Ó Laoidhigh

Rev Patrick Woulfe

1923

Ó LAOIDHIGH—I—O Loye, O Lye, O Leye, O Lie, O'Lee, Lee; 'descendant of Laoidheach' (poetic); the name of a West Connacht family, who, according to MacFirbis, were chiefs of Ui Briuin Eola. They were also erenaghs of Annadown, and some of them were distinguished as ecclesiastics; but they are best known as a medical family, having been for many centuries hereditary physicians to the O'Flahertys. As early as the 15th century, a learned member of the family produced a most complete course of medicine, written in Latin and Irish. The family is now widely dispersed.

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