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Current research (in 2001 AD) reveals about six or seven variations of our name in various sources, old Irish annals and the like, going back to between 1100 and 1200 AD. Thereafter, unfortunately, the names seem to have dropped out of sight. Historians have quoted a rough figure of about 150 tribal/clan areas (Tuathas) in the 10th and 11th century for the whole of Ireland � each of these areas having their own king or chief. Records exist showing us these distinct names and regions. These ancestors of ours must have come from somewhere, but going further back in time takes near-professional research and knowledge and dedication and so on.

Given the names that appear say around 1200 AD, and passed on from then down through the generations, how do we account for the subsequent variations ? Schooling or formal education was not generally available and much knowledge was passed on orally. Literacy was not commonly prevalent. It would not always have been possible to check oral pronunciation against a written record. Accents added their music, as did newcomers whether invited or not. It is known that the Church in Rome was unhappy with some of the communal practices of the Irish of the day; some marriage arrangements may have been a little too informal, indicating perhaps that a social structure to which we in 2001 are used, was not in place, and that names to which we now attach great importance were not then looked on in the same light.

Names change over the years throughout the world, and especially in Ireland, there is an added factor. When colonisation in Ireland began in the 1160s, practically right from the beginning, the attempt was made to impose the language of the colonists on us natives. In other words, Anglicisation. It didn�t quite work, nor never has. Our original Erinislander names must have been a linguistic nightmare to Anglicise, but that seems not to have been a deterrent, with the result that we now have about 30 variations. The list on the left includes as many variations as I have been able to locate � my apologies to those who have been missed out � please get in touch to update.

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