3 2 [Proc. B.N.F.C, 



some saint; eg., Gilla-De, the servant of God; Gilla-Cholum, the 