Fitzpatrick family genealogy

(See pp. 449–450, in Vol. I.)

Keating, in his History of Ireland, names the pedigree of this family, as “The Lineal Genealogie of the Ancient and Princely Family of the Fitzpatricks, down from the Origin;” but the following observations clearly show that the Scanlan (of Ossory) family is senior to that of Fitzpatrick. The pedigree (as in the Linea Antiqua), from Conla, a younger brother of Lughaidh [Luy], who is No. 78(7?) on the “O’Connor” (Faley) stem, down to Ruaman Duach, who is No. 96 on the “Fitzpatrick” stem, is common to both the Scanlan and Fitzpatrick families. According to the Four Masters, Duach (or Ruaman Duach, as he is called in the Linea Antiqua) who was lord of Ossory, A.D. 582, had a son Fearadhach (d. 601), from whom the two families branched, as follows:

Thus we see that the two Scanlans Mór were first cousins, being sons of two brothers (Nos. 98), who both were sons of Fearadhach (No. 97), son of Ruaman (No. 96).

If, therefore, the Four Masters be right, the scribe who, in the Linea Antiqua, wrote the names of the several generations of the “Fitzpatrick” (No. 1) pedigree, must have made a mistake in those names given by him on that stem from Ruaman Duach (No. 96) down to Ceannfaola (No. 100).

Notes

[1] Fearadhach: At p. 231 of O’Donovan’s Four Masters, we read: “Colman, son of Fearadhach, chief of Osraighe (Ossory), died, A.D. 601.” And in a Note in that page we also read: “Colman, son of Fearadhach—He was the father of Scannlan, who is mentioned by Adamnan, Lib. I., c. ii, as a prisoner in the hands of Aidus, son of Ainmire, Monarch of Ireland, but liberated at the period of the Convention of Druim-Ceat; after which he reigned, according to his contemporary, Adamnan, for thirty years and three months. From Cinnfaela (Ceannfaola), the brother of this Colman, the family of MacGillaphadruig (anglicé) Fitzpatrick, are descended.”

And, again, at p. 257 of O’Donovan’s Four Masters, we read: