O'Driscoll (and its derivative Driscoll) is an

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

surname stemming from the Gaelic ''Ó hEidirsceoil'' clan. The O'Driscolls were rulers of the Dáirine

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 Corcu Loígde until the early modern period. Their ancestors were

Kings of Munster The kings of Munster ( ga, Rí Mumhan), ruled from the establishment of Munster during the Irish Iron Age, until the High Middle Ages. According to Gaelic traditional history, laid out in works such as the ''Book of Invasions'', the earliest k ...

until the rise of the

Eóganachta The Eóganachta or Eoghanachta () were an Irish dynasty centred on Cashel which dominated southern Ireland (namely the Kingdom of Munster) from the 6/7th to the 10th centuries, and following that, in a restricted form, the Kingdom of Desmond, an ...

in the 7th century. At the start of the 13th century, three prominent branches of the family came into existence: O'Driscoll Mor, O'Driscoll Og, and O'Driscoll Beara. The Ó prefix was dropped by many in Ireland during the 17th and 18th centuries. The surname is now most prominent in the Irish counties of Cork and

Kerry Kerry or Kerri may refer to: * Kerry (name), a given name and surname of Gaelic origin (including a list of people with the name) Places * Kerry, Queensland, Australia * County Kerry, Ireland ** Kerry Airport, an international airport in Count ...

Naming conventions

Overview

The surname derives from the forename Eidirsceol, who was alive in the early-to-mid 10th century. The Irish word itself, ''eidirsceol'', means "go-between" or "bearer of news". The family are of

Érainn The Iverni (, ') were a people of early Ireland first mentioned in Ptolemy's 2nd century ''Geography'' as living in the extreme south-west of the island. He also locates a "city" called Ivernis (, ') in their territory, and observes that this se ...

, descent, specifically the Corcu Loígde population group. By the time the family began using the surname, the territory known as Corcu Loígde (roughly the same as the diocese of Ross) in south-west

County Cork County Cork ( ga, Contae Chorcaí) is the largest and the southernmost county of Ireland, named after the city of Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the province of Munster and the Southern Region. Its largest market towns a ...

, was identified as their homeland, with the town of Baltimore been their seat. From the 12th century the Ó hEidirsceoil's were recorded as kings of Corcu Loígde. Been driven so far south by the Gaelic

and the

Anglo-Normans The Anglo-Normans ( nrf, Anglo-Normaunds, ang, Engel-Norðmandisca) were the medieval ruling class in England, composed mainly of a combination of ethnic Normans, French, Anglo-Saxons, Flemings and Bretons, following the Norman conquest. A sma ...

, the family became expert sailors and fishermen. According to John Grenham:

From the thirteenth to the fifteenth centuries they struck an alliance with the Powers of County Waterford in their long feud with the burgesses and merchants of Waterford city, and many of their leaders were killed in battle on land and sea. The feud ended when one of the best known incidents occurred in 1413, when the Mayor of Waterford, Simon Wicken, arrived in Baltimore on Christmas Day and was invited to join in the Christmas festivities. From the fifteenth century on, the family struggled to retain lands and power taken by the English. By 1610, Baltimore had become an English port. In 1631 the town was sacked by Algerine pirates who according to the Irish poem, "Only Smiled; O'Driscolls Child", the pirates burned, raided and kidnapped their people. The poem describes a brave O'Driscoll girl who fought back against the pirates. The poem further describes that, "High on a gallows tree a yelling wretch is seen: Hackett of Dungarvan steered the Algerine". "Some mutter'd of MacMurchadh who brought the Norman O'er. Some curs'd him with Iscariot, that day in Baltimore!"

They are described by

Donnchadh Ó Corráin Donnchadh Ó Corráin (28 February 1942 – 25 October 2017) was an Irish historian and Professor Emeritus of Medieval History at University College Cork. He earned his BA in history and Irish from that institution, graduating in 1964. He was ...

as follows:

In general, the seafaring peoples of the south and west coast—Ua hEtersceóil, Ua Muirchertaig, Ua Conchobair Chiarraige, Ua Domnaill of Corcu Baiscind, Ua Flaithbeartaig, Ua Dubda, and others served as commanders of the king's fleets.

