top of page

Septs or Families of our Clan

​

Origins of the Ó Dochartaighs

The Irish surname Ó Dochartaigh may be translated as “grandson/descendant of Dochartach.”[1]  The medieval Irish genealogies give Dochartach as the circa 9th-century progenitor of the clan.[2]  A very rare name, Dochartach was most probably an epithet which subsumed his birth name and was likely earned through valiant feats in the battlefield.[3]  The Irish annals relate how the leaders of the family which was descended from him became regional chieftains in eastern Donegal.[4]  Some generations afterward, Dochartach’s descendants adopted this name as their hereditary surname to identify themselves as a distinct group, thus beginning the surname Ó Dochartaigh.[5] More on Origins of the Ó Dochartaigh>>

​

Other lineages likely joined the Ó Dochartaighs

During the mid-medieval period hereditary surnames were just beginning to come into use. Undoubtedly, some families who were allied or geographically associated with the Ó Dochartaighs almost certainly assumed the name. According to the Clans of Ireland, “Irish clans were composed of those who were related by blood but also by those who were adopted and fostered into the clan as well as those who joined the clan for strategic reasons such as safety or combining of lands and resources. However, all members of the clan bore the same surname.”[6] This, along with non-paternal events, explains why there are some clusters and individuals who have a yDNA haplotype outside of the prominent “Group 1” clustering identified by the Doherty Y-DNA study at FamilyTreeDNA.[7] However, if you don't match the majority of Ó Dochartaigh Y-DNA testers that doesn't necessarily mean you're not part of the Ó Dochartaigh clann. Clans of Ireland says, “membership of an Irish Clan is frequently linked to an individual’s identity and is strongly associated with a shared common heritage and culture.”[8]

​

The formation of septs or subfamilies that branched from the Ó Dochartaighs

In addition to those who bear a variant of the Ó Dochartaigh surname (such as Doherty, Dougherty, Daugherty, and others), the Ó Clery Book of Genealogies gives the following listing of septs or families as being descended from the Ó Dochartaighs:

David, from whom are the Clann Davids. Ailin, from whom are descended the Clann Ailin.  Feabhal, from whom are descended the Clann Feabhal. Giolla Brighde, from whom are descended the Clann Mac Giolla bride. Donal oge, from whom are descended the Clann or sept of Donal oge. All these are the progeny of Eachmarcagh oge, son of Eachmarcagh sronmhaoil [Ó Dochartaigh].[9]

​

Tomás G. Ó Canann’s “Notes on medieval Donegal,” in Donegal Annual 66, gives the modern surnames associated with the families above which O'Clery mentioned:

  • Clann David are the MacDevitts.

  • Clann Ailín are the MacAllens.

  • Clann Feabhaíl are the MacFauls.

  • Clann Mac Giolla Bhrighde are the MacBrides.

  • Clann of Donal oge are the MacConnellogues.[10]

​

Did the Genealogists Lie?

Genetic evidence appears to lend support to O’Clery’s record that some of those families have a biological connection to the Ó Dochartaighs. However, in other cases, there is no genetic link and history itself rejects O’Clery’s genealogical association. One might ask, “Why would some genealogies appear to be falsified from what we know today?” Well, the scholars of the medieval era were, in some basica ways, not so different than those of today, in that they were simply trying to make sense of their present world, and their interpretation was represented in their work. Some modern, revisionist scholars such as believe the Irish genealogies do not strictly represent the biological lineages. Rather, the genealogies were also a way of representing and making sense of later political affiliations that were in the world of their day.[11] Undoubtedly, some discrepancies may have been honest mistakes, while almost certainly there are occasionally elements of later political propaganda. Some Irish historians dismiss the medieval Irish genealogies altogether, as the expression goes “throwing the baby out with the bathwater.” However, diligent scholarship should seek to carefully employ other disciplines, such as genetics, to evaluate the evidence in favor or against each claim. In addition to the surnames mentioned above from O’Clery, there are several other surnames which other scholars or sources suggest may also have a connection to the Ó Dochartaigh clann.

