MacCarthy Mor: Clan MacCarthy Society

MacCarthy Mór

"MacCarthy Mór" is the title for the Chieftain of the MacCarthy Clan.
In the past the MacCarthy Mór was the head of the royal dynasty in Desmond (south Munster).

The current title dispute: The following is an effort to provide a complete, accurate, and neutral history of the events surrounding the dispute over the title of MacCarthy Mór.
This means presenting everything about the subject, not just select articles.

Most recent update is 21-Nov-2000.

       1980 According to the history presented by Terence Francis McCarthy, he first claimed the title of MacCarthy Mór in 1980, when his father relinquished the title to him.

       1985 Terence Francis McCarthy applied to the Irish Genealogical Office for courtesy recognition as the "MacCarthy Mór" in 1985 using the ancient Brehon Law of tanistry as the basis for that recognition.

28-Jan-1992 An "official patent of recognition" was issued by the Irish Genealogical Office recognizing Terence Francis McCarthy as the MacCarthy Mór. It was signed by then Chief Herald Donal Begley and then and now Deputy Chief Herald Fergus Gillespie.

20-Jun-1999 The Sunday Times in Dublin printed an article by John Burns ("Irish clan chief's reign may be over"), which attacked the claim to the title by The MacCarthy Mór and made additional personal attacks.
To find the article go to The Sunday Times website, search for the June 20, 1999 issue in the library, and then look under "Ireland".

20-Jun-1999 The MacCarthy Mór wrote a letter to the Editor of the Sunday Times, which the Editor declined to publish

24-Jun-1999 Letter from the Clan MacCarthy Society of North America to the Irish Prime Minister

30-Jun-1999 Report on the Pedigree of Terence Francis MacCarthy, Styled The MacCarthy Mór, Prince of Desmond by Sean J. Murphy.   (This is a link outside our webpages).

4-Jul-1999 Open Letter to the Sunday Times by The MacCarthy Mór (Terence Francis McCarthy)

10-Jul-1999 Open Letter from John G. O'Donnell, Solicitor to The MacCarthy Mór

10-Jul-1999 Open Response to Sean Murphy by The MacCarthy Mór

21-Jul-1999 Public Statement by The MacCarthy Mór (Terence Francis McCarthy)

25-Jul-1999 Statement on the Recognition of Gaelic Titles by Peter Berresford Ellis

28-Jul-1999 Article by Peter Tremayne originally appearing in The Independent on July 28, 1999

29-Jul-1999 Statement by Lt. Colonel O'Kelly de Conejera

31-Jul-1999 Article in The Examiner by Fionnán Sheahan, indicating Clan MacCarthy of Ireland's support for The MacCarthy Mór.   (This is a link outside our webpages).

??-Aug-1999 Statement by the Irish Genealogical Office (unsigned)

19-Aug-1999 Clan MacCarthy Society Letter in response to the IGO statement

9-Oct-1999 Terence Francis McCarthy abdicated his title of The MacCarthy Mór, as a result of the on-going controversy over his pedigree and the loss of much of his support from those who formerly supported him.

14-Oct-1999 The President of the Clan MacCarthy Society wrote a statement on behalf of our Society about Terence Francis McCarthy's abdication, the controversy surrounding it, and initial plans for the process of choosing a successor as the Chief of the Name of the MacCarthy family.

27-Oct-1999 Practical Application of Gaelic Irish Tanistic Succession - A brief article by Lt. Col. L. Keane

21-Dec-1999 An update on the progress of (or lack thereof), the Society obtaining files from the Irish Genealogical Office

27-Mar-2000 An open letter from Conor McCarthy, and an update of the MacCarthy Mór situation by our President, in a Press Release.

11-Apr-2000 The Office of the Information Commissioner (Ireland), has rejected the appeal to the IGO's decision to not release records prior to April 1998 about the MacCarthy Mór.

25-Jul-2000 Open letter from Conor MacCarthy dated May 24, 2000.

1-Aug-2000 Report on the Pedigree of Conor MacCarthy, Styled The MacCarthy Mór, Prince of Desmond by Sean J. Murphy.   (This is a link outside our webpages).

8-Oct-2000 A Public Statement from Conor MacCarthy which deals with some of the claims about the validity of the MacCarthy "heirlooms" in the possession of Conor and Terence MacCarthy.

