DeDanaan

Filed by Aine MacDermot

Generally, republican and socialist historians tend to prefer to start off with 1798. When they do venture in the field of Irish Kings and Chieftains, they curiously seem to follow English propaganda perspectives. We ought to have a better understanding and a clearer perception of the old Gaelic monarchy and its social system, and not merely echo the prejudices of the Anglicised and English historians. We should also come to grips with how native Irish monarchy - examined from the Gaelic perspective - was systematically destroyed during the period 1541-1613. Furthermore, we should learn how some of those ancient families either went abroad or underground in Ireland.

James Connolly thought that the descendants of these Irish Chiefly families from the 17th Century were educated at ”the schools of continental Catholic despots” and returned to Ireland ”with a loyalty for King George III”. I beg to differ with Connolly that, after the mid-17th Century, the Irish aristocracy were ”all of foreign or traitor origin”.

After their removal from political influence by England, many surviving members of the native Gaelic aristocracy continued to play roles in the development of the Irish patriotic and even republican movements.

The O’Conor Don, the senior surviving head of the O’Conor Kings of Connacht, was actually an early recruit to the United Irishmen. His son Charles, and his grandson Thomas, were active members. In fact, after the suppression of 1798, both Charles and Thomas had to flee from Ireland to the United States. Thomas continued his radical activities there and became editor of a New York paper which supported the U.S. line during the 1812 war with Britain. His son became the first Catholic candidate for the U.S. presidency, standing against Ulysses Grant.

Another prominent United Irishman was Ruaraidh (known as Roger) The O’Connor Kerry, who was arrested in 1797 and sent to Fort George in Scotland. He spent five years or more in jail and then was exiled in Paris. Without the O’Conor Kerry there might not have been a Northern Star, nor Charter of the Working Men’s Association. Why? Because Feargus Edward O’Conor was his son, the Chartist leader, who could claim to be the O’Conor Kerry.

Ruaraidh MacDermot of Moylurg, a scion of The MacDermot, prince of Coolavin, was actually one of the Irish Volunteers who fought in the General Post Office Garrison in 1916. He fought with the Volunteers throughout the War of Independence. And one should also remember that The O’Rahilly gave his life at the GPO in 1916.

Jorge O’Neill of Clanaboy, a descendant of the The O’Neill of Clanaboy, rejected his Portuguese peerage when he succeeded to the Gaelic title, The O’Neill, in 1901. He succeeded through Brehon Law succession, a method of succession which many of the Chiefly families of Ireland continued to use and still do. That is the head of the house, the holder of the Gaelic title, is still elected by the derbbfhine of the family which, according to the law, are three generations from a common great-grandfather. Jorge was regarded as a prince of Ulster and believed in putting his money where his mouth was. A friend of Roger Casement, he sent money via Casement to establish and arm the Irish Volunteers in 1914. Prior to that he’d sent money to help fund Irish-language schools in Ireland.

I think that had Connolly had been in possession of all the facts, he would not have made such a blanket condemnation of them. But recognising their historical contribution is not, of course, the same thing as arguing for a restoration of a native Gaelic monarchy.

Understanding how Gaelic monarchy and its aristocracy was destroyed also gives us some idea of the proto-democratic workings of the ancient Brehon law system. Of the 60 major Gaelic Kings, Princes and Dukes, whom we now have a tendency to call merely ‘Chiefs’, which were enumerated for Henry VIII prior to his conquests, only a handful survived the devastations. Today, the Chief Herald of Ireland, gives courtesy recognition to 19 heads of Gaelic families who are the direct descendants of the last Gaelic title holders. The Chief Herald of Ireland representing the Irish state though, claims that only these Gaelic title holders who claim their titles by the primogeniture laws of England can be recognised. Ignoring the Chief Herald, the houses of the MacCarthy Mór of Desmond, the O’Neill’s of Ulster, the O’Donoghue of the Glens and others, maintain their titles under the Brehon successional laws.

The extent of the manuscripts, family treasures and other materials taken into exile from the end of the Tudor period through the 17th and 18th Centuries, must give us pause as we contemplate the possibilities. Until we can rescue all of the material that has been neglected in these European repositories, covering over 1,000 years of Irish history, we will only have glimpses of Irish historical reality and never a total picture.

These are the untilled fields that must be cultivated.

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This in an edited version of a lecture given at the annual Desmond Greaves Summer School on 29 August 1998. The full text of the lecture is available on request. Contact Aengus at An Phoblacht/Republican News, 58 Cearnóg Pharnell, Baile Atha Cliath.

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