An Chlann Mhic Cárthaigh Riabhaigh
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The MacCarthy Reagh Clan

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AD HOC DERBHFINE FOR THE ELECTION OF THE

CHIEF OF THE NAME MACCARTHY REAGH

(5 March 2024)

 

The Irish clan of MacCarthy Reagh is convening an election for a Chief of the Name!

 

The Chiefship of the MacCarthy Reagh clan fell into abeyance in 1754 and so the Organizing Committee of the MacCarthy Reagh Clan, together with The O’Sullivan Mór (who has always conferred or withheld the Rod of Kingship as steward of legitimate Chiefship over the Clan MacCarthy) and The MacAodhagain (who’s family served as hereditary Brehon to the Clan MacCarthy), endorses, supports and desires an Ad Hoc Derbhfine for the election of a new Chief of the Name MacCarthy Reagh in order to secure the heritage and future of the MacCarthy Reagh clan.

 

A determination by the most thorough efforts possible has established that the bloodlines descending from the last Chief of the Name, Finghin of Benduff, and Cormac, by his wife Lady Eleanor MacCarthy of Muskerry, are both extinct in the male-line. The next senior lineages then stem from Cormac’s younger brother, Finghin MacCarthy Reagh. The descendants of that said Finghin are found today in the pedigrees published in John O’Hart’s Irish Pedigrees, recorded by the Ulster King of Arms in Genealogical Office Ms. 111f, fol. 125, and folio 21/2023 of the Chronicler of Arms of Castile and Leon. 

 

All descendants of the MacCarthy Reagh clan are now formally invited to participate in this historic event — the election of the first Chief in three centuries! 

 

Kinsmen are encouraged to nominate chiefly candidates who are at least 18 years of age, bearing the McCarthy surname, descended in the male-line from The MacCarthy Reagh with proven and certified pedigrees. Nominations will be accepted through 13 June 2024.

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Once the nomination window closes there will be a Clan Meeting hosted virtually to accommodate the vast geographic dispersion of the clan across the globe. This meeting will take place one month later to allow time for nominees to prepare statements for the voting body on 13 July 2024.

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Due to the vast geographic dispersion of clan members, the election will be held via the secure online election platform, ElectionRunner.com, and will run from 13 August 2024, at 6:00pm GMT to 14 August 2024 at 6:00pm. Voting participants will receive an email as soon as the election window opens and will have 24 hours to submit their vote. Each member will have a unique ID which will limit one vote per person and provide anonymity of the voter. 

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For questions or nominations, please reply to the Organizing Committee Secretary at info@maccarthyreagh.org. Thank you!

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A FAMILY AGNOMEN 

FOR RESEARCH

(17 October 2023)

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The McCarthy family's who have resided on Hare Island for several centuries have a descendant looking to learn more! They are known as the 'McCarthy Mountain' family, and as exciting as it is to learn a new agnomen to add to the family tree, there is an interest to learn more about the family's history. 

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If you have experience researching this family we'd love to hear from you!

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NEW  BRANCH  DISCOVERED

(June 2023)

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It is a rarity that a whole branch of the clan is discovered, but thanks to a whole team of cousins and researchers, and some recent discoveries made in the last few months, we can confidently say welcome to this "new" family!

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We are pleased to announce that the McCarthy family of Drinagh, has recently been determined to bear a traceable descent from Col. Finghin MacCarthy Reagh (1625-1676), who has until now actually been misplaced on the family tree for centuries!

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Finghin was a good friend of John Churchill, who would later become the Duke of Marlborough. Indeed, Finghin is mentioned in the State Papers of Charles II and Queen Anne, as having received a pension from Charles. This pension was halted by King William III, but the Duke of Marlborough was able to petition Queen Anne on Finghin's wife's (Mary's) behalf, restoring his pension to her in 1704.