​

Why are there branches with other surnames?

Why do we see the rise of new surnames and subfamilies branching forth from the already established Ó Dochartaigh clann? O’Donivan’s notes to on the Irish topographical poems, tell us that “In the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, when the Irish families had increased, and their territories were divided into two or more parts among rivals of the same family, each of the contending chieftains adopted some addition to the family surname, for the sake of distinction… The O’Dogherty’s of Inishowen, [were divided] into O’Doghertys, MacDevitts, and MacConnelloges.”[12] Thus, it seems some prominent families within the clann began to adopt new surnames, giving rise to a host of related branches or ‘septs’ associated with the Ó Dochartaighs.

​

The McDevitt Family

The Mac Daibhéid family of Inishowen, often anglicized today as McDevitt or McDaid, means “son of David.”[13] O’Clery indicates that the “Clann Davids” (McDevitts) were descendants of one David Ó Dochartaigh.[14] This almost certainly is a reference to David, the Ó Dochartaigh chieftain who was slain in battle, alongside other Cenél Conaill leaders, in 1208.[15] This family was closely allied to the Ó Dochartaighs and served as advisors and emissaries to later Ó Dochartaigh chieftains.[16] As far as genetic evidence goes, there is a growing McDevitt / McDaid “clade” or grouping of men positive for the SNP (genetic marker) named R-A11106. Being a branch of Y-Haplotree (the paternal human genetic family tree) only a few generations down from R-BY471, this group falls under the prominent “Group 1” clustering along with many other Ó Dochartaigh surnamed men in the Doherty Y-DNA study at FamilyTreeDNA. At present (June 2023), there are at least six men with a paternal McDevitt or McDaid lineage (most of whom bear the surname) who have tested positive for the R-A11106 marker. Beyond this, there are another dozen men who have not taken next generation sequencing (NGS) Y-DNA tests, but who have been grouped together with those who are R-A11106 positive, based on their STR markers from other Y-DNA tests (such as the Y-37, 67, and 111 STR tests). Additionally, there are a couple other McDevitt / McDaid men in the Doherty Y-DNA study who have tested positive for other branches downstream of the prominent Ó Dochartaigh genetic signature, R-BY471.[17] Based on this Y-DNA evidence, it appears the Mac Daibhéids are indeed a sept of the Ó Dochartaigh clann. Continue>>

​

The McBride Family

While there are several McBride families of various origins, Ó Clery indicates that at least one group of County Donegal “Clann Mac Giolla bride” were descended from Gilla-Brighde the grandson of Echmarcach “Gilla Sron-mael” Ó Dochartaigh, king of the Cenél Conaill.[18] Whether or not this is the same person, the Irish annals record that same this king Echmarcach [also?] had a son named Gilla-Brighde who died with him in battle in 1197 against the Anglo-Norman forces of Sir John de Courcy.[19] Over time the name “Mac Giolla Bhríghde” has been shortened to McBride, Gillbride, Kilbride, or other variants.[20] At present (Sept. 2023), three McBride surnamed men in the McBride group at FamilyTreeDNA have taken Y-DNA tests which have tested positive for R-BY470, a subclade of the prominent Ó Dochartaigh genetic signature R-BY471. One of these men who has more granular results is postive for R-FTB81770 a subclade shared with another tester surnamed Bridgeman.[21] Researchers at the Genelach Dáil Cuinn Project have speculated the creative possibility that this Bridgeman may have been a two-step name shift with his lineage's Ó Dochartaigh morphing to Ó Drochtaig (Irish for bridgemaker) which then was translated into English as Bridgeman.[21b] However, with Bridgeman being joined under R1b-FTB81770 with a McBride (Mac Gilla Brigde), it seems possible that the Mac Gilla Brigde surname, which was later shortened to Mac Brigde, may have formed Bridgeman. While more McBride testers with County Donegal roots are needed to draw a sound conclusion, there is some hope that future testing may establish that there is a genetic connection between some Donegal McBrides and the Ó Dochartaigh clann. Continue>>

