Clann Ceallach

The name O' Ceallaigh (O'Kelly and later Kelly etc..) did not spring from a single source but rather emerged independently in a number of regions of Ireland and to a lesser extent in Scotland, the Isle of Man and England. The O'Kellys of Uí Maine. The most powerful of these clanns were the O'Kellys of Uí Maine (Maine's territory) who derive their descent from the first absolute King of Ireland whose father had invaded Ireland in 504BC. The ancient territory of Uí Maine covered much of modern day Connacht stretching into modern day counties Galway and Roscommon. The present family was founded by Maine Mor AD 457, who conquered a large area of South Roscommon and East Galway on both sides of the river Suck, called Uí (later called Hy-Many). Later the area was extended by successive generations to include a tract of land, bounded to the north by a line from Ballymoe to Lanesborough at the head of Lough Ree, then southward along the River Shannon to Scariff in Co. Clare. The Southern and Western boundaries proceeded by Feacle in Co. Clare to some distance west of Loughrea to Athenry, through the parish of Kilkerrin near Tuam to Ballymoe The chiefs of the clan Uí Maine were self styled Kings, Princes and chiefs or simply O'Kelly or O'Maney - Mor. These two names held as titles denoted the chief of the clan or tribe or the O'Kellys. The names were also used as war cries in the field. Independent in all rights of jurisdiction, they nevertheless acknowledged the priority of the Provincial King of Connaught, in conformity with the Federation System in Ireland. About the eleventh century Irish Chiefs began to adopt family names in order to distinguish more exactly their posterity. From Callach or Ceallach who flourished about the year 920 the name O'Ceallaigh or O'Kelly was taken as a surname.

Kelly

Kelly, (Irish Gaelic: O' Ceallaigh) O'Kelly is a genuine 'O' surname which belongs to the oldest class of native Irish surnames. It means 'Descendent of Ceallach' (war or contention), and is the name of several distinct and illustrious families in various parts of Ireland. O'Kelly was chief of the great U' Maine clan and ruled over an extensive territory in the counties of Galway and Roscommon. Whilst the name "O'Kelly" dominated from the Viking Era in the 9th century to the middle of the 16th century, the "O" was dropped during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries and the name became Kelly. This arose from the policy of Queen Elizabeth I of England to break the influence of the Gaelic chieftains by rewarding them with land and noble status in return for abandoning their Irish customs. Typical of this was the granting of land and rights to Colla O'Kelly, Seventh lord of Screen in 1601AD in exchange form him dropping the "O" from the surname.
 

The Great Chieftains

O'Kellys Welcome

The 14th Century was a period of definite resurgence amongst the Irish and the poets rejoiced in the widespread recovery. Most delighted of all was the chieftain William O'Kelly then chief of U' Maine who invited all the poets, musicians and talented artists of Ireland to spend Christmas of 1351 with him at his newly constructed castle on the banks of the River Shannon.

The fame of William as a host must have been well known for those who were invited flocked to his call and sleeping quarters were speedily erected and the guests were lodged according to their grades and profession. One of the foremost poets of the day, Geoffraidh ... Séafra (SHEE-a-fra or SHE-fra) meaning "god's peace"; In Irish also can be Jeffrey brought by the Normans. Sheary, Geoffrey, Seafraid, Seathrun. ... Fionn O' Dalaigh, composed a long poem commemorating the occasion.
The poem is entitled "Filidh Eirionn go haonteach" and , translated into English it begins:

The poets of Ireland to one house tonight,
It will not be niggardly;
What poet has he not snatched from sorrow,
The master of the house into which they come "
 

The poet, Geoffraidh O'Dalaigh , continues to describe the numerous company who have gathered there, and, for a while, he fears the occasion and hospitality may not live up to expectations.

However the great feast went on for one month and it would appear that the generous O'Kelly host left nothing to be desired for it is recorded that he gave "contentment to each one on his departure." in the form of generous gifts of horses and money. Indeed, ever since then, the term "Failte U' Cheallaigh "(O'Kellys Welcome") has been used to describe " the welcomes of all welcomes  

O'Kellys Welcome

A blessed, long living, great, courteous welcome,
An affectionate, charitable, just, proper, true hearted welcome,
A welcome and twenty, and I add, hundreds to them,
Like the surge of the stream is, my welcome to you.
 