Though the landowners of the clan lost several castles during the 17th century war with Queen Elizabeth of England, most of those bearing the name in Ireland are still to be found living in the County Cork. Forenames associated with the family included Finn and Con/Mac Con. From the late

medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

era, they were

anglicized Anglicisation is the process by which a place or person becomes influenced by English culture or British culture, or a process of cultural and/or linguistic change in which something non-English becomes English. It can also refer to the influenc ...

as Florence and Cornelius.

Annalistic references

U= Annals of Ulster. AI=

Annals of Inisfallen Annals ( la, annāles, from , "year") are a concise historical record in which events are arranged chronologically, year by year, although the term is also used loosely for any historical record. Scope The nature of the distinction between ann ...

. * U944: Cairpre son of Mael Pátraic, king of Uí, Liatháin, and Finn son of Mután, king of Corcu Laígdi, were killed by the men of Mag Féine. * AI1103: Conchobar Ua hEtersceóil, king of Corcu Laígde, died in Ros Ailithir. * AI1103: The son of Ua hEtersceóil, king of Corcu Laígde, went to sea with a crew of twenty-five, . * AI1126: Ciarmac Ua hEtersceóil died. * AI1178: Muirchertach, grandson of Domnall Ua Carthaig, was treacherously slain by Ua hEtersceóil {in Móin Cluana Cuarbáin and Hector(?) * AI1179: The son of Finn Ua hEtersceóil was slain. * AI1229: Donnchad Ó hEtersceóil, king of Corcu Laígde, died.

List of people

* Agnes Meyer Driscoll (1889–1971), American cryptanalyst * Alfred E. Driscoll (1902–1975), American politician *

Barry Driscoll Barrington Lionel "Barry" Driscoll (15 December 1926 – 30 April 2006) was a British painter, wildlife artist and sculptor. Starting as a book illustrator, he specialized in animal subjects and established an international reputation as a ...

(1926–2006), British painter, wildlife artist and sculptor *

Bobby Driscoll Robert Cletus Driscoll (March 3, 1937 – March 30, 1968) was an American actor known for his film and television performances from 1943 to 1960. He starred in some of the Walt Disney Studios' best-known live-action pictures of that period ...

(1937–1968), American Academy Award-winning actor *

Brian O'Driscoll Brian Gerard O'Driscoll (born 21 January 1979) is an Irish former professional rugby union player. He played at outside centre for the Irish provincial team Leinster and for Ireland. He captained Ireland from 2003 until 2012, and captained the ...

(born 1979), Irish international rugby union player * Bridget Driscoll (died 1896), early British automobile accident victim * Bruce Driscoll (born 1983), Brazilian/American record producer, songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist * Charles Benedict Driscoll (1885–1951), American journalist and editor * Chris Driscoll (born 1971), Canadian lacrosse player * Clara Driscoll (disambiguation), multiple people * Dan O'Driscoll (born 1985), former drummer in

The Divided The Divided were an English metalcore band from Eastbourne that appeared on the live music scene in 2010. The band’s sound incorporates hardcore shouts and screams along with clean vocals accompanied by melodic and heavy riffs and breakdown ...

, vocalist in British metal band Centuries *

Daniel A. Driscoll Daniel Angelus Driscoll (March 6, 1875 – June 5, 1955) was an American businessman and politician who served four terms as a United States House of Representatives, U.S. Representative from New York (state), New York from 1909 to 1917. B ...

(1875–1955), Democratic politician from New York *

Daniel Patrick Driscoll Lieutenant-Colonel Daniel Patrick Driscoll (11 May 1862?, Burma? (There is some indication that Driscoll was born in Limerick on 11 May 1858.) – 6 August 1934, Mombasa, Kenya) was a British Army officer of Irish descent, awarded many military h ...

(1862–1934), British army officer * Danny Driscoll (1855–1888), American criminal and co-leader of the Whyos * Denis J. Driscoll (1871–1958), Democratic politician from Pennsylvania * Dennis O'Driscoll (1954–2012), Irish poet * Denny Driscoll (1855–1886), American Major League Baseball player *

Emma O'Driscoll Emma Louise O'Driscoll (born 23 March 1982 in Limerick, Ireland) is a former Irish pop star, turned children's television presenter and reality television personality. O'Driscoll rose to fame in the 2001–2002 RTÉ One television series '' Po ...

