Ancient Irish Ancestors

Historically, Celtic peoples were innovators in areas like iron working, mining, agriculture, and trade. One thing they were not was nation builders. Their main accomplishment in this aspect seems to have been interference with the great nation builders: Rome, Britain, France and Spain.

The Cassidy name (Ó Caiside in Irish) can be traced in Ireland to the twelfth century AD. All Cassidys originate from County Fermanagh in Ulster (Northern Ireland), which is immediately southeast of County Donegal. The Cassidy Clan has a rich and proud heritage. The fact that the Cassidy name shows up in history says something about their stature. Their primary claim to fame is as physicians to the Maguires from 1320 to 1504. The Maguires were of the ruling (warlord) class. Thomas O’Cassidy was the last known hereditary member of the clan and a medical practitioner. He is the author of a paper from around 1504 entitled The Nature and Cure of the Different Diseases on the Human Frame.[1]

While the Cassidys were not of the ruling class of society, they were sufficiently important and successful to have their own coat of arms. Their notoriety unfortunately would have made them vulnerable to the conquering English. It seems the Irish warlords were never able to get along with the English invaders. During the 1690-1830 period the English, through oppression and penal laws, wiped out many famous Irish families. The Cassidys likely suffered greatly during this period.

Drawing a definitive line between ourselves and our ancient ancestors is virtually impossible. The fact that we can trace back to 1762 to William’s father Andrew Cassidy is quite an accomplishment. For now, the most we can say is that we are all related to these ancient Cassidys.

The official Cassidy Clan website www.cassidyclan.org has an authoritative history of the origins of the Cassidy Clan in Ireland. Readers are encouraged to visit that website for additional details.

We are fortunate in our ancestral search to know the location where William was born and raised. This narrows the scope of the search considerably. Records from earlier than the 1800s are very limited.

Though our William Cassidy was from The Port in County Donegal, his roots will eventually lead to County Fermanagh. Therefore, in searching for ancestral clues, one needs to include County Fermanagh and surrounding areas along with The Port, Inver Parish, and County Donegal.

 

[1] Bodleian Library, Oxford

 

Cassidy Crest