O'Kelly ( ga, i=no, Ó Ceallaigh, approximately ) is the name of a number of distinct septs in Ireland. Most prominent of these is the O'Kelly sept of the

Uí Maine U or u, is the twenty-first and sixth-to-last letter and fifth vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''u'' (pro ...

. Another sept is that of the kingdom of

Brega Brega , also known as ''Mersa Brega'' or ''Marsa al-Brega'' ( ar, مرسى البريقة , i.e. "Brega Seaport"), is a complex of several smaller towns, industry installations and education establishments situated in Libya on the Gulf of Sidra, ...

, descended from the

Uí Néill The Uí Néill (Irish pronunciation: ; meaning "descendants of Niall") are Irish dynasties who claim descent from Niall Noígíallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), a historical King of Tara who died c. 405. They are generally divided into the ...

. A more minor sept of O'Kelly was that descended from the Uí Máil; this sept is referred to in Irish as the Uí Ceallaig Cualann, in reference to the region of their origin,

Cualu Cualu or Cuala (genitive ) was a territory in Gaelic Ireland south of the River Liffey encompassing the Wicklow Mountains. History Edmund Hogan concludes from primary sources that it "seems to extend from Arklow to the Liffey, and to be coexten ...

O'Kelly of Uí Maine

The O'Kelly sept of

is descended from Cellach mac Fíonachta, who lived in the 9th century. The first to bear the surname was Tadhg Mór Ó Ceallaigh, a grandson of the former who was slain in the Battle of Clontarf fighting on behest of his ally

Brian Boru Brian Boru ( mga, Brian Bóruma mac Cennétig; modern ga, Brian Bóramha; 23 April 1014) was an Irish king who ended the domination of the High King of Ireland, High Kingship of Ireland by the Uí Néill and probably ended Viking invasion/domi ...

, king of

Munster Munster ( gle, an Mhumhain or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the south of Ireland. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" ( ga, rí ruirech). Following the ...

and

high king of Ireland High King of Ireland ( ga, Ardrí na hÉireann ) was a royal title in Gaelic Ireland held by those who had, or who are claimed to have had, lordship over all of Ireland. The title was held by historical kings and later sometimes assigned ana ...

. The earliest parts of the O'Kelly genealogy are contained in the Book of Hy Many, which was written in the latter half of the 14th century on behest of the then

archbishop of Tuam The Archbishop of Tuam ( ; ga, Ard-Easpag Thuama) is an archbishop which takes its name after the town of Tuam in County Galway, Ireland. The title was used by the Church of Ireland until 1839, and is still in use by the Catholic Church. Histor ...

, Muircheartach mac Pilib Ó Ceallaigh. Its compilation was the idea of William O'Kelly, a chief of Hy Many. The book is now kept in the

Royal Irish Academy The Royal Irish Academy (RIA; ga, Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann), based in Dublin, is an academic body that promotes study in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is Ireland's premier List of Irish learned societies, learned socie ...

in Dublin. The

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central ele ...

of the O'Kelly of Uí Maine is as follows: "azure, a tower triple-towered supported by two lions rampant argent as many chains descending from the battlements between the lions' legs or" The motto is, "Turris fortis mihi Deus", which translates to "God is a Strong Tower to Me" or alternatively "God is my Tower of Strength".

O'Kelly of Brega

The O'Kelly sept of

is descended from Cellach mac Congalach, a son of Congalach mac Conaing. This sept is considered one of the

Four Tribes of Tara The Four Tribes of Tara was an alliance of powerful clans that consisted of the O'Harts, O'Kelly's, O'Connolly, and the O'Regan. The princes of Tara were also styled princes of Brega, consisting of territory in the modern day counties Meath, Louth ...

O'Kelly of Cualu

The O'Kelly sept of

is descended from Cellach Cualann mac Gerthidi, an Uí Máil king of Leinster in the late 7th through to the early 8th century.

Castles and structures of the O'Kelly

Garbally Castle Garbally castle is a late medieval tower house located in the parish of Skehana, County Galway. Location Garbally Castle is the dominant feature of the townland of Garbally in the parish of Skehana and sits at the junction of the R338 and the a ...

Monivea Castle Monivea Castle ( ga, Caisleán Mhuine Mheá) is a former O'Kelly tower house, located near Monivea in County Galway, Ireland. It was acquired by the ffrench family, one of the fourteen Tribes of Galway, who developed it further, enhancing the ...

* Gallagh Castle * Galey Castle * Moyvannan Castle * St. Mary's Abbey, Duleek * Kilconnell Abbey * Aughrim Priory * Clontuskert Priory * Aghrane (Now Castlekelly)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:O Ceallaigh Kings of Uí Maine

O'Kelly of Uí Maine

O'Kelly of Brega

O'Kelly of Cualu

Castles and structures of the O'Kelly

See also

References