​

The McConlogue Family

An earlier quote from Ó Clery’s Book of Genealogies says “Donal oge, from whom are descended the Clann or sept of Donal oge.” Here the historian is indicating the descendants of Donal oge Ó Dochartaigh took the surname, “Mac Dhomhnaill Óg.”[22] However, over the years the letter “D” was aspirated, making the pronunciation “Mac’oneloge,” which was later anglicized as MacConnellogue.[23] O’Donivan's translation of Ó Dubhagain and Ó Huidhrin's Topographical Poems say “The O’Dogherty's of Inishowen, [were divided] into O'Doghertys, MacDevitts, and MacConnelloges.”[24] John Grenham’s website says “McConologe” is a “rare” surname and shows it to be found in and near Inishowen.[25] Rare, indeed—current population estimates of the family based on many variants of the name indicate there just from several hundred to just over a thousand people bearing this surname today. The most popular spellings are Conlogue, McConlogue, McConnellogue, McConalogue, McConologue, Conilogue, and Conologue.[26] So far, we’re not aware of any Conlogues who have taken advanced Y-DNA testing to determine whether they fall into a Y-DNA haplogroup as the Ó Dochartaighs. However, there is a recent "McConnell" surnamed tester who has tested positive for R-BY31357 a subclade of the heavily Ó Dochartaigh-surname-populated R-BY471.[26b] While this McConnell could have an SCE (surname change event) on his paternal lineage, it is equally possible that one of his ancestors was a McConnelloge who dropped the ending "-oge" from his surname changing the family name the more common McConnell. We would love to find members of this family who are willing to take DNA tests to help evaluate this possible connection.

​

The MacDubháin Family

The Irish annals mention a Mac Dubháin amongst the nobles slain alongside king Echmarcach Ó Dochartaigh against John de Courcy in 1197.[27] Short of this reference one may find the name in Ó Dubhagáin’s Topographical Poems and in the Ceart Uí Néill, which identify the Mac Dubháin family as chiefs of Tír Éanna during the 12th century.[28] Interestingly, Tír Éanna or Cenél nÉanna (a location roughly equivalent to the historical barony of Raphoe) was a territory under the rule of the Ó Dochartaigh chieftains.[29] There is no Mac Dubháin pedigree in the major Irish genealogies, however, four manuscripts copied by the renowned Ó Neachtain group of scholars in the early 18th century (RIA MS 153 [23 M 17], 106a; et al.) give a twelve-generation pedigree of the Mac Dubháin (“Geinealach Mheag Udhain”). In each copy, presumably from an earlier common source, the entry for the Mac Dubháin immediately follows the pedigrees of the Ó Dochartaighs and points back to the Mac Dubháin as being descendants of a son of “Domhnaill Droma Furnochta,” son of “Maoínghaile”—both names of early Ó Dochartaigh progenitors. The Mac Dubháin surname has a number of variants in Irish (Mac Dubháin, Mág Dhubáin, Meagudháin, MacGúain) and in English (McGwean, McGugyne, McGuane), though the anglicizations have mostly been erroneously modernized under the surname McGowan.[30] It is important to remember that while most of the Mac Dubháin descendants have likely been anglicized to “McGowan,” very few of the McGowan will be a Mac Dubháin, because McGowan (the Irish name for Smith) may have originated later in the various descendants of metal smiths throughout Ireland.[31] There is a need for men from this family to take advanced Y-DNA tests (such as a Big Y-700) or take specific SNP packs to help evaluate this potential connection. Please contact us if you are interested.

