In Irish the surname Dolan is O Dubhshlain, from dubh, meaning "black" and slan, meaning "challenge" or "defiance". Other anglicised versions include "Doolan" and "Dowling". It first arose as part of the Ui Maine tribal grouping in south Roscommon and east Galway, and from there spread to the north-east into counties Leitrim, Cavan and Fermanagh. It remains numerous in all five counties today, and is particularly common in Co. Cavan. In places it is also given as an anglicisation of O Dobhailen, probably derived from dobhail, meaning "unlucky", and more usually rendered into English as "Devlin". Many of the Dolans of Co. Sligo are of this stock.