The Herlihy Name

One thing I hope to do over here is figure out some history behind the timeline of the Herlihy name. In a book of Irish names, I did come across a little bit of information that I'll share here now, before I make it over to the National Library.

(O) Herlihy O hlarlatha (iarfhlaith, underlord). A Ballyvourney erenagh family whose name is sometimes changed to Hurley. Cork.

If that definition isn't making any sense, don't fear!

"The Erenagh is often confused with the Coarb but there was a subtle difference. Like the Coarb they were normally married men and not ordained. The office was hereditary to this family. They were a family who were chieftains of the Tuath in which the monastery stood and very often regarded their role as a sort of Lay Abbot alongside the Ecclesiastical Abbot. An example is the family of O'Herlihy who were chieftains of the Tuath of Ballyvourney. They were also the hereditary guardians of the sacred relics of St. Gobnait's Shrine."

FYI - a tuath was a medieval Irish polity smaller than a kingdom. Does this make us royalty? Basically! 

And here's a bit more information about St. Gobnait that I've copy and pasted from Megalithic Ireland: 

St. Gobnait (aka St Gobnat. Gobhnet, Gobnaid or Gobnata, Abigail in English) Gobnait was born in County Clare in the 6th century. Traditionally it is believed she fled from Clare and took refuge on the Aran Islands. It is said she studied there under St Enda. Kilgobnet Church on Inis Oirr (Inisheer) is dedicated to her. While on Inis Oírr an an angel instructed her to go on a journey. The angel told her that when she came upon nine white deer, that would be her place of resurrection. Gobnait travelled through Waterford, Cork and Kerry. There is a Holy Well and a church named after her in Dunquin, County Kerry, a town near Dungarvan in Waterford. and also Kilgobnet near Killorglin in Kerry. But it was at Baile Bhúirne -Ballyvouney in Cork where she finally came across 9 white deer grazing. She is looked upon as the Patron Saint of Beekeepers and an anglised version of her name is Deborah meaning "Honey Bee". The bee is the symbol of St. Gobnait, when a pagan chief was attempting to rustle cattle, she pointed one of the convent beehives at the raiders the thieves all fled and the cattle were saved.