said Testator has nominated as his Executors: Patrick Hogay, Archdeacon of Killaloe (Laonensem); John Coghlan, the son of Sabina O'Dalachan and Hugh Daly, to which Executors, for fulfilling all and singular the premises, the said Testator has made over all his goods whatsoever and wheresoever, revoking every other Will, if any has been by him made, and wishing that this his Will should receive confirmation in the best way, mode and form in which it could and ought to prevail. In testimony of which I, Cormac O'Dalachan, the aforesaid Curate, have affixed my sign manual to the present Will. It was made in the house of Solomon Mac Egan, in the village of Cuil (Coole) in the year of our Lord 1590, 10th July.

Cormac Dalachain, Curate, witness.

These underwritten were the witnesses at the time of making this Will:-

Johannes Douis, a Priest, witness. I am Niall O'Sheill. I am Hugh O'Sheill, a witness. It was proved by the oath of Hugh Dalachan etc. ...

I have no document to shew when the Dalcassian tribe of Mac Coghlan, anciently called Dealbhna Eathra, established themselves here. The first notice of Delvin Eathra occurring in the Annals of the Four Masters is at the year 890, when Scaly, the son of Macan, was Lord of Delvin. The first notice of the O'Flahillys, afterwards Mac Coghlans, in the same Annals, is so late as the year 1134.

Does Mac Firbisse give any historical account of how and when the descendants of Fiacha Dealbhaodh obtained a settlement for themselves here to the east of the Shannon? Does he give pedigrees of the different branches of the Mac Coghlans or mention the names of their seats or lands? Let the Books of Lecan and Ballymote be also consulted for historical notices of the tribes of Dealbhna Eathra.

Before this Dalcassian tribe had deprived the sons of Maine, the son of Niall of the Nine Hostages, of a part of their principality, Tir Maine or Teffia extended southwards as far as the River Brusna and, before the Royal family of the O'Melaghlins were driven into a corner of Westmeath, that part of the Barony of Garrycastle lying north of the River Brosnagh or Brusna and the entire of the Barony of Clonlonan were included in the Territories of Brawny, Calree and Munter Thadgain, which were occupied by the race of Maine, the son of Niall of the Nine Hostages. And that part of the Barony of Garrycastle lying south of the same River Brosnagh was included in Feara Ceall, which was also possessed by a tribe of the southern Hy Niall, who in latter ages bore the surname of O'Mulloy.

Thus we see that previously to the establishment of the Delvins all Teffia and Meath, to the very boundary of ancient Munster, belonged to the southern Hy-Niall and we find that for that reason Meath is called in the early Lives of the Saints, Terra nepotum Niell or the Country of the race of Niall.