Ceallachán of Munster Clan Society

O’Callaghan of Munster Clan

An affiliated society of The Council of Irish Clans

Who are we?

We are an online affiliated society of The Council of Irish Clans for people who, somewhere in their ancestry, share one of the many variations of surname that are derived from Ceallachán of Caisil, the formidable Chief of the Eóganachta tribe and King of Munster in Ireland from AD 935 until 954 and, additionally, who can trace their lineage back to Munster (ie counties Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary & Waterford). Amongst Ceallachán of Caisil’s many famed accomplishments, he is said to have defeated the father of Brian Boru of the Dal gCais in battle and subdued the Vikings. As part of the latter, he captured Caisil (now known as Cashel in Tipperary), the historical capital of Munster, leading to him to be called Ceallachán of Caisil or more commonly, Ceallachán Caisil. See “Book of The Callaghan“ by Chris O'Callaghan for a more detailed description of his life and deeds.

Over the one thousand plus years, since Ceallachán walked this earth, numerous variations of the name have evolved including O’Callaghan, Callaghan, O'Callahan, Callahan, O'Kallaghan, Kallaghan, Kallahan, Kalahan, Keelaghan, Kealahan & Keelan etc. Thus, if you or your ancestors were from Munster and bore one of these name variations, you are part of this clan.

By way of additional clarification, it is important to understand that DNA testing reveals that the descendants of Ceallachán Caisil’s clan, as with other Irish clans, while being descended from a historic shared fraternity, are composed of more than one bloodline. Furthermore, history tells us that our clan has significantly impacted the course of Irish history and continues to impact the world through its current day descendants, who contribute to the modern world in so many different ways and places. Clearly, the world has moved on from the times when, being a clan member was key to preserving ones life, in the face of marauding enemies; thus, what is the role of a modern clan?

Before discussing that, it is important to understand that this clan society, is distinct from the clan itself. The reasoning behind that is, that clan membership is something that most Irish people are born into (ie by virtue of a person’s Irish family heritage, they are ‘de facto’ members of a given clan). For example, if you carry one of the variations of the Ceallachán’s name discussed earlier, and your ancestry was rooted in Munster, then it is likely you are, by birthright, a member of the Ceallachán of Munster Clan (or whatever variation of the name you use for the clan), whether or not you engage with your clan as part of your current life. In contrast, this clan society is something you can choose to join, or not.

So, with that explanation behind us, let’s move on to look at the goals of this society which will, hopefully, present reasons that might persuade you to become involved with this clan society?

What are the Society’s Goals?

The goals of the Ceallachán of Munster Clan society are to:

1. Build and maintain an online clan society that is run by the members, for the members, who provide mutual support (ie helping each other where they can).

2. Foster and facilitate a clan spirit, diversity, friendship and networking amongst clan members.

3. Facilitate the preservation of the history, folklore, and traditions of our clan.

4. Help each other to understand our family roots and connections.

5. Provide mutual support for member projects which, for example, might aim to provide fresh insights to the ever-changing structure and composition of our clan.

6. Enable members to organise international and regional gatherings (or forums), either online or in-person, with the purpose of allowing members to network with each other.

Is There a Membership Fee?

No. The society is run by volunteers (its members) for its members; thus, there are no membership fees.

Am I Eligible for Membership and How Might I join?

If you share our goals, and your ancestors bore any of the variant names derived from Ceallachán such as O’Callaghan etc) either now or sometime in the past¹, plus those family members originated from Munster in Ireland, then this is the Clan society for you. To express your support, or interest in joining our clan society please, in the first instance, email The Council of Irish Clans (click HERE to open an email client).

Note 1: For example, the way inherited names work, the female line of Callaghans lose their Callaghan surname but clearly, they remain genetically part of the clan as much as any male and thus, would be very much welcomed into this society.

Managing the Society?

As mentioned above, the society is run by members, for members. While the vast majority of members can simply enjoy the society’s benefits, for this society to function, some members need to be part of volunteer teams that facilitate sub-functions of the society. Currently the clan teams are:

· Writing Team (members who write occasional short articles about Callaghan history, genealogy or family research for our member newsletter)

· Media Team (members who help the society with publicity, social media postings etc)

· Website Team (members who maintain and expand the society’s webpages)

· Welcome Team (first point of contact for potential and existing members etc)

· Advisory Team (members who share their experiences of genealogy research to help other members)

· Executive Team (akin to "Ceann Fine" & "tánaiste" - being the public figurehead and senior executives overseeing operations)

These teams are not permanent fixtures, rather formed and changed to fit people’s availability (ie as they juggle jobs, family and other commitments) so, be understanding if there are delays in their response.

Could I Be Involved in Managing the Clan Society?

Yes, absolutely, we are always looking for people to join one of our management teams. To enquire further, in the first instance, email The Council of Irish Clans (click HERE to open an email client).

Further Information about the Ceallachán of Munster Clan:

· Joseph F.O Callaghan, "Clan Callaghan: The O Callaghan Family of County Cork", 302 pages, publisher Genealogical.Com, Inc, published 23 Nov 2020 (revised edition), ISBN: 9780806359168, 2020 (revised)

· Chris O'Callaghan “Book of The Callaghan“, 396 pages, Co. Cork, Ireland, 2013, 2014, 2017 & 2020, ISBN: 978-0-9565354-2-9 (provides an in-depth factual account of Ceallachán of Caisil). Click on Chris O'Callaghan to get a free download version of his book.

· Callaghan Info Webpage, discusses the history of the Munster based Callaghan clan (inclusive of all variations of the surname), explains and illustrates its Coat of Arms, together with providing numerous links to a multitude of interesting ‘Callaghan’ related information.

· Wikipedia O’Callaghan Website, Provides general information on all O’Callaghan clans, together with a list of notable Callaghans.

Finally, we hope you can join us on this journey, for what will surely be an interesting new adventure for our clan,

Professor Joseph O'Callaghan

Professor Joan O’Callaghan-Castella

Professor Victor Callaghan

Contact: The Council of Irish Clans (click HERE to open email client)

Our thanks to Dr Mike Fitzpatrick and Proinsias Mag Fhionnghaile, of the Council of Irish Clans, for their valuable guidance in creating this web page.