An Irish 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 Terence Francis MacCarthy and several other 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 referendum to amend the Constitution of Ireland (Bunreacht na hÉireann). This decision was criticised by some, and greatly offended the recognized chiefs, but on the whole did not create a major stir. 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
Designations disputed
- O Carroll of Eile O Carroll.
- Mac Donnell of the Glens.
Designation withdrawn
- MacCarthy Mor. The recognition of Terence Francis MacCarthy (Morocco) was withdrawn in July 1999.
Application for recognition pending
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.
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