(born 1982), Irish television presenter * Sir Fineen O'Driscoll (died 1629), Irish lord * Gary Driscoll (1946–1987), American rock drummer * Gay O'Driscoll, Dublin senior football player * Ger O'Driscoll (disambiguation), multiple people * Hockey Driscoll, rugby union and rugby league footballer who played in the 1890s and 1900s * Gerry Driscol (1924–2011), American yacht racer and businessperson *

Jack Driscoll (American football) Jack Driscoll (born April 1, 1997) is an American football Tackle (gridiron football position), offensive tackle and Guard (gridiron football), guard for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at ...

(born 1997), American football player * Jackie O'Driscoll (1921–1988), Irish football winger * James Driscoll (born 1977), American golfer * Jean Driscoll (born 1966), American wheelchair racer * Jim Driscoll (1880–1925), Welsh featherweight boxer * Joe Driscoll (rapper) (born 1979), musician from New York * John Driscoll (actor) (born 1981), American television and soap opera actor * John L. Driscoll, American football coach and sports figure * John R. Driscoll (1924–2014), American politician and businessman * John O'Driscoll (rugby union) (born 1953), Irish international rugby union player * John O'Driscoll (Gaelic footballer) (born 1967), Irish sportsperson * Joseph Driscoll (Canadian politician) (1876–1942), Canadian politician and a municipal councillor in Edmonton, Alberta * Joseph R. Driscoll, American politician, member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives *

Julie Driscoll Julie Driscoll Tippetts (born 8 June 1947) is an English singer and actress. Career Driscoll is known for her 1960s versions of Bob Dylan and Rick Danko's "This Wheel's on Fire", and Donovan's " Season of the Witch", both with Brian Auger and ...

(born 1947), English singer and actress *

Kat Driscoll Katherine "Kat" Driscoll (born 13 March 1986) is a British trampoline gymnast, and has been ranked as world number one. She became a full-time athlete in 2010, and has since won team and synchronised medals at the World and European Championshi ...

(born 1986), British trampolinist * Kermit Driscoll (born 1956), American jazz bassist * Kieran O'Driscoll, Gaelic footballer *

Loren Driscoll Loren Driscoll (April 14, 1928 – April 8, 2008) was an American tenor who had an active international career from the 1950s through the mid-1980s. Driscoll was particularly noted for his performances in contemporary operas and sang in many w ...

(born 1928), American tenor * Mark Driscoll (disambiguation), multiple people *

Mark Driscoll (screenwriter) Mark Driscoll (born February 3, 1959) is an American television producer and writer. He attended Boston Latin School and took a post graduate year at the Phillips Exeter Academy. Driscoll graduated from Harvard University in 1982; during his ...

(born 1959), American screenwriter * Martha O'Driscoll (1922–1998), American film actress from 1937 until 1947 * Matthew Driscoll (born 1958), American politician * Matthew Driscoll (basketball) (born 1964), American basketball coach * Michael Driscoll (economist) (born 1950), British economist * Michael E. Driscoll (1851–1929), American representative to New York * Michael Patrick Driscoll (1939–2017), American Roman Catholic bishop * Mick O'Driscoll (born 1978), Irish international rugby union player *

Paddy Driscoll John Leo "Paddy" Driscoll (January 11, 1895 – June 29, 1968) was an American professional football and baseball player and football coach. A triple-threat man in football, he was regarded as the best drop kicker and one of the best overall pl ...

(1895–1968), American professional football quarterback * Pádraig O'Driscoll, Dublin senior hurler at Lucan Sarsfields * Patricia Driscoll (1927–2020), Irish and British actress * Patrick Driscoll (born 1987), Canadian musician * Patrick O'Driscoll (1878–1949), Irish Clann na Talmhan politician * Peter Driscoll (author) (1942–2005), British author *

Peter Driscoll Peter Driscoll (born October 27, 1954) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left wing who played in the World Hockey Association and National Hockey League between 1974 and 1981. He was born in Powassan, Ontario. Selected by the Toron ...

(born 1954), Canadian ice hockey player * Phil Driscoll (born 1947), American musician and minister *

Richard Driscoll Richard Driscoll (born 13 January 1960) is a British screenwriter, film producer, actor and film director. Driscoll was born in Cardiff, and uses the professional name Steven Craine, to avoid confusion with Richard Driscoll, another British ac ...

,(born 1980) English comic *

Robin Driscoll Robin Driscoll (born 28 June 1957) is a British actor and writer. He is best known as a writer of ''Mr. Bean'' episodes with Rowan Atkinson. He and Atkinson are close friends; they appeared in '' Funny Business'' (1992). As an actor, Driscoll a ...

