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From: Paul Ó Duḃṫaiġ <>
Subject: Re: [R-M222] Surname Sample
Date: Tue, 17 Apr 2012 12:15:30 +0100


Ó Cléirigh is pronunced very close to it's anglication O'Cleary.
"aigh"/"igh" at the end of the name are not pronunced with a slender gh
sound. Instead they tend to sound like a long i (í -- like ee in english),
though in munster you would see it pronunced as an -ig (contrast Doohey and
Duhig)

This special pronunciation is present in specific verbal conditions as well

What it shows in case of name is that Cléirigh is the genitive case of the
name Cléireach (Clerk/Cleric). A related name in Irish context is: Mac an
CHLÉIRIGH

With regards to McClure Woulfe has the following in his 1923 book

----

Mac GIOLLA UIDHIR—IV<http://www.libraryireland.com/names/synopsis-types-surnames.php>;
—*M'Elyre*, MacAleer, MacLear, MacLure, MacClure; 'son of Giolla odhar'
(the pale youth; odhar, dun, pale); a rare Armagh surname. Eachdonn Mac
Giolla uidhir was Primate of Armagh early in the 13th century. It is also a
Scottish surname.

----

-Paul

(L21+/DF41+)

*From:*
*Subject:* Re: [R-M222] Surname Sample
*Date:* Mon, 16 Apr 2012 17:12:42 -0400 (EDT)

Malcolm


Thank you. I haven't come across the 1486 reference in Kirkcudbright. This
is interesting. What is your source? O'Cleirigh - maybe - if 'gh' is silent
at the end of name. If you are thinking O'Cleriigh, McCleirigh evolved
independently of Ireland in SW Scotland. Black suggests McClure Gaelic
Mcilluidhir, 'son of Odhar's servant', and then under another section for
Maclure
in Glenlg and in Skye, he says it is supposed to be Mac a leora, sometimes
of Mac an leabhair, 'devote of the book'. He doesn't really add much to
it.

Alan


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