The family name Quinn or Quin is an anglicized form of “O Cuinn,” meaning “of Conn.” O’Cuinnde notes lineage from the legendary High King of Ireland, Conn of the Hundred Battles. Conn is derived from the Irish word, ceann (head) signifying a person of intellectual ability. Traditionally, Catholic families of the O Cuinn family spell their anglicized name Quinn with two “n”s … [Read more...] about Roots: Quinn
Roots
Roots: O’Connor
The O’Connor name, with its varied spellings, doesn’t spring from a common source. The name arose in five areas of Ireland: Connacht, Kerry, Derry, Offaly, and Clare and split into six distinct septs, five of which are still in existence. The most prominent sept is that of the Connacht O’Connors who gave us the last two High-Kings of Ireland: Turlough O’Connor (1088-1156) and … [Read more...] about Roots: O’Connor
Roots: The McCarthy Clan
By Liam Moriarty, Contributor
April / May 2006 Originally published in the March/April 1997 Issue of Irish America
April / May 2006 Originally published in the March/April 1997 Issue of Irish America
The McCarthy clan traces its ancestry through an illustrious line of individuals and events reaching far back into ancient Celtic history and myth. The McCarthys claim descendants from the Eoghanachta, the rulers of the fifth province of Ireland, or Munster. The Eoghanachta were a people believed to have descended from Heber, the son of the mythical King Milesius of Spain. It … [Read more...] about Roots: The McCarthy Clan
The Proud History of the O’Neill Clan
The O'Neill family traces its history back to 360 A.D. to the legendary warrior king of Ireland, Niall Noigiallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), who is said to have been responsible for bringing St. Patrick to Ireland. The Ui Neill dynasty split into two septs, the Northern Ui Neill and the Southern Ui Neill, around 400 A.D. The name is derived from two separate Gaelic words, … [Read more...] about The Proud History of the O’Neill Clan
Roots: Feeney
The surname Feeney is one of the most common names in Counties Sligo and Mayo. (My own grandfather Patrick Feeney emigrated from Co. Sligo in the 1920s). Taken from the original Gaelic form, O Fiannaidhe, meaning `soldier,' the clan originated from the population group Ui Fiachrac, and it has been established that this sect was located in the Connaught province. Other Feeney … [Read more...] about Roots: Feeney