Farrelly

According to the Life of Saint Máedóc of Ferns,[1] [2] the O'Farrelly family traces its origin back to a man named Urcain, who lived c. 624 AD. He was supposedly descended from the High-King of Ireland, Niall of the Nine Hostages, who reigned from 379 to 405 AD, according to the Annals of the Four Masters. His pedigree is given as- Urcain, son of Ailill, son of Rechtaide, son of Eitin, son of Felim, son of Caol, son of Áed, son of Ailill, son of Erc, son of Eógan, son of Niall of the Nine Hostages.

The Life states-Once when Máedóc was at Ferns at the end of his time, the angel of the Lord revealed to him that the term of his days and the end of his life was now approaching and drawing nigh, and bade him go to the place of his resurrection, and to the site of his burial, and to leave his churches and noble annoits, and his chosen sanctuaries, to their native gentry and to their proper heirs after him. Máedóc did so. He left Ferns and its lands under the authority of Cele and Aedan, and with their race and descendants, together with the perpetual obligation of levying and collecting the tribute dues of Leinster, and of dividing them impartially among his churches and coarbs, as we said above. He went thence to Drumlane, and did the same in that church. He left the headship and coarbship of that church with Urcain, son of Ailill, who was called Faircellach. Máedóc had baptized this man, Urcain, and given him the name of Faircellach; for these were the two first attendants that Máedóc had, viz. Faircellach and Fergus his brother, two sons of Ailill.

The descendants of Urcain were thereafter called the Ó Faircellach, meaning the descendants of Faircellach and from that time onwards were the abbots of Drumlane Abbey in County Cavan, Ireland. According to the above Life, Urcain's other brother, Fergus, was made erenagh of Rossinver Church in County Leitrim. He is described as Máedóc's own dear faithful foster-child and equal-aged companion. The Life then gives the succession of the O'Farrellys up to the time of Fergal ua Ruairc, King of Connacht from 956 to 967 AD- When fierce Maedoc died, both wall and great garden, the church with its horned cattle, were entrusted by him to Faircellach. After Faircellach died, the protection of the church was entrusted to the welcoming countenance which never refused a company, to the noble man, to Maelchiarain. Cúduilig, short was his activity, after forcible Maelchiaráin; Three years were these two undoubtedly in the coarbship after one another. Maelbrigde of the melodious voice, Concobar was his son; Maelbrigde did not succeed to the fair church, but his son Concobar succeeded. In the time of Concobar, head of schools, after every one in Drumlane, came O'Rourke with no weakly band to exact guesting from the high church. This was the number of the household of Fergal which came to the city of elegant Maedoc, thirteen good men without concealment, three and three hundred men of war. Three nights were they in his fair church, the warriors in Drumlane, without destruction to young or old of them, and with Concobar to satisfy them jointly. The attendance on them, though it was a hard bargain, though it was ignoble for O'Farrelly, no man of them was without payment of his portion, was neglected or forgotten. Three hundred men took refection, methinks, around Fergal king of Ireland. The earliest mention of the family in the Annals of the Four Masters is at 1025 AD- Duibhinsi Ua Faircheallaigh, Abbot of Druim-leathan, died. Other early mentions are at 1059, 1257, 1368, 1369 etc. The most famous of the early O'Farrelly ecclesiastics was David Ó Faircheallaigh who became Bishop of Kilmore diocese in 1408. The succession list of the O'Farrelly abbots, priors and priests can be seen under the Wiki entry for Drumlane.

The family seem to have dispensed patronage to poets. A poem written towards the end of the 16th century praises Brian O'Foirchiollaigh with the lines- O best Brian O'Farrelly did not forget; Those who have come to you for ale-feasts have caused redness in the palms of the ale dispensers. You are the artisan of the artisans, the master of the hawk; With what wine has fallen to them from your goblets, their black cloaks have become red mantles.[3]

Several O'Farrellys are mentioned in the Fiants of 19 January 1586 when Queen Elizabeth I of England granted them pardons for fighting against the Queen's forces. The 1882 transcription of the Fiants misspells the name as Irielli by leaving out the initial 'F' (Page 143, Document 4813)- Pardon to Hugh, son of Hugh, son of William Firielli of Droumlain; Patrick son of Hugh, son of William Firielli of same; Moyle-Shaughelen, son of Gillpatrick, son of William Firielli; John, son of Gillpatrick, son of William Firielli; Henry, son of Gillpatrick, son of William Firielli; Donel, son of Gillpatrick, son of Hugh Firielli; Edmond, son of Hugh, son of Hugh Firielli; Gillpatrick, son of Thomas, son of Gillpatrick Firielli; Shane, son of Morrish, son of Mahowne Firielli.[4]

In the Tithe Applotment Books of the 1820s & 1830s there were 269 Farrellys and 29 Farellys who were paying tithes in County Cavan.[5]

In the Census of Ireland, 1911 there were 1,075 Farrellys in County Cavan, 13 O'Farrellys and four Farellys.[6]

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• Farrell (disambiguation)
• Farwell (disambiguation)
• Ferrell
• O'Farrell
• Varrel