Son of The Hound of The Sea Rev10

Son of the Hound of the Sea: Legend and History of the Name McNamara 1
By Daniel McNamara
Son of the Hound of the Sea: Legend and History of the Name McNamara
By Daniel McNamara
Abstract
This paper is an exploration into the history and people that make up my surname, that
of McNamara. What began as a passing inspiration while traveling through Ireland has led to a
thorough examination of texts written over the past centuries, describing the historical and
genealogical tales of a people that span across millennia.
“If there be a choice between a pedigree of four generations and one of fourteen
centuries, I cannot help confessing to a preference for the latter.” Arthur Macnamara, 1783-
18761
Introduction
Earlier this year, I traveled to Ireland. While traversing and admiring the different
landscapes the nation offered us was a bonus, the primary goal of the trip was to explore the
heritage and home of my ancestors. I found myself on a fascinating journey as I tried to learn
more about the history and origin of my name, the people that are my ancestors and the land
where they lived.
When I was younger I was told that McNamara translates from Gaelic to English as “Son
of the Hound of the Sea”. I would routinely wonder – what does that mean? How did my
ancestors come to be called this, and how does it relate to my own history? Who am I and
where do I come from?
The veil truly began to be pulled back when visiting the Knappogue Castle in Co. Clare
(Knappogue translates to Hill of the Kiss in Gaelic). The castle was built by Sean McNamara in
14672 and served as the family’s ancestral home. The McNamaras during this period were
renowned castle builders, responsible for more than 50 castles, tower houses, forts and
abbeys3. The most famous castle the McNamaras built was known as Bunratty Castle, deep in
Co. Clare. Bunratty Castle receives hundreds of thousands4 of visitors each year. “The name
Bunratty may be explained as follows: the word bun can be translated as the estuary, or the
mouth of a river, and the word raite has been translated as, ways, passages or roads. Hence the
name Bunratty may be translated as, “estuary of the passages.””5
1
Robert William Twigge, Pedigrees of the Macnamara Family (Dublin: Self Published, 1908) 43.
2
Clare Library http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/places/quininterest.htm
3
Nottidge C. MacNamara, The story of an Irish sept: their character and struggle to maintain their lands in Clare
(London: Dent, 1896).
4
https://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/visitor-attractions-entice-record-numbers-451800.html
5
Martin Breen The History of Bunratty Castle (Ruan, Co. Clare: Martin Breen, 2012) 5.
By Daniel McNamara
Knappogue castle had many books within it, and there was one that was clearly the
most intriguing of all. “The Origin and History of the MacNamaras” written by NC MacNamara
in 1896. What a treasure to be discovered! This book became the key necessary to begin
unlocking the mystery. The passages within and the books that it referenced led to the
discovery of a nearly two millennia old detailed genealogy.
It is this remarkable exploration that has led to the creation of this paper. The path to
unfolding what I’ve learned will follow with a brief explanation of how the land was named and
divided. A discussion on the mythical connections to the original inhabitants of Ireland and in
particular, Co. Clare follows next,
culminating in the linguistic
changes the name has adapted,
from its original Irish of Mac
Cumara to the modern and
anglicized version known today,
McNamara. I hope to take the
reader on this journey with me, as
I explore in more detail, the Son of
the Hound of the Sea: Legend and
History of the Name McNamara.
Geography
McNamara country in Ireland is
located in County Clare, a
peninsula in the south western
portion of Ireland. There are 26
counties that comprise the
Republic of Ireland6, and 6
counties located in Northern
Ireland, under the jurisdiction of
the United Kingdom. Originally,
the island of Ireland was known as 1 area composed of 4 provinces. During the ancient history
period into the start of Modern History, the 4 provinces existed with a king sitting on the throne
of each: Ulster in the north, Connaught in the west, Leinster in the east and Munster in the
south. The kings of these areas would occasionally war, and during select periods of Irish
6
Map courtesy of Wikipedia:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9c/Ireland_trad_counties_named.svg/400px-
Ireland_trad_counties_named.svg.png.
By Daniel McNamara
history the 4 provinces would be united under a single “High King” of Ireland7. The modern
configuration of Ireland in counties became the standard over many years of subdivision and
ramped up after the English, under King Henry VIII, wrested control of Ireland from its existing
kings in 15418.
Of particular importance to the

