Chiefs of the Name

A Chief of the Name was a person recognised by the Chief Herald of Ireland as the most senior known male descendant of the last inaugurated or de facto chief of that name in power in Gaelic Ireland at or before the end of the sixteenth century, see Irish nobility. After embarrassing official blunders in the 1990s which saw several impostors receive recognition, the Irish government decided in July 2003 to abandon this practice as there was no proper legal basis for it, and to continue such recognition would, on the advice of the Attorney General, necessitate a constitutional referendum to amend Bunreacht na hÉireann.This decision was criticised by, among others, Etienne Rynne, Professor Emeritus of Archaeology at NUI Galway. At abandonment the position was as follows:

Chiefs of the Name

• O Brien of Thomond - Conor O Brien (Clare).

• O Callaghan - Don Juan O Callaghan (Spain).

• O Donoghue of the Glens - Geoffrey O Donoghue (Wicklow).

• O Conor Don - Desmond O Conor (England).

• MacDermot prince of Coolavin - Nial MacDermot (Kildare).

• O Donovan - Morgan O Donovan (Cork).

• The Fox - John W Fox (Australia).

• MacGillicuddy of the Reeks - Richard McGillicuddy (France).

• O Morchoe - David N. C. O Morchoe (Wexford).

• O Neill of Clannaboy - Hugo O Neill (Portugal).

• O Grady of Kilballyowen - Henry Thomas Standish O Grady (France).

• O Kelly of Gallagh - Walter L. O Kelly (Dublin).

• Mac Morrough Kavanagh - William Butler Kavanagh (Wales).

• O Donell of Tirconnell - Fr A. O Donnell (Zimbabwe).

• O Dochartaigh of Inishowen - Ramon O Dogherty (Spain).

Designation dormant

• O Toole of Fer Tire.

Designations disputed

• O Long of Garranelongy.

• Maguire of Fermanagh.

• O Carroll of Eile O Carroll.

• O Ruairc of Breifne.

• Mac Donnell of the Glens.

Designation withdrawn

• MacCarthy Mor. The recognition of Terence Francis McCarthy (Morocco) was withdrawn in July 1999.

Application for recognition pending

• MacCarthy Mor

• MacLochlainn

• Mac Sweeney Doe

• O Dowda

• O Hara

• O Meehan

Recognition not applied for

• O Neill Mór - Claimed by Carlos O'Neill, Marques de la Granja (Spain).

• Around one hundred chiefships attested in historical sources with no known modern representative.