Cousins,
Just a couple of notes, then I will no longer occupy our time with this
matter. I appreciate those many of you who wrote to thank me for my
first letter. Let me point out that I have only expressed my opinion,
and would encourage you to visit the site personally and formulate your
own ideas.
"...certified by the Chief Herald of Ireland and The Clans of Ireland
Society as "Chiefs of the Name".
Note should be made that the heraldic system was created primarily by
the English and French, and arrived in Ireland only after the
Anglo-Normans, who invaded (actually just sort of walked in) in 1179.
During much of the English domination of Ireland NO Irishman was
eligible to receive a coat of arms -- only the transplanted English
'Lords' were awarded this distinction. It is certainly and sadly true
that most of the ancient systems were destroyed by the Anglo-Normans,
and I wonder why anyone trying to revive the IRISH systems would use the
ENGLISH hierarchical system?! Since I am a historian with considerable
knowledge of the denegration of the Irish, it turns my stomach to see
things such as this. By adopting the English system you have proven
only one thing -- the English did what they set out to do!
"To become certified, these men had to provide absolute proof of their
heritage with authentic wills, birth and death certificates, deeds,
etc., some many hundreds of years old. "
I have no with to denegrate the claims nor proof of the 'Chief', but
feel compelled to point out that many, if not most, of us have the same
blood, however distant in time our connection might be. I descend from
at least four separate lines of the Plantagenets, and can prove it --
will the Clan chiefs then recognize me as a contender for the English
throne?? The entire Irish 'clan' revival has a sort of 'good-old-boys'
feel to it. It is its own system creating its own rules. This reminds
me of our local hospital which has consistantly been rated "one of the
top 10 in the country." Turns out the corporation which owns the
hospital was doing the evaluations -- pretty neat trick, huh?
Valerie Austin, Ph.D.