The early history of the O'Brien Clan is as a Dalcassian tribe in SW Ireland and then with Brian Boru, the legendary king of Ireland who defeated the Norsemen at Clontarf in 1014 but died in the process. The Ui Brians ruled over Munster after Brian Boru's death and, as O'Brien's, emerged as one of the chief dynastic families of Ireland.
Today, due to emigration, there are more O'Brien's outside Ireland than within, with the largest number being in America. There are many name variants of O’Brien around the world, including Bryan, Mc Bryan, O'Brian, O'Bryan, Bryant, and Breen.
Ireland. The Rock of Cashel in Tipperary was the traditional seat of the Kingdom of Munster, which the O'Brien's would hold until the 12th century. After that time the territory was divided and they ruled over the kingdom of Thurmond in present-day Clare instead.
Their ancestral home in Thurmond was Dromoland castle. The O'Brien's rule would last until 1542 when Murrough O'Brien surrendered its sovereignty to the new English kingdom of Ireland under Henry VIII.
Over the subsequent centuries there were to be many O'Brien branches. The Earls of Thurmond, representing the main descent, did tend to side with the English. Other O'Brien's, although they had accepted English titles, often ended up opposing the English cause:
- Murrough O'Brien, the Earl of Inchiquin, having supported the English in 1641, switched sides and left Ireland for France and French service in 1650, although his grandson was later to return in 1703.
- while the Viscounts Clare left in 1690 and never returned. They raised the famous Irish brigade known as Clare’s Dragoons and were fighting for France until the last of them died in 1774.
The O'Brien's at Comeragh castle in Waterford were almost wiped out by Cromwell in 1656. After taking the castle, he hanged four of the O’Brien brothers. The fifth, John, managed to escape and from him came the O'Brien's of Ballyetragh.
The history of the O'Brien clan, up to the end of the 18th century, was first compiled by John O’Donoghue in the book he published in 1860.
In the 19th century, from an O’Brien Clare line, came William Smith O'Brien, an Irish nationalist and one of the leaders of the Young Ireland rebellion of 1848. This led to his arrest, trial, and transportation to Australia. Other O'Brien's of varying backgrounds were also to become engaged in the cause of Irish nationalism at this time.
Today in Ireland, O'Brien's are mainly found outside Dublin in the Munster counties of Clare, Limerick, and Cork.
America A number of O'Brien's came to America in the second half of the 18th century, including Morris O’Brien who came to Machias in Maine. His son Captain Jeremiah O’Brien was one of the early American heroes of the Revolutionary War. In 1775 he captured a British armed schooner off Machias in the first naval engagement of the war. His son Jeremiah ran a lumber manufacturing and shipping business in Machias and was active in local politics.
Born in Ireland in 1827, Hugh O’Brien moved with his parents to Boston when he was five. He prospered there as a printer. In 1885, he took the office of mayor of Boston, the first Irish-born and the first Catholic to do so in a city previously run by native-born Protestants. A much later Boston celebrity is the talk-show host Conan O’Brien who grew up in a middle-class family in Brookline. His forebears had immigrated to Boston from county Kerry at the time of the potato famine.
Canada. The O’Brien name in various forms was evident in Newfoundland by the late 18th century. John O’Brien came to St. John’s around 1818. A dairy farmer, he built Thimble Cottage in the outskirts of the town. It still stands, with the third generation of O'Brien's living there.
O'Brien's were also part of the Irish community in Antagonist county, Nova Scotia. The 1838 census listed O'Brien's in Dorchester and Tracadie townships. Richard Baptist O’Brien, later a fervent advocate of Irish home rule, spent time as a priest in Antagonist county in the 1840’s. Michael J. O’Brien, the railway industrialist, was born at Lochaber in 1851. He and his son Ambrose were influential in the founding of the Montreal Canadians and the National Hockey League.
Brian Boru, the legendary 10th century Irish king, left his name to the O'Brien clan.
Murrough O'Brien, known as Murcha of the Burnings, played a controversial role in mid 17th century Irish politics. He was made President of Munster for expelling the Catholics and then became a Catholic himself.
William Smith O'Brien was the 19th century Irish nationalist who led the 1848 Young Ireland uprising.
