Though neither John Savage (1828-88), Young Irelander and Fenian, nor Lieut Martin Savage, killed in 1919 during the War of Independence in an attempt to assassinate Lord Lieutenant French, were of ancient Gaelic stock, they followed their ancestors who, from the 15th century onwards, were often prominent on the Irish side in the wars against the English.
William le Savage took part in the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland and in 1177 was granted territory in the Upper Ards in Co Down, building his stronghold at Ardkeen. A number of letters of Mrs Savage, Portaferry, to her husband are extant, one being dated 1738. Her household books (1781-97) give details of finance, servants, wages etc.
A fiant of 1535 notes a grant to Richard Savage, of the office of chief serjeant of all the baronies of the county of Dublin, and in 1541 Richard Savage (the same?), of Chapell Isoulde was given a lease of land in Co Wexford.
Crown Survey of Lands 1540-41 lists William Savage de Curraghe, Co Meath; notes that John Savage was leased the mill at Lucan; a will of 1474 mentions Sir John Savage, Balrothery, and a will registered in 1476 at the Court of Dublin mentions Rosie Sawage. Disobedience and rebellion are levelled at `le Moynnys, le Oneylis et le Savage' in the manor of Carlingford.
Most of the 20 fiants (15211603) relate to Co Down, and are mostly pardons. Sir Roland Janico Savage, Lord of Lecale, Co Down, was in 1482 seneschal of Ulster, and was described by the Lord Deputy of Ireland as "the most famous of the English of the province for his exploits against the Irish". But by 1515 he was in revolt against the Crown and was noted as "one of the English great rebels". (Ulster Surnames: Robert Bell).
A fiant of 1554 notes the pardon of Roland or Ravelyn Albenaghe Savage of the county of Arde, son of Patrick Savage, late seneschal of Arde. In 1572 Patrick Savage was granted the office of seneschal of that portion of the Arde in the north of Ireland, of which his late father was captain. This he would hold during "good behaviour .. . He was required to punish malefactors, rebels, vagabonds, rhymers, Irish harpers, and idle men and women .. ."
However two years later a list of pardoned persons was headed by Ferdoragh alias Edmund Savag, Peter Boy Savage m'Seneshall, Rob Savaig m'Jenicock, together with eight others named Savage. Among the others in the list were a number of O Prayes and M'Tympanys.
A fiant of 1588 reads: Livery to Patrick Savadge, lord of the little Ardes, Co Down, son and heir of Rowland Savadge, late lord Savadge.
The Calendar of Justiciary Rolls (1308-14) lists William Savage, juror at Waterford eight times between 1311 and 1313. Another William Savage was charged in 1311 of the robbery of Walter Syward of Sywardstown in the suburb of Limerick.
Indeed some of the Savages did not travel too far from their place of landing. In 1358 James Savage was fined for non-appearance at the assizes of the Liberty of Tipperary. Mac Lysaght's Surnames of Ireland states that a branch settled in Co Kilkenny. In 1504 the Sovereign of Kilkenny was David Savage; in 1509 there is reference to the garden of John Savage, burgess of Kilkenny; in 1543 we read of "a garden commonly called the Burtone Hey which lies between the common ditch of St John's street and John Savage's garden."
And what had they by 1876 when Owners of Land of One Acre and Up- wards was published? There were holdings of five and 39 acres in Dublin city; eight acres in Co Wexford; one in Co Tipperary; 23 in Co Antrim, 25 in Co Galway, and five in Co Down. There was 41 acres at Ballymacarn, 170 at Portaferry, 178 at Carrickrovaddy and 179 at Lurgancanty.
The Irish form of Ards is Aird Uladh, peak or promontory of the Ulstermen. It was written Ard Savage in 1553. Other place-names with an apparent Savage connection are Rocksavage in the Co Cork parish of Templequinlan, Rocksavage in the Co Carlow parish of St Mullins, and Savagetown in the Co Waterford parish of Dunhill.
Savage, a surname of the nickname type "wild, savage" (originally "of the woods"), very early on became Hibernicised, being listed in The Annals of Ireland as Mac an tSabhaisigh in 1554. It is now rendered Sabhaois.
Savagetown was rendered Ballintavastee in the Civil Survey 1654, and is given in Canon Power's The Place-names of the Decies as Baile an tSabhaisigh.
The c. 640 telephone entries of Savage show the name to be numerous in all areas, especially in Ulster.