Frequently Asked Questions

The last Chief of the Name was Florence MacCarthy Reagh of Caheragh, and by the time of his death in 1754 his successor was never chosen. In accordance with tansitry and the Brehon legal structure, his successor must be chosen from his dearbhfhine (i.e. the group of males descended agnatically from his great-grandfather). The present chief was elected from amongst all the provable descendant families from Florence's dearbhfhine.

The chief of the MacCarthy Reagh clan was historically regarded as the King (Rí) of Carbery and the King of Uí Eachach Muman (later known as Ivahagh, or Iveagh, of Munster). Today that dignity is preserved by the modern custom of style formerly sovereign heads of as 'prince.' However, at the time of the surrender of Carbery he also held the territories of Gleannachroim (despite having historically belong to his cousins, the MacCarthy Glas) and many dozens of smaller townlands and estates. However, after the collapse of the Gaelic order of society in the 17th century, the last inaugurated Chief of the Name MacCarthy Mór and Prince of Desmond, was The MacCarthy Reagh's first-cousin - Florence.  So by the same legal principles which secured the restoration of the MacCarthy Reagh chiefship today, the chiefship of the MacCarthy Mór could be legitimately restored. While that has not yet happened, the extant descendants of Florence's dearbhfhine could be elected to that chiefship. As an agnatic descendant of Donal na Pipi, the present chief would be one such extant descendant and so bears the style ofRígdomna of Desmond (i.e. King-Material of Desmond), to denote his belonging to the royal dearbhfhine of the last legitimate MacCarthy Mór. Therefore, his official title is:"Ceann Fine Mhic Cárthaigh Riabhaigh, Prionsa Chairbre agus Uíbh Eachach Mumhan, Rígdomna Deasmhumhnaigh, Ard Tiarna Gleannachroim, Tiarna Chill Briotáin, Ghort na Cloiche, etc." ​Or in English:"Chief of the Name MacCarthy Reagh, Prince of Carbery and of Ivahagh of Munster, Rígdomna of Desmond, Lord Paramount of Gleannachroim, Baron of Kilbrittain, Gortnacloughy, etc."

An Irish chiefship matters today because heritage is not merely something to be remembered; it is something to be carried forward. The Gaelic chiefship represents continuity with Ireland’s native social order, its laws, its families and their traditional territories. In a modern context, the value of a chiefship is found in a hereditary bond of service to the Irish people. The Chief provides a focal point for clan identity, historical education, cultural preservation, charitable work, and meaningful connection across the global Irish diaspora. A restored or continuing chiefship becomes a bridge between past and present: honouring tradition and the legacy of our forebears, while serving communities today.

An Irish chief does not exercise governmental authority in the modern Irish state, and the office should not be confused with a state title, public office, peerage, or civil jurisdiction. However, within the Gaelic-Irish traditional sphere of influence, the chief does still possess the authority of a hereditary fons honorum. This authority entails the guardianship of the clan's history and future, the maintenance of dignities and customs proper to the clan, and the encouragement of service among those who identify with the clan. In this sense, the role is not a modern legal office, but neither is it merely symbolic. It belongs to the realm of Gaelic tradition and service, where the chief serves as the living head of an ancient family and as a steward of its continuing obligations.

The ancient war-cry most closely associated with the MacCarthys is “Lámh Láidir Abú,” commonly rendered as “The Strong Hand to Victory.” It reflects courage, endurance, and the will to persevere through adversity. This was in use by the MacCarthy Reagh throughout history, but was used alongside the more medieval motto, “Fortis Ferox et Celer,” adopted circa 1400. The motto “Fortis Ferox et Celer” is traditionally attributed to Donal Reagh MacCarthy, who adopted it sometime after assuming the chiefship in 1366 and before his death in 1414. The clan is named for him,Riabhach (Reagh in English), and so “Fortis Ferox et Celer” has become the more distinguishing motto of the MacCarthy Reagh clan. Today both are used: “Lámh Láidir Abú” as the clan's war-cry and “Fortis Ferox et Celer” as the clan's heraldic motto.

The full coat of arms belongs to the chief and the chiefly house. It is not a general clan logo and should not be assumed by every person who bears the MacCarthy, McCarthy, or MacCarthy Reagh name. A coat of arms identifies a particular person. For that reason, the undifferenced chiefly arms are reserved to the Chief of the Name MacCarthy Reagh, and to such hereditary successors or properly authorized representatives of the house as may be entitled to use them. Members of the wider clan, descendants, supporters, and friends should not use the full armorial achievement as their personal arms. They may, however, use approved clan badges, emblems, banners, or other symbols made available for general use by the household or clan organization. These symbols allow members of the wider kindred and diaspora to show affiliation and support without improperly assuming the chiefly arms themselves.

On the most ceremonious occasions, when the ancient dignity of the chiefship is to be represented with due solemnity, the Chief may wear a livery collar as a modern emblem of his station, his hereditary authority, and his duty to serve the clan and people of Carbery.The Prince of Carbery’s livery collar is composed of thirty-two links which symbolize the dynastic continuity of the MacCarthy line in both Desmond and Carbery, representing the twenty-three Princes of Carbery who reigned before the interregnum, and the nine Kings of Desmond who preceded them. Moreover, each of the thirty-two links represents one generation of descent from the celebrated Cellachán Caisil, King of Cashel and Munster, to the present Chief of the Name MacCarthy Reagh. Cellachán stands as the last great Eóganacht king of Munster before the Dalcassian ascendancy in the tenth century, and from him a claim to the ancient kingship of Munster passed into the House of MacCarthy. In this way, the collar becomes a visible chain of succession extending across the centuries, representing the royal authority of the chief as a Prince of Carbery and a descendant of the kings of Desmond, Munster, and ultimately of Milesius.Each link in the collar is the letter “C” and at the center of each “C” is a fleur-de-lis, evoking the fleurs-de-lis on The MacCarthy Reagh’s heraldry, and so representing The MacCarthy Reagh himself. This fleur-de-lis is supported by a salamander – the clan’s crest – symbolizing the survival of the clan through the trials of history. Thus, each link symbolizes the territory, dynasty, and perseverance of the MacCarthy Reagh clan by its representation of Carbery, the princely house, and the enduring spirit by which it has survived.As the collar’s centerpiece, the Cross proclaims the primacy of Christ above all earthly rank and places the Christian faith at the forefront of princely authority. The Cross is then a visible reminder that princely authority is not merely inherited – it is answerable to God – and meant to be exercised with justice, mercy, and restraint, and always in the fear of the Lord. Finally, the collar itself is made of gold-plated brass with deliberate symbolic intent. As an alloy of copper and zinc, brass unites the two metals whose meanings reflect both the antiquity and the renewal of the princely house. The predominance of copper reflects the ancient inheritance of Carbery itself. The lands of West Cork were known from early times for their mineral wealth, especially copper – one of the earliest metals known to mankind. The copper therefore is a fitting symbol of the deep antiquity of the MacCarthy lineage and its roots in the earliest kingship of Ireland. The zinc, by contrast, was not widely understood or isolated as a distinct metal until the early modern era in 1746 – during the life of the last chief before the interregnum. For this reason, the zinc is understood to symbolize the newness of restoration of The MacCarthy Reagh. Therefore, by using brass the very substance of the collar becomes a fitting emblem of the endurance of the Chiefs of the MacCarthy Reagh clan – with ancient origins, but renewed for the generations to come. In its entirety, the collar stands as a synthesis of princely and royal authority, dynastic continuity, and Christian faith: a visible and tangible testament to Carbery’s inheritance, the survival of The MacCarthy Reagh, and the enduring succession of the MacCarthy line from the kings of Cashel and Munster, Desmond, and Carbery.