Mac Conmara (anglicised as MacNamara or McNamara) is an Irish surname of a family of County Clare in Ireland. The McNamara family were an Irish clan claiming descent from the

Dál gCais The Dalcassians ( ga, Dál gCais ) are a Gaelic Irish clan, generally accepted by contemporary scholarship as being a branch of the Déisi Muman, that became very powerful in Ireland during the 10th century. Their genealogies claimed descent fr ...

and, after the

O'Briens The O'Brien dynasty ( ga, label= Classical Irish, Ua Briain; ga, label=Modern Irish, Ó Briain ; genitive ''Uí Bhriain'' ) is a noble house of Munster, founded in the 10th century by Brian Boru of the Dál gCais (Dalcassians). After becomi ...

, one of the most powerful families in the Kingdom of Thomond as

Lords Lords may refer to: * The plural of Lord Places *Lords Creek, a stream in New Hanover County, North Carolina * Lord's, English Cricket Ground and home of Marylebone Cricket Club and Middlesex County Cricket Club People *Traci Lords (born 1 ...

of Clancullen (a title later divided into East and West families). They are related to the O'Gradys, also descended from the Uí Caisin line of the Dál gCais. The name began with the chieftain Cumara, of Maghadhair in county Clare. Cumara is a contracted form of Conmara – hound of the sea. His son, Domhnall, who died in 1099, adopted the surname Mac Conmara, or son of Cumara, thus becoming the first of his name. The name has survived relatively unmodified as MacConmara in Irish and anglicised as MacNamara/McNamara.

Naming conventions

The name is a contraction of "Mac Cú Na Mara" meaning "Son of the Hound of the Sea". The name has wide varieties of pronunciations, the most popular being that to United States secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara. The vast majority of people with the name live in the English-speaking world and have since dropped the Irish pronunciation of the name, Mæknəmɛrå.

Background

They were an influential

clan A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clans may claim descent from founding member or apical ancestor. Clans, in indigenous societies, tend to be endogamous, meaning ...

in Thomond, building numerous castles across the region indicating their power and influence, such as Knappogue Castle.

Notables

Sioda Cam MacConmara rebuilt Quin Abbey where many members of this clan were subsequently laid to rest. Donnchadh Ruadh Mac Conmara (1715–1810) was a

Jacobite Jacobite means follower of Jacob or James. Jacobite may refer to: Religion * Jacobites, followers of Saint Jacob Baradaeus (died 578). Churches in the Jacobite tradition and sometimes called Jacobite include: ** Syriac Orthodox Church, sometimes ...

poet. Sean Buidhe Mac Conmara (c. 1750 – 1836), more commonly known as John "Fireball" MacNamara, is remembered because of his daring exploits and his flair for the dramatic which has since featured in verse and in story.County Clare Public Library Entry on "Fireball"
John "Fireball" MacNamara (c. 1750-1836)"
''County Clare Public Library'', 28/05/2014

Persons

References

External links