Clan O'Byrne registered with the Clans of Ireland 2018
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    • 1998 Clans of Ireland AGM
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  • Histories of the O'Byrnes
    • Clan System in Gaelic Ireland
    • The Byrnes 1050- 2000 by Hughie O'Byrne
    • Famous Battles of the O'Byrnes
    • 1580 The Battle of Glenmalure
    • 1650 Byrnes and the Confederatiom
    • 1798 Rebellion and the Byrnes
    • Rebel Byrnes in 1798
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  • Sept families of the Leinster Byrnes
    • Crioch Branach, The O'Byrnes Country >
      • Castles of the O'Byrnes.
    • Family of the Downes of Crioch Branach >
      • Downes Hill Climb 1992
    • Family of Kiltimon of Crioc Branach
    • Family of Newrath, Crioch Branach >
      • The O'Byrnes of Newrath by Dr. Emmett O'Byrne
    • Family of Croneroe, Crioch Branach
    • Family of Gabhall Raghnall of Glenmalure >
      • Glenmalure >
        • Balllinacor, Glenmalure
        • Ballinacor Picture Gallery
    • Family of Ui Lorcan of Clonmore
    • O'Byrne Placenames and Castles
  • Leinster Clans Alliance
  • Clan Rallies of the O'Byrnes
    • 1953 Clan O'Byrne, An Tostal Rally, Aughrim.
    • Clan O'Byrne Rally, Aughrim 1991 >
      • 1991 Rally images P1 of 2
      • 1991 Rally images P2 of 2
      • The Chieftains Banquet
    • 1992 Clan O'Byrne Rally, Aughrim >
      • 1992 Wicklow People News item
      • 1992 Clan Rally Gathering
      • Pat Byrne of Florida >
        • The Downes climb 1992
      • The Mercenaries
      • Ardmore Studios
      • Chateaux de St. Geri
    • 1998 Clan Rally, Woodenbridge. >
      • The Lure of Glenmalure
      • Later at the 1998 Clan O'Byrne Rally
      • Clan Rally Miscellany
  • St. Geri 2008
    • Count Henri O'Byrne of Chateaux St. Geri, France.
  • Well known and not so well known Byrnes
    • Feaghe mac Hugh O' Byrne, Lord of Glenmalure
    • Miles Byrne of Monaseed
    • Billy Byrne of Ballymanus
    • Charles Byrne of Derry, the Irish Giant
    • Edward Byrne of Saggart
    • Alfie Byrne, Lord Mayor of Dublin
    • For Whom the Bell tolls
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    • Membership Information

Picture
ARMS of the O'BYRNES
Families   of  the Ó BYRNES
A sept or family is a branch of a clan or a group believing itself derived from a common ancestor. The sept would have normaly been called after their ancestor eg. Ua Raghnall ( of Raghnall) or Ui Raghnall ( the Raghnalls)
This subsequently was superceded by the Anglification to ' O' Byrne', the latter being a name used to cover all branches of the septs decended from Bran from around 1050ad. Today Byrne is the 5th most used surname in Ireland and is widely found throughout the world.
The  O'Byrne clan from its early periods developed into quite a number of different septs, partly because of disintegration of the main family( Ua Dunlang ) but this was mainly caused by the force of the Norman invasions pushing them from their traditional lands around Kildare, where they were known as Ui Faelan, King of Leinster who died in 737ad,  towards the Wicklow mountains and on towards to eastern seaboard of Wicklow and Wexford and to the south into Carlow.
There were four main septs located on the eastern coastal side of Wicklow and these septs shared the right to inaugurate a single Chieftain  for the whole of  their nation which was known as
Crioch Branach ( The O'Byrne's Country ) others extended down to Carlow and Wexford
Whilst each sept would have a head of their own to represent them the last recognised overall Chieftain to be inaugurated was DUNLANG Balbh (Dowling), 1578- 1580 of the Sept of CRONROE, in Crioc Branach.  He was probably inaugurated on top of the Downes hill ( Dun Caillighe Beirre, the fort of the old woman of Beirre) near Kilmacanoge, County Wicklow, see below for more details*. Due to the disintegration and collapse of the Clan system in Ireland from the 16th cent. on , no other chiefs were elected.
In the 20th cent a number of  ' Chiefs ' were elected but these were primarily for the purpose of providing a ' Chairman, Taoiseach, Tiarna, President, Ceannfine, etc '  for a commitee to organise special events , such as the 'Home Coming Festival ' in 1991, and family gatherings.
Because of the fragmented nature of the Byrne clan there is now no proven direct lineage to any single previous O'Byrne Chieftancy as some other clans have. Up until recent times the Office of the Chief Herald did recognise about twenty hereditary Chiefs but this was ended because of abuses to their positions and also the lack of proven records of some pedigrees. So in Ireland today there are no officially recognised 'Clan Chieftains' by the Irish Government.
  
The main families of the O'Byrnes were:

County Wicklow
The Downes of Crioch Branach.   
Kiltimon of Crioch Branach         

Newrath of Crioch Branach          
Croneroe of Crioch Branach          under construction
Gabhal Raghnall of Glenmalure. 

County Carlow
Ui Lorcán of Clonmore    under construction

Design and Graphics by Val Byrne.        Copyright © 2013 Val Byrne.    All rights reserved.