This open invitation is offered to anyone, serious about the research. We welcome any information available, that might be viable and relevant to the research group. Marketing propaganda is of no value to the group and will not be used, unless it is pertinant to the research as a subject matter. This group will not intentionally further any cause other than to promote and enhance a public awareness of a more accurate understanding of Irish culture and history.

If you have any relevant historical information and would like to share it; feel free to forward it to this group. Please include the following information, if known. the Title, Author or Editor, Publisher and Publication Date, ISBN, or any other catalog reference numbers, and include any associated references or bibliography.

We request that if anyone has information contrary to that posted , or has information that refutes that posted to this site....Please, forward title, author, publisher(date) and ISBN if known; that the source materials might be compared, referenced and or cross referenced to attempt to varify said information. ( [email protected] )

It is the recommendation of the researchers of both the Ely O'Carroll Research Group and that of the Clan Cian Research Group that if you want to learn more about Irish culture and or histories of Irish Kingdoms/lordships; that an individual locate, source materials, from a variety of archives, data-bases, private collections, libraries, court records, state papers, etc.

We hope this helps to explain the basis of our research. Our research group has no ax to grind, and has no wish to cause anyone to be angered. We are more than willing to ensure that our research is published without sensorship no matter the outcome. History is the only means by which we as Irish, Scots-Irish, and Scottish Americans can learn to understand our forbearers, that understanding should be as accurate as is possible.

It would be a mistake to suggest that the origin of all this research [and conflict] is purely genealogical. There are socialogical, historical, geographical, political, and even ethnic factors to consider, and there can be no doubt that folklore and stories play their part in providing some intellectual [if not mythical] weapons by means of which research can be conducted.

Unfortunately, for those who crave clarity, much of the Irish literature in the world, upon which most research is based, is presented in narrative form, and since there are no hard-fast rules for the interpretation of stories, disagreement goes with the territory.

Here are a few of those terms we know to be true and accurate.

A clan is a group of people united by kinship and descent, which is defined by perceived descent from a common ancestor. Even if actual lineage patterns are unknown, clan members may nonetheless recognize a founding member or apical ancestor. Whether a clan is patrilineal, matrilineal, or bilateral depends on the kinship rules and norms of their society. In different cultures and situations a clan may mean the same thing as other kin-based groups such as tribes and bands. Often, the distinguishing factor is that a clan is a smaller part of a larger society such as a tribe, a chiefdom, or a state, examples include Irish.

A family history society is a society, often charitable or not-for-profit, that allows member genealogists and family historians to profit from shared knowledge. Large societies often own libraries containing large collections, sponsor research seminars and foreign trips, and publish journals. Some societies concentrate on a specific niche, such as the family history of a particular geographical area, ethnicity, nationality, or religion. Lineage societies are societies which limit their membership to descendants of a particular person or group of people of historical importance. (Our collective opinion is that Clan Cian seems to fit here)

Irish clans are officially recognized groups of people who either share a surname or are descended from people who bore the surname. Since 1989, the government of the Republic of Ireland has recognized a charity called "Clans of Ireland" as the official registrar of these groups. Based at Athenry in County Galway, it is similar to a genealogical society with an additional social dimension. To date, more than 230 clans have registered. For a complete listing, visit the charity's website . (NOTE: Clan Cian is not included.)

There are several requirements for recognition as an official Irish clan:
1. The surname must have a documented history in Ireland prior to the Irish Potato Famine.
2. Membership must be open to any bearer of the surname (or descendant thereof) regardless of race, religion, or gender.
3. Membership must include at least six adult bearers of the surname.
(Note that each clan may be divided into septs to reflect the religious, geographic, historic, and cultural diversity within the surname group.)

Túath (plural túatha) is often translated as "people, tribe or nation". "Túath" referred to both the people who lived in a shared territory, and the territory they controlled. The social structure of ancient Irish culture was based around the concept of the fine (plural finte), or family kin-group. All finte descended from a common ancestor out to four generations comprised a social unit known as a dearbhfine (plural dearbhfhinte).

Túatha have often been described as petty kingdoms or clans, but such comparisons are not entirely accurate. Due to the complex and ever-changing political nature of ancient Ireland, túatha ranged from being sovereign, autonomous "kingdoms" to states comprising a much larger sovereign kingdom, such as Connacht or Ulaid, and thus describing their place in the socio-political structure of Ireland is varied depending on what era one is referring to. (Not, the entire history of the region spanning centuries) Examples would include the Ciannachta :the túath descended from Cian; the race of Cian.

Another well researched point is the fact that Eile Ui Chearbhaill did not control or rule over all of the documented Eile territories spanning centuries, They did rule the territory called the Ely O'Carroll Country for the greatest length of time. About 20 miles N-S and 12 miles E-W. this point is well documented and confirmed by many manuscripts and texts.

Disce primum quod credendum est~