O'Conor Don
Encyclopedia
The Ó Conchubhair Donn is the hereditary Prince and Chief of the Name of the Royal Family of Connacht
Connacht
Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...

, the Clan Ó Conchubhair.

Overview

The Ó Conchubhair Donn is the senior head of a lineage which provided about one hundred Kings of Connacht
Kings of Connacht
The Kings of Connacht were rulers of the cóiced of Connacht, which lies west of the River Shannon, Ireland. However, the name only became applied to it in the early medieval era, being named after The Connachta.The old name for the province was Cóiced Ol nEchmacht . Ptolemy's map of c. 150 AD...

, thirty Chief of the Name and two High Kings of Ireland
High King of Ireland
The High Kings of Ireland were sometimes historical and sometimes legendary figures who had, or who are claimed to have had, lordship over the whole of Ireland. Medieval and early modern Irish literature portrays an almost unbroken sequence of High Kings, ruling from Tara over a hierarchy of...

, namely Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair (1088-1156), and his son Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair
Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair
Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair , often anglicised Rory O'Connor, reigned as King of Connacht from 1156 to 1186, and from 1166 to 1198 was the last High King before the Norman invasion of Ireland .Ruaidrí was one of over twenty sons of King...

 (c. 1115-1198).

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

Unbroken succession

The succession of descent continues unbroken from the 5th century AD to the present day, making it one of oldest royal families in Europe. Ó Conchubhair Donn is styled The O'Conor Don in English, and is regarded as the senior hereditary prince of the O'Conors of Connacht.

King of Ireland

According to the obituary published in the Irish Times on 22 July 2000, "it is generally acknowledged that the holder of the title would be the foremost claimant to the Irish throne, if one were proposed. Over the last few hundred years, members of the O'Conor family have continued to contribute to the social, political, cultural and religious life of Ireland. The fact that they remained staunchly Catholic during the dark days of the Penal Laws in the eighteenth century, is a source of great pride."

Current Ó Conchubhair Donn

The holder of the title since 2000 is Desmond O'Conor Don (Irish
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...

: Deasmumhain Ó Conchubhair Donn) of Horsegrove House in Sussex, England.

O'Conor-Nash of Clonalis

As a result of some financial mistakes made by Desmond's grandfather Charles William O'Conor Don (1878–1963) and father Denis O'Conor Don
Denis O'Conor Don
Denis Armar O'Conor Don, was hereditary chief of the O'Conor Don sept of Ireland.Born in London in 1912 to Charles William O'Conor and Evelyn Lowry-Corry, he inherited his title in 1981 from his second cousin Fr. Charles O'Conor, a Jesuit priest. He used his position to promote an interest in...

 (1912–2000), Clonalis House
Clonalis House
Clonalis House, Castlerea, County Roscommon is the ancestral home of the O'Conor Don, who is a direct descendant of the last High King of Ireland, Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair....

, the ancestral home of the O'Conor Don Family, passed to Gertrude O'Conor-Nash on the death of her brother, The Rev Charles O'Conor Don SJ, in 1981.

On her death in 1994, Clonalis passed to her only son Pyers O'Conor-Nash, cousin of the current incumbent Desmond O'Conor Don. The O'Conor-Nash family are now the custodians of the family records.

Family tree I

  • Kg. = King of Connacht


Tairrdelbach, King of Connacht
Kings of Connacht
The Kings of Connacht were rulers of the cóiced of Connacht, which lies west of the River Shannon, Ireland. However, the name only became applied to it in the early medieval era, being named after The Connachta.The old name for the province was Cóiced Ol nEchmacht . Ptolemy's map of c. 150 AD...

 & Ard Rí na hÉireann
High King of Ireland
The High Kings of Ireland were sometimes historical and sometimes legendary figures who had, or who are claimed to have had, lordship over the whole of Ireland. Medieval and early modern Irish literature portrays an almost unbroken sequence of High Kings, ruling from Tara over a hierarchy of...

, 1088-1156.
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______________________________|____________________________________________
| |
| |
Ruaidrí
Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair
Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair , often anglicised Rory O'Connor, reigned as King of Connacht from 1156 to 1186, and from 1166 to 1198 was the last High King before the Norman invasion of Ireland .Ruaidrí was one of over twenty sons of King...

