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2019 Clans of Ireland Certificate

Clann Uí Chléirigh is a registered member of the Clans of Ireland Association under the patronage of  Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland.

This Website is dedicated to telling the  story  of  the  ancient Connacht tribe  of  the  Ua Cléirigh, part of the Hy Fiacrach Aidhne.   Their ancient lands were in south Connacht near the monastery of Kilmacduagh in south-western part of Co Galway. When their lands were conquered by the Normans in the 13th Century, they scattered to nearby territories still under Gaelic lordship. Some moved to Tuath Mumhan (Thomond, Clare, Limerick) still under the lordship of the  Uí Briain (O’Briens)  Others  moved  eastwards  to  Iar  Mumhan (Ormond, Tipperary)  and  Osraigh.(Kilkenny)  Other branches moved northwards to Hy Fiacrach Muide (Mayo) and to Breffni (Cavan).

The name Ua Cléirigh is considered by many to be one of the earliest surnames recorded in Ireland. In the centuries since it has been anglicised in various forms either to; O’Clery, O’Cleary, Clery, Cleary, Clary or as a full translation of the name into Clark, Clerk or Clerke, Clarke. To add further confusion the latter four translations of the Uí Cléirigh surname  not only have origins in England, Scotland and Wales but also in continental Europe.

The Uí Cléirighs claim descent from King Guaire of Connacht whose ancient capital was sited near where the  present  Dunguaire Castle  is located.    The Annals of the Four Masters state that In the year 916

Tighearnach Ua Cleirigh, lord of Aidhne, died”. 

He  was  a  son  of  the  previous  king,  Maelfabhaill mac Cleireach.  Their  ancient  territory  was  in Kilmacduagh  an area  near  the  present  town  of Gort, in south County Galway. In 1280 the Norman William De Burgo  conquered  the Uí Cleirighs  and  expelled  them from their lands in Kilmacduagh.

Over sixty years  later in 1342 Cormac Uí Cléirigh, a Brehon lawyer,  left   Tír Amhalghaidh (Tirawley in  modern day Co Mayo)  and  travelled  north  to  the  Cistercian  monastery   at  Eas  Ruaidh  in  Tír Connaill.  After  staying  there  some  time  he  was  befriended by Matthew Uí Sgingín  the hereditary Ollamh to the Uí Domhnaills (O’Donnells)  rulers of Tír Connaill.  Cormac later married Matthew Uí Sgingín’s only daughter and surviving child. This took place during the Chieftainship of  Niall Garbh Uí Domhnaill (1342-1348). Their son Giolla bríd succeeded his grandfather, Matthew Uí Sgingin, as the hereditary Ollamh to the Uí Domhnaills.

Thus the famed  scholarly branch of the Uí Cléirighs came to Tír Connaill  centred at Kilbarron Castle situated between Ballyshannon and Rossnowlagh. As it happened members of this slioct relocated to Mayo and Limerick in the 17th Century

This being the better known of the Uí Cléirigh “sliochts” does not preclude the interesting history of the many other branches of the ancient Clann Uí Chléirigh

Page 2- Some interest facts about people with Ua Cléirigh ancestry

Page 3- Link to the Ó Cléirigh Cleary and Irish Clarke DNA Project