​

The McCafferty Family 

Woulfe’s Irish Names and Surnames says that the County Donegal surname MacEachmharcaigh, which is oft anglicized McCafferty, “is probably a branch of the O’Dohertys, among whom Eachmharcaigh was a personal name.” Woulfe says the Donegal surname literally means “son of the horse-rider”.[32] With this meaning, earlier O’Dochartaigh researchers conjectured the family may have been the branch of Ó Dochartaigh cavalry.[33] Other sources also suggest the family was “associated with the O’Dohertys of Donegal.”[34] Historian Brian Mitchell said McCafferty was the 33rd most common surname in Derry, but he assumes the name arose from the O’Donnells (for the same reason Woulfe associated the family with the Ó Dochartaighs). Mitchell continued “The name has become confused with McCaffrey, a sept which traces its decent from Donn Carrach Maguire, king of Fermanagh, who died in 1302.”[35] Genetics do show a couple of “McCaffery” men together among a clade of McGuires in the Y-Haplogroup R-FGC9800.[36] However, recently (as of June 2023), there have been two “McCafferty” men who have taken NGS Y-DNA tests and have tested positive for the SNP R-BY18281 which is a branch of R-BY471, the prominent Ó Dochartaigh genetic signature.[37] Additional testers would be welcomed to further evaluate this possible connection.

​

The McKillker Family 

McKillker (Mac Giolla Gheáirr) is known as an “old, but extremely rare” surname from County Mayo.[38] However, Tomás G. Ó Canann, in his article “Gaelic Surnames and Settlement Patterns in Southwest Donegal, 1659-1857,” singles out a separate County Donegal family—Mac Giolla Chathair—which has also been anglicized McKillker.[39] He says the name is found in the Hearth Money Tax Rolls of 1665 within the area of Glencolumbkille and Kilcar. In communication with Ó Canann, Irish scholar Nollaig Ó Muraíle suggested this name “may represent a sept of the Ó Dochartaigh family where the personal name Cathaoir is attested.”[40] There is no known historical connection between this surname and the Ó Dochartaighs. At this point, the potential association is only scholarly conjecture, and we would gladly welcome McKillker testers with County Donegal roots.

​

The MacPherson Warriors from Aine O’Cathain’s Dowry

A recent paper by Edward Kane and Dwayne O’Neill titled “Aine O’Cathain and the Dowry Warriors” brings to the surface a Scottish record claiming connection to the Ó Dochartaighs. The paper’s focus is on comparing the surnames in the dowry of Aine Ní Chatháin (O’Kane) against the Y-DNA Haplotree. Aine’s circa 1300 marriage to Angus Og MacDonald, Lord of the Isles, was marked by a dowry of perhaps up to 140 warriors.[41] Among these warriors, the paper's authors quote what has been labelled the “Hugh MacDonald manuscript” which says these warriors were “men out of every surname under O’Kaine.” Particularly, it says among these were “The MacPhersons who are not the same with the MacPhersons of Badenoch, but are of the O’Docharties in Ireland…”[42] Firstly, the authorship of the Hugh MacDonald manuscript is somewhat uncertain.[43] Also, unfortunately, some of the genealogical and other details are known to contain a number of inaccuracies.[44] Kane and O’Neill’s study identified several MacPherson / McFerson men on the Y-DNA Haplotree. One of these was R-FGC57760 positive, as is a cluster of O’Cathain related surnames. Another several men they identified were positive for SNPs downstream of R-DF85. While the marker R-DF85 appears to be associated with some notable Cenél Conaill surnames including the Ó Dochartaighs, none of these MacPherson / McFerson testers were closely related to the known Ó Dochartaigh clusters. This does not preclude the possibility that there could have been warriors who assumed the name MacPherson serving as mercenaries to the Ó Dochartaigh chief or otherwise living within territories of Ard-Midhair or Cenél nÉanna which were ruled by the Ó Dochartaighs circa 1300. However, the present genetic evidence does not suggest a biological relationship with the family. Alternatively, the association of the MacPherson warriors to the “O’Docharties in Ireland” could be one of the numerous errors within the Hugh MacDonald manuscript.