, King of Connnacht & Ard Rí na hÉireann, c.1115-1198. Cathal Crobhdearg, 1153-1224, Kg. 1202-24.
=Mor Muman Ní Briain, d. 1218
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__________________________________________________________________________|
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Áed, Kg. Conn. 1224-28. Fedlimid, Kg. Conn 1230-31; 1233-65. died 1265.
| |
|________________________________ __________|___________
| | | | |
| | | | |
Cathal Dall Ruaidrí Toirrdelbach, Kg. 1249-50. Áed, kg. 1265-74. Áed Muimnech, Kg. 1274-80.
| | |
| | |
Áed, Éoghan, Kg. 1274 Tadg Ruad, Kg. 1274-8.
Kg. 1274. |
_____________|___________________
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Donnchad Áed, Kg. 1293-1309.
| |
| |__________________________________________________
Ruaidrí na Fed  | | |
Kg. 1316;d. 1321. | | |
Fedlimid, Kg.1310-15;16. Cathal na bhFeadh Toirredlbach, Kg 1317-18;24-42;43-45.
| died 1361. |
| |
Ó Conchubhair Ruadh Ó Conchubhair Donn

Family tree II

  • Kg. = King of Connacht


Toirredlbach, Kg 1317-18;24-42;43-45.
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__________________________|_________________________

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Aedh, Kg. 1345-50; 51-53; 53-56 Ruaidhri, Kg. 1368-1384
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| ______|_________________

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| | |
Toirdhealbach Donn, Kg. 1384-1406 Cathal, kg.1406-1439 Eoghan, d.1421

__|______________________________________ |

| | |
| | |
Aedh, Kg. 1439-61 Feidhlimid Gengcach, Kg. 1461-75 Tadc Ua Ruaidhri, Kg. 1475-76
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|_____________________ |
| | |
Ruaidhri, d.1473 Aedh Eoghan Caoch, Kg. 1476-1485
| __________|_____________________

| | | |

Toirrdhealbach Og Conchobar Cairbre Aodh

d.1503 d.1546

|

Diarmait, d.1585

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Sir Hugh/Aedh Ó Conchobhair Donn mac Diarmada mac Cairbre

Family tree III

Sir Hugh/Aedh Ó Conchobhair Donn mac Diarmada mac Cairbre, d. 1627.
=Mary ni Brian Ó Rourke, King of Breifne
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Calvach Aedh Óg Cathal (1597–1634) Bryan Roe
=Anne Mulloy
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_____________________|____________
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Major Owen of Belangare Cathal Óg of Belangare
dspm 1692 =Finola Ni Fhlionn of Ballinlough
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Denis O'Conor Don (1674–1750)
=Máire, inion Colonel Tiernan Ó Rourke
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_______________________________|__________________________________________________
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| | | | | |
Daniel Thomas, Charles O'Conor Don
Charles O'Conor (historian)
Charles O'Conor Don, The O'Conor Don, Prince of Connacht of Belanagare was an Irish writer and antiquarian who was enormously influential as a protagonist for the preservation of Irish culture and history in the eighteenth century...

 (1710–91) Aedh/Hugh Elinor Anne
d. 1769 Officer =Catherine ni Fagan
in France |
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_________________________|__________________________________________________________
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Dominick Alexander Jane Denis O'Conor Don (1732-1804) Charles Bridget d.1777
dsp 1795 d. unm 1820 =Catherine Browne of Cloonfad = Myles MacDermot
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_________________________________|______________________________________________
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Owen O'Conor Don, 1763-1831. Rev. Charles  Matthew
Matthew O'Conor
Matthew O'Conor Don of Ballinagare, County Roscommon, Ireland, was an Irish historian, the O'Conor Don and de jure King of Connacht....

  Catherine Mary Elizabeth
=Jane Moore of Mount Browne 1764-1828 1773-1844
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| | | |
Denis O'Conor Don
Denis O'Conor Don
Denis Armar O'Conor Don, was hereditary chief of the O'Conor Don sept of Ireland.Born in London in 1912 to Charles William O'Conor and Evelyn Lowry-Corry, he inherited his title in 1981 from his second cousin Fr. Charles O'Conor, a Jesuit priest. He used his position to promote an interest in...

 (1794-1847) Edward Jane Catherine
=Mary Blake of Tower Hill
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Charles Owen O'Conor Don
Charles Owen O'Conor
Charles Owen O'Conor PC was an Irish MP of the United Kingdom.The eldest son of The O'Conor Don. O'Conor was educated at Downside School in England and became a Liberal MP for Roscommon from March 1860 until defeated in 1880...

, M.P. (1838-1906) Denis Maurice O'Conor
Denis Maurice O'Conor
Denis Maurice O'Conor was an Irish politician, Member of Parliament in the Parliament of the United Kingdom.The second son of The O'Conor Don, O'Conor was educated at Downside School and the University of London, gaining an MA in 1861 and LLD in 1866. A barrister, he was called to the bar at...

