[New] Major Study on the O’Kellys of Uí Maine

‘The Uí Chellaig lords of Uí Maine and Tír Maine - An archaeological and landscape exploration of a later medieval inland Gaelic lordship’ by Daniel Patrick Curley will be published by Four Courts Press in September 2023. ISBN: 978-1-80151-091-2 : 272pp : H/bk : Large Format : Full-Colour ills : Catalogue price: €45.00 : Web Price: €40.50.

The Ó Cellaig (O’Kelly) lordship of Uí Maine and Tír Maine was a substantial political territory and influential cultural power in later medieval Connacht. This book identifies and reconstructs the physical appearance of the major Ó Cellaig lordly centres from their emergence as one of the principal offshoots of the Uí Maine in c.1100, to the demise of the lordship around the year 1600. It begins with an historical background, which helps to identify the lordly centres (cenn áiteanna) and define the shifting physical boundaries of this territory through the period. The later medieval physical environment is then reconstructed, with an exploration of the resources and economic conditions which underpinned this inland Gaelic lordship. Thereafter, the focus moves to inspect these cenn áiteanna, their siting, forms and surrounding cultural landscapes. In doing so, the writer investigates a broad range of settlement forms, including the continued use of crannóga and promontory forts, before turning to the tower house castle. This book tackles important themes in later medieval Gaelic society and its physical expression, through the lens of these eastern Connacht lords. (FCP Text)

Daniel Patrick Curley is a graduate of the NUIG, with a PhD in Archaeology. He manages the Rathcroghan Visitor Centre in Co. Roscommon, and his research interests lie primarily in the archaeology and cultural heritage of Roscommon and east Galway.

Four Courts Press

Irish History, Genealogy, Local History and much more. Checkout the extensive online catalogue for 2023 and the wonderful special offers at www.fourcourtspress.ie note the “back-in-prints” too!!

Gsi Board News

The Board of Directors held its monthly meeting on Thursday January 12th 2023 at 11.00hrs via Zoom with six in attendance.

A number of directors were absent through illness caused by the current bout of respiratory viruses circulating in the community.

The General Secretary informed the meeting that he too had been laid low by such and requested that, following the completion of the statutory items on the agenda, that only urgent matters be taken. This was agreed with two exceptions an important report by Shane Wilson, MGSI, and another by Gerard Corcoran, MGSI.

After the adopting the Minutes and with Corporate Governance Matters, Correspondence and Accounts finalised, Shane Wilson, MGSI, delivered his report.

Shane Wilson, MGSI, Director of Internet Services, gave a detailed presentation on the extraordinary work currently being undertaken to make the Society’s journals from 2000 accessible electronically to the Members via the Society’s website.

Gerard Corcoran, MGSI, followed on to praise Laura Price, MGSI, for digitising the Society’s Journals. He also stressed that this was only the start of the digitisation process aimed at making as many as possible of the archival collections accessible remotely to our Members at home and overseas.

Gerard Corcoran, MGSI, advised the Board of the allocation of the old Carnegie Library in Dún Laoghaire to the Institute of Art, Design & Technology (IADT) which is destined to be Ireland’s first EU University. He said that this opened up huge potential for this Society to build on its existing collaborations.

Gerard will prepare a detailed proposal for the February Board Meeting. The Board warmly welcomed the news and wish IADT every success with this new acquisition and designation.

He also advised the Board that Clare Roots Society will collect the stock duplicate publications from An Daonchartlann for its library this month.

Eddie Gahan, FGSI, updated the Board on the plans to have stands at the Holiday World Shows in Belfast and Dublin this month and his need for more volunteers for the Belfast stand for January 20, 21 & 22nd. He was somewhat disappointed with the number of volunteers received for the Belfast stand, although, he hoped that will quickly change.

Michael Merrigan formally advised the Board of the receipt of a Grant of Arms from the Chief Herald of Ireland dated 16th December 2022.

The next Board Meeting will be held on Thursday February 2nd 2022 at 11.00hrs via Zoom.

As reported below in ‘GSI Board News’ the Board received a very comprehensive presentation by Shane Wilson, MGSI, Direct of Internet Services, on the ongoing digitisation of the Society’s publications and archival collections.

Laura Price, MGSI, Director of Special Collections, Research & Specialist Groups and Gerard Corcoran, MGSI, Director of Archival Services & Education, have been working away scanning the Society’s journals published since 2000. According to Shane’s report a total of 36 individual publications have been fully scanned and formatted in an manner that provides a search facility and permits retrieval of the articles therein.

Final testing on the system is underway to allow for the these publications and the immensely valuable research material contained in each article to be available electronically to our Members via a Member’s Only section GSI website.

The detailed and very skilled work on this collection untaken by Shane Wilson has also provided the Society with templates for the similar capture, sorting and release of items from our archival collections. Again, this will be a facility for fully paid-up Members to access remotely, however, in person electronic access to such newly digitised material will be available at An Daonchartlann.

Gerard Corcoran, MGSI, continues to identify gaps in our scanning capabilities and these are being addressed as and when resources are available for the purchase of new equipment. However, he also will be seeking more volunteers to undertaken specific scanning and digitisation projects from home. Gerard has exciting plans for the expansion of the digitisation projects. More information next month.

Grant Of Arms

Michael Merrigan advised the Board at its meeting on Thursday 12th January 2023 that he received a grant of arms from the Chief Herald of Ireland, Ms. Colette O’Flaherty.

The ’Letters Patent’ dated 16th December 2022 Volume Ab, Folio 28 provide the following heraldic description (blazon) of the arms. (Azure/Blue : Argent/ Silver : Gules/Red) ‘Azure a wolf and a boar combatant Argent langued Gules supporting between them a military pike pointing upward Proper and on a wreath of the colours the Crest a European herring gull rising wings elevated and beak open Proper on a helmet mantled Azure doubled Argent…. With the Motto: Fréamhacha agus Croabhacha Aontaithe’. (‘Roots and Branches United’)

The arms were beautifully designed by Mr. Dónal Burke, herald at the Office of the Chief Herald of Ireland and painted on velum by an heraldic artist commissioned by the office.

The text of the ‘Letters Patent’ is in both the Irish and English languages and records the armiger’s genealogy and that the grant extends to the other descendants of his father, observing the appropriate heraldic differencing as determined by the ‘Laws of Arms’ in Ireland.

Annual Journal 2023

The Board of the Society, under Res: 22/12/1716, established a Select Committee for the production of the 2023 Annual Journal with Paula Jones, MGSI, Deputy General Secretary, as Chair.

Members and readers wishing to submit items for publication in the 2023 issue of the GSI Annual Journal are advised to make contact with the Select Committee.

The Select Committee will advise on the word count, format and the procedures regarding any images accompanying the article. Please email: JGSI@familyhistory.ie