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- HISTORY of The Healy Name - Page 6

"Saepiens Dominabitur Astris"
"The wise man will be governed by the heavens."

O' HEALATHAIGH - O' HELUIGHTHE - O' HEALAITHE 
HEALY - HEALEY - HELY - HALY 
O'HEALY - O'HEALEY - O'HELY - O'HALY

In my research for my Irish Roots and the origin of the Healy Family name I have come across a number of documents and interesting facts. So that I can share my findings with other Healy Family members I have posted that data in this section called "Healy Roots" and offer it free as long as it is for personal use and not used for sale.

If anyone should find more information and would like to share it with others, I would be happy to post it here on the Healy Family Network and give credit to it's course.

Thank you, Edward E. Healy
~ Contact EEHealy ~

[Newly Revised - January 16, 2004]

NEW - The Dalcassian Sept

This website is designed for the use of all the Dalcassian families. There are a number of Dalcassian families that have designated Clan websites and can be located in the Clan Links section.

The following information was taken from the Dalcassian Sept web site. Mike O'Brien has done a good job collecting information relating to the Dalcassian Sept of which the Healy Clan can claim association.

Ancient Beginnings

Sons of Ailill Aulomm (Oilliol Olum), ancient king of Munster, included: Éogan Mór, a quo (from whom descend the) Éoganachta (of Munster); Cian, a quo Ciannachta of Eile (in Tipperary), Breagh (in Meath) and Glinne Gemhin (in Derry); Cormac Cas, a quo Dál gCais in Déis Tuascirt (in Clare). Tigernach, a quo Cenel Cerdraige.

Dál gCais
Dál gCais, branching out of the Race of Cas, son of Oilill Olum.

Dál gCais - the small kingdom originally ruled by the ancestors Brian Borúmha. It included about half of the present County Clare. Brian's name comes from Boramha (Ború), the name of the village where he was born. Ceann Coradh, now Kincora, was the stronghold of Brian, near the mouth of the Shannon river. The sons of Cas, 7th in descent from Ailell Aulum (or Oilill Olum), included Caisin (Ui Caisin, e.g. MacNamara), Aonghus Ceannathrach (Cenel Cuallachta), and Blat or Blod (Ui Blait or Ui Bloid, e.g. O'Brien, O'Kennedy).

Dalcassian Septs included Ua Briain (O'Brien), Mac Domhnaill (MacDonnell), Ua Gradaigh (O'Grady), Ua hAnrachain (O'Hanrahan), Ua h-Elidhe (O'Healy), Ua Cinneide (O'Kennedy), Mac Con Mara (MacNamara), Ua Cuinn (O'Quinn), Ua hEachtighearna (O'Aherne), and O'Muldoon (Malone) of Ogonelloe in east Co. Clare, among others.

An early genealogy of the Dál gCais - lineage of Brian Borumha, King of Ireland. Muirchertach m. Tairdelbaich m. Taidgcc m. Briain (ríg h-Érenn) m. Ceinnétich m. Lorccáin m. Lachtnai m. Cuircc m. Anluain m. Mathgamna m. Tairdelbaich m. Caidléine m. Áeda m. Conaill m. Echach Balldeirg m. Cáirthind m. Blait (a quo Úi Blait) m. Tháil qui fuit Cass m. Conaill Echluaith m. Luigdech Mind m. Óengusa Tírich m. Fir Choirb m. Moga Coirb m. Cormaic Caiss m. Ailella Auluimb m. Éogain Toídlich (aka Moga Nuadat) m. Moga Néit

(Dalcassion) the race of Cas, the sixth in descent from Cormac Cas, son of Oilioll Olum, King of Munster in the 3rd century. Through this line they are connected to Cashel and the other great families of the province of Munster. This great clan of Thomond (North Munster), holds several distinguished families including the chief family of the name, the O'Briens. The clan of the noted high king, Brian Boru.

Clann Chuileainn - the race of Cuilean, another branch of the Dal gCais. One of several clan names which apply to the MacNamaras and their co-relatives in Thomand.

Ui Caisin - descendants of Caisin, son of Cas, the name of a branch of the Dal gCais of which MacNamara was chief.

