Thursday 4 August 2016

The Irish O'Kennedys


“…Their crime was to be possessed of lands the English coveted. Moreover, the English could not endure that the Irish should enjoy their lands in a freer manner then themselves; and the Irish could not submit to give them up, or to change their free and independent title into feudal tenure. The English planted in Ireland soon learned to prefer Irish freedom to feudal thraldom. This became a fresh crime in the Irish – they corrupted the English, and both became odious, and the lands of each were to be confiscated.” – John P. Prendergast: The Cromwellian Settlement of Ireland 1870

Hector MacNeil’s census (see The Kennedys of Canna) apparently spelled the name Kennedy (‘Kenedy’). It is probably correct but it is not a version found in Scotland. That particular spelling was quite common among the Kennedys in Ireland and as DNA indicates, the Kennedys on Canna were of non-Dalraidan Irish pedigree. That spelling, paired with the names Rory and John further contributes to evidence of our Irish roots. Through the centuries the name Rory was commonplace among the O’Kennedys of Ireland. It is also used in Gaelic Scotland but it isn’t as common as Angus, Neil, Dan, Alex, Archie and other male names associated with Gaelic Scots. The names Rory and John Kenedy themselves are likely from Ireland, possibly a generation or two removed.
While we are certain that our bloodline is from the south of Ireland, we do not know exactly when or why they migrated to Scotland. The L226 gene (along with other Irish markers) appears in Scotland among Kennedys in the mid 1600s near Fort William (or earlier) and spread as far as the Inverness area by the early 1700s. It isn’t certain at this point that the Kennedys of Canna are from the same family as the Fort William Dal cGais Kennedys but the DNA does match. It is very likely. We have no records of our family prior to the 1700s on Canna. We only have our Dal cGais and other Irish markers to go on. Further DNA testing may illuminate that distant history – between Brian Boru’s time and the mid 1600s. In any case, we likely arrived in Scotland in the early 1600s.

Our family among the various Irish Kennedys at this point appears to be of those Kennedys that settled in the Waterford/Wexford areas of the south east of Ireland. They moved down from Lower Ormond but records have not been found to tell us when that occurred. We may look back at what conditions were like for the O’Kennedys in Ireland in a general sense. To be sure, Brian Kennedy’s subtitle ‘the Rebellious O’Kennedys’ on his historical and well researched book ‘The Irish Kennedys’ is certainly apt.

As a result of Irish naming conventions used by the Kennedys in which the first son is named after the father’s father, the second son is named after the mother’s father, the third son is named after the father, the fourth son is named after the father’s oldest brother, and the fifth son is named after the mother’s oldest brother, the spelling of the names in the Canna census, my own DNA profile and the plausibility that Kennedys that frequently passed close to Canna (which was rich in cod stocks) as they travelled back on forth between Newfoundland and Ireland indicates that it is most likely our lineage is that of the Kennedys that settled in the Waterford, Wexford areas of Ireland. Brian Kennedy detailed a “preliminary genealogy of John K Kennedy” who is also a descendant of those that settled that area. I have terminated Brian Kennedy’s account at 1601 due to evidence that they moved out of that area in the 1600s. It is as follows:

Anglicised name prominent, Gaelic name in brackets: Lorcan, son of Lactna, Cineide Cintig (death 951) son of Lorcan and founder of the Kennedy name, Duncan (Donn-Cuan) son of Cineide and brother of Brian Boru, Kennedy (Cineide Cintig), son of Duncan, Hugh (Aodh) son of Kennedy (killed by O’Connor in 1081), Duncan (Donn-Cuan) son of Hugh, Mahon O’Kennedy (Mathgamin O’Cineide) son of Duncan and first to take surname O’Cineide, Teige O’Kennedy (Tadg O’Cineide) son of Mahon, Gilla Kevin O’Kennedy (Giolla Caoimgin O’Cineide) son of Teige (died on pilgrimage to Killaoe), Daniel Catalectrac O’Kennedy (Donall Cathaleitreach O’Cineide) son of Gilla Kevin, Teige O’Kennedy (Tadg Giallaconin O’Cineide) son of Daniel (killed the abbot of Lismore in 1142), Giollacomin O’Kennedy (Giolla Caoimginbuiden O’Cineide) son of Teige, Amilaoim O’Kennedy (Amilaoim O’Cineide) son of Giollacomin (blinded by an O’Brien in 1164), Rory More O’Kennedy (Ruaidhri Mhoir O’Cineide) son of Amilaoim, Brian O’Kennedy Fionn (Briain O’Ceneide) son of Rory More (Lord of Ormond, killed by English in 1370), Murchadh O’Kennedy (Murchadh O’Cinneide) son of Brian, Hugh O’Kennedy (Aodh O’Cineide) son of Murchadh, Rory O’Kennedy (Ruaidhri O’Cineide) son of Hugh, Hugh O’Kennedy (Aodh O’Cineide) son of Rory, Awley O’Kennedy (Amlaoim O’Cineide) son of Hugh (brother of Dermot O’Kennedy Fionn of Knigh at about the year 1500, and from that lineage the name John O’Kenedy appears in 1601 three times as well as John mowell n’Owen O’Kennedye, and Owen fitz John O’Kennedy. Our lineage would likely be be of one of the three John O’Kenedys. From there the lineage moves into Dunganstown by 1740. It isn’t known where our lineage branched off but it is likely after or at 1601. -Brian Kennedy, JFK's Irish O'Kennedy Ancestors pp 108 109

