Book of Ryans - From Heremon Comes...
There were several theories of how the O'Mulryans eventually settled in Tipperary. Some scholars have hypothesized that the O'Mulryans were displaced as a result of the Norman invasion. Another popular belief is that they moved into Tipperary before the Norman invasion erupted in 1169 A.D., and this assumption suggests that they may have inherited the kingship from the O'Donogans. This latter theory, a theory which contains no material confirmation, was supported by many ancient historians including the Abbe MacGeoghan who compiled an alphabetical list of primeval Irish territories which identified Milesian family possessions prior to the invasion of 1169. He recorded that the O'Mulryans possessed the dominion of Tullallaithne in the county of Tipperary before the Normans, with Henry II’s approval, conquered southeastern Ireland; however, in contrast to opposing theories which contends that the Ryans entered Tipperary in the 13th century much of this historical information was written long after the invasion. Dr. Eoin MacNeill, another supporter of Abbe MacGeoghan theory, believed that the Ua Riains and Ua Duibidirs (O'Dwyers) comprised the Dal Coirpri, a tribal division of the Laigin, which relocated to Kilnamanagh prior to the Norman invasion. MacNeill and others believed that the O'Mulryans were related to the O'Briens and O'Kennedys, and by tracing their heritage to Munster roots made it easy to explain how they became powerful in northern Tipperary and eastern Limerick. He believed that after the invasion, the Ua Riains settled in Owney, Ara and Kilnamanagh while the Ua Duibidirs (O’Dwyers) created a kingship at Seachmanadh in central Munster. Although there is little question that the O'Mulryans expanded their territory after the invasion, a time known as the Gaelic Revival, there is uncertainty as to when the Ryans entered Kilnamanagh.
Genealogy
The O, in 0'Maoilriain, was in reality a word all by itself meaning grandson. In ancient Ireland, there were no fixed surnames, and Dr. John O'Donavan had written in his early journals that around 900 A.D. surnames were officially adopted. By the twelfth century, the growing Irish population had universally adopted the use of permanent family names. Under this system, all descendants of some distinguished ancestor took his name as their surname. Some clans put "Mac" in front of the name meaning `son of', and others used "0" meaning `grandson of', but eventually neither word would have any real meaning. It merely would come to mean 'lineage of', and the distinctive use of Mac and O would forever signify one's Celtic, more specifically Irish, heritage as this old Latin verse glorified:
By Mac and O you'll always know
True Irishmen, they say,
But if they lack the 0 or Mac
No Irishmen are they.
According to Duald MacFirbish, historian and 16th century genealogist, the O'Ryans traced their lineage to Cathair Mor; subsequently, other variants of their ancestry developed over the centuries which more accurately depicted their true heritage. Once Christianity spread throughout Ireland, the genealogists extended the Milesian pedigrees backwards to the time of Adam and Eve. The uniting of Christian and Celtic pedigrees forged a historical relationship not only to the pre-Christian Celtic monarchs but also to the major prophets of the Old Testament such as Noah. According to the bible, Noah sired three sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth; and it was from Japheth that the Gaelic Irish traced its origins. Noah's son, Ham, left the tribe after he saw his father drunk and naked; Shem became the ancestor for the major tribes of Israel; and Japheth fathered Gabala whom it was said that the book "Lebor Gabala Erenn" was named after (in Gaelic it translates to "The book of the Taking of Ireland" which contains the ancient Ui Neill genealogies). Gabala's grandson was Goidil whom the race and language are named (Goidil or Gaelic). Although tradition holds that all princely tribes descend from Milesius, their arrival into Ireland is debatable with some scholars believing that the Celts arrived in Ireland several hundred years before Christ rather than 1000 years as tradition holds.
The following lineage described by MacFirbish (and John O'Hart who carried the descent of Cathair Mor to Milesius, the father of all Celtic tribes in Ireland) denotes the lineage dating to 1000 b.c. Even though the authenticity of the timeframes outlined in this lineage is questionable, the progeny of each family was created to forge a link with their known and mythological heritage.