Cineal Cuallachta - the race of Cuallachta or Collachtach; a branch of the Dal gCais or Dalcassions. These families are descended from Aonghus Ceannathrach, son of Cas, and centered in the barony of Inchiquin, Co. Clare. O'gRiobta was the chief family of this tribe.

Muintear Ifearnain - The family of Ifearnan, a branch of the Dal gCais. This was the clan name of the O'Quinns of Thomand who descend from Ifearnan, son of Corc, the 15th in descent from Cormac Cas, the ancestor of the Dal gCas or Dalcassions.

Ui Bloid - descendants of Blod, son of Cas, a branch of the Dal gCais. This clan includes the O'Kennedy, O'Shanahan, O'Durack and O'Ahern families of eastern Co. Clare. The name is still preserved in the place name of the deanery of Omulled.

Ui Cearnaigh - descendants of Cearnach, the branch of the Dal gCais of which the Ahernes were chiefs.

Ui Ronghaile - descendants of Ronghal, a branch of the Dal gCais of which the O'Shanahans were chiefs.

Ui Toirdealbhaigh - descendants of Toirdealbach (Father of St. Flannan), King of Thomand. The clan name of the O'Briens and their co-relatives in the east of Co. Clare.

Ui Cormaic - descendants of Cormac, the clan name of the O'Hehirs in Thomond.

Corca Bhaiscinn - the race of Cairbre Baschaoin, centered in the south-west of Co. Clare. [Not Dalcassian].

The Chief Irish Families of Munster

The following is a brief summary of the Irish families in Munster, beginning with the three branches of the race of Heber: namely, the Dalcassians, the Eugenians, and the Clan Cian.

I.  The Dalcassians:  According to Connellan, the chief families of this sept were - Lysacht, MacArthur, MacBruodin, MacClancy, MacConry, MacCurtin, MacDonnell, MacEniry, MacGrath, MacMahon, MacNamara, O'Ahern, O'Brien, O'Brody, O'Casey, O'Cashin, O'Considine, O'Davoran, O'Dea, O'Duhig, O'Grady, O'Hanraghan, O'Hartigan, O'Hea, O'Healy (modernized Haley and Hayley), O'Heap, O'Heffernan, O'Hehir, O'Hickey, O'Hogan, O'Hurly (modernized Harley), O'Kearney, O'Kennedy, O'Liddy, O'Lonergan, O'Meara, O'Molony, O'Noonan (or O'Nunan), O'Quinn, O'Shanahan (or O'Shannon), O'Sheehan O'Slattery, O'Spillane, O'Twomey, etc.

The following were also of the Dalcassian race: the families of MacCoghlan, chiefs in the King's County; O'Finnelan (or O'Fenelon), and O'Skully, chiefs in Teffia, or Westmeath.

II.  The Eugenians:  Of these the chief families were - MacAuliffe, MacCarthy, MacDonagh, MacElligot, MacFinneen, MacGillicuddy, O'Callaghan, O'Cullen, O'Donohoe, O'Finnegan, O'Flannery, O'Fogarty, O'Keeffe, O'Kerwick (anglicised "Berwick" and Kirby"), O'Lechan (or Lyons), O'Mahony, O'Meehan, O'Moriarty, O'Sullivan. O'Treacy, etc.

III.  The Clan Cian were, as already stated, located in Ormond or the present county of Tipperary; and the heads of the Clan were O'Carroll, princes of Ely.  The other families were - MacKeogh (or Kehoe), O'Corcoran, O'Dulounty (anglicised O'Delahunty), O'Meagher.  O'Connor, chiefs of Cianaght (now Keenaght) in the county Londonderry; and O'Gara and O'Hara, lords of Lieny and Coolavin in the county Sligo, were also branches of the Clan Cian of Munster.

IV.  The Ithians, who were also called Darinians, were descended from Ithe, or Ithius, uncle of Milesius.

V.  The Clan-na-Deagha were also called Degadians and Ernans, from two of their distinguished ancestors; they were celebrated chiefs in Munster, but were originally descended, as already shown, from the Heremonians of Ulster.  Of this Clan the principal families in Munster were - O'Falvey, hereditary admirals of Desmond; O'Connell, of Kerry, Limerick, and Clare; O'Donegan, O'Fihilly, O'Flynn, O'Shee or O'Shea, O'Baisan or O'Basken, and O'Donnell of the county Clare, etc.

