Chiefs of the Name Totally Explained

Everything about Chiefs Of The Name totally explained

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

In Ireland

With a history going back thousands 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, what makes a Chief different is the fact that his power wasn't 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, meant 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,.

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 was no proper legal basis for it. As this concern was backed 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 recognised chiefs.
Some modern Irish clan organisations have named honorary chiefs where no hereditary Chief of the Name is known. This practice however is irregular and has no legal basis.

List of Ireland's Chiefs as at Abandonment, 2003

At abandonment of courtesy recognition in 2003, those previously afforded courtesy recognition were as follows:

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 Ricciardi 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).(External Link)
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.

An Caisleanghearr.

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 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. . And the O'Neill's of Puerto Rico/O'Neill's of the Fews the descendants of the 2nd Marques del Norte Don Arturo O'Neill O'Keffe.

Around one hundred chiefships attested in historical sources, many with modern, elected representatives. (See above reference for Clans of Ireland).

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. A difference is that in Scotland Clan Chiefs can be either male or female whereas in Ireland the Clan Chiefs are male. In Scotland it's The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs; in Ireland it's The Standing Council of Irish Chiefs and Chieftains (Irish: Buanchomhairle Thaoisigh Éireann).

Further Information

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