The Tribes and Customs of Hy-Many
 by Dr John O'Donovan  published 1843

Comment by Rick O'Kelley 01/2014

For many years I have been aware of and have read Dr. John O'Dovovan's 1843 book about the O'Kelly regional kings or Chiefs of Ui Maine (Hy-Many) Ireland.  Thomas Dean O'Kelley of my family born on 4 September 1856 after graduating college in 1883, he traveled to Europe with his college professor and Ireland was one of the places they visited.  He came back with the Hy-Many Coat of Arms and a story that all O'Kelleys descend from the HY-Many which at that time they might have believed that true after all some of the Hy-Many O'Kellys did come to America in the 1600s.  Thomas Dean O'Kelley's son, Fredrick Henry O'Kelley, was an artist he painted some copies, he made numerous copies and gave them as gifts over the years which have been handed down to his living descendents today and one of these exact copies right down the makers mark was used by Alethea Jane Macon inside the cover of her 1969 book.   Even the Funk and Wagnalls Encyclopedia in the book case in my parents home made the claim that all O'Kellys came from Teague O'Kelly who died at the Battle of Contarf so the belief that we were Hy-Many or Ui Mhaine was deeply engrained in my family and even some of the Irish Hy-Many believed it true also.

Author W E MacClenny in his 1910 book about Rev James makes a claim that he descended from the O'Kellys of Hy-Many, and Alethea Jane Macon in her 1969 book echoes this claim most all my family believed we descended from these O'Kelleys and that belief goes back more than 100 years so imagine my surprise when I completed a Y DNA test in August of 2010 and learned that while I am related, the grandfather that my O'Kelley family shares  a grandfather with the O'Kelly of Hy-Many that shared grandfather lived before surnames came into use so we were not of the O'Kelly of Hy-Many. 

While I was disappointed in 2010 to learn that what everyone had been telling me about being of the O'Kelly of Hy-Many wasn't true, today in 2014 I am very pleased at my Y-DNA result discoveries because of the advancements and new discoveries in DNA testing of ancient remains, in 2024 my Y-DNA results puts my oldest Irish male ancestor in Co Fermanagh about 4200 years ago which is only 300 years after the grandfather I share with Hy-Many lived and my Co Fermanagh ancestor's mtDNA connects me to a female ancestor found buried in the Poulnabrone dolmen one of the oldest and most visited sites in Ireland.  I have matches to several very ancient remains putting my Irish Ancestors in Ireland 5442 years ago .

The ancestry of Hy-Many is well documented so I used it with my DNA research to discover my true Irish Ancestors.  You can follow my 14 year DNA journey here. 

 

Here are some additional pages to aid the understanding.

Chart from the back of the book broken into three scans or full image

Perhaps one of the most interesting facts found in this book is the explanation as to how some of the Irish Gaelic Gentry O'Kelleys came to be protestant.  While I haven't yet found the document, it seems certain that the O'Kelleys of Tara followed the same path to becoming Protestant.  Beginning on page 18 and ending on page 20 we have: 

In the reign of Elizabeth it consisted only of five baronies, as appears from a curious document to be found among the " Inrolments tempore Elizabeths," in the Auditor General's Office, Dublin, dated 6th August, 1585. From this Document the Editor is tempted to present the reader with the following extract, which throws a curious light on the state of Hy-Many in the reign of Queen Elizabeth:

" Agreement between the Irish chieftains and inhabitants of Imany, called the O'Kellie's country, on both sides of the river of Suck, in Connaught, and the Queen's Majesty, viz. Hugh O'Kelly of Lisecalhone, otherwise called O'kelly, Teige Mac William O'Kelly, of Mullaghmore, and Connor Oge O'Kelly, of Killianee, competitors for the name of Tanestshippe of O'kelly ;

Connor ne Garroghe O'Kelly, of Gallaghef, and Shane ne Move O'Kelly, of the Criaghe, Generosus ; William O'Mannine, of Mynlogheb, otherwise called O'mannine ; Moriartagh O'Concannon, of Kiltullagh, otherwise called O'conCannon ; Shane O'Naghten, of Moynure1, otherwise called O'naghten ; Edmond Mac Kcoghe, of Owenaghk, otherwise called Mac Keoghe ; Donogh O'Murry, of Ballymurry1, otherwise called O'murry ; Covaghe O'Fallone, of the Milltowne", otherwise called O'Fallone ; and Connor Mac Geraghte, otherwise called Mac Gerraghte".

" The territory of Imany, called O'Kelly's country, is divided into five principal barronyes, that is to wytte, Athlone, Killconnell, Teaquine, Killyane, and Maycarnane, all which contain 665 1/2 quarters of land, each at 120 acres.

" It is agreed by all the forenamed parties that the captainshippe and tanistshippe of the said country, heretofore used by the said O'Kellies, and all ellections and Irish customary division of lands shall be utterly abolished and extinct for ever: that Hugh, otherwise called O'kelly, shall possess these four quarters of land, viz. Lisennoke, Ferranbreaghe, Lysdallen, and Moydowe, now in his possession, and which arc situated in Eraght-O'Murry and Mac Edmond's country, in the barony of Athlone, with a chief rent out of various other lands within the said country, which amount in the whole to £56 19.S. 6d. during his natural life, and after his death the said lands to be freed and discharged of the aforesaid rents.

" That Teige Mac William O'Kelly shall have and possess the quarters of Mullaghmore, Corncgallaghe, Carrownesire, and Carrowncboe. And Connor Oge O'Kelly shall have four quarters in and about the town of Killiane, but upon this special condition, which they bind themselves to, that they and their heirs shall henceforth behave themselves like good subjects ; shall put no ymposition or chardge upon the inhabyters of the lands, and shall bring uppc their children after the English fashions, and in the use of the Englishe tounge."