​

The McMonagle Family

While there is no known pedigree giving the origin of the McMonagle sept of county Donegal, recent genetic testing has raised the possibility that this family may be descended from the Ó Dochartaighs. Only two McMonigle men have taken advanced Y-DNA tests, that we are aware of, and both of them have tested into the same genetic haplogroup (branch of the genetic family tree) that the majority of Ó Dochartaigh men reside. Being that three of the known early Ó Dochartaigh patriarchs bore the given name Maonghal—and that the name McMonagle literally means "son of Maonghal"—it seems quite possible that the McMonagle may be a sept of Ó Dochartaighs. Continue>>

​

The McManamon Family

McManamon is an "old surname common in Tirconnell" (co. Donegal) according to Woulfe's Irish Names and Surnames. No known pedigree exists to give us a genealogical origin for the family McManamon, however, it's possible that genetics may shed some light on the subject. Doherty Y-DNA Project administrator, Zack Daugherty, discovered that the only McManamon known to have explored advanced Y-DNA testing, falls under a branch of the R-BY471 haplogroup, amongst the primary concentration of Ó Dochartaigh testers. This surname—which may be anglicized a variety of ways including MacMenamin, MacMeenamon, MacMenim, Menemin, and Merriman, among others—means "son of Meanma"; Meanma being an Irish given name which means "courage" or "high spirits" (Library Ireland, Mac Meanman). The data is too limited to make any certain conclusion presently, but we plan to keep an eye out for future genetic testing which could indicate a McManamon connection to Clann Ó Dochartaigh.

​

The Ó Morgair Family (historic)

Several texts on 12th century St. Malachy O'Morgair of Ireland (the archbishop to whom is attributed the controversial "Prophecy of the Popes") mention that his extended family, those of the name O'Morgair, changed their surname to O'Dougherty. Manuscripts mentioning the broader families from which St. Malachy was descended list the same names as those from which the Ó Dochartaigh sprang. Furthermore, scholars believe that the family bearing the O'Morgair surname had not merely "changed" their name per se, but had only "resumed" their earlier surname, Ó Dochartaigh. Thus, it would explain why the O'Morgair name is now extinct, because they are believed to have returned to their original Ó Dochartaigh surname. Continue>>

​

The Manley Family

The Munley/Manley Surname Project at FamilyTreeDNA points to a legend preserved within John O'Donivan's letters accompanying the 1835 Ordnance Survey of Ireland that a "Monaoile Ó Dochartaigh and his men left the Inishowen Peninsula and moved into County Mayo in Connought in the mid-16th century...Monaoile Ó Dochartaigh's male descendants began using the surname Ó Monaoile (broadly meaning 'descendant of Monaoile'). Ó Monaoile was anglicized and the O' dropped leaving the name Monnelly or Munnelly. The Munley / Manley Surname Project has a variety of anglicizations of the name, including Munnelly, Minelly, McNelly, McAnelly, and others. While one of their testers, anglicized "McNeely", with roots in county Mayo, tested under the Y-DNA haplogroup R-DF97 (where many Ó Dochartaigh men test), three testers with the name Manley or Monnelly all fall under the R-Y44770, which is a significant genetic distance from most Ó Dochartaighs on the Y-DNA family tree (Munley/Manley Surname Project). Although there are few testers, the evidence may be beginning to weigh against the legend contained in the Ordnance Survey.

​

The McAllen Family

Ó Clery shows "Clann Ailín" as descendants of the Ó Dochartaighs, though historical records overwhelmingly tell us they were a family of the elite Scottish mercenaries, called "gallowglass" and genetic evidence rejects the claim that this family is biologically related to the Ó Dochartaighs. According to Woulfe, the MacAllens (anglicised "McAline, McAlline, MacAllion, MacAllen, MacAllon, MacEllin, MacEllen, etc.") meant "son of Ailín" and tells that they were "a branch of the Campbells of Scotland, some of whom were brought over by the O'Donnells as fighting-men, about the middle of the 16th century, and settled in Tirconnell" (Library Ireland, Mac Ailin). A 1602 Elizabethan pardon list includes the names of a number of McAlin men in the army of the O'Dohertys tell us their connection was not a biological one, but rather a political one.

