O’DONOGHUE, Rod. O’Donoghue People and Places. With illustrations and genealogical tables. 

Ballinakella: 1999. pp. 128. Green cloth, title and coat of arms in gilt on upper cover. Inscribed and signed by Hugh Weir, publisher. A fine copy.

The O’Donoghue of the Glens (Ó Donnchadha na nGleann), Prince of Glenflesk, is the hereditary chieftain of his sept of the Kerry Eóganacht in Munster. In 1944, his father was one of the few Chiefs of the Name recognized by Edward MacLysaght, the first Chief Herald, as having a verifiable pedigree and entitled to use the title and receive courtesy recognition by the Irish State.

The Eóganacht dynasties ruled the south of Ireland for 500 years or so till the end of the first millennium. According to the Irish origin myths, they descend from Eógan Mór II, son of Ailill Aulom, who was son of Mug Nuadat, (Eógan Mór I), who was supposed to have lived some time in the 2nd century. Over the years, various septs of the Eóganacht branched off and some faded into insignificance. The O’Donoghue of the Glens is one of the Eóganacht lineages which remain to this day with an acknowledged Chief.

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