story of the McNamara name is
the northern area in province of
Munster, called Thomond.9
Thomond is the northern portion
of Munster and is the original
name for the land encompassing
Co. Clare and Co. Limerick, when
overlaid with the modern map of
Ireland. The ancestral home of
Clan McNamara is Thomond and it
is geographically important as an area for the development and succession of these people. It
was rich in field for farming, forest for lumber, had 2 rivers flowing through it and to the west
was the Atlantic Ocean. The hills and forests provided bounty as well as strategic military
positioning as the rivers formed a natural defensive boundary from the rest of Ireland. 10
Ancient Ireland
The Lebor Gabála Érenn ("The Book of the Taking of Ireland", or “The Book of
Invasions”) is a mythological-history of Ireland during ancient times discusses the people and
timing of migrations from the European continent prior to the eventual landing of the Celts, the
final inhabitants of ancient Ireland.11 Within the mythology of Ireland, there were 6 total
invasions (the Celts were the 6th). The fourth invasion involved a people known as the Firbolg.
"The legendary account of the Firbolgs is very curious. To take the lowest date, for authorities
differ, they are represented as landing in Ireland something over 1300BC."12 The Firbolg, in
ancient Irish history were known as the Iberian race, having crossed the Atlantic Ocean from
7
Francis John Byrne Irish Kings and High-Kings (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1973) 36-37.
8
(London: Dent, 1896) 148.
9
Thomond map courtesy of: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-
4HtwGQg8t5c/TgbJ7xbMBgI/AAAAAAAAARI/3OkEB0XZWX0/s320/thomond+map.jpg.
10
MacNamara 3.
11
John Carey The Irish National Origin-Legend: Synthetic Pseudohistory (Cambridge: University of Cambridge,
1994) 1–4.
12
Cork Historical and Archaeological Society Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society vol 2 (Cork:
Guy & Co Ltd, 1896) 311.
By Daniel McNamara
Spain13. They are important to the story in the history of the McNamaras because they were
not completely wiped out, like the other prior invaders of Ireland. As the Celtic invasion moved
through Ireland from East to West, the Firbolg retreated to the south west and survived in
Thomond many hundreds of years after the rest of their race either fled, or were killed.14
A powerful Firbolg chieftain ruled this area during the first century, "Adhar, the Firbolg”.
After his death he was buried in a holy site which came to take on his name Magh Adhair, or
“Adhar’s plain”15. A description of the history and importance of this site: “Magh Adhair, a
plain or field of adoration or worship, where an open temple, consisting of a circle of tall strait
stone pillars with a very large flat stone called crom-leac, serving for an altar, was constructed
by the Druids for religious worship. These Druidish temples, whereof many are still existing in
Ireland, were built in the same manner with that which was built by Moses, as it is described in
Exodus xxiv 4…”16 Adhar was buried in an important site of Druidic worship.
Kings and Chieftains of Munster

