Chiefs of the Name

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Chief of the Name is the recognized head of a family or clan. The term is in use as a title in Ireland and Scotland where Celtic traditions still survive.

1 In Ireland
- 1.1 Abandonment: the MacCarthy Mór Scandal
- 1.2 List of Ireland's Chiefs as at Abandonment, 2003
2 In Scotland
3 References
4 External links

[edit] In Ireland

With a history going back hundreds of years, this unique Gaelic tradition has survived much of the turmoil of Irish history. Long ago, Irish leaders had titles like any other royalty in Europe, but that which makes a Chief different is the fact that his power was not about a feudal hold on land, it was about his position within his clan. Even through the Elizabethan times, the position of Chief of the Name was more important to some Irish leaders than English titles. There are a number of instances(1) where Norman lords of the time, like FitzGerald, took to using the Gaelic style of "The" or "Mór" to indicate that the individual was the primary person of his family in Ireland.

The downfall of the Gaelic order in the early 1600s led to a decline of the power of the Chiefs. Plantation efforts, the Wars of Cromwell and King James, saw that by the end of the 17th century, most of the Chiefships of the Name were living out of Ireland, lost, or reduced to poverty. Until 2003 an Irish "Chief of the Name" was a person recognised by the Chief Herald of Ireland as the most senior known male descendant of the last inaugurated or de facto chief of that name in power in Gaelic Ireland at or before the end of the sixteenth century (See Irish nobility). The practice was discontinued in that year,^{[citation needed]}.

[edit] Abandonment: the MacCarthy Mór Scandal

After genealogical errors in the 1990s saw Terence Francis MacCarthy and several other impostors receive recognition, the Irish government decided in July 2003 to abandon this practice. This was partly because of concern that there no proper legal basis for it. As this concern was back by an opinion of the Attorney General, in 2003 the Genealogical Office discontinued the practice of recognising Chiefs.

This decision was criticised by some. It also caused some concern among the recognized chiefs.

Some modern Irish clan organisations^{[citation needed]} have named honorary chiefs where no hereditary Chief of the Name is known. This practice however is irregular and has no legal basis.

[edit] List of Ireland's Chiefs as at Abandonment, 2003

At abandonment of courtesy recognition in 2003, those previously afforded courtesy recognition were as follows:^{[citation needed]}

Chiefs of the Name

O'Brien, Prince of Thomond - Conor O'Brien (Clare).
O'Callaghan - Don Juan O'Callaghan (Spain).
O'Donoghue of the Glens - Geoffrey O'Donoghue (Wicklow).
O'Conor Don, Prince of Connacht - Desmond O'Conor (England).
MacDermot, Prince of Coolavin - Nial MacDermot (Kildare).
O'Donovan - Morgan O'Donovan (Cork).
The Fox - John W Fox (Australia).
McGillycuddy of the Reeks - Donough McGillycuddy (South Africa).
O'Morchoe - David N. C. O'Morchoe (Wexford).
O'Neill of Clannaboy - Hugo O'Neill (Portugal).
O'Grady of Kilballyowen - Henry Thomas Standish O'Grady (France).
O'Kelly of Gallagh - Walter L. O'Kelly (Dublin).
Mac Morrough Kavanagh, Prince of Leinster - William Butler Kavanagh (Wales).[1]
O'Donnell of Tyrconnell - Fr. Hugh O'Donel, O.F.M (An Irish Priest in Zimbabwe).
Ó Dochartaigh of Inishowen - Ramon O'Dogherty (Spain).

Designation dormant

Ó Toole of Fer Tire.

Designations with note

O Long of Garranelongy.
Maguire of Fermanagh.
O Carroll of Eile O Carroll.
O Ruairc of Breifne.
Mac Donnell of the Glens.

Designation withdrawn

MacCarthy Mor, Prince of Desmond - The recognition of Terence Francis MacCarthy (Morocco) was withdrawn in July 1999.

Gaelic Titles with principal claimants/recognition pending

Mac Carthy Mor, Prince of Desmond
Mac Lochlainn
Mac Sweeney Doe
Ó Dowda
Ó Hara, Lord of Leyney
Ó Higgins, Lord of Ballynary
Ó Meehan
Ó Neill Mor and of the Fews - Claimed by Don Carlos Ó Neill, Marques de la Granja, Marques del Norte y de Villaverde de San Isidro, and Conde de Benagairde (Spain) but not applied for.
Around one hundred chiefships attested in historical sources, many with modern, elected representatives. (See above reference for Clans of Ireland).

[edit] In Scotland

In general, the same pattern holds true of the Clan Chiefs in Scotland as for Chiefs in Ireland. They have a variety of titles, but a Chief of a clan is still the recognised leader within a family.

[edit] References

1. State Papers of Ireland, Queen Elizabeth, 1210. vol. II
Burkes Peerage: See Irish and Scottish Chiefs; Peerages; and Titles
Murphy, Sean J (2004) Twilight of the Chiefs: The Mac Carthy Mór Hoax. Bethesda, Maryland: Academica Press. ISBN 1-930901-43-7.
MacLysaght, Edward (1996) More Irish Families. Dublin, Ireland: Irish Academic Press. ISBN 0-7165-2604-2.
Nicholls, K.W. Gaelic and Gaelicized Ireland in the Middle Ages Dublin, Lilliput Press, 2003. ISBN 1-84351-003-0.
Vanishing Kingdoms - The Irish Chiefs and Their Families, by Walter J. P. Curley (former US Ambassador to Ireland), with foreword by Charles Lysaght, published by The Lilliput Press, Dublin, 2004 [ISBN 1-84351-055-3 & ISBN 1-84351-056-1]. (Chapter on O'Donnell of Tyrconnell, page 59).