VI.  The Irians (or "Clan-na-Rory") of Ulster also settled several families of note in Munster, as early as the first and second centuries; of whom were the following: O'Connor, lords or princes of Kerry; O'Connor, lords of Corcomroe in Clare; and O'Loghlin, lords of Burren, also in Clare.  Of this race were also O'Farrel, lords or princes of Annaly; MacRannal (anglicised "Reynolds"), lords of Muintir Eoluis, in the county Leitrim, etc.

VII.  Of the Leinster Milesians of the race of Heremon, were some chiefs and clans of note in Munster, as O'Felan, princes of Desies in Waterford; and O'Bric, chiefs in Waterford; O'Dwyer and O'Ryan, chiefs in Tipperary; and O'Gorman, chiefs in Clare.

King Henry the Second, A.D. 1180, granted part of the kingdom of Thomond to Herbert Fitzherbert; but he having resigned his claims, it was granted by King John to William and Philip de Braosa.  In the thirteenth century, King Henry the Third gave to Thomas de Clare, son of the earl of Gloucester, a grant of the whole kingdom of Thomond or "O'Brien's Country," as it was called; but the O'Briens and other chiefs in Thomond maintained for centuries fierce contests with the Anglo-Norman and English settlers, in defence of their national independence.

REF:
'Irish Pedigrees' by O'Hart, Volume 1, Page 803, dated 1892, reprinted 1989.

HEALY

Arms: Az. A fesse betw. Three stags' heads erased in chief ar. And a demi lion ramp. In base or. Another: Az. Three boars; heads, couped in pale ar. Crest: On a chapeau a lion statant, guard. Ducally gorged.

ASADHMUN, a son of Fergus Mór who (see p. 301) is No. 64 on the “Line of Ir,” was the ancestor of O'h-Eilighe; anglicized O'Healy‡ Healy, and Hely.

64.   Fergus Mór : son of Ros (known as Ros Ruadh).
65.   Asadhmun : his son. Had three half brothers -
      1. Conmac.
      2. Ciar.
      3. Corc.
66.   Ailsach : son of Asadhmun.
67.   Oineach : his son.
68.   Eoghan : his son.
69.   Delbhna : his son.
70.   Fiodheuirce : his son.
71.   Eachamun : his son.
72.   Alt : his son.
73.   Athre : his son.
74.   Eachadun : his son.
75.   Orbsinmhar : his son.
76.   Modhart : his son.
77.   Saul : his son.
78.   Meascu : his son.

(Irish Pedigrees' by O'Hart, page 313 footnotes, pedigree of O'Healy)
Chiefs of Pobal O'Healy, in the County Cork.

‡ O'Healy: Some Irish Genealogists deduce the descent of the “O'Healy” family from Cosgrach, son of Lorcan, King of Thomond, who was grandfather of Brian Boroimhe [Boru], who is No. 105 on the “O'Brien” (of Thomond) pedigree, and who was the 175th Monarch of Ireland;

Others deduce it from the “O'Haly” family, which is an anglicized form of the Irish O'h-Algaich (“algach”: Irish, noble), while O'Healy is from the Irish O'h-Eilighe, as above shown.

But (see the “Hally” and “Haly” pedigrees, respectively), the two genealogies are quite distinct, and the two families not at all descended from the same stock as “O'Healy;” for it is the “O'Haly” family that is descended from Cosgrach, son of Lorcan, who is No. 103 on the “O'Brien” (of Thomond) pedigree, and the “O'Hally” family is descended from Donchuan, brother of Brian Boru, while the “O'Healy” family is descended from Fergus Mór, who is No. 64 on the “Line of Ir.”

Others again say that the O'Healys of Donoughmore are a branch of the "MacCarthy Mór” family, Princes of Desmond; but we are unable to trace that connection.

It is worthy of remark, however, that the Arms assigned by Keating to the “O'Healy” family, namely - Az. A fesse between three stags heads erased in Chief ar. And a demi lion ramp. In base or., are borne by the Helys, Earls of Donoughmore: which goes to show that their name was formerly “O'Healy.”