The descendents of McNamaras for millennia were Kings, Chieftains and crowners of
Kings. A description of the crowning ceremony at Magh Adhair, from 847 A.D.17:
“The ceremony of inauguration took place at Magh Adhair, situated within the Ui-Caisin*
tribal lands, upon the mound under which the last of the Firbolg chiefs of Clare was buried. 18
On the day of inauguration the heads of the various Dalcasian† septs‡ assembled around Magh
Adhair; the king-elect, his chief bard, and the head of the Macnamara sept then ascended the
mound, the king-elect stood on a stone placed near its centre; his bard then recited certain laws
which the chief promised to obey. The chief of Clancuilien†† then handed the king-elect a
straight white wand, a symbol of authority and an emblem of what his conduct should be,
straight and without stain; the king promised to maintain the prestige and the customs of his
tribe; and having put aside his sword and other weapons, and holding the wand in his hand he
13
14
MacNamara 74.
15
John O'Donovan, Michael O'Flanagan Letters Containing Information Relative to the Antiquities of the Counties
[of Ireland: Clare. 3v] (Great Britain: Ordnance Survey, 1928) 45.
16
Eugene O’Curry The Battle of Magh Leana; Together With the Courtship of Momera (Dublin: The Celtic Society,
1855) 156.
*
Ui-Caisin is a reference to the area covering the center-north, to center-north-east of Co. Clare. MacNamara 70.
17
Macnamara 71.
18
James Frost The History and Topography of the County of Clare: From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the
18th Century (Dublin: Sealy Bryers & Walker, 1893) 35-36.
†
In the second century AD the King of Munster, Cormac Cas formed a tribe of his ancestors. The tribe was name
18
Dalcasians.
‡
A sept is a group of families.
††
The septs comprising the eastern division of Co. Clare.
By Daniel McNamara
moved round the stone so as to view his territory from all sides, which he promised to protect
from invasion; the Marshal then in a loud voice proclaimed the chief’s surname and declared
him to be King of Thomond.”19
Detailed within the text Materials for a History of Clann-Cuilein, I discovered an
unbroken line of kings and chieftains ruling from 174 AD to the surrender of their land to Henry
VIII of England in 1574.20 These were some of the last people in Ireland to cede control to the
crown in England. One of the earliest kings of Munster, where written record is verifiable, was
named Angus, or Oilill Olum.21 There are 5 kings prior to Angus available in Irish mythology as
discussed in The Book of Invasions. These prior kings intermarry with the Goddesses of the
period and play a large part in the creation of the seasonal cycles connected to the pagan
mythology of the time.22 However, there is evidence supporting the existence of Angus as he
wrote poetry that has survived through the ages.23
Legend and Myth

As the oldest verifiable ancestor in the family, it is incredible that the story of Oilill Olum
intertwines with the mythological Gods and Goddesses of Irish mythology. The most relevant
myth, how he got his name, likely originates in the Book of Leinster, written in 116024. The Silva
Gaedelica contains recreated versions of this text and is a verifiable source of this legend.
According to the myth it is said that he (Olum) had a vision of Áine, the goddess of crops
and fertility. And when he saw her, he forced himself upon her, which resulted in the goddess
biting off his ear25. Olum in Gaelic means "one-eared", however, there is disagreement
between scholars whether this translation is truly accurate. To quote Keating, “Olum. Dr.
O’Connor† considers this word to mean the same thing as “ollumh,” i.e. a learned sage or
doctor. But Dr. O’Donovan‡ informs us that it is always written “olum” by our antiquaries, and
understood to mean of the bare ear, thus tacitly admitting the truth of the horrible and
disgusting story told above. The word, however, with all due deference to Dr. O’Donovan, is
19
20
R. W. Twigge, Materials for a history of Clann-Cuilein, "Macnamara's country" (the Eastern division of Co. Clare)
from the earliest times Vol I - II (Manuscript located in the British Museum, 1915), referenced by R.W. Twigge,
Pedigrees of the MacNamara Family (Dublin: Self published, 1908).
21
Macnamara 59.
22
Standish H. O’Grady, Silva Gadelica (I-XXXI) : a collection of tales in Irish with extracts illustrating persons and
places (London: Williams and Norgate, 1892) 129.
23
Eugene O’Curry, Manners and Customs of the Ancient Irish, Vol II (Dublin: Williams and Norgate, 1873) 57-58.
24
O’Grady vol I.
† Dr. Dermod O’Connor, author of Psalters of Tara and Cashel, 1723. This is a critical work that Keating drew from
in creating The History of Ireland from the Earliest Period to the English Invasion.
‡
Dr. John O’Donovan, translator of Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland by the Four Masters in 1616.
25
Geoffrey Keating The History of Ireland from the Earliest Period to the English Invasion, 1634. Translated by
John O’Mahony (New York: PM Haverty, 1857).
By Daniel McNamara
sometimes written “eolum,” which, coming from “eol,” knowledge, may well mean sage, and
Dr. O’Connor may be right after all… If (she, Áine) bit off his ear, some other fair… (Goddess)
must have bitten off the ear of his fourth ancestor, Corb Olum, which, however salacious the
tribe may have been, is exceedingly improbable. This fact must go far to prove that the
surname “Olum” was hereditary. Can we believe that the misfortune of having an ear bitten off
was so likewise?” The passing of traits from one generation to the next, through name, is a
millennia old tradition.
A Line of Kings
Olum passed rule to his 2 sons, the first son, Eoghan went on to rule South Munster, or
Desmond, and Cormac Cas in North Munster.26 Cormac Cas, son of Olum, came to the throne
of all Munster in 234 A.D. upon the death of his brother.27 The descendents of Cormac Cas
became the tribe called the Dalcassians.28 Following through the lineage of ancestors described
by NC MacNamara, as he references O’Curry, Keating and O’Conner, “We have, therefore,
evidence from more than one source which agree in that Olioll Oluim died A.D. 234, his son
Cormac Cas died A.D. 274, and his son Morgh Corb in 334. Morgh Corb left a son, Fircob, who
died in A.D. 364, and his son Angus in A.D. 383… and his son Connal about the year A.D. 419. So
that we have, in a direct line from Olioll to Connal, six generations…” Continuing, “Of these six
persons, four were kings of Munster.” 29
The tribes of Cormac Cas, “in a lineal descent the progenitor of the renowned tribe of
Dalcas, which in the course of time subdivided into the O’Briens, Macnamaras, O’Carrolls,
O’Grady’s, and other septs. The Macnamaras were known also as the Sioll Aodha, Clan Cullen,
Aodha and Cullen having been two famous chiefs of the sept.”30
The Hound of the Sea

