Clan O'Dwyer explained

O'Dwyer (Irish: Ó Dubhuir), also known as Dwyer, Dyer is one of Ireland's oldest Gaelic noble or aristocratic houses, based most prominently in what is today County Tipperary. The name means "dark coloured", in reference to their progenitor Dubhuir mac Spealáin's hair colour.[1]

Ancestry

A claimed ancestor of the O'Dwyer clan was King Milesius of Spain, who according to legend conquered Ireland for the Gaels.

Documented paternal ancestors of the clan are of the Laigin, specifically, Cairbre Cluichechair, who was the son of Cú Corb, King of Leinster (himself the son of High King, Conchobar Abradruad).[2] [3] Cairbre Cluichechair moved into Munster, founding the Dál Cairbre Aradh[4] at an early stage.

However, according to historian C. Thomas Cairney, the O'Dwyers were chiefs of the Dal Cairbre Arad tribe who in turn came from the Erainn who were the second wave of Celts to settle in Ireland between about 500 and 100 BC, which was before the Laigin who were the third wave of Celts to settle in Ireland.[5]

History

There are accounts of the O'Dwyer family participating in the Battle of Clontarf and Irish clan warfare.[6]

The O'Dwyers eventually emerged as Lords of Kilnamanagh in the High to Late Middle Ages, but they are not referenced by name as significant in the Annals of the Four Masters until the 15th century.[7]

Along with the O'Carroll of Éile, the O'Kennedy of Ormond and the Mulryan of Owney, the O'Dwyers of Kilnamanagh were one of a cluster of regional Gaelic clan powers in the High Middle Ages in the area of what would one day become County Tipperary who held out against Anglicisation with the arrival of the Lordship of Ireland. They interplayed with newer Norman arrivals on their borders who became significant powers, especially the Butler Earls of Ormond. Clan members Philip O'Dwyer and Anthony O'Dwyer captured the Rock of Cashel in 1641 during the Irish Rebellion of 1641. Subsequently, following the Cromwellian War in Ireland, the clan were punished and dispossessed of much of their land under the Act for the Settlement of Ireland 1652. Some were removed to County Clare, while others chose exile as Wild Geese on the European Continent. A significant number of O'Dwyer men found service in armies of Bourbon France, the Habsburg monarchy (including General Count John O'Dwyer, Governor of Belgrade) and even Romanov Russia (providing an Admiral).[8]

Throughout history, the O'Dwyers would prove themselves capable generals and soldiers, and would participate in many armed conflicts:

O'Dwyer conflicts (non-exhaustive)!Nation!War Conflict!Dates:
IrelandBattle of ClontarfIrish tribal warfare

War of the Three Kingdoms

Cromwell's Conquest of Ireland

Nine Years' War

Eleven Years' War[9]

Willamette War in Ireland

Irish Rebellion of 1798

7th century AD to 18th century AD
United KingdomAnglo-Mysore WarsFrench Revolutionary Wars

Napoleonic Wars

- Battle of Waterloo

Venezuelan War of Independence

Shimonoseki campaign

Crimean War

Zulu War

Anglo-Nepalese War

New Zealand Wars

First Anglo-Sikh War

Second Anglo-Burmese War

WW1

WW2

18th century AD to 20th century AD
FranceWar of Spanish SuccessionAmerican Revolutionary War

- Siege of Savannah

Napoleonic Wars[10] [11]

Franco-Prussian War

18th century AD to 19th century AD
USAAmerican Revolutionary WarAmerican Civil War

- Army of the Potomac

18th century AD to 20th century AD
SpainEighty Years' War18th century AD
AustriaWar of Spanish Succession[12] - Battle of Luzzara

- Iberian Campaign

Austro-Turkish War (1716–1718)

18th century AD
RussiaRusso-Turkish War of 1768–74[13]

Russo-Swedish War of 1788–1790

18th century AD

Castles

In Kilnamanagh, the O'Dwyer built several castles, as part of their attempt to defend their lands. Today all of these castles are in ruin, but some of their remains can be seen in County Tipperary. Most were destroyed during the 17th century and all of them were confiscated during the times of Oliver Cromwell. These include:

Naming conventions

See main article: article and Irish personal naming system.

width=20% Malewidth=20% Daughterwidth=20% Wife (Long)width=20% Wife (Short)
Ó Dubhuir[16] Ní DhubhuirBean Uí DhubhuirUí Dhubhuir
Ó Dubhuidhir[17] Ní DhubhuidhirBean Uí DhubhuidhirUí Dhubhuidhir

List of people

The name has variants including Dwyer. People with the name O'Dwyer include:

O'Dwyer
Meaning:"black"
Region:Ireland
Variant:Dwyer

See also

References

Bibliography

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Irish Names . irishsurnames.com . 2017-05-14.
  2. Web site: The O'Dwyer Pedigree recorded by Dr. Keating. Clan O'Dwyer. 2017-05-14.
  3. Web site: The O'Dwyer Pedigree recorded by O'Hart. Clan O'Dwyer. 2017-05-14.
  4. Web site: Aradh Tíre and Aradh Chliach. Ireland's History in Maps. 2017-05-14. 18 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201118221741/http://sites.rootsweb.com/~irlkik/ihm/thomond.htm#arad. dead.
  5. Book: Cairney, C. Thomas . 1989 . Clans and Families of Ireland and Scotland . Jefferson, North Carolina, United States, and London . . 65 . 0899503624.
  6. Web site: The Dwyer Family, Sydney, Australia.
  7. Web site: References to the O'Dwyers in the Annals of the Four Masters. Clan O'Dwyer. 2017-05-14.
  8. Web site: Irish Chiefs and Clans of County Tipperary and Waterford. Library Ireland. 2017-05-14.
  9. Book: O'Dwyer, Michael. The O'Dwyers of Kilnamanagh;the history of an Irish sept. 1933. London. 2027/wu.89096232079.
  10. Web site: Napoleon's Irish Legion 1803–1815. www.militaryheritage.com. 2020-05-05.
  11. Book: O'Hart, John. The Irish landed gentry when Cromwell came to Ireland. 1887-01-01. Dalcassian Publishing Company. en.
  12. Abramovic. Vladimir. An Irishman in Habsburg service – General Count John O'Dwyer, commander of Belgrade, 1718-1722. en.
  13. News: The Irish naval officers in imperial Russia. Byrne. Angela. The Irish Times. en. 2020-05-05.
  14. Web site: The O'Dwyer Castles. Dwyer Clan. 2017-05-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20160303174811/http://www.dwyerclan.com/O_Dwyer_Castles_List.htm. 2016-03-03. dead.
  15. Web site: Dwyer Castles. Dwyer Family . 2017-05-14.
  16. News: Ó Dubhuir. Sloinne. 5 December 2015.
  17. News: Ó Dubhuidhir. Sloinne. 5 December 2015.