We have 16 participants of the Kelly Clan Association in our KELLEY/KELLY/O'KELLY Surname DNA Study including the Chief of the Clan, Count Walter Lionel O'Kelly. If you think you may be a descendant of O'Ceallaigh you can prove it by sending in a cheek swab. Contrary to the data in the Book there are far more than 10 different, unrelated, Kelly Septs. Out of the 138 participants who have completed their test, there are 90 Unique, Genetically Unrelated Kelly Septs. I would never have expected there would be such a large number of unrelated Families who adopted the Surname Cealleaigh when a Surname was required by the Irish King in 970AD. You can find out more information about The Kelley/Kelly/O'Kelly Surname DNA Study on our Website. The Rootsweb hosted site where information on our participants and their descendants are located is: < http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~kellydnaproject/index.htm > Best Regards, Raymond Kelly ----- Original Message ----- From: "Di Tarhalla" <family_ties@comcast.net> To: <kelley@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, July 17, 2008 4:27 PM Subject: [KELLEY] Ireland Genealogy Project > > I have a book on The Clans and Families of Ireland. Here is what it says > about Kelley's > > Kelly comes from the Irish O'Ceallaigh, based on the popular personal name > Ceallach, which may mean either 'bright-haired' or troublesome'. The > popularity of the name meant that it was incorporated into permanent > surnames in between seven and ten different places, including County Meath, > north Wicklow, the Antrim/Derry area, County Sligo, Galway/Roscommon, north > Down and County Laois. The most prominent of these families are the O'Kellys > of Ui Maine, or Hy Many, an ancient territory taking in east Galway and > south Roscommon, also known simply as "O'Kelly's Country". Their pedigree > takes them back to Maine Mor, first chief of the area bearing his name, who > lived in the fifth century. His descendant Ceallach (died c874) was the > twelfth chief, and it is from him that the surname derives. His > great-great-grandson Tadhg Mor, who died at the battle of Clontarf in 1014, > was the first to use the name in true hereditary fashion. > > Despite the loss of most of their possessions in the catastrophic wars of > the seventeenth century, a loss shared with most of the rest of the Gaelic > aristocracy, the succession to the position of head of the sept has > continued unbroken down to the present incumbent, Walter Lionel O'Kelly of > Gallagh and Tycooly, count of the Holy Roman Empire, known as the "O'Kelly", > and recognized as such by the Chief Herald of Ireland. > > Today, Kelly and O'Kelly are almost as numerous in Ireland as Murphy, and > are to be found throughout Ireland. Individuals of the name have been > prominent in all speres of Irish life. The best known modern Irish sculptor > was Oisin Lelly (1915-1981), Charles E Kelly (1902-1981) was one of the > founders of Dublin Opinion, the most famous satirical magazine to appear in > Ireland, and James O'Kelly (1845-1916) had a remarkable career as a war > correspondent and Member of Parliament. > > Source: Book; Clans and Families of Ireland (The Heritage and Heraldry of > Irish Clans and Families) By: John Grenham > Published by: The Wellfleet Press, 110 Enterprise Ave., Secaucus, New > Jersey, 07094 Copy right: 1993 by CLB Publishing Ltd., Godaiming, Surrey, > England > > > Here is a link to a site I use for locations in Ireland. But since Kelly's > are widespread... > > > > > ************************************* > KELLEY/KELLY/O'KELLY Surname DNA Study > http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~kellydnaproject/index.htm > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to KELLEY-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message