​

The McFaul Family

Ó Clery claimed that Clann Feabhaíl (anglicized Foyle) were a branch of the the Ó Dochartaighs. Woulfe's Irish Names and Surnames, on the other hand, say that this name, Ó Maolfhábhail (meaning 'descendant of Maolfábhail', that is, 'fond of travel') was "the name of a family of Cinel Eoghain who were chiefs of Carraig Brachaidh, anglicised Carrickabraghy, in the north-west of the barony of Inishowen, Co. Donegal;...It is generally anglicised Mulfall, or MacFaal, in Ulster..." (Library Ireland, Ó Maolfábhail). Historic information from other genealogies and annals reject Ó Clery's claim of an Ó Dochartaigh origin for this family, neither does genetic research support it. According to John Grenham, the name McFall or McFaul is quite numerous in counties Antrim, Derry, and Donegal, but include, in addition to the anglicized Irish Ó Maolfábhail name, a mix of other families of the same anglicization from of English and Scots origin (Grenham, McFall). One of these other families are the MacPháils, meaning 'son of Paul', a sept of Clan Chattan of the western Highlands (The Clan Chattan Association). Perhaps this apparently fictitious genealogy was a way of asserting Ó Docharthaigh power as Lords of Inishowen by creating a historic connection with the historic Lords of Carrickabraghy, one of three early kingdoms within Inishowen, most of whom were (between the years 835-1215 AD) from the family Ó Maolfhabhaill (AFM).

​

Allied Families (Not Related)

In the handwritten notes Sir Henry Dockwra wrote describing the families of Inishowen in 1601, he listed six "septs" or subfamilies of the Ó Dochartaigh's name, along with the McDevitts and McAllens, but also added these two families who were allied under the Lordship of the Ó Dochartaighs:

  • Clan Laughlins (McLaughlin of Inishowen)

  • Muinter Brallohan (Bradley of Inishowen) (see Library Ireland, Ó Brolochain)

It's clear that Dockwra is not drawing a genealogical connection between these families, but rather a political connection. He continues by saying "where the others [Ó Dochartaighs] are Lords of senior noble blood, as their leaders, yet they [these other septs, McDevitt, McLaughlin, McAllen, & Bradley] are greater in power and wealth than many of the others [individual sub-Ó Dochartaigh septs] and of them are commonly chosen counselors and officers to the Lord [the Ó Dochartaigh chief] who holds them in great dignity." One can plainly see these family alliances in action in Elizabethan Fiant #5566, a pardon of Sir Cahir O'Dogherties standing army, which included many names from each of these allied families (Brallohan is sometimes erroneously spelled Raulaghan in the Fiants). This is another example of political connections due to these families being allied under the Ó Dochartaigh.

​

Families who Accidentally Switched Names

There are undoubtedly a few bearing an anglicization of the Ó Dochartaigh surname who are not truly members of the Clan. For instance, according to Woulfe's Irish Names and Surnames, some of the Ó Dubhartaigh sept of Munster (southern Ireland) have, over time, been erroneously be anglicized as Doherty (Library Ireland, Ó Dubhartaigh). Across the seas from our homeland, there are undoubtedly other non-related families who, due to phonetic spelling, dialects, and a distance from their heritage, wrongly associated with a variant spelling of the Ó Dochartaigh name. Conversely, there are possibly true Ó Dochartaigh descendants who have erroneously taken a non-Ó Dochartaigh variant, such as Daughety, Dockery, Daughtry, Darty, or others. In addition to this surnames and genetics are sometimes switched due to non-paternal events.

​

                

Sources:

  1. Patrick Woulfe, “Ó Dochartaigh,” Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall: Irish Names and Surnames (Dublin, IRE: M. H. Gill & son, 1923), 497-8. https://books.google.com/books?id=YUQZAAAAIAAJ.

  2. Séamus Pender, “The O Clery Book of Genealogies: 23 D 17 (R.I.A.).” Analecta Hibernica, no. 18 (1951): ix–198. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25511857. See p. 17 for the genealogy of “Dochartaich,” §237

  3. Damian Mc Manus, email message to Will Dougherty III, 25 Oct 2018. “Given its meaning (‘hurtful’ etc. from the noun dochor ‘harm, disadvantage’, legal ‘bad contract’) it probably started life as an epithet to another personal name and then became a personal name itself…”

