THE KENNEDY FAMILY IN IRELAND

THE IRISH KENNEDY HISTORY

Name in Gaelic: O Cinneide [Descendant of Cinneide meaning helmeted head]

The name Kennedy is the anglicized version of the Irish name Ceinneidi that goes back over a thousand years to the first Kennedy. He was an Irish chieftain or petty king who lived in present day, County Clare in the tenth century. The Irish Kennedys are descended from his grandson, also named Kennedy. The clan spread across the Shannon River into County Tipperary, probably in the eleventh century, where they rose to fame as the "Lords of Ormond".

The Kennedys have an ancient and illustrious lineage. Of Dalcassian ancestry, they stem from Cormac Cas, son of Oilioll Oleum, King of Munster in the 3rd century. From Cinneide or Kennedy, Nephew of Brian Boru, they derived their surname. Originally they were seated at Glemor, co-extensive with the parish of Killokennedy in the east of county Clare. Pressure from the powerful O'Brien and McNamara septs drove them across the Shannon into upper and Lower Ormond baronies, County Tipperary. In their new home they flourished becoming far more influential than in their ancient patrimony in Thomond. As early as 1159, the "Annals of the Four Masters" which contains numerous references to the family after 1300, described the Chief as Lord of Ormond, the title Kennedys retained down to the 17th century. The Sept divided into three branches, the Chiefs of which were distinguished by the epithets Don [brown], Rug [red] and fionn [fair]. St Ruadhan of Lorrha was the special protector of the Kennedys of Ormond. Around 1600, a Branch of this Sept migrated to Antrim, and the name is still found in that Country, though some of the Ulster Kennedys are of Scottish Origin. When the 1659 Census was compiled, Kennedys were recorded throughout Tipperary and as far east as the city of Waterford. There was also a small Sept in Galway, who were of Ui Maine origin and kinsman of the O'Loughnanes

Among the many Kennedy of note were:

Matthew Kennedy [1625-1753], who went to France after the capitulation Limerick in 1691, becoming a celebrated literary figure; author.

Patrick Kennedy [1801-1873].

Patrick John Kennedy an Irish American publisher;

John Fitzgerald Kennedy [1915-1963, the first man of Gaelic-Irish descent on both sides to be elected President of the United States.

Submitted by: Kip Kennedy, Kipper3003@aol.com