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Archiver > DNA-R1B1C7 > 2011-05 > 1306421401


From: Paul Conroy <>
Subject: Re: [R-M222] abbots, abbesses, and heirs
Date: Thu, 26 May 2011 10:50:01 -0400
References: <F556376B8BB14FE88CCB51212FD093BB@YOURC0160E269F><75EEC6A3-64B6-451F-AE26-8EAC649A0F56@sbcglobal.net>
In-Reply-To: <75EEC6A3-64B6-451F-AE26-8EAC649A0F56@sbcglobal.net>


Jane,

Yeah, I mentioned this already, it's usually Anglicized as McAnespie - and
not that rare a name.

On Thu, May 26, 2011 at 9:48 AM, Jane <> wrote:

> I have discovered that my McAnaspy's are translated, son of the bishop, it
> appears to be a rare Gaelic name.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On May 17, 2011, at 1:06 PM, wrote:
>
> > A chairde / Friends,
> >
> > As you know, celibacy was not a requirement of the early Church in
> Ireland
> > and Scotland. Instead, it was a special mark of sanctity chosen by few.
> >
> > I can't find the exact reference at the moment, wish I could, but many
> monks
> > had as many as 3 wives in honor of the Patriarchs. Around the 8-9th
> > Centuries, the Irish church tried to convince the monks to keep it down
> to 1
> > wife, and got a lot of flak from the rank and file for defying Biblical
> > tradition.
> >
> > Here is a related comment from the law text known as Bretha Crólige:
> >
> >
> >
> > There is dispute in Irish law as to which is more proper, whether many
> > sexual unions or a single one: for the chosen people of God lived in
> > plurality of unions. (Kelly, Fergus. A Guide to Early Irish Law.
> Dublin:
> > Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 1998. p. 71)
> >
> >
> > This non-celibate tradition is reflected by some of our surnames,
> including:
> >
> > MacTaggart - Mac an tSagairt - Son of the Priest
> > MacAnerny - Mac an Airchinnigh - Son of the Airchinneach ('Erenagh' in
> > English)
> > MacNabb - Mac an Abbadh - Son of the Abbot
> >
> > Monasteries were handed down within the hereditary 'erenagh' families,
> some
> > of whom were royal. These families were expected to staff these
> > institutions with their descendants. Choice of leadership and ownership
> was
> > by Féineachas ('Brehon Law'), within the electable derbh-fhine ('true
> > family' sharing common descent from a common great-grandfather).
> > Ecclesiastics were called by both God and blood, so the Church was strong
> > and constantly expanding, in contrast to what we see today.
> >
> > Examples of royal abbesses and abbots include St. Brighid, Abbess and
> Bishop
> > of Cill Dara ('Kildare'). And, of course, Colm Cille. As you know, Colm
> > Cille was of the righ-damhna or 'stuff of kings' of the Cinéal Chonaill,
> > electable as their King at a time when the Uí Néill In Tuaiscirt (Uí
> Néill
> > of the North, especially the Cinéal Chonaill and Cinéal nEoghain) were
> busy
> > creating the High-Kingship of Ireland.
> >
> > Colm Cille remained celebate so his successors like Adamnán were close
> > relatives of his, also royal, rather than direct descendants. Right up
> > until the point that they were extinguished, the Columban daughter houses
> > were typically staffed at the top with close relatives of Colm Cille.
> Many
> > of these successors married and had children. Some of these in turn
> became
> > comh-arba ('heirs' or 'successors') of Colm Cille.
> >
> > I don't know about Scotland, but in Ireland, marriage by priests, monks,
> and
> > nuns was common right up until the imposition of English Common Law in
> 1603.
> > At that point, the territories owned by the erenagh families and all
> > properties owned by right of descent from married ecclesiastics were
> > escheated to the English crown on the basis of 'bastardry' - no
> legitimate
> > heir.
> >
> > Go raibh sé sin cabhrach. / Hope that's helpful.
> >
> > Best,
> > Jerry
> >
> > R1b1c7 Research and Links:
> >
> > http://clanmaclochlainn.com/R1b1c7/
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>
> R1b1c7 Research and Links:
>
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