There are many people of Irish descent who can justly claim an ancestry as ancient and royal as that of any of the famous European dynasties. Among them are the O'Dubhda family (pronounced "O'Dooda"), including the O'Dowda, O'Dowd and other variant spellings, who are descended (with many other families) from a people in the West of Ireland once known as the Ui Fiachrach ("Ee Fee-a-crock"). This name derived from a 5th century pagan king of Connacht called Fiachra ("Fee-a-cra"). His son Daithi ("Daw-hee") also became king and was killed by lightning about 445 A.D. His grandson Aillil succeeded as King of Connacht and later King of Tara for twenty years until he was killed in battle in 482 A.D.
The Ui Fiachrach provided successive kings of Connacht for a long period, but eventually their sphere of influence became confined to North Connacht. In the late 10th century, their king was named Aedh Ua Dubhda i.e.
Hugh, the grandson of Dubhda ("Dooda"). He was king of an area roughly corresponding to the two counties of Mayo and Sligo. He is recorded as having 'died an untroubled death' in the year 982, making this surname one of the oldest in Europe. As the use of surnames became more widespread, his descendants continued to use the name O'Dubhda to distinguish their own royal family. This is pronounced "O'Dooda", but there are as many as forty different variations on the original Irish surname.
The O'Dubhda remained kings of North Connacht until the 13th century.
However, great changes took place in Irish society and they lost control over much of their former lands before being confined to the barony of Tireragh ("Tea-rare-ra") meaning 'the country of Fiachra' in Co.
Sligo. As a result, they gradually dropped the use of the title king.
This was replaced in time by the title Taoiseach (pronounced "Tea-shock"), i.e. chieftain or leader. This term is now used as the title of the Irish Prime Minister. The man who became Taoiseach was generally referred to by his surname only, e.g. O'Dubhda. In this way he came to be referred to as chief of his name. He was elected according to the old Irish laws and sometimes there was a dispute over the leadership. One means of avoiding conflict was by the selection of a Taoiseach-elect, called a Tanaiste (pronounced "Thaw-nishta"). This term is now used for the Irish Deputy Prime Minister. The election and inauguration was presided over by the ollamh ("Ulav") or professor of the Mac Firbis family of scholars.
The O'Dubhda family is unique in having a detailed account of the inauguration ceremony of their Taoiseach preserved in an ancient manuscript of the Mac Firbis scholars. This manuscript, known as the Great Book of Lecan, was written near Enniscrone in Tireragh between 1397 and 1418 and is now carefully preserved as one of our Irish national treasures in Dublin. One of the most generous sponsors of the Mac Firbis scholars was Tadhg Riabhach O'Dubhda ('Dark Teige'), who became Taoiseach of Tireragh in 1417. He is particularly remembered in this manuscript where his death is recorded at Enniscrone Castle. This unique treasure preserves much of our ancient Irish heritage. It contains information relating to the history of hundreds of different Irish families. Both the Mac Firbis bardic scholars, who wrote it, and the O'Dubhda rulers who supported them, deserve our remembrance.
The ancient laws of Ireland, known as the Brehon Laws, continued in use until the early 1600s. The last Taoiseach to be elected under these was Tadhg Bui O'Dubhda ('Blonde Teige'). He was inaugurated in 1595, and led his army south to the battle of Kinsale in 1601. He never came back.
Tradition states that he survived the battle and settled in Co.
Kerry, where his family later became known as Doody. During the 17th century, the rest of the O'Dubhda ruling family was displaced from their homeland, where they had owned 24 castles and 52 towns, including Enniscrone. They split into two main branches, and these settled in Co.
Mayo. In dealings with government officials using the English language several different spellings of the surname were introduced, one branch used the spelling of O'Dowda, while the other branch became known as O'Dowd. Two centuries earlier a third branch had left and settled near Dublin, where they became known as Dowd. Although there are more than 40 other variations, Dowd and O'Dowd are now the most common versions of the surname. There are many descendants now living who can trace their ancestry directly back to the original O'Dubhda kings.
Many references have appeared in print and in film to the O'Dowda and O'Dowd families. Among the authors who have used the surname in their works are W.M. Thackeray, P.G. Wodehouse, L.A.G. Strong, G. Birmingham, and G.B. Shaw. P.C. O'Dowd appeared in a TV series "Rockliffe's Babies", and there was a Sheriff Dowd in the U.S. Series "Brett Maverick".
Patrick O'Dowd became a distinguished Canadian churchman, and died in Montreal in 1891. Cleophas J. Dowd (1856-1898) became a notorious outlaw and associate of the famous Butch Cassidy, and was shot in the Wild West. John O'Dowd was one of the most prominent lawyers in a famous court case concerning the Bell Telephone Company in the U.S. More recently, Fidelma O'Dowda has become well known as a talented actress, Gwen O'Dowd as an important artist, and Dr. Mary O'Dowd has become a noted historian. Bernard O'Dowd, who died in 1951, is regarded as Australia's first national poet. Dan O'Dowd was a famous piper and performer of traditional Irish music and Sean O'Dubhda of Kerry was a well known folklorist. Peadar O'Dubhda from Co. Louth was a respected Irish scholar. Ernest Peter O'Dowda was a renowned Canadian sportsman who died in 1985. Also well known is the world-famous Irish tenor Brendan O'Dowda, who can trace his ancestry directly back to the original O'Dubhda kings. Others such as Boy George and Sean O'Dowd have also become famous in the world of modern music.
In 1990, an Oireachtas or clan gathering was held at Enniscrone where a Clan Association was founded, a Rowan tree planted, and a plaque was unveiled. A company, Clann Ui Dhubhda Teo., was set up to promote the O'Dubhda clan and Irish heritage. Their clan rally in 1992 was one of the most successful events of the Irish Homecoming Festival. The 1994 event was even more successful! The next clan rally will be 11-14 September, 1997.
For further information contact:
********************************************************************** * IRISH HERITAGE RESEARCH / O'DUBHDA CLAN NEWSLETTER * * 'Tireragh' * * 30 Lakelands Drive * * Stillorgan Email: HERITAGE@internet-eireann.ie * * Co. Dublin or cmchale@gn.apc.org * * Ireland or 75900491@vax1.dcu.ie * * Tel.+353 1 2884250 or cmchale@dublin.cerf.fred.org * * Fax:+353 1 2887347 or HERITAGE@iol.ie * **********************************************************************
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