Fast forward 23 generations later, during the late 10th century, in direct descent from
Cormac Cas, is the Chief of Magh Adhair, a man named Cu Mara, son of Domhnall.31
The name or title of Cu traces back to a famous Iron Age hero in early Irish mythology
dating around 800 B.C. The first book to discuss the birth story of this mythological hero named
Cú Chulainn, the Book of Druim Snechta, dates to the 8th or 9th century A.D. 32 The important
part of this tale is a great warrior named Setanta, who as a child, fought and defeated a host of
26
Keating 317.
27
28
MacNamara 61 “Dal” “Cas” meaning “Sons of Cas”.
29
MacNamara 66-67.
30
MacNamara 61.
31
32
A.G. Van Hamel, Compert Con Culainn, and other stories (Dublin: The Stationary Office, 1933) Preface A.
By Daniel McNamara
older boys. Upon hearing of this victory, Chulainn, the King of Ulster, invited Setanta to dine
with him. When he entered the grounds of the ruler it was later in the evening and King
Chulainn had let his protecting guard dogs loose upon the fields. Setanta was attacked by one
of these hounds and managed to overcome his fear and slay the beast. Upon meeting with the
King he asked for forgiveness for killing the animal and offered himself to serve as the King’s
protecting “hound” until a time where he repaid his debt. He then took on the name Cú
Chulainn, the “Hound of Chulainn.”33 Since that time the context of translating the Gaelic “cu”
as a hound, took on the double meaning of a great warrior.34
The specific deeds that led to Cu Mara, the Chieftan of Magh Adhair, to be given or take
on such a powerful name are lost to history and not documented in any document I’ve found.
However, we do have some detail as discussed by Dr. Keating, writing in 1634 on the subject of
the surname Macnamara, “Macnamara. The powerful Dalcassian sept of “Mac Conmara,” i.e.,
son of Cumara, takes its name from a descendent of Conall, of the Swift Steeds, who was King of
Munster in the Fourth Century. Their tribe-land was called Tricha-kead-ui-casin (Triha-kaid-ee-
casheen), and forms the present barony of Tullagh, and part of that of Bunratty in the County of
Clare. Their tribe-name was “Clann-Cullein.” Their origin is the same of the O’Briens and Mac
Mahons of Thomond, of which kingdom they were the hereditary grand-marshals. “Cumara”
means a “hound” or rather, a “wolf-dog” of the sea, and metaphorically, a sea-champion. The
wolf-dog was the most noble animal of prey that Ireland produced. Hence, “Cu” came to signify
a hero, just as “lion” did in more southern latitudes.35
One of, if not the most well known writer on Irish genealogies, John O’Hart, has this to
say about the translation: "”Cu”, (genitive “Con,”) which signifies a hound; and was figuratively
applied to a swift-footed warrior.” Other heroes of ancient through medieval Ireland adopted
or were given the name Cu, to recognize their strength in battle.36
Cu Mara, a sea champion, begins the legend of the Hound of the Sea.
Descendents of the Sea Protector

