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| Gaelic Name: MacUalraig, Ceannaideach, O' Cinneide The name comes from the old Irish Gaelic, 'cinneidigh', literally meaning 'ugly headed' or later 'helmeted'. The family came from Ireland to Celtic Dalriada, now Strathclyde, but are mainly associated with the district of Carrick in Ayrshire. They claimed decent from the Earls of Carrick and kinship to the Bruce family, whom they supported against the Comyns and throughout the War of Independence. |
| The eponymous ancestor of the O'Kennedys was Kennedy, nephew of Brian Boru, or Cinneide in Irish, the resultant surname being O'Cinneide (Brian Boru's father was Cinneide). They are thus a Dalcassian sept, and at first their territory was around Glemnomra near Killaloe, and their occupation is perpetuated by the name of civil parish compromising that area, viz. Killokennedy, but pressure from the powerful O'Briens and MacNamaras caused them to cross the Shannon and settle in Upper and Lower Ormond. There they soon increased in power and importance, and from the 11th to 17th century were lords of Ormond. |
| The sept divided into three branches, the chiefs of which were distinguished by the epithets Don (brown), Fionn (fair), and Rua (red). The Four Masters record the martial exploits of many of these chiefs. According to Keating, St. Ruadhan of Lorrha was the special protector of the O'Kennedys of Ormond. A branch of the sept emigrated to Antrim about the year 1600, and the name is found in that county now, though, no doubt, some of the Ulster Kennedys are of Scottish origin, for Kennedy is also a Scots name. Unlike most Irish surnames Kennedy has few synonyms in English: one, however, still found in Co. Leitrim is interesting, viz. Minnagh, ie. Muimhneach - or the Munster man (c.f. Donlevy - Ultagh). Kennedy became Quenedy in Spanish, for, like all the great Irish families, many of the sept found their way to the continent. The surname Kennedy came into being in the 11th century as O'Cinneide, which was later Anglicized O'Kennedy. Cinneide was also the name of Brian Boru's father, who was King of Thomond. The prefix O, which was discarded in the period of Gaelic and Catholic depression under the Penal Code imposed on the country in the 17th and 18th centuries by it's English conquerors, has seldom been resumed in modern times, leaving the name simply Kennedy. |
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| Metals Argent = silver (or white) represents serenity and nobility Colors Gules = red - denotes fortitude and creative power Sable = black - stands for repentance or vengence Symbols Chevron = symbolizes protection; builders, faithful service Cross Crosslet = signifies the fourfold mystery of the cross Dolphin = represents swiftness, diligence, charity, and love |