The Flynn Family

(Crest No. 200. Plate 10.)

THE Flynn family is descended from Milesius, King of Spain, through the line of his son Heremon. The ancient name was Flann, signifying “Red.”

(Crest No. 79. Plate 36.)

There were two branches of the O’Flynns, the one holding possessions in the present Counties of Antrim and Down and the other in the Counties of Antrim and Roscommon. The former belonged to the tribe of Hy Tuirtre, a branch of the Hy Many, founded by Fiacha Tort, son of Colla Vais, King of Ireland, A. D. 315; the other belonged to the Clanna Failga tribe, founded by Rossa Failge, son of Cathire More, or Cahir the Great, King of Ireland, A. D. 144.

(Crest No. 172. Plates 39.)

The O’Flynns, now O’Lynns, and the O’Donnellans were Chiefs of Ui Tuirtre. The territory of Ui Tuirtre lay along the northern shores of Lough Neagh and the River Bann and extended to Slieve Mis, comprising the baronies of Toome and Antrim, and was afterward known as Northern Clanaboy. These O’Flynns were among the most warlike opponents of John de Courcy and the early Anglo-Norman invaders.

The O’Flynns, Chiefs of Siol Maolruain, possessed a large district in the barony of Ballintobher, County of Roscommon, in which lay Slieve Ui Fhloinn, or O’Flynn’s Mountain, and which comprised the parishes of Killkeevan and Kiltullagh and also part of the parish of Ballynakill, in the barony of Ballymoe, County of Galway. Lough Ui Fhloine—O’Flynn’s Lake—lies in this territory, as does the village of Ballinlough, that is, the town of O’Flynn’s Lake. O’Flynn’s castle, of which the foundations only are now traceable, stood on the top of the hill between the village and the lake. Others of this name were settled in Munster.

O’Flynn was Chief of Arda, a territory in the barony of Carbery, and Hy Baghamna, now the barony of Ibane, and Barryroe, adjoining Carbery, in the County of Cork. These Flynns were of the line of Ith, uncle of Milesius. The name is also met with in Clare and other localities.