Cu Mara had three sons.37 The first 2 died in battle at early ages.38 The youngest son,
Domhnall, now carrying the torch of his father, changed his name to honor him.39 Per O’Hart,
“In the early 11th century A.D., the Irish Monarch Brian Boru made an ordinance that every Irish
family should assume a particular sirname; the more correctly to preserve the history and
33
Hamel 1-11.
34
John O’Hart, Irish Pedigrees; or, The Origin and Stem of the Irish Nation (Dublin: James Duffy and Co., 1892) 100.
35
Geoffrey Keating The History of Ireland from the Earliest Period to the English Invasion, 1634. Translated by
John O’Mahony (New York: PM Haverty, 1857) 31-32.
36
O’Hart 35.
37
38
Twigge 16.
39
Twigge 16.
By Daniel McNamara
genealogy of the different Irish tribes.” He continues: “Each family was at liberty to adopt a
sirname from some particular ancestor, and, generally, took their name from some chief of their
tribe who was celebrated for his valour, wisdom, piety , or some other great qualities. And the
members of a family, each in addition to his own proper name, took, as a common designation,
the name of their father, or their grandfather, or of some more remote ancestor: in the first case
prefixing the “Mac,” which means son; and in the other two cases, “”Ua” (modernized O’), which
signifies grandson or descendent of; and, in all instances, the genitive case of the progenitor’s
name followed the “Mac,” or the “O’”.”40
Applying the logic of these linguistic rules and royal ordinance, Domhnall, third son of
Cumara, adopts the name Mac Con Mara. Mac, son of; Con, genitive of Cu, hound; Mara, of the
sea41. Or, more eloquently put, Descendent of the Sea Protector.
Of personal interest is that the Gaelic name Domhnall is the Gaelic translation of the
biblical name Daniel.42 The name carried through for centuries, and ended with the modern
“anglicized Macnamara, MacNamara, and McNamara”.43 Put together it means that the first
McNamara was named Daniel McNamara.
Conclusion
As a child, we had a wooden picture, quite similar to

