A NEW BRANCH Re-DISCOVERED!

12 March 2025

While the MacCarthy Reagh clan has seen many of its chiefly lines become dormant over the centuries, the story of the Welply family offers a fascinating glimpse into the enduring legacy of the family. Though details are still emerging, the Welplys share a McCarthy heritage with the Shouldham family of Dunmanway, who trace their descent from a marriage to a McCarthy heiress around 1705. Cormac MacCarthy Reagh adopted his wife's surname, Welply, in the 18th century. Moreover, the Welply family representatives are agnatic descendants of the famed Finghin MacCarthy Reagh, a figure of considerable historical significance, who was The MacCarthy Mór by both The O'Neill and The O'Sullivan Mór, following his marriage to Elana, Princess of Desmond. The rediscovery of the Welply connection thus serves as a potent reminder that while chiefly lines may fade, the broader kinship network of the MacCarthy Reagh endures, with ongoing genealogical research continuing to unearth and rekindle these familial connections.