----- Original Message ----- From: "Mike O'Brien" <mike@obrienclan.com> To: <irl-clare@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, September 13, 2006 1:06 PM Subject: Re: [IRL-CLARE] : The Arms of Irish Septs- An Explanation (Part 1) > Snip, Snip, Snip> >Snip .... They did perform genealogical research to verify Chiefs that > were male bloodline descendents from their last de facto Chief and > therefore > authorized to use the position designation 'THE' before their surname. Who authorised them? The Genealogical Office or ...? Mike - I keep getting more or less the same info. now for the past week, as well as every other members have. It's obvious to me from the responses that there is certain informed dis-agreement with your views on the subject in general. As well as the fact, that the letter of reply which I received from the Genealogical Office of 12 February 1997 states, in part: "... There is in fact NO [emphasis added] authority for the use of "The" in Irish genealogy or Heraldry. The leaders of the Clans [read Septs] were know by their surname, eg O'Neill, O'Donnell and MacCarthy, etc " You seem to be disputing that contradicting that reply.