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O'Conor (Middle Irish: Ó Conchubhair; Modern Irish: Ó Conchúir, also anglicised as O'Connor), is an Irish aristocratic house and former royal line of Gaelic leaders, which included many historic Kings of Connacht and the last High Kings of Ireland. The family seat is Clonalis House outside Castlerea in County Roscommon.

The current O'Conor Don is Desmond O'Conor (b. 22 September 1938) who lives in Rotherfield, East Sussex in England.^[1]

History

The Ó Conchubhair Donn is the head of a lineage which provided about one hundred Kings of Connacht,^{[citation needed]} thirty Chiefs of the Name and two High Kings of Ireland, Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair (1088–1156), and his son Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair (c. 1115–1198), the last High King.

The O'Conor family can trace their lineage back to the 5th century without dispute.^{[citation needed]} Some medieval accounts^{[citation needed]} suggest descent from the Milesian kings, whose pedigree was claimed to lead^{[citation needed]} to Japheth the son of Noah, ten generations from the Biblical Adam.

During the late 14th century, the Ó Conchubhair dynasty grouped into two main divisions, one led by Toirdealbhach Ruadh, the other by Toirdealbhach Óg (also called Toirdealbhach Donn), both in the seventh generation of descent from Cathal Crobhderg. From these descended the families of Ó Conchubhair Ruadh (now extinct) and Ó Conchubhair Donn.

One of Ireland's preeminent 19th-century historians, John O'Donovan, once said of the O'Conors that "No family in Ireland claims greater antiquity and no family in Europe, royal or noble, can trace its descent through so many generations of legitimate ancestors."^{[2][full citation needed]}

Name

The clan name originated in the 10th century as a derivative of its founder Conchobar mac Taidg Mór. The family contributed to Irish society in art, history, language, politics, diplomacy,^{[citation needed]} and other areas before, during and after foreign rule in Ireland. They descend in the paternal line from the Connachta's Uí Briúin Ai.

O'Conor Nash of Clonalis

On the death in 1981 of Rev. Charles O'Conor Don SJ, Clonalis House, built in 1878 ancestral seat of the O'Conor Don family, passed to his sister Gertrude O'Conor Nash.

Pyers (whose mother was an O'Conor) is not the present O'Conor Don as the title (like most hereditary titles) passes through the male line, and the current O'Conor Don is Desmond O'Conor of Horsegroves House, Rotherfield, East Sussex.

