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The McGillycuddy of the Reeks ( ga, Mac Giolla Mochuda) is the hereditary Chief of the Name of McGillycuddy, a family originating around
MacGillycuddy's Reeks , photo=MacGuillycuddy's Reeks.jpg , photo_caption= , country=Ireland , country1= , location = County Kerry , region = Munster , region_type = Provinces of Ireland , parent= , border= , length_km=19 , length_orientation=East–West ...
, a range of mountains (
reek Reek may refer to: Places * Reek, Netherlands, a village in the Dutch province of North Brabant * Croagh Patrick, a mountain in the west of Ireland nicknamed "The Reek" People * Nikolai Reek (1890-1942), Estonian military commander * Salme Reek ...
s) in County Kerry in Ireland.


Origins of the title

The Annals of the Four Masters records in AD 234 the death of Prince Oilill Olum, King of Munster, the 43rd direct descendant of Milidh, or Milesius, who died in 1284 BC. Thus in legend and in history, the line of the most distinguished families of Munster traces back over 3,300 years. The McGillycuddys were a cadet
sept A sept is a division of a family, especially of a Scottish or Irish family. The term is used in both Scotland and Ireland, where it may be translated as ''sliocht'', meaning "progeny" or "seed", which may indicate the descendants of a person ...
of the
O'Sullivan O'Sullivan ( ga, Ó Súilleabháin, Súileabhánach) is an Irish Gaelic clan based most prominently in what is today County Cork and County Kerry. The surname is associated with the southwestern part of Ireland, and was originally found in Count ...
s who about 1600 adopted the surname , in recognition of their devotion to St Mochua. A seventh-century O'Sullivan Mór sent his trusted son, Mac Giolla, to be educated under the tutelage of Saint Mochuda at Lismore. He hence became known as ''O'Sullivan Mac Giolla Mochuda''. The name was anglicised into McGillycuddy.


Recent chiefs

* Ross McGillycuddy (1882–1950), educated at Fettes College and RMA Woolwich, joined Royal Field Artillery, posted to India and earned his Jacket. Played rugby for RMA and for Kent County vs Springboks on their first tour in 1906. They played 28 matches, winning 25. He married Helen Grace Courage of Shenfield Place, Essex in 1908. He was a lieutenant colonel, 4/7th Royal Dragoon Guards (United Kingdom), witnessed the first action of the first world war on 23 August 1914 at Casteau, when a colleague was ordered to go after an Ulan patrol with his sword, which he did with fatal consequences for the Ulan. The sword is in the regimental museum at Tidworth. He was awarded a DSO and Legion d'Honneur for improving the mobility of the Vickers machine gun. Brigadier de Lisle ordered him to form the first 36 companies of the Machine Gun Corps. He retired to Ireland on his father's death in 1921 and became a Kerry county councillor and member of
Seanad Éireann Seanad Éireann (, ; "Senate of Ireland") is the upper house of the Oireachtas (the Irish legislature), which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann (the lower house). It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its memb ...
(Irish Free State) throughout its existence (1922–1936) then of the modern Seanad from its 1938 revival until 1943. During the second world war he was at the same time a senator, an officer in the British Army and Chief of the Name (the highest social rank of the Old Gaelic order). After Ross McGillycuddy complained to the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
, its 1949 Green Book of standards entered the stricture 'Do not mention the McGillycuddy of the Reeks or make jokes about his name'. * John McGillycuddy (1909 - 1959) was educated at Eton, and became a British Army Major. He was wounded in the Second World War, and a company director. * Richard Denis Wyer McGillycuddy (1948–2004), lived in London and France. He was educated at Eton and Grenoble University. He married Virginia Astor and had two daughters but no son and heir. * Donough McGillycuddy (born 1939) is the current Chief of the Name in Gaelic Royalty and Baron Doonebo. His father, Dermot, was a younger son of Ross McGillycuddy. Donough McGillycuddy was born in Bishopscourt, County Kildare, and was educated at Eton, and for a trimèstre at Neuchâtel University. He served in the
Irish Guards ("Who Shall Separate s") , colors = , identification_symbol_2 Saffron (pipes), identification_symbol_2_label = Tartan , identification_symbol = , identification_symbol_label = Tactical Recognition F ...
(1958–1962), and married Wendy O'Connor Spencer of Winwick Manor in Northamptonshire. His
tánaiste The Tánaiste ( , ) is the deputy head of the government of Ireland and thus holder of its second-most senior office. The Tánaiste is appointed by the President of Ireland on the advice of the Taoiseach. The current office holder is former Tao ...
(heir) is his eldest son, Piers Donough Edward George McGillycuddy (born 1965), who established engineering firm Terracast with Erik van Ouwerkerk in 2004. He lives in Spain. His second son, Michael, lives in London, and his third, Jocelyn, in Johannesburg. His daughter Lavinia lives in Ireland. Donough was owner/manager of Warwickshire Pheasantries then the autonomous agent for Gilbertson and Page Ltd (petfood manufacturers and distributors). He moved to South Africa in 2002 to work as a farmer and horticulturalist for SPAR. His wife died in 2013 and he returned to Ireland in 2015 and joined the Benton Jones family at Irnham in 2017. Aged 83 in 2023, he looks after the Irnham herd of cattle, and helps on the land and garden for 'Irnham weddings'. He is a noted historian and author of two books on South Africa, ''SA Reflections on a revolution'', and ''Mass murder on the Mine'' (Marikana).


See also

Other Munster families: * MacCarthy Mor *
O'Callaghan O'Callaghan () or simply Callaghan without the prefix (anglicized from '' Ó Ceallacháin'') is an Irish surname. Origin and meaning Munster The surname means descendant of Ceallachán who was the Eóganachta King of Munster from AD 935 until ...
*
O'Donoghue Donoghue or O'Donoghue is an anglicized form of the Irish language surname Ó Donnchadha or Ó Donnchú. Etymology The name means "descendant of Donnchadh", a personal name composed of the elements ''donn'' "brown-haired an and ''cath'' "battle" ...
*
O'Donovan The O'Donovans are an Irish family. Their patronymic surname derives from Irish ''Ó Donnabháin'', meaning the grandsons or descendants of Donnubán, referring to the 10th century ruler of the Uí Fidgenti, Donnubán mac Cathail. During the ...
*
O'Brien dynasty 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 becoming ...
* O'Grady of Kilballyowen


Notes


References

* Curley, Walter J.P., ''Vanishing Kingdoms: The Irish Chiefs and their Families''. Dublin: Lilliput Press. 2004. * W.M.Brady, D.D. 'The McGillycuddy Papers.


External links


Website of the current McGillycuddy of the Reeks
(archived) {{Eóganachta Ancient Irish dynasties