The founder of the House of Donoughmore was John Hely, Provost of Trinity College, Dublin, Secretary of State for Ireland, and Keeper of the Privy Seal in 1774, the celebrated author of The Commercial Restraints of Ireland, who, in 1771, married Christiana, daughter of Lorenzo Nickson, Esq., of Wicklow, and grandniece and heiress of Richard Hutchinson, Esq., of Knocklofty, in the county Tipperary, whose name the said John Hely assumed.

Since then the family has borne the name of Hely-Hutchinson. John Hely-Hutchinson obtained a Peerage for his wife, who took the title of “Baroness Donoughmore, of Knocklofty,” the seat of the present Earl.

Mr. Hely-Hutchinson was subsequently offered an Earldom, and was about to become “Earl O'Hely,” when he died.

The Peerage created for his wife descended, according to limitation, to their son, Richard, who, after becoming “Baron Donoughmore” by inheritance, was created Earl of Donoughmore, in December, 1800.

His brother John succeeded him as Baron, and second Earl of Donoughmore; and John, dying, was succeeded by his Nephew, John, as third Earl, who married the Hon. Margaret Gardiner, seventh daughter of Luke, first Viscount Mountjoy, by Margaret (daughter of Hector Wallis, Esq., of Dublin, and Springmount, Queen's County), mentioned in the “Wallis-Healy” Genealogy, infra, which see.

REF:
'Irish Pedigrees' by O'Hart, Volume 1, Page 313-314 (footnote), dated 1892, reprinted 1989.

[Footnote]
It is important to understand which line of Healy your ancestry descended from.  Those O'Healy (variations of Hally, Haly, Hely) descended from "Fergus Mor, who is No. 64 on the "Line of Ir" are of the Clan Dalcassian branch. This O'Healy line, descended from Ir who was the ancestor of O'h-Eilighe , "O'Healy" can not be a member of the Clan Cian  branch. 

(See Above) The Irish families in Munster, beginning with the three branches of the race of Heber: namely, the Dalcassians, the Eugenians, and the Clan Cian.  Most of the Healy ancestry from the area of Munster come under the Dalcassians and Eugenians branches.

HALLY

The O'h-Ailche family ("ailce:" Irish, manners, behaviour), anglicised Halley and Hally, is a branch of the O'Kennedys of Ormond, descendants of Cormac Cas. Tuatha-Fearalt, a district in the county of Tipperary (the exact situation of which cannot now be ascertained), was the lordship of the family, whom O'Heerin mentions in the following lines:

"Tuatha-Fearalt, of the fair-woods,
Is the lordship of O'Ailche;
A plain of fair fortresses, and a spreading tribe;
The land resembling Teltown of rivulets."

From the topographical description here given, it would appear to have been that portion of Hy-Fogharty, in Tipperary, lying between Lyttletown, in that county, and Urlingford, in Kilkenny. Tuatha-Fearalt signifies "the country of hardy men;" from tuatha, "a district," or "country," and Feara-alt, "hardy men," or "men of sinew." Or, it may signify "the possession of Fearalt," who may have been some remarkable progenitor of the family under notice. Few, if any, of the name are to be met with at this day, either in Kilkenny or Tipperary.

REF:
'Irish Pedigrees' by O'Hart, Volume 1, Page 91, dated 1892, reprinted 1989.

HALY
Of Ballyhaly, Co. Cork.

Arms: Vert. three bars wavy ar. in chief a mullet pierced or.
Crest: A mermaid with comb and mirror all ppr.
Motto: Sapiens dominabitur astris.

The O'h-Algaith or O'h-Algaich ("algach:" Irish, noble, brave), anglicised O'Haly and Haly, are descended from Cosgrach, son of Lorcan, who is No. 103 on the "O'Brien" (Kings of Thomond) pedigree; and are to be dsitinguished from the O'Ailches, who, although of the same descent, are a distinct family. (See the "Healy" pedigree.)

The O'Halys are of old standing in the county of Galway, as appears from the Four Masters, under A.D. 1232. The representative of the senior branch of the sept, in 1730, was Simon Haly, Esq., of Ballyhaly, who m. Eleanora, dau. of Teige O'Quinn, Esq., of Adare, an ancestor of the Earl of Dunraven.

