Farrelly

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O'Farrelly
Ó Faircheallaigh
Coat of arms of John Murphy Farley.svg
Parent houseConnachta
CountryIreland
Founded7th century
FounderFaircheallaigh
TitlesAbbot of Drumlane
Bishop of Kilmore
Bishop of Cleveland

O'Farrelly (Irish: Ó Faircheallaigh) is the first anglicised form of Ó Faircheallaigh, an Irish noble family of County Cavan who were historically the Abbots of Drumlane. The patronym means "descendant of Faircheallaigh", whose name means "super war".[1] Faircheallaigh was made the heir of Saint Máedóc of Ferns in the 7th century and his descendants were the hereditary Abbots of Drumlane for 7 centuries until David Ó Faircheallaigh was elevated as Bishop of Kilmore. The surname became Farrelly and Farley.

Major Patrick Farrelly (m. Elizabeth Mead) was born in Ireland in 1770 and founded the Farrelly political family of Pennsylvania, including his son David Farrelly, author of the third Pennsylvania Constitution (1836). The Irish-born General Terrence Farrelly was Speaker of the General Assembly of Arkansas Territory, the first judge of Arkansas County and author of the first Arkansas Constitution (1836). His son John Farrelly (m. Martha Clay) was a politician and his grandson John Patrick Farrelly became Bishop of Cleveland.[2]

Early history[]

The name was conceived in the 7th century when Saint Máedóc of Ferns baptised and renamed the sons of Ailill, whose descent from Niall, High King of Ireland, is recorded in the Lives of Irish Saints as: "Ailill, son of Rechtaide, son of Eitin, son of Felim, son of Caol, son of Áed, son of Ailill, son of Erc, son of Eógan, son of Niall of the Nine Hostages."[3] The brothers Mac Ailill thus became Fearghus and Faircheallaigh and were made Saint Máedóc's heirs to Rosinver Abbey and Drumlane Abbey. Of Ailill's two sons, it was Urcain Mac Ailill who was renamed Faircheallaigh (or Faircellach), and it was in 624 that Faircellach became the first Abbot of Drumlane. While the Irish title for a saint's heir can be coarb or erenagh, the Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland provide an authoritative translation in a note for the year 1025: "Dubhinsi Ua Faircheallaigh, Abbot of Druim-leathan, died."[4]

The Life of Máedóc of Ferns states: "Once when Máedóc was at Ferns at the end of his time, the angel of the Lord revealed to him that the term of his days and the end of his life was now approaching and drawing nigh, and bade him go to the place of his resurrection, and to the site of his burial, and to leave his churches and noble annoits, and his chosen sanctuaries, to their native gentry and to their proper heirs after him. Máedóc did so. He left Ferns and its lands under the authority of Cele and Aedan, and with their race and descendants, together with the perpetual obligation of levying and collecting the tribute dues of Leinster, and of dividing them impartially among his churches and coarbs, as we said above. He went thence to Drumlane, and did the same in that church. He left the headship and coarbship of that church with Urcain, son of Ailill, who was called Faircellach. Máedóc had baptized this man, Urcain, and given him the name of Faircellach; for these were the two first attendants that Máedóc had, viz. Faircellach and Fergus his brother, two sons of Ailill." The descendants of Faircheallaigh were thereafter called the Ó Faircheallaigh and from that time onwards were the abbots of Drumlane Abbey in County Cavan, Ireland. According to the Life, Faircheallaigh's other brother, Fearghus (or Fergus) was made the first Abbot of Rosinver in County Leitrim.

The Life then gives the succession of the O'Farrellys up to the time of Fergal ua Ruairc, King of Connacht from 956 to 967: "When fierce Maedoc died, both wall and great garden, the church with its horned cattle, were entrusted by him to Faircheallaigh. After Faircheallaighdied, the protection of the church was entrusted to the welcoming countenance which never refused a company, to the noble man, to Maelchiaráin. Cúduilig, short was his activity, after forcible Maelchiaráin; Three years were these two undoubtedly in the coarbship after one another. Maelbrigde of the melodious voice, Concobar was his son; Maelbrigde did not succeed to the fair church, but his son Concobar succeeded."[5]

Abbots of Drumlane[]

Modern Era[]

Several O'Farrellys are mentioned in the Fiants of 19 January 1586 when Queen Elizabeth I of England granted them pardons for fighting against the Queen's forces. In some archival material, the 1882 transcription of the Fiants misspells the name as Irielli by leaving out the initial 'F' (Page 143, Document 4813): "Pardon to Hugh, son of Hugh, son of William Firielli of Droumlain; Patrick son of Hugh, son of William Firielli of same; Moyle-Shaughelen, son of Gillpatrick, son of William Firielli; John, son of Gillpatrick, son of William Firielli; Henry, son of Gillpatrick, son of William Firielli; Donel, son of Gillpatrick, son of Hugh Firielli; Edmond, son of Hugh, son of Hugh Firielli; Gillpatrick, son of Thomas, son of Gillpatrick Firielli; Shane, son of Morrish, son of Mahowne Firielli."[6] In the Census of Ireland, 1911 there were 1,075 Farrellys recorded in County Cavan.[7]

Notable Farrellys[]

Related articles[]

References[]

  1. ^ Patrick Woulfe (1923). Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall: Irish Names and Surnames. Dublin: M H Gill & Sons. p. 520.
  2. ^ Avery, Elroy McKendree (1918). A History of Cleveland and Its Environs: The Heart of New Connecticut. Lewis Publishing Company.
  3. ^ Lives of Irish Saints
  4. ^ "Part 12 of Bethada Náem nÉrenn".
  5. ^ "Bethada Náem Nérenn = lives of Irish Saints". 1922.
  6. ^ "The ... Report of the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records in Ireland / Presented to both houses of the Parliament by command of Her Majesty". 1882.
  7. ^ "National Archives: Census of Ireland 1911".
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