  4. Annals of Ulster (AU), 1197.4, 1203.2, 1252.6, 1288.6, 1339.8, 1356.4, 1369.3, 1413.2, 1516.8, 1526.9.

  5. The first use recorded in the annals may be found in AU 1180.4, 1180.7.

  6. Clans of Ireland, “History,” accessed June 13, 2023. https://www.clansofireland.ie/history/.

  7. FamilyTreeDNA, “Doherty Surname Group,” accessed June 13, 2023. https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/doherty/dna-results. The prominent cluster of Ó Dochartaigh surnamed men labelled “Group 1” is positive for the R-BY471 SNP; FamilyTreeDNA, “Scientific Details” for “Haplogroup R-BY471,” accessed June 13, 2023. https://discover.familytreedna.com/y-dna/R-BY471/scientific. The current estimated “Time to Most Recent Common Ancestor” (TMRCA) for those positive for the R-BY471 SNP is between 1,469 - 1,021 YBP (554 - 1002 CE) with a mean of 1,226 YBP (797 CE).

  8. Clans of Ireland, “Start a Clan,” accessed June 13, 2023. https://www.clansofireland.ie/start-a-clan/.

  9. Pender, “The O Clery Book of Genealogies,” §300. Translation from John D. McLaughlin, “O’Clery’s Book of Genealogies,” McLaughlin of Dún na nGall (clanmaclochlainn.com) at Internet Archive’s The Wayback Machine, https://web.archive.org/web/20161018183727/http://clanmaclochlainn.com/gensourc.htm.

  10. Tomás G. Ó Canann, “Notes on medieval Donegal [I],” Donegal Annual 66 (2014), 4–15. See the subheading “Mac Dubháin chiefs of Tír Éanna.”

  11. Brian Lacey, Lug’s Forgotten Donegal Kingdom: The Archaeology, History and Folklore of the Sil Lugdach of Cloghaneely (Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2012).

  12. John O’Donivan, The topographical poems of John O'Dubhagain and Giolla na naomh O'Huidhrin (Dublin, IRE: Irish Archaeological and Celtic Society, 1862), 19-21. https://archive.org/details/topographicalpoe00odonuoft.

  13. Woulfe, “Mac Daibhéid,” Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall: Irish Names and Surnames, 348.

  14. Pender, “The O Clery Book of Genealogies,” §300.

  15. Annals of the Four Masters (AFM), 1208.2; AU 1209.1.

  16. AFM 1601.7. “but the Clann-Ailin and the Clann-Devitt took Cahir, the son of John Oge [Ó Dochartaigh], to the English, to Derry; and the General, Sir Henry Docwra, styled him O’Doherty”; Henry Docwra, A Narration…, ed. John O’Donivan (CELT Project, University College Cork, Ireland), p. 248. https://research.ucc.ie/celt/document/E610005-002. Docwra says that “Hugh Boye & Phelim Reaugh” Mac Davitt were trusted by Seán Óg O’Doherty, lord of Inishowen, to foster his son Cahir.

  17. FamilyTreeDNA, “Doherty Surname Group,” accessed June 13, 2023. https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/doherty/dna-results. See “Group 01.2.1.1.0” and “Group 01.1.2.0.0”; For the tree structure, cf. Alex Williamson, “The Big Tree: R-A11106,” The Big Tree (ytree.net), accessed June 13, 2023. https://www.ytree.net/DisplayTree.php?blockID=1954.

  18. Pender, “The O Clery Book of Genealogies,” §300.

  19. AU 1197.4, AFM 1197.4, Annals of Loch Cé (LC) 1196.21.

  20. Woulfe, “Mac Giolla Bhríghde,” Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall: Irish Names and Surnames, 368

  21. FamilyTreeDNA, “McBride,” accessed June 13, 2023. https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/mc-bride/dna-results; 21b "Sunday, 2022-Jan-02, AM" post by user "Ollam" at Genelach Dáil Cuinn Project Forum. https://genelach.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=912.

  22. Pender, “The O Clery Book of Genealogies,” §300.

  23. Edward MacLysaght, “Mac Connellogue,” Surnames of Ireland (Blackrock, Co. Dublin: Irish Academic Press, 1985), 55. https://archive.org/details/surnamesofirelan0000macl_m7u6.