REF:
'Irish Pedigrees' by O'Hart, Volume 1, Page 92, dated 1892, reprinted 1989.

The Surnames of Ireland by MacLysaght
Page 151

(O) Healy, Hely
This is Ó hÉalaighthe in Munster, sometimes anglicized Healihy, and Ó hÉilidhe in north Connacht, derived respectively from words meaning ingenious and claimant.

Ballyhely on Lough Arrow was the seat of the latter.

The Munster sept was located Donoughmore, Co. Cork, whence was taken the title conferred on the Protestant branch.

REF: Mike O'Brien
Webmaster, Clan O'Brien
www.OBrienClan.com

O)Healy, Hely, (Kerrisk)

Though a genuine Gaelic name, Healy is very rarely found nowadays with its proper prefix O; there is no entry in current directories under O'Healy, O'Hely or O'Haly, forms which were quite usual up to the end of the seventeenth century. Healy, however, is one of the commonest names in Ireland having forty-seven place in the list of the hundred commonest surnames, with a total number of persons so called of nearly thirteen thousand.

One set, in Irish O hElidhe, derived from eilidhe (claimant), possessed a territory at the foot of the Curlew Mountains on the western shore of Lough Arrow, I.e. the corner of County Sligo lying between Counties Mayo and Roscommon.

The first of the frequent references to the family by the Four Masters is to Dermot O'Healy who died in 1309 - he is described as "a princely farmer, the best of his time".

A greater number, however, belong to the Munster sept. In Munster it is O hEalaigh - the, possibly from the word ealadhach (ingenious). This name was formerly correctly rendered as O'Healihy in English, and so it appears in the seventeenth century records.

e.g. those reciting the transfer of their estates to the Earl of Clancarty after the Restoration. Though dispossessed, the O'Healihys remained on the lands and it was one of those who, having become a Protestant, was created Earl of Donoughmore.

This title was taken from the place Donoghmore in the barony of Muskerry, Co. Cork, which was the centre of the territory possessed by the sept. the influential family of Hely d'Oissel of Normandy, ranked among the nobility of France, is descended from Peter O'Hely, a Jacobite exile.

Several places in Ireland perpetuate the name Healy:

Ballyhely in Co. Sligo was the seat of the O'Healys of Lough Arrow, mentioned above. It is curious that four such place names (three Ballyhealys and one Healysland) are to be found in Wexford, a county not specially associated with the septs of O'Healy, either traditionally or by reason of present population distribution.

No less than five of the Donoughmore Helys (who assumed the additional name of Hutchinson) were considered worthy of a place in the Dictionary of National Biography, several of whom, notably John Hely-Hutchinson (1724-1794), Provost of Trinity College, were advocates of Catholic Emancipation.

Four other Healys have a lasting place in Irish history:

1. Patrick O'Healy, Franciscan, last Bishop of Mayo before it was united to Tuam, who in 1579 was tortured and martyred;

2. John Healy (1841-1918), Archbishop of Tuam, author of Insula Sanctorum, etc.;

3. the famous humorist, Father Hames Healy (1824-1894);

4. and Timothy Healy (1855-1931), universally known as Tim Healy, the irrepressible Irish Nationalist M.P., who finally became a most successful first Governor-General of the Irish Free State.

James Healy (1830-1900), has been described as the first black American bishop. Actually he was only one quarter black, his father, Michael Healy, being an Irish immigrant and his mother a mulatto slave.

In the Tralee and Killarney areas of Co. Kerry Healy is usually a synonym of Kerrisk or Kerrish, in Irish Mac Fhiarais I.e son of Ferris, the first to be so called being the son of one Pierce O'Healy. Woulfe thinks the eponymous ancestor was Ferris O'Helie. In Co.. Clare Mac Fhiarais is anglicized Kierse.

 

REF: Surname Search - GoIreland.com:

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Posting by: EEHealy November 1, 2002

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Note: This information may not be complete and any information to fill in the missing spaces would be appreciated. Please e-mail any Information On Any Family Members. - Return to HealyClan Front Page

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