Comments on: Bachall Isa

Bachall Isa

Skeptic — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 04:55:11 -0800

The O'Donnell clan claims descendancy (like, dare I say, a significant part of the Irish population), from Niall of the Nine Hostages, legendary High King of Ireland. The O'Donnell clan ruled over the kingdom of Tyrconnell, in modern-day County Donegal, well into the modern age. However, after the discovery of the Gunpowder Plot, Rory O'Donnell, Earl of Tyrconnell, fled Ireland together with Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, in the Flight of the Earls.

Rory O'Donnell's descendents ultimately found their calling, like many fellow Wild Geese, in military service to the King of Spain. So it was that, over two centuries later, Leopoldo O'Donnell became successively, general, prime minister and Duke of Tetuan. So it is that one of Madrid's main streets is the Calle O'Donnell, and His Excellency Don Hugo O'Donnell y Duque de Estrada, Duke of Tetuan and Grandee of Spain is next on the line to the title of Prince of the Name of O'Donnell.

By: RussHy

RussHy — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 05:19:52 -0800

Great post, fascinating links. Thanks.

By: twoleftfeet

twoleftfeet — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 05:27:46 -0800

I love the way the Irish have clans and these clans have histories and these histories go back before anyone can remember. I can relate. Personally I know of Rosie O'Donnell of the Dyke clan who became famous for reasons nobody can remember.

By: HuronBob

HuronBob — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 05:36:31 -0800

twoleftfeet... pointless post

By: jammy

jammy — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 05:42:32 -0800

mmm, a big bowl of history! just what I like in the morning... thanks much, Skeptic - excellent post

By: twoleftfeet

twoleftfeet — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 05:47:42 -0800

pointless post Riffing off of the fine O'Donnell name. Sorry if I stepped on anyone's toes. I'm really a bit jealous. We Leftfeet's have very little ancestry to trace.

By: COD

COD — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 06:02:44 -0800

I am an O'Donnell, and I approve of this message.

By: miss lynnster

miss lynnster — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 06:18:32 -0800

Funny, I came in here thinking to myself, "Rosie O'Donnell joke in 3... 2... 1..."

By: twoleftfeet

twoleftfeet — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 06:32:20 -0800

Rosie O'Donnell joke in 3... 2... 1 Pretty obvious, isn't it? But Rosie O'Donnell is virtually unknown outside of the U.S. The O'Donnell clan (Rosie not included) might be better known in Great Britain. So when you do the 3....2...1... you have to factor in the time difference between the two major English language user groups.

By: Space Coyote

Space Coyote — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 07:47:52 -0800

I love the history of my family name (O'Neill), I am sure most of it is made up but the stories are good.

By: sonic meat machine

sonic meat machine — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 08:11:39 -0800

Sept MacCoig of Clan MacLeod represent.

By: Atreides

Atreides — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 08:14:12 -0800

Clan Looney...whoop whoop...and other clans, too. Though, I'm not sure if my Looneys actually have their own personal song like the O'Donnells. Boo.

By: Divine_Wino

Divine_Wino — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 10:11:36 -0800

I'm related to the Niall dude too, homeboy really knew how to take it down and shake it out boy. He musta put more babies in ladies than Tracy Morgan. Ahem, sorry, really nice post.

By: haveanicesummer

haveanicesummer — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 10:23:59 -0800

O'Donnell rules!?!

By: jamjam

jamjam — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 10:50:42 -0800

Who knows how much worse it would be (scientists, from Trinity College Dublin, have discovered that as many as one in 12 Irish men could be descended from Niall of the Nine Hostages) if it weren't for the Viking raids.

By: Asparagirl

Asparagirl — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 11:00:16 -0800

If you're interested, the actual haplotype marker values for Niall -- i.e. his genetic signature, still evident in many Irishmen's y-chromosomes today -- is listed here. You can also order a genetic test from that page to see if you're a match. (It's one of the cooler things you can do with 99 bucks.) According to the page: "Modern surnames tracing their ancestry to Niall include (O')Neill, (O')Gallagher, (O')Boyle, (O')Doherty, O'Donnell, Connor, Cannon, Bradley, O'Reilly, Flynn, (Mc)Kee, Campbell, Devlin, Donnelly, Egan, Gormley, Hynes, McCaul, McGovern, McLoughlin, McManus, McMenamin, Molloy, O'Kane, O'Rourke and Quinn."

By: weapons-grade pandemonium

weapons-grade pandemonium — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 13:28:44 -0800

This post reminds me that it's time to bring in the Paddy O'Furniture.

By: Divine_Wino

Divine_Wino — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 20:06:22 -0800

Well there you go brothers and sisters, I'm an inbred on my father's side, which handily explains many of my defects and defaults and much of my piratical nature and general shitbirdedness; Darlings, I'm a goddammed Reilly (lost the O' at Ellis) and a fucking McManus, God between us and evil.

By: matt_od

matt_od — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 21:02:00 -0800

Being an O'Donnell myself and the official (according to my parents) last Prince of Donegal, I also approve of this message.

By: newdaddy

newdaddy — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 20:05:30 -0800

Do you have a little Irish in you? Darling would you like a little Irish in you?