the mccluskey sept are a branch of the o'cahans, the former lords of keenaght. the mccluskey family was one of the leading clans of ulster before the 16th century scottish colonisation. the maccloskeys are from county londonderry and descend from one bloskey o'kane, slayer of murtagh o'loughlin heir to the irish throne in 1196. the names as mccloskey or mccluskey are well known in america and have been used in popular culture. the first recorded spelling of the family name mccluskey is shown to be that of mac bhloscaidh from the all ireland census in 1659, conducted during the reign of richard cromwell. surnames became necessary in the british isles when governments introduced personal taxation.