William O'Brien was the Irish nationalist who founded the United Irish League, the forerunner of Sinn Fein.
Edna O'Brien is an Irish novelist and short story writer who's novels were first banned in Ireland.
Aidan O'Brien is a very successful Irish horserace trainer.
Conan O'Brien is an American comedian and late-night talk show host.
- 37,000 in the UK (most numerous in Lancashire)
- 50,000 in America (most numerous in New York)
- 108,000 elsewhere (most numerous in Ireland)
Member of Parliament (MP)
William Smith O’Brien (17 October 1803 – 18 June 1864) was an Irish Nationalist, Member of Parliament (MP), and leader of the Young Ireland movement, convicted of sedition for his part in the Young Irelander Rebellion of 1848, but his sentence of death was commuted to deportation to Van Diemen’s Land. In 1854, he was released on the condition of exile from Ireland, and he lived in Brussels for two years.
In 1856 O’Brien was pardoned and returned to Ireland, but he was never active again in politics.Born in Dromoland, Newmarket on Fergus, County Clare, he was the second son of Sir Edward O’Brien, 4th Baronet, of Dromoland Castle. William took the additional surname Smith, his mother’s maiden name, upon inheriting property through her. He inherited and lived at Cahermoyle House, a mile from Ardagh, County Limerick. He was a descendant of the eleventh century Ard Rí (High King of Ireland) Brian Boru. He received an upper-class English education at Harrow School and Trinity College, Cambridge.
Although a Protestant, he supported Catholic Emancipation while remaining a supporter of British-Irish union. In 1843, in protest against the imprisonment of Daniel O’Connell, he joined O’Connell’s anti-union Repeal Association.
Three years later, disillusioned by O’Connell, O’Brien withdrew the Young Irelanders from the association. With Thomas Francis Meagher, in January 1847 he founded the Irish Confederation. In March 1848, he spoke out in favour of a National Guard and tried to incite a national rebellion.
Notably, O’Brien was a founding member of the Ossianic Society, whose aim was further the interests of the Irish language and to publish and translate literature relating to the Fianna.
He wrote to his son Edward from Van Diemen’s Land, urging him to learn the Irish language. He himself studied the language and used an Irish-language Bible, and presented to the Royal Irish Academy Irish-language manuscripts he had collected. He enjoyed the respect of Clare poets (the county being largely Irish speaking at the time), and in 1863, on his advice, Irish was introduced into a number of schools there.
Prepared: March 31st, 2014 by (Paul O'Brien) Ireland
In 1856 O’Brien was pardoned and returned to Ireland, but he was never active again in politics.Born in Dromoland, Newmarket on Fergus, County Clare, he was the second son of Sir Edward O’Brien, 4th Baronet, of Dromoland Castle. William took the additional surname Smith, his mother’s maiden name, upon inheriting property through her. He inherited and lived at Cahermoyle House, a mile from Ardagh, County Limerick. He was a descendant of the eleventh century Ard Rí (High King of Ireland) Brian Boru. He received an upper-class English education at Harrow School and Trinity College, Cambridge.
Although a Protestant, he supported Catholic Emancipation while remaining a supporter of British-Irish union. In 1843, in protest against the imprisonment of Daniel O’Connell, he joined O’Connell’s anti-union Repeal Association.
Three years later, disillusioned by O’Connell, O’Brien withdrew the Young Irelanders from the association. With Thomas Francis Meagher, in January 1847 he founded the Irish Confederation. In March 1848, he spoke out in favour of a National Guard and tried to incite a national rebellion.
Notably, O’Brien was a founding member of the Ossianic Society, whose aim was further the interests of the Irish language and to publish and translate literature relating to the Fianna.
He wrote to his son Edward from Van Diemen’s Land, urging him to learn the Irish language. He himself studied the language and used an Irish-language Bible, and presented to the Royal Irish Academy Irish-language manuscripts he had collected. He enjoyed the respect of Clare poets (the county being largely Irish speaking at the time), and in 1863, on his advice, Irish was introduced into a number of schools there.
Prepared: March 31st, 2014 by (Paul O'Brien) Ireland
