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Greetings from the Academy of St. Gabriel!
Here is the information we have found about your proposed 12th century Irish name.
You asked whether the surname "Gallagher" might have been used in 12th century Ireland.
According to our sources, "Gallagher" derives from "O/ Gallchobhair," which, in turn, derives from "Gallchobhar," meaning "foreign help." (1) It is pronounced "\GAHL-khor\," and is a relatively uncommon early name.(2)
Because you want to incorporate your association with the Gallagher clan in your persona, you should be aware that a "clan affiliation" form of byname existed in the 12th century. Using "(given name) ingen G(h)allchob(h)air" would normally indicate that your father's given name was Gallchob(h)ar, but not that you were a member of the clan.
On the other hand, "(given name) ingen uí G(h)allchob(h)air" would indicate that you belonged to the clan. One source has among the sons of Fland mac Irc one Gallchobor <ótát Húi Gallchobuir>. (3) This appears to be identifying this Gallchobor as the eponymous ancestor of the Uí Gallchobhair, from which we infer that the Uí Gallchobhair existed in the 12th c. So using this "clan affiliation" form of byname is appropriate for a 12th century persona.
The parentheses used in the previous paragraphs indicate optional letters. The older spelling was "Gallchobair;" the later was "Ghallchobhair." In the 12th century there was a fair bit of waffling, so both versions are usable, although we believe that "Gallchobair" is preferable.
For help in selecting a suitable given name, we refer you to the following articles, which can be found on our website (http://www.itd.umich.edu/~ximenez/s.gabriel/docs/#ireland):
Choosing an Irish Name, by Triste Elliot (Cateline de la Mor). A
helpful introduction to choosing an Irish name.
Quick and Easy Gaelic Bynames, by Sharon Krossa (Effric neyn
Kenyeoch vc Ralte). An explanation of how to form a Gaelic
byname.
Early Irish Feminine Names From the Index To O'Brien's "Corpus
Genealogiarum Hiberniae", by Heather Rose Jones (Tangwystl
verch Morgant Glasvryn). 64 names and 30 descriptive terms
from the 12th century.
We hope that this has been helpful. If we can be of further service, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn, Effric neyn Kenyeoch vc Ralte, Talan Gwynek and Arval d'Espas Nord contributed to this letter.
In Service,
Giulietta da Venezia
Academy of St. Gabriel