Fáilte Uí Cheallaigh

Failte, bheannaithe, mharthannach,
mhomhar, mhin,
Failte chaithiseach, charthannach,
chloir, cheart, chaoin,
Failte is fiche agus curim na ,
ceadta leo,
Ar nos an tuile sa sruth ata, m'fhailte romhat  

The Book of Uí Maine

	The Book of O'Kellys The Book of O'Kellys was written in Irish Gaelic in 1394AD , probably in the ancient territory of U? Maine by six scribes of which the two principal ones were Adam Cusin and Faelan Mac a' Gabann na Scel. It was written for Muircheartaigh O'Ceallaigh , Bishop of Clonfert and later Bishop of Tuam (1378 to 1394) The contents are described in a marginal note as "bolg an tsolathair" or "bag of mixed contents" including genealogies , historical and religious matter, a metrical dinnshenchas , a banshenchas ( a chronicle of famous women) and Sanas Cormaic. The preparation of the Book was first suggested by William Boy O'Kelly who hosted the feast of the O'Kellys in 1351AD. The writing is in double columns and there are some fine decorated capitals with interlaced designs in red and yellow.
The manuscript remained in O'Kelly hands until 1757 and it was acquired by William Betham in 1814, who sold it to the Duke of Buckingham for ?150. It was one of the 156 manuscripts of Irish interest in the Ashburnham Collection of Stowe manuscripts and it was deposited in the Royal Irish Academy in 1883 The 19th Century binding in green velvet with gilt to the edges was removed for photography by the Ordnance Survey in 1941 for the facsimile edition. Severe damage was done to the spine folds and there fine flakes of mica-like material on the vellum leaves. In 1985-87 the manuscript was cleaned, repaired and rebound by Anthony Cians (Trinity College Dublin Conservation Laboratory) at a cost of £4,000. Old patches of vellum were removed, the leaves were hydrated and flattened, tears in the vellum repaired with goldbeater's skin (fish skin bladder glued with gelatine).

Patron-Saint Grellan

During the 5th century province of Connaught was in the possession or of the Firbolgs and was under the rule of Duach Gallach, King of Connaught. A small area of the province was presented to a young cleric called Grellan by the King and St Patrick and the saint built a small Church on the site. The King also ordered that seven garments should be given from every chieftains wife as a tribute to the young cleric and when this tribute was ordained St Grellan asked the guarantee of the Patrick for the payment of it which was agreed to. After this St. Grellan proceeded to the upper third of the province and continued to traverse the country but his attention was not fixed on any one place over which he had passed until he came to a place called Magh Seincheineoil of which Cian of the Firbolg race was king. The King waited on the saint at the place where he was then staying since called Kilclooney, north-west of the town of Ballinasloe in the East of County Galway where the saint had erected a small Church. Prior to the arrival of Maine Mor ,Connacht was occupied by the Firbolgs. Before his arrival St. Grellan had built a church at Cill Cluane (Kilclooney). The new settlers first camped upon Maen Magh, and there they were welcomed by St. Grellan who presented them with the territory on the order of St. Patrick. The Firbolgs, thirty hundred strong, under chief Cian having agreed to a peace with the Hi-Manians who were located at Bearnach na n-arm, later called Seisidh beag,in Maenmagh, arranged for a feast with the latter but planned treachery. St. Grellan from his church near there saw the weapons of the Firbolgs and warned the Gaels and we read that many of the Firbolgs were lost in the bog of Magh Liach. The Hi-Manians paid tribute to St. Grellan and he became their patron saint. The crozier of St. Grellan was used as the standard of the O'Kelly Kings going into battle and was preserved in the family of ? Cronghaile, or Cronelly, who were ancient comharbus of the saint. The crozier was in the possession of the Cronellys even as late as 1836. The last known person to have it was John Cronelly from Ahascra, in east County Galway. But the crozier was lost several years after and its current whereabouts are unknown. It is thought to have been sold to a collector of antiquities in the mid 1800's.