this one44, hanging from a nail near the door to the
backyard. It wasn’t until adulthood that I learned how this
was the McNamara coat of arms. It was our family crest and
banner. Upon searching for the meaning of this coat of arms
I found that the lion symbolizes courage, nobility, royalty;
the spears represent military readiness, the colors red and
white represent military fortitude and peace/sincerity
respectively.45 This symbol carries a tremendous amount of
meaning for me now. The people of Thomond, my
ancestors, fought and died protecting their land from
invaders. Over the course of this research I learned about the original invasions of Ireland.
That Ireland had met with invaders from the dawn of time is poetic justice to me, as I am an
American and the descendent of immigrants to this country.
40
41
O’Hart 100.
42
Patrick Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames (Dublin: MH Gill, 1922) 12.
43
44
Courtesy of Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacNamara#/media/File:MacNamara.png.
45
Bernard Burke, The general armory of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales; comprising a registry of armorial
bearings from the earliest to the present time (London: Harrison 59 Pall Mall, 1884) 646.
By Daniel McNamara
The people of Co. Clare over millennia met with, intermarried or repelled the invasions
of Celts46, the Vikings47, and the Normans48. They eventually lost sovereignty to the crown in
England49.
While in Knappogue castle I came across a plaque immortalizing the Clare County
Council, who held their secret meetings there during the Irish War of Independence, 1919-1921
against England. Michael Brennan, General of the East Clare Brigade, used the castle as his
headquarters during the war.
While visiting Co. Clare, I met with the owner of a local pub, aptly named “McNamara’s
Bar”, who told me that Clare is “McNamara country”. If only I knew then the history of our
people to the same depths that I know now, I would have had much more to discuss with this
man. He told me that “there are so many McNamaras in the area, that they each give each
other nicknames to differentiate between each other – like Red McNamara, Farmer McNamara,
Coach McNamara.” Interestingly, using characteristics that describe a person as a method of
naming them is a tradition that has transcended time. In a way, it reminds me of Native
Americans, famous for names connected to natural events, animals or occurrences. This
speaks to the depth and history in a people with a deep connection to the environment where
they live.
To quote Ralph Waldo Emerson, “To finish the moment, to find the journey’s end in
every step of the road, to live the greatest number of good hours, is wisdom.” This path I’ve
embarked upon is not yet reached its full conclusion. Each step on the road has led to other
journeys worthy of exploration. For now, there is a contentment achieved in removing the fog
of the unknown, in who was the first McNamara and how we are the Descendents of the Sea
Protector.
46
47
MacNamara 74.
48
MacNamara 130.
49
MacNamara 150.
By Daniel McNamara
Works Cited
Breen, Martin. The History of Bunratty Castle. Ruan, Co. Clare: Martin Breen, 2012.
Burke, Bernard. The general armory of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales; comprising a
registry of armorial bearings from the earliest to the present time. London: Harrison 59
Pall Mall, 1884.
Byrne, Francis John. Irish Kings and High-Kings. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1973.
Carey, John. The Irish National Origin-Legend: Synthetic Pseudohistory. Cambridge: University
of Cambridge, 1994.
Cork Historical and Archaeological Society. Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological
Society Vol II. Cork: Guy & Co Ltd, 1896.
Frost, James. The History and Topography of the County of Clare: From the Earliest Times to
the Beginning of the 18th Century. Dublin: Sealy Bryers & Walker, 1893.
Keating, Geoffrey. The History of Ireland from the Earliest Period to the English Invasion 1634.
Translated by O’Mahony, John. New York: PM Haverty, 1857.
MacNamara, Nottidge C. The story of an Irish sept: their character and struggle to maintain
their lands in Clare. London: Dent, 1896.
O’Curry, Eugene. Manners and Customs of the Ancient Irish, Vol II. Dublin: Williams and
Norgate, 1873.
O’Curry, Eugene. The Battle of Magh Leana; Together With the Courtship of Momera. Dublin:
The Celtic Society, 1855.
O'Donovan, John and O'Flanagan, Michael. Letters Containing Information Relative to the
Antiquities of the Counties [of Ireland: Clare. 3v]. Great Britain: Ordnance Survey, 1928.
O’Grady, Standish H. Silva Gadelica (I-XXXI) : a collection of tales in Irish with extracts
illustrating persons and places. London: Williams and Norgate, 1892.
O’Hart, John. Irish Pedigrees; or, The Origin and Stem of the Irish Nation. Dublin: James Duffy
and Co., 1892.
Twigge, Robert William. Materials for a history of Clann-Cuilein, "Macnamara's country" (the
Eastern division of Co. Clare) from the earliest times Vol I – II. Manuscript located in the
British Museum, 1915
Twigge, Robert William. Pedigrees of the Macnamara Family. Dublin, Self Published, 1908.
Van Hamel, A.G. Compert Con Culainn, and other stories. Dublin: The Stationary Office, 1933.
Woulfe, Patrick. Irish Names and Surnames. Dublin: MH Gill, 1922.

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Son of the Hound of the Sea: Legend and History of the Name McNamara 1

Of particular importance to the

Kings and Chieftains of Munster

Legend and Myth

The Hound of the Sea

Descendents of the Sea Protector

As a child, we had a wooden picture, quite similar to

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