The name appears from the mists of history when Brian Boru of the Dal gCais tribe was the reputed High King of Ireland. Boru drove the Vikings out of Ireland and gained a reputation that resulted in tribes throughout Ireland to follow him. Ireland was never a nation state as we know them prior to Norman and English rule. Rather, it was a loose confederation of tribes that often quarrelled with each other. Other great leaders won similar respect throughout Ireland but allegiances were quite conditional given the nature of the free and independent people the ancient Gaels were. Ireland’s freedom was also a disadvantage against feudal foreigners that demanded military and civilian allegiance of their subjects. Failure to demonstrate submission meant death.

History indicates that the O’Kennedys descended from the nephew of Brian Boru. At that time they had settled in Clare and fought along with Boru and other clans to drive the Vikings out. “Numerous battles were fought on Lough Derg by the O’Briens, O’Gradys, MacNamaras, O’Kennedys, and others against the Danes and Connaughtmen who were said to be friendly towards the Danes.” - Brain Kennedy 'The Irish Kennedys' p. 42 (from Gleeson 1915)

“By the time the O’Brien and O’Kennedy names had become established the Danes had been well and truly subjected by the Irish and their remnants absorbed into the Irish culture.” Soon afterward the O’Kennedys established themselves in Ormond Counties in Tipperary and may have been driven out of Clare by the MacNamaras and O’Briens. They became rulers in Ormond and remained thus withstanding many land confiscations and battles. The 1500s and 1600s brought foreign enemies to Tipperary that would ruthlessly drive the clan ‘to hell or Connaught’. They lost many lives and much of their land through the almost back to back barbarities committed by Elizabeth 1 and later, Oliver Cromwell.
At this point in time Irish clans were as powerful as their weapons, numbers, and fighting skill. The O’Kennedys were known to be so called kings and lords in Ormond and perhaps this is why they had encountered as much violence and strife as had occurred in their early years in Ormond. The following excerpt from Kennedy’s research indicates that holding power in Ireland in those days had a price.

In 1037 “Cu Chaille, son of Cennetig, King of Muscraighe (Ormond), with his son was slain in front of the stone church of Lothra after he had been forcibly taken from the alter.” “…In 1054 Hugh O’Kennedy (chief of Dalcassians) was killed by O’Connor. In 1081 Ceilachair O’Kennedy, successor of Colum, son of Crimthain died. In 1089 Madauhan Ua Ceinneidigh was amongt the hostages taken by Domhnall , son of the King of Ireland and by O’Connor in an incursion into Munster. Two chiefs of the O’Kennedys were slain by the Conacians at the battle of Latteragh in 1117. – Kennedy

The powerful Ormond O’Kennedy clan divided into three, known as O’Kennedy Finn (Fair), O’Kennedy Roe (Red), and O’Kennedy Donn (brown), referring to hair colour.
The friction between the O’Kennedys and other Irish clans were provincial in nature and as warrior clans, they took it in stride, warring in one period of time, allies at another time. Increasing pressures from foreigners however caused centuries of rebellion and war by the O’Kennedys and many of the clans of Ireland. Following the Vikings were the Normans and then, the English. In each case the foreign invaders did not understand the Irish mind and what the Europeans took for granted in terms of social structure and law was alien to the Irish who lived according to indigenous ancient Gaelic customs. “When we think of Ireland in the early centuries of the growth of the O’Kennedys we should not think of Irish of those times being in parallel with English or European society of the same time. …The reality was that the Irish had developed a social system dramatically different from the systems in place in neighbouring countries. There was no Irish state. The island was not united under one central government that set and administered laws. There were no cities and towns except for those established by the Vikings. There was no civil administration and no coinage."

