The O'Davoren ( ga, Ó Duibhdábhoireann) family were a

scholar A scholar is a person who pursues academic and intellectual activities, particularly academics who apply their intellectualism into expertise in an area of study. A scholar can also be an academic, who works as a professor, teacher, or researche ...

ly clan of Corcomroe, Thomond (modern-day

County Clare County Clare ( ga, Contae an Chláir) is a county in Ireland, in the Southern Region and the province of Munster, bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Clare County Council is the local authority. The county had a population of 118,81 ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...

active since

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 a ...

times. Famed for their sponsorship of schools and knowledge of history and Early Irish law, the Uí Dhuibh dá Bhoireann were known throughout Ireland as a literary family and held estates in the Burren down to the mid seventeenth century at the time of the Cromwellian confiscations. Many acted as

brehon Brehon ( ga, breitheamh, ) is a term for a historical arbitration, mediative and judicial role in Gaelic culture. Brehons were part of the system of Early Irish law, which was also simply called " Brehon law". Brehons were judges, close in impo ...

s for the local ruling dynasty of Uí Loughlin from the 14th century or earlier.

Origins

The O'Davorens, like the O'Hehirs and some other septs west of the Shannon in

, belonged to the Eoghanacht stock claiming name and descent from the son of

Aengus In Irish mythology, Aengus or Óengus is one of the Tuatha Dé Danann and probably originally a god associated with youth, love,Ó hÓgáin, Dáithí. ''Myth, Legend & Romance: An encyclopedia of the Irish folk tradition''. Prentice-Hall Press, ...

, King of Cashel, slain 957. The family settled in Burren in mediaeval times, exact date unknown. We first hear of them as hereditary ollamhs to the O'Loghlens of that district, who are of the race of Fergus mac Roigh, of Ulster. The earliest reference to them in print is in the Annals of the Four Masters under the year 1364, where the death of Giolla na Naomh Ó Duibh dá Bhoireann, ollamh of Corcomdhruadh in Brehon law, is recorded.

Excavation

The O'Davoren law school at Cahermacnaghten has been the subject of archaeological and historical interest and its remains are still extant. The law school operated in the sixteenth and seventeenth century, with a Giolla na Naomh Óg Ó Duibh dá Bhoireann being recorded as one of its chief owners in the seventeenth century. The O'Davorens's were recorded as still holding Cahermacnaghten in 1659, along with 13 Irish tenants.

Literary production

The most important surviving document associated with them is known as Egerton 88 (British Library), being compiled between 1564 and 1569. It contains copies of some important texts of Early Irish law, in addition to a number of Old Irish literary tales.

References

''Oxford Concise Companion to Irish Literature'', Robert Welsh, 1996.

External links

* http://www.nuigalway.ie/archaeology/documents/fitzpatrick_report_on_burren_field_school_for_celt.pdf
Síaburcharpat Conculaind
(The Phantom Chariot of Cúchulainn) from Egerton 88 a
CELT
* http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/places/townlands/cahermacnaghten.htm * https://web.archive.org/web/20150712072310/http://www.heritagecouncil.ie/fileadmin/user_upload/INSTAR_Database/Burren_Landscape_and_Settlement_Final_Report_08.pdf {{DEFAULTSORT:Odavoren Anglicised Irish-language surnames Irish writers Irish families Irish Brehon families Families of Irish ancestry