21-Nov-2000 A letter from Mark Madden who represents himself to be the Secretary of the Clan MacCarthy Association in Belfast, Northern Ireland. This letter criticizes us, The Clan MacCarthy Society, and is also intended to be a response to the questions we submitted to Conor MacCarthy in March, 2000, on Conor's family pedigree. This letter is preceded by a statement by us.

More information will be appended here as things progress.

1980	According to the history presented by Terence Francis McCarthy, he first claimed the title of MacCarthy Mór in 1980, when his father relinquished the title to him.
1985	Terence Francis McCarthy applied to the Irish Genealogical Office for courtesy recognition as the "MacCarthy Mór" in 1985 using the ancient Brehon Law of tanistry as the basis for that recognition.
28-Jan-1992	An "official patent of recognition" was issued by the Irish Genealogical Office recognizing Terence Francis McCarthy as the MacCarthy Mór. It was signed by then Chief Herald Donal Begley and then and now Deputy Chief Herald Fergus Gillespie.
20-Jun-1999	*The Sunday Times* in Dublin printed an article by John Burns ("Irish clan chief's reign may be over"), which attacked the claim to the title by The MacCarthy Mór and made additional personal attacks. To find the article go to The Sunday Times website, search for the June 20, 1999 issue in the library, and then look under "Ireland".
20-Jun-1999	The MacCarthy Mór wrote a letter to the Editor of the Sunday Times, which the Editor declined to publish
24-Jun-1999	Letter from the Clan MacCarthy Society of North America to the Irish Prime Minister
30-Jun-1999	Report on the Pedigree of Terence Francis MacCarthy, Styled The MacCarthy Mór, Prince of Desmond by Sean J. Murphy. (This is a link outside our webpages).
4-Jul-1999	Open Letter to the Sunday Times by The MacCarthy Mór (Terence Francis McCarthy)
10-Jul-1999	Open Letter from John G. O'Donnell, Solicitor to The MacCarthy Mór
10-Jul-1999	Open Response to Sean Murphy by The MacCarthy Mór
21-Jul-1999	Public Statement by The MacCarthy Mór (Terence Francis McCarthy)
25-Jul-1999	Statement on the Recognition of Gaelic Titles by Peter Berresford Ellis
28-Jul-1999	Article by Peter Tremayne originally appearing in *The Independent* on July 28, 1999
29-Jul-1999	Statement by Lt. Colonel O'Kelly de Conejera
31-Jul-1999	Article in The Examiner by Fionnán Sheahan, indicating Clan MacCarthy of Ireland's support for The MacCarthy Mór. (This is a link outside our webpages).
??-Aug-1999	Statement by the Irish Genealogical Office (unsigned)
19-Aug-1999	Clan MacCarthy Society Letter in response to the IGO statement
9-Oct-1999	Terence Francis McCarthy abdicated his title of The MacCarthy Mór, as a result of the on-going controversy over his pedigree and the loss of much of his support from those who formerly supported him.
14-Oct-1999	The President of the Clan MacCarthy Society wrote a statement on behalf of our Society about Terence Francis McCarthy's abdication, the controversy surrounding it, and initial plans for the process of choosing a successor as the Chief of the Name of the MacCarthy family.
27-Oct-1999	Practical Application of Gaelic Irish Tanistic Succession - A brief article by Lt. Col. L. Keane
21-Dec-1999	An update on the progress of (or lack thereof), the Society obtaining files from the Irish Genealogical Office
27-Mar-2000	An open letter from Conor McCarthy, and an update of the MacCarthy Mór situation by our President, in a Press Release.
11-Apr-2000	The Office of the Information Commissioner (Ireland), has rejected the appeal to the IGO's decision to not release records prior to April 1998 about the MacCarthy Mór.
25-Jul-2000	Open letter from Conor MacCarthy dated May 24, 2000.
1-Aug-2000	Report on the Pedigree of Conor MacCarthy, Styled The MacCarthy Mór, Prince of Desmond by Sean J. Murphy. (This is a link outside our webpages).
8-Oct-2000	A Public Statement from Conor MacCarthy which deals with some of the claims about the validity of the MacCarthy "heirlooms" in the possession of Conor and Terence MacCarthy.
21-Nov-2000	A letter from Mark Madden who represents himself to be the Secretary of the Clan MacCarthy Association in Belfast, Northern Ireland. This letter criticizes us, *The Clan MacCarthy Society*, and is also intended to be a response to the questions we submitted to Conor MacCarthy in March, 2000, on Conor's family pedigree. This letter is preceded by a statement by us.