, British actor and writer * Robyn Driscoll (born 1962), Democratic politician from Montana * Sean O'Driscoll (born 1957), English-born football manager and former player * Shirley Driscoll (born 1935), English cricketer * Terry Driscoll (born 1947), American basketball player *

William P. Driscoll William Patrick "Willy Irish" Driscoll (born March 5, 1947) is a retired commander in the United States Navy and a flying ace. Driscoll, a Naval Flight Officer, and aircrewmate Duke Cunningham, a Naval Aviator, were their service's only aces o ...

(born 1947), American Navy flight officer

Fictional characters

* Becky Driscoll from the film ''

Invasion of the Body Snatchers ''Invasion of the Body Snatchers'' is a 1956 American science fiction horror film produced by Walter Wanger, directed by Don Siegel, and starring Kevin McCarthy and Dana Wynter. The black-and-white film was shot in Superscope and in the film ...

'' (1956) * Elizabeth Driscoll from the film ''

'' (1978) * Erin Driscoll from the television show '' 24'' * Jack Driscoll from the ''

King Kong King Kong is a fictional giant monster resembling a gorilla, who has appeared in various media since 1933. He has been dubbed The Eighth Wonder of the World, a phrase commonly used within the franchise. His first appearance was in the novelizat ...

'' franchise * Peyton Driscoll from the television show '' CSI: NY'' * Driscoll from the video game '' Front Mission'' * Driscoll Berci from the manga series '' Bleach'' * Colm O'Driscoll and his gang, the O'Driscolls, in the video game ''

Red Dead Redemption 2 ''Red Dead Redemption 2'' is a 2018 action-adventure game developed and published by Rockstar Games. The game is the third entry in the ''Red Dead'' series and a prequel to the 2010 game ''Red Dead Redemption''. The story is set in 1899 and f ...

'' * Driscoll Padgett from the novel ''

Bleeding Edge Emerging technologies are technologies whose development, practical applications, or both are still largely unrealized. These technologies are generally new but also include older technologies finding new applications. Emerging technologies a ...

'' * Jesse Pinkman from the television series '' Breaking Bad'', who adopts the surname Driscoll in the series epilogue film '' El Camino'' (2019)

References

* ''Family Names of Co. Cork'', D. O'Murchadha, Glendale Press,

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...

, 1985. * ''Driscolls and more Driscolls:from County Cork (Ireland) to Township York (Noble County, IN)'', Allen W. Driscoll, Wawaka, 1998. * Byrne, Francis J., ''Irish Kings and High-Kings''. Four Courts Press. 2nd edition, 2001. * D'Alton, John
Illustrations, Historical and Genealogical, of King James's Irish Army List, 1689
2 vols. London: J.R. Smith. 2nd edition, 1861. (see under O'Donovan's Infantry) * Lankford, E. 'O Driscolls Past and Present' Cape Clear Museum (2005) * Ó Corráin, Donnchadh, "Corcu Loígde: Land and Families", in ''Cork: History and Society. Interdisciplinary Essays on the History of an Irish County'', edited by Patrick O'Flanagan and Cornelius G. Buttimer. Dublin: Geography Publications. 1993. * O'Donovan, John (ed.), "The Genealogy of Corca Laidhe", in ''Miscellany of the Celtic Society''. Dublin. 1849. * O'Hart, John
Irish Pedigrees
Dublin. 5th edition, 1892. * O'Rahilly, Thomas F., ''Early Irish History and Mythology''. Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies. 1946.

External links

Clan Driscoll
of the

Clans of Ireland Clans of Ireland ( Irish: ''Finte na hÉireann'') is an independent organisation established in 1989 with the purpose of creating and maintaining a register of Irish clans. The patron of the organisation is Michael D. Higgins, President of Ire ...

O'Driscoll
by Dave Driscoll
O'Driscoll family pedigree
at Library Ireland
The O'Driscolls of West Cork

Corca Laidhe ongoing Regional yDNA Study
* http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~irlkik/ihm/ire1100.htm * http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/surname/index.cfm?fuseaction=Go.&UserID= * http://www.libraryireland.com/articles/GarryowlCastleIDJ/index.php * http://www.fluckers.com/family/driscoll/ * http://www.ucc.ie/celt/nation_kingship.html {{DEFAULTSORT:O hEidirsceoil Irish families Surnames of Irish origin Anglicised Irish-language surnames Families of Irish ancestry