Hy Fiacha Tribe
Founder: Fiacha Baiceada, Son of Cathire Mor, King of Ireland
A.D., who gave his name to the tribe
PEDIGREE
1. Milesius, King of Spain, B.C. 1000
2. Heremon, 8th son of Milesius (some documents say 7th son)
3. Irial Faidh , B.C. 981 B.C., 10th Monarch of Ireland
4. Eithrial, B.C. 971 B.C., 11th Monarch of Ireland
5. Foll-Aicch, Eithrial's son
6. Tighearnmas, B.C. 941 B.C., 13th Monarch of Ireland
7. Enbotha, Tigernmas's son
8. Smiornghall, son of Enbotha
9. Fiacha Lambraein, 18th Monarch of Ireland
10. Aongus Ollmucach, 20th Monarch of Ireland, slain
11. Main, son of Aongus Ollmucah
12. Rotheacta, 22nd Monarch, slain br Sedne, line of Ir
13. Siorghnath Saoghalach, 34th Monarch, slain 470 B.C.
14. OliolI Aolcheoin, son of Siorghnath Saoghalach
15. Giallcadh, 37th Monarch, slain 487 B.C.
16. Aedar' Glas, Giallcadh's son
17. Simeon Breac, 44th Monarch, slain
18. Muredach Bograch, 46th Monarch, slain
19. Fiacha Tolgrach, 55th Monarch, slain
20. Duach Ladhrach, 59th Monarch, slain
21. Eochaidh Buadhach, son of Duach Ladhrach
22. Ugani Mor, 19th in descent from Heremon, King of Ireland
B.C. 300, 66th Monarch of Ireland
23. Laogare Lorc, son of Ugani Mor
24. Olliol Aine, son of Laogare Lorc
25. Maion Lavra Loinseach, son of Olliol Aine
26. Breasal Breac, son of Maion Laura Loinseach
26. Conchorb, son of Breasal Breac
28. Goalta Gooith, 10th in descent from Breasal Breac
29. Cathoir Mor, King of Ireland A.D. 144, 12th in
descent from Breasal Breac, grandson to Goalta Gooith
30. Fiacha Baiceada, son of Cathoir Mor
31. Labraid
32. Breasal Bealach, son of Fiacha Baiceada
33. Enna Ceannselaigh, King of Ireland, A.D. 350, line
34. Crimthiann, son of Enna Ceannselaigh
35. Nathi, son of Crimthiann
36. Eoghan Caud, son of Nathi
37. Fergus, son of Eoghan Caud
38. Cormac, son of Fergus
39. Coleman, son of Cormac
40. Crunneasil, son of Coleman
41. Aedarein, son of Crunneasil
42. Hugh, son of Aedarein(Hugh is anglicized, Aodh (Aed) Ron)
43. Coleman, son of Hugh
44. Laighnan, son of Coleman
45. Carbry, son of Laighnan
46. Hugh, son of Carbry (Hugh is anglicized, annals record only
Aodh, Aed or Aedh)
47. Bruadar, son of Hugh
48. Durgilla, son of Bruadar
49. Rien, son of Durgilla,
50. Uilliam(anglicized from the Celtic), son of Rien
52. Carbry Mor, son of Uilliam (William)
53. Carbry Oge, son of Carbry Mor
MacFirbisch's genealogy, although descriptive and colorfully detailed, was not fully supported by the historical facts that are found in the old historical chronicles such as the "Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland" or the "Book of Leinster". His description of the Ryan family origins does not correspond to the succession of kings in both Leinster and the Ui Chennselaigh, however, to his credit he was attempting to unravel hundreds of family origins which may have caused him to detail a few inaccuracies. Also the Ryan progeny had always confused historians because of the numerous conflicting theories which surfaced from renowned genealogists. The following lineage, perhaps the most sociologically correct of documented genealogies, breaks from the MacFirbish tradition after Nathi <Nath I>, son of Crimthann, king of Leinster:
Crimthann d. 487
|
Nath I <4>
|
|----------------|
| |
Cormac Eogan Caud
|
Coleman
|
Ronan d. 624 <16>
|
Crundmael d. 656 <18>
|
Aed Ron --------- Fiachra ------ CoIcu
| |
Coleman Bresal
| |
Laignen <Laidcnen> Colcu d. 727
d.793
|
Cairpre
|
Hugh <Aedh>
|
Brudar
|
Dubhghal
---------------------------------
Rian Inreghe Aedh d. 906
**Brackets indicate succession to the kingship of the Ui Cheinnselaigh according to the Book of Leinster. If their death were noted in the annals, these have been shown.
**There existed some disagreement concerning the death of Laidcnen in 727. Some historians contended that this Laidcnen described in the annals originated from another Leinster family.