O'Kelly Castles

After Maine Mór settled in Hy Many, he encouraged the building of dwellings with defences. These fortresses were constructed of earth. They consisted of a deeply fossed perimeter crowned by palisades and towers of timber. They, unfortunately, were flammable and often burned down. The annalists tell us that Ballinasloe was burned down by a casual fire in the year 1131. They built these fortresses at the periphery of their territory, which consisted of the southern half of County Roscommon and the eastern part of County Galway. Later they replaced the earthen and wooden structures by stone buildings. Usually these were built on the sites of the old earthen dwellings. The stonemasons gradually improved their skills. Later they copied the castles built by the Normans, who arrived in Ireland in the twelfth century. The Normans had learned their skills in castle building over several hundred years in Europe, in England and especially in Wales. The O'Kellys built similar type structures, or often took possession of castles built by the Normans in their territory. The Kelly's had approximately eighty castles at one time or another in their territory. These castles consisted of a central building with walls six to eight feet thick in the lower part. Entrance was through a door at a higher level. Surrounding this central castellated structure was a thick high wall, usually with one entrance. This wall enclosed a yard and often temporary structures were erected here when there was a large number of people in residence. Surrounding this wall was a ditch, often containing water. Prior to the arrival of gunpowder, these castles could be taken only by a prolonged siege which resulted in starvation of the inhabitants. In peacetime the castle acted as the seat of government for the area. Hy Many was divided into several smaller areas called tuaths. These petty kingdoms were governed by local rulers. The whole territory was governed by a type of parliament which consisted of the king, who was the O'Kelly, aided by the brehon, or lawmaker, plus the leaders of the tuaths, or petty kingdoms. The histories tell us that the leader of the O'Kellys was called at various times the King of Hy Many, the Prince of Hy Many, or the OKelly, which was an ancient Irish title. His successor was chosen during his lifetime from among his near relatives. The successful candidate was called the Tanist.

Usually small hamlets or villages took root around these castles. At special festivals great feasts were held. These would usually last for some days. The greatest feast ever held in Irish history was one given by William Boy O'Kelly in 1351 in his castle at Galey on the shores of Lough Ree. He invited all the poets, storytellers, musicians and entertainers from all over the country to his castle. This party lasted for a month. Poems and songs of praise were composed about William Boy. And to this day in Ireland one who gives a great welcome is said to have given the welcome of the O'Kellys or, in Irish, Failte Ui Cheallaigh. The arrival of the Anglo-Normans in Connacht at the end of the twelfth century caused the beginning of the end of the ancient customs of the O?Kellys, Connacht was granted by the English King to de Burgh, a direct descendant of a half brother of William the Conqueror. The success of the conquest by the Normans in Connacht tended to wax and wane. The Normans built castles in areas that they conquered. These castles were often taken over by the O?Kellys, resulting in the retreat of the Normans. At the beginning of the fifteenth century the House of O?Kelly divided into four principle branches, each family of which had its appanage one of the four baronies of Kilyan, Athlone, Tiaquin (Gallagh) and Kilconnel. In addition there were many other branches including Lecan, Turick, Liscor, Lisdalon, Beallagh, Screen, Montanban in South of France, Moylough, Callow, Pobal Caoch and de Gaiway in Belgium. There were also many families of Kellys including Aughriin, Beagh, Ballinasloe, Annaghbeg, Cloonkeen, Tristen and Lavally. About this time many castles were built including Moate near Roscommon, Galey on the shore of Lough Ree near Knockcroghery, Athleague, Corbeg and Skyne in Roscommon. Garbally, Aughrim, Monivea, Gallagh, Mullaghmor, Moylough, Aghrane now Castle Kelly in Co. Galway and several others.

Tribes & Customs of Uí Maine

The Territory of Connaught
The third part of the province is to be their patrimonial country for ever. And the third part of every treasure found hidden or buried in the depths of the earth is to be given to O'Kelly. Erics for Killing Men The O'Kelly of Uí Maine is entitled to a third of all the fines for killing men throughout the Kingdom of Connaught. The eric for killing a man was often great, and was a source of great revenue for the chief or king. As late as the year 1626 the eric for killing a man in Innisowen was 168 cows. Treasures from the Sea
The third part of every treasure thrown by the sea into the harbours of Connaught is to be given to O'Kelly. There was a distinct tract of the Brehon Laws called the "Sea Laws". this covered treasures recovered from the sea such as wines and other articles of commerce washed ashore after shipwrecks, and perhaps whales which were considered to be royal fish and to belong to the King and Queen only. Generals of the Armies of Connaught
The O'Kellys are to be the generals of the armies of Connaught and marshallship of the forces of all Ui Maine mainly from Caradh to the river Shannon on all expeditions into Leinster and into heroic Munster belongs to these tribes. Exclusion from Long Raids
If the King of Connaught should continue on an expedition against his enemies in Ulster or Leinster longer than a fortnight and a month (six weeks )the O'Kelly have liberty to return home Exclusion from Raids
These tribes are freed from the hostings (raids) or wars for the king of Connaught during spring and autumn and there is no power to ask them against their will. This was to allow the O'Kellys to sow their crops without interruption during Spring and to harvest them during the Autumn months. Exclusion from prosecution
No man of the province is to be taken as a witness against the O'Kelly but another Hy-Manian is to bear witness This was a remarkable privilege of the day. Bring Witness against O'Kelly
However great may be the accusation brought against them by dishonest people only one-man or one witness is required to deny it or prove that against the other.