Key figures

Kings of Connacht

• 
  Conchobar mac Taidg Mór 872–882


• 
  Áed mac Conchobair 882–888


• 
  Tadg mac Conchobair 888–900


• 
  Cathal mac Conchobair 900–925


• 
  Tadg mac Cathail 925–956


• 
  Conchobar mac Tadg 967–973


• 
  Cathal mac Tadg d. 973


• 
  Cathal mac Conchobar mac Taidg 973–1010


• 
  Ruaidrí na Saide Buide 1087–1092


• 
  Tadg mac Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair d. 1097


• 
  Domnall Ua Conchobair 1102–1106


• 
  Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair 1106–1156


• 
  Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair 1156–1186


• 
  Conchobar Máenmaige Ua Conchobhair 1186–1189


• 
  Cathal Carragh Ua Conchobhair 1190–1202


• 
  Cathal Crobderg Ua Conchobair 1202–1224


• 
  Aedh Ua Conchobair 1224–1228


• 
  Aedh mac Ruaidri Ua Conchobair 1228–1233


• 
  Felim mac Cathal Crobderg Ua Conchobair 1233–1256


• 
  Aedh Ó Conchobair 1256–1274


• 
  Aedh Muimhnech Ó Conchobair 1274–1280


• 
  Maghnus Ó Conchobair 1288–1293


• 
  Aedh Ó Conchobair 1293–1309


• 
  Ruaidri Ó Conchobair 1309–1310


• 
  Fedlim Ó Conchobair 1310–1316


• 
  Rory na-bhFeadh Ó Conchobair 1316–1317


• 
  Toirdelbach Ó Conchobair first reign 1317–1318 second reign, 1324–1350


• 
  Cathal mac Domhnall Ó Conchobair 1318–1324


• 
  Aedh mac Aedh Breifneach Ó Conchobair 1342; died 1350


• Aedh mac Tairdelbach Ó Conchobair


• 
  Ruaidri mac Tairdelbach Ó Conchobair 1368–1384

Chiefs of the Name

• Toirdhealbhach Óg Donn mac Aodha meic Toirdhealbhaigh, d. 9 December 1406.


• Cathal mac Ruaidhri Ó Conchobhair Donn, d. 19 March 1439.


• Aodh mac Toirdhealbhaigh Óig Ó Conchobhair Donn, d.15 May 1461.


• Feidhlimidh Geangcach mac Toirdhealbhaigh Óig Ó Conchobhair Donn, d. 1474 – last fully recognised King of Connacht.


• Tadhg mac Eoghain Ó Conchobhair Donn, d. 1476.


• Eoghan Caoch mac Feidhlimidh Gheangcaigh Ó Conchobhair Donn, d. 1485.


• Aodh Og mac Aodh Ó Conchobhair Donn


• Toirdhealbhach Óg mac Ruaidhri Ó Conchobhair Donn, d. 1503


• Conchobhar mac Eoghain Chaoich Ó Conchobhair Donn


• Cairbre mac Eoghain Chaoich Ó Conchobhair Donn, d. 1546


• Aodh mac Eoghain Chaoich Ó Conchobhair Donn, deposed 1550


• Diarmaid mac Cairbre Ó Conchobhair Donn, d. 1585


• Sir Hugh/Aedh Ó Conchobhair Donn, d. 1632


• An Calbhach mac Aedh Ó Conchobhair Donn, d. 1654 – popularly inaugurated king in 1643.


• Hugh Óg mac Aedh Ó Conchobhair Donn, d. 1662.


• Andrew O'Connor Don of Clonalis
  


• Dominick O'Connor Don of Clonalis, d. 1795


• Alexander O'Connor Don, d. 1820


• Owen O'Connor Don of Clonalis and Ballinagare, d.1831


• 
  Denis O'Conor Don of Clonalis, 1794–1847


• 
  Charles Owen O'Conor Don, 1838–1906


• Denis Charles O'Conor Don, 1869–1917


• Owen Phelim O'Conor Don, 1870–1943


• Fr. Charles O'Conor Don, 1906–1981


• 
  Denis O'Conor Don, 1912 – 10 July 2000


• Desmond O'Conor Don (Chairman of the British-Chile Chamber of Commerce, former banker, resides in Sussex), b.1938

Other notable members of the family

• 
  Hugo Oconór (Spanish Army Officer)


• 
  Thomas O'Connor (Writer)


• 
  Charles O'Conor (Irish American Lawyer and Politician)


• 
  Nicholas Roderick O'Conor (British Diplomat)


• 
  Roderic O'Conor (Artist)


• 
  Charles O'Conor (historian) (Historian)


• 
  Charles O'Conor (priest) (Priest and Historical author)


• 
  Matthew O'Conor (Historian)


• 
  Denis O'Conor (Politician)


• 
  Charles Owen O'Conor (Politician)


• 
  Denis Maurice O'Conor (Politician)


• 
  Denis O'Conor Don (Prior Holder of Chief of Name O'Connor, died 10 July 2000)

See also

• Ó Conchobhair Sligigh


• Clan Muircheartaigh Uí Conchobhair


• Gaelic nobility of Ireland


• Chief of the Name


• Irish nobility


• Irish Royal Families


• Chief Herald of Ireland

References

Footnotes

• https://web.archive.org/web/20101128140613/http://ria.ie/publications/journals/eriu/online-access/57-(2007).aspx

Bibliography

External links

• 
  O'Connor family pedigree at Library Ireland