 Don, M.P. (1840-83)
=Georgina Perry |
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|______________________________________________________________ |
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Charles (1869-1917) Owen (1870-1943) Hugh (1872-1939) Roderick (1872-3) Charles O'Conor Don (1878-1963)
=Ellen More Ó Ferrall =Evelyn Lowry-Corry
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______________________________________|_______________________________________ |
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Charles Mary Gertrude Eva Josephine Helen Fearga Georgina |
1906-81. d.1953. =Rupert Nash d.1989. d.1980. b.1910. d.1986. b.1916. |
| |
___________________| |
| | | Denis Armar O'Conor Don
Denis O'Conor Don
Denis Armar O'Conor Don, was hereditary chief of the O'Conor Don sept of Ireland.Born in London in 1912 to Charles William O'Conor and Evelyn Lowry-Corry, he inherited his title in 1981 from his second cousin Fr. Charles O'Conor, a Jesuit priest. He used his position to promote an interest in...

, 1912-2000.
| | | =Elizabeth Marris =Rosemay O'Connell Hewett
Latatia Rosalind Pyers O'Conor-Nash |
|_________________________
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| | | |
Desmond Kieran Rory Gail (d. aged 13)
=Virginia Anne Williams
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___________|_________
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Emma Philip Denise
=Rebecca Jane Eagan
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_______________________________
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Eochy Piers Adelaide Barley

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, died ?
  • Toirdhealbhach Óg mac Ruaidhri Ó Conchobhair Donn, d. 1503
  • Conchobhar mac Eoghain Chaoich Ó Conchobhair Donn, d.?
  • 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.
  • Major Owen O'Conor Don of Belangare, d.s.p.m. 1692
  • Cathal Óg O'Conor Don of Belangare, d. 1696
  • Denis O'Conor Don, 1674–1750
  • Charles O'Conor Don
    Charles O'Conor (historian)
    Charles O'Conor Don, The O'Conor Don, Prince of Connacht of Belanagare was an Irish writer and antiquarian who was enormously influential as a protagonist for the preservation of Irish culture and history in the eighteenth century...

    , 1710–1791
  • Denis O'Conor Don of Belangare, 1732–1804
  • Owen O'Conor Don of Clonalis, 1763–1831
  • Matthew O'Conor Don
    Matthew O'Conor
    Matthew O'Conor Don of Ballinagare, County Roscommon, Ireland, was an Irish historian, the O'Conor Don and de jure King of Connacht....

    , 1773–1844 - popularly acclaimed 'king' in 1830s.
  • Denis O'Conor Don
    Denis O'Conor
    He was MP for Roscommon from 1831 to 1847. He became a Junior Lord of the Treasury in Lord John Russell's government but died the next year.- References :...

     of Clonalis, 1794–1847
  • Charles Owen O'Conor Don
    Charles Owen O'Conor
    Charles Owen O'Conor PC was an Irish MP of the United Kingdom.The eldest son of The O'Conor Don. O'Conor was educated at Downside School in England and became a Liberal MP for Roscommon from March 1860 until defeated in 1880...

    , 1838–1906
  • Charles O'Conor Don, 1869–1917
  • Owen Phelim O'Conor Don, 1870–1943
  • Fr. Charles O'Conor Don, 1906–1981
  • Denis O'Conor Don
    Denis O'Conor Don
    Denis Armar O'Conor Don, was hereditary chief of the O'Conor Don sept of Ireland.Born in London in 1912 to Charles William O'Conor and Evelyn Lowry-Corry, he inherited his title in 1981 from his second cousin Fr. Charles O'Conor, a Jesuit priest. He used his position to promote an interest in...

    , 1912 - 10 July 2000
  • Desmond O'Conor Don (Chairman of the British-Chile Chamber of Commerce, former banker, resides in Sussex)

See also

  • Ó Conchubhair Ruadh
  • Ó Conchobhair Sligigh
  • Clan Muircheartaigh Uí Conchobhair
    Clan Muircheartaigh Uí Conchobhair
    The Clan Muircheartaigh Uí Conchobhair were descendants of Irish High-King Toirdelbach Ua Conchobair, via his son, Muircheartach Muimhneach . They have been defined by Katherine Simms as:...

  • Gaelic nobility of Ireland
  • Chief of the Name
  • Irish nobility
    Irish nobility
    This article concerns the Gaelic nobility of Ireland from ancient to modern times. It only partly overlaps with Chiefs of the Name because it excludes Scotland and other discussion...

  • Irish Royal Families
    Irish Royal Families
    The Irish Royal Families were dynasties who ruled large overkingdoms and smaller petty kingdoms on the island of Ireland over the last two millennia.-Locality:...

  • Chief Herald of Ireland
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