  24. John O’Donivan, The topographical poems of John O'Dubhagain and Giolla na naomh O'Huidhrin, 21.

  25. John Grenham, “McConologe,” Irish Ancestors, accessed June 13, 2023. https://www.johngrenham.com/findasurname.php?surname=McConologe.

  26. Forebears, “Conlogue,” accessed June 13, 2023. https://forebears.io/surnames/conlogue; 26b. FamilyTreeDNA, “Doherty Surname Group,” accessed Sept. 25, 2023. https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/doherty/dna-results.

  27. AU 1197.4, LC 1196.21, AFM 1197.4.

  28. John O’Donivan, The topographical poems…, 19; Éamon Ó Doibhlin, “Ceart Uí Néill: A Discussion and Translation of the Document,” Seanchas Ardmhacha: Journal of the Armagh Diocesan Historical Society 5, no. 2 (1970): 324-358 (327).

  29. AFM 1199.5, 1342.7.

  30. Tomás G. Ó Canann, “Notes on medieval Donegal [I],” Donegal Annual 66 (2014), 4–15. See the subheading “Mac Dubháin chiefs of Tír Éanna.”

  31. MacLysaght, “Mac Gowan,” Surnames of Ireland, 133.

  32. Woulfe, “Mac Eachmharcaigh,” Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall: Irish Names and Surnames, 356.

  33. The previous research was published in the Ár nDúthcas clann newsletters (https://www.odohertyheritage.org/newsletters). Note, however, there is a specific mention in AU 1339.8 that chieftain Donnell O’Doherty had one of the largest cavalries in Ireland at the time of his death.

  34. John Grenham, “McCafferty,” Irish Ancestors, accessed June 13, 2023. https://www.johngrenham.com/findasurname.php?surname=McCafferty.

  35. Brian Mitchell, The Surnames of Derry (Derry Genealogy Centre, 1992). https://www.rootsireland.ie/derry-genealogy/top-60-surnames-of-derry-city/.

  36. Alex Williamson, “The Big Tree: R- FGC9800,” The Big Tree (ytree.net), accessed June 13, 2023. https://www.ytree.net/DisplayTree.php?blockID=517.

  37. FamilyTreeDNA, “Doherty Surname Group,” accessed June 13, 2023. https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/doherty/dna-results. See “Group 01.1.1.6.0” which is positive for R-BY18281, a subclade of R- BY471. Interestingly, among this clade it seems as if one later changed his name to McDaniel, as there are two testers downstream of BY18281 with that surname.

  38. Woulfe, “Mac Giolla Gheáirr,” Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall: Irish Names and Surnames, 375.

  39. Woulfe, “Mac Giolla Chathair,” Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall: Irish Names and Surnames, 369.

  40. Tomás G. Ó Canann, “Gaelic Surnames and Settlement Patterns in Southwest Donegal, 1659-1857” Donegal Annual 72 (2020), 42–53 (46).

  41. Edward Kane and Dwayne O’Neill, “Aine O’Cathain and the Dowry Warriors” (Self-published at Academia.edu, 2022). https://www.academia.edu/en/68328699/Aine_OCathain_and_the_Dowry_Warriors.

  42. Alexander MacKenzie, History of the MacDonalds and Lord of the Isles; with Genealogies of the Principle Families of the Name (Inverness, Scotland: A. & W. MacKenzie, 1881), 43. https://archive.org/details/historyofmacdona00mackuoft.

  43. Norman H. MacDonald, “Hugh MacDonald and the Knock MS,” Clan Donald Magazine 13 (1995). https://highcouncilofclandonald.com/magazine/hugh-macdonald-and-the-knock-ms-by-the-editor/.

  44. MacKenzie, History of the MacDonalds and Lord of the Isles, 44; James R. N. MacPhail, Highland papers vol. 1 (Edinburgh, Scotland: T. and A. Constable for the Scottish History Society, 1914), 2. https://archive.org/details/highlandpapers01macp.


​

​

bottom of page