Clan Sweaters

Statistics show that the name O’ Flaherty is still most numerous and common in their original habitat in County Galway, than elsewhere in Ireland. The same name is found in Ulster, but there the initial F is silent producing the name O’...

This name means illustrious, and originated in County Clare, but also had very strong associations with County Limerick. Nowadays the name is also found in abundance in Counties, Mayo and Roscommon. The hand knit O’ Grady sweater has a honeycomb...

The name O’ Hara is a phonetic pronunciation of the Irish name Ó hEaghra. O’ Hara’s today are chiefly found in Counties Sligo and Letrim. The actress Maureen O’ Hara has made the name famous all over the world. The hand...

Ó Caoimh comes from the word “caomh” which means ‘gentle’ or ‘kind’. The family is descended from Art Ó Caom, who himself was descended from the King of Munster. The clan’s territory was originally...

The name O’ Malley is one of the few names from which the prefix O has not been dropped. It is not a very numerous name but is very well known. It has always been almost exclusively associated with County Mayo. The O’ Malleys were always...

The name O’ Meara has always been associated with County Tipperary. Records show that over 60 years ago less than one third of the people of the name used the prefix O, today it is rare to find the name without the prefix – listed as Meara or...

Ó Néill comes from the personal name Niall, which possibly means ‘passionate’ or ‘vehement’. The O’ Neills were the leading family of the Cineál Eoghan tribal grouping, who ruled the ancient territory of...

The name O’ Reilly, and its variations, is extremely common throughout Ireland. The clan is descended from the Ó Raghailligh of Breffny, which comprises the modern areas of counties Cavan and Longford, and their influence also extended to...

Ó Ríordáin comes from the Gaelic “riogh”, meaning ‘royal’, and “bardán”, meaning poet. The clan originated in the areas of the modern counties Offaly and Tipperary. The clan subsequently...

Ó Ruairc comes from the personal name Ruarc, which is derived from the Norse “Hrothekr” meaning ‘famous king’. The person from whom the O’ Rourkes claim descent was the King of Breifne in the ninth century, and there...

O’ Shea is the Anglicisation of the original Gaelic Ó Séaghada, which comes from the personal name meaning ‘hawk-like’ or ‘fortunate’. The sept was located in the Barony of Iveragh in Co. Kerry, where they were...

Ó Súilleabháin comes from the Gaelic “Súil”, meaning ‘eye’, and can mean ‘Black-eyed’ or ‘Hawk-eyed’. The O’ Sullivan sept was part of the Eoghanacht tribal grouping, and...

Power is originally a Norman name. The first settlers in Ireland were located in Co. Waterford in the southern province of Munster, where they owned large estates. The name they were originally known by, le Poer, actually means ‘poor’,...

The name Quinn can have two distinct origins. In the areas of counties Clare, Longford and Antrim, the name originated as the personal name Conn, meaning ‘chief’ or ‘leader’. The name is also came from Co. Tyrone, in the northern...

Ó Riagáin comes from the Gaelic word “ríodhgach”, possibly meaning ‘impulsive’ or ‘angry’. The name originated in at least three distinct areas of the country ; Meath / Dublin, where they were one...

The Ryan name originated as Ó Maoilriaghain, meaning ‘descendant of a devotee of St. Riaghan’. The name was originally Anglicised as Mulryan, and has today been shortened to Ryan. The name first appeared in the barony of Owney, on the...