It should be pointed out that families of the Galloway region of
southwest Scotland, though of Gaelic origin in many cases, cannot be placed in the larger
tribal framework of Gaeldom. The reason for this is their descent from
Norse-Gaelic pirates
and sea-kings who originally settled the area, whose tribal identity or continuity was
lost as that tribalism completely lost its political significance. Thus the families of
Kennedy, MacDowell, MacClellan, etc., of the Galloway region, though they form clan groups
traceable from about the end of the twelfth century, fall outside the scope of Part II of
this book. Other families in the south of Scotland are of Norman origin, but as their
ancestors settled in the Lowlands of South Scotland, outside the area of Gaelic influence
and cultural assimilation...
The Ui Bloid were a branch of the Ui Toirdealbhaigh whose territory
originally lay around the deanery of Omulled in the east of County Clare. Besides the
O’Shanahans and O’Duracks, the Ui Bloid comprised the chiefly families of
O’Aherne and O’Kennedy. The Ui Cearnaigh, of which the O’Ahernes (0
Eachtighearna) were the chief family, inhabited the territory around Six-mile-bridge until
they were driven out about 1318 by the MacNamaras. Afterwards they are found chiefly in
Limerick and Cork, but also in Waterford.
The O’Kennedys (0 Cinnide) derive their
descent from Cinneidigh, son of Donnchuan, brother of Brian Boru (see under O’Brien
above). They were originally seated at Glenomra, where their territory was coextensive
with the present parish of Killokennedy, in the east of County Clare. On being driven from
that territory by the O’Briens and MacNamaras, they afterwards settled in
north-central Tipperary, in the baronies of Upper and Lower Ormond, where they became
numerous and far more powerful than they had ever been before. From the twelfth to
sixteenth centuries they ranked as Lords of Ormond, and were divided into three great
branches, 0 Ginneide Fionn (The Fair O’Kennedy), 0 Cinneide Donn (The Brown
O’Kennedy) and 0 Ginneide Ruadh (The Red O’Kennedy). They are said by Keating to
have considered themselves to be under the special protection of St. Ruadhan of Lorrha. A
branch of the family settled in Antrim about 1600. The existence of the Glann Gearnaigh
O’Kennedys of the Laiginian tribe of Ui Maine in Galway probably indicate the
pre—Dalcassian origin of the collateral kinsmen of Brian Boru (see Chapter IX), and
thus of the great Brian himself.