Irish clans
Gaelic kinship groups
Irish clans are extended family groups sharing a common ancestor and surname, historically the basic unit of Gaelic Irish society.
Each clan occupied its own territory under a chieftain.
The system declined under English colonization but survives in surname traditions and clan associations.
Many Irish Americans trace genealogy through clan connections: The O'Neills were among the most powerful Irish clans.
- O'NeillAmerican theater dramatist
- Brehon lawMedieval Irish legal system
- UlsterIrish northern province
- genealogyStudy of family descent
- O'BrienIrish patronymic surname
O'Donnell · O'Connor · fostering · family crest · ancestry · cattle raiding · cattle raid · blood feud · lineage · O'Sullivan · Fitzpatrick · highland · surname · kinship · castle · tower house · Celtic · stronghold
Irish clansnuclear family
Parents plus their offspring
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Irish clansstrangers
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