O'Keefe

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O'Keeffe and Keeffe, are the anglicised versions of the Irish Ó Caoimh, from caomh, meaning "kind" or "gentle".

The original Caomh from whom the family descend lived in the early eleventh century, and was a descendant of Art, King of Munster from 742 to 762.

For all of their history the family has been strongly associated with County Cork. Originally the territory of the family lay along the banks of the Blackwater river, near modern Fermoy, and were active in the wars of the twelfth century between the O'Connors and the Eoghanacht dynasties of Munster.

However, the arrival of the Normans displaced them, like so many others, and they moved west into the barony of Duhallow, where their territory became known, and is still known, as Pobal O'Keeffe, where the senior branch of the family had their seat at Dromagh in Dromtarriff Parish.

The last chiefs of this branch were Domhnall O'Keeffe of Dromagh (d. c. 1655), who was prominent in the Catholic Rebellion of the 1640s, and his son Captain Daniel O’Keeffe, who was killed fighting for King James at the Battle of Aughrim in 1691. The family estates were confiscated and sold in 1703 to the Hollow Blades Company.

Even today, Pobal O'Keeffe is still the area in which the name is most common, with surrounding areas of Co. Cork also including many of the name. It remains relatively rare outside that county. In 1890, more than two thirds of the births of the name are recorded in Co. Cork.

Like many of the dispossessed Irish nobility, the O’Keeffes were active in the service of the Catholic monarchs of Europe. In 1740 Constantine O'Keeffe (born c. 1670) was admitted to the French aristocracy on the basis of his Irish pedigree, and his long service. The name "Cuif", found in the Champagne district of northern France are descendants of O'Keeffe soldiers.

Daniel O'Keeffe (1740-1786) was a well-known artist in Dublin and London. His brother, whose name is misspelled in Wikipedia as "John O'Keefe (British writer)" (1747-1833), was a prolific and talented comic dramatist and songwriter.

"Danno" O'Keeffe (1907- ) was the first footballer to win seven All-Ireland medals, as goalkeeper for Kerry for more than 18 years. Padraig O'Keeffe (1889-1963) was a renowned traditional musician and traveling fiddle master.

[O'Keefe Anecdotes : #1)It has been reported to me that the different spelling "O'Keefe, O'Keeffe & O'Keeffee" are historical in nature. Supposedly in the 16th century, 2 O'Keefe brothers decided to go into Dublin for an outing and "borrowed" two horses without asking. Now in the 16th century horse thievery was a hanging offence, but since these were good boys from a good family another punishment was devised. From that day on thoses boys had to add an "F" and change the spelling of their name from O'Keefe to O'Keeffe. To this day the O'Keeffe's are the decemdants of Horse Thieves, Another spelling is sometimes found that of O'Keeffee. It has been reported to me that these are decendants of the O'Keeffe clan who went to France. #2.) One day a bartender, at a restaurant I was managing in Norfolk, VA, introduced me to a gentleman named Keefe, who was at the other end of the bar. I introduced myself and asked him why his "folks" had dropped the "O." This is the story he told me about the missing "O." He claimed he was a grand-nephew of Joseph "Specs" O'Keefe. It seems that 2 weeks before the end of the statute of limitations ran out on the robbery, he approached his dad, this man's Grandpa, and told him to take mamma downto the cadillac dealership and pick out a new car. He said he wanted to give it to his folks as a gift. His father inquired how he was going to be able to afford a new cadillac as a gift? Specs told his dad about his part in the robber and that the statute of limitations was almost up. Whereupon his father turned the whole gang into the authorities and proceeded to change his whole family's last name to "Keefe" dropping the "O."]

The family motto is Forti et Fideli nihil difficile – Nothing is difficult to the brave and faithful.

[edit] People

Michael O'Keeffe - Winner of UK Come Dine with Me television series

[edit] See also

WP Anthroponymy notice This page or section lists people with the surname O'Keefe. If an internal link for a specific person referred you to this page, you may wish to add the given name(s) to that link.
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