The primary unit of society was not the individual but the family and public responsibility for individual acts not on the individual but on his family. Private property was held by this primary family group, known as the derbfine, comprising of all those related to one another in the male line up to second cousins. A number of such family groups made up the tuath (tribe or petty kingdom) constituting the semi-independent political unit, and there were about a hundred tuatha in Ireland, grouped into seven over-kingdoms which in turn came under the general sovereignty of Cashel in the south or Tara in the north.” (de paor: 1967) – Kennedy p. 48
The Irish lived under a quite sophisticated legal system known as Brehon Law. They were to govern trade, contracts, redress for infractions, orphaned children, personal relationships, rules and fees concerning professions and occupations, landlord tenant rules, the regulation of churches, laws responding to violent incidents as well as accidents. The laws were wide ranging and quite sophisticated.

Brehon rules will seem unreasonable to modern sensibilities, especially rules concerning hospitality. These laws reflect the nature and temperament of the Gaelic people of the time. “McMahon (1996) says that: In ancient times guests came as they liked, stayed while they would, and left when they pleased. A person of rank had to entertain strangers without enquiring who or what they were or why they came. No matter how many guests thronged to one’s house, or how lengthy their sojourn, under no conceivable circumstances could it be intimated to them that they should depart. And furthermore, under no circumstances could or would a guest offer compensation of any kind, out of respect for the host, regardless of how poor the host may be.” – Kennedy
Hospitality was a serious matter among Gaels. While researching the Hebridean islands one story stood out; of a slaughter of one clan by burning the offending clan in a cave, a clan that showed poor hospitality.

Another feature of Gaelic society was the practice of cattle raiding. This was considered a sort of macho but sometimes deadly sport between clans. While friction between clans was fierce at times, and sometimes it arose out of apparent unjust Brehon judgements, the general feeling among the Irish was that Brehon law was just. “It is said the English officials were amazed at how cheerfully and how uprightly the Irish obeyed the decisions of the Brehon Laws (McMahon: 1996). “There is no people under the sun that doth love equal and impartial justice better than the Irish, or will rest better satisfied with the execution thereof, although it be against themselves.” - Kennedy p 203

The O’Kennedys were the last clan to practice the Brehon system of arbitration. In 1584 a judgement was made regarding a land dispute in Ormond. “The Brehon was not a judge but rather a legal expert who devoted himself or herself to arbitration.” Kennedy p. 201 The judgement required detailed knowledge of the family heritage of the parties involved. Prior agreements were pertinent. Under Brehon law, honour was a crucial consideration. It also had an egalitarian albeit sexist bent. “The Brehon Law prescribed that the land of a sept was divided between all of the adult males and was liable to redivision as the result of a significant event such as the death of an heir which required a change is distribution.” – Kennedy p.203

In the 1500s the O’Kennedys were under increased pressure to conform to Anglo ways and apparently it wasn’t in their nature to roll over. They engaged in many disputes and rebellions against an increasingly foreign environment building in their midst. “In the late 16th and 17th centuries the O’Kennedys were coming under increasing economic pressure. New agricultural methods, commercial expansion and competition were changing economic life. The earldom of Ormond, though politically autonomous, was open to these new economic influences…. The prosperity of the old English merchants in the urban areas was in sharp contrast to the situation of many Gaelic landowners, including the O’Kennedys, who were experiencing economic difficulties because of their reluctance to adopt new agricultural techniques. Old English merchants in towns throughout Ireland viewed the financial difficulties of these landholders as an opportunity to add to their own wealth. Gaelic landowners such as the O’Kennedys usually entered into mortgage payments with these old English speculators rather than sell their land completely. In this way, while the Gaelic chiefs remained in nominal possession, the old English were actually in economic control of the land.” – Kennedy pp. 206, 207 (From Boland, 1994)

“It is also interesting to note Boland’s reference to the O’Kennedys reluctance to adopt new agricultural techniques being a contributor to their economic downfall during this period. This would seem to be of relevance if the O’Kennedys were competitors in an agricultural economy rather than providing for their own subsistence.” – Kennedy p. 207
As Brain Kennedy observes, “it is more likely that the decline of the O’Kennedys was largely due to the continued sapping of their fighting strength until it reached a stage where they were unable to resist the superior forces brought to bear against them”. – p. 207

The pressures to change, to adapt to Anglo customs and ways was resisted by many Gaelic clans and in 1595 the O’Kennedys backed the O’Neill clan to the north of Ireland in the Tyrone rebellion. The Gaels were defeated at Kinsale in 1599 and like Culloden in Scotland in 1746, it was a battle that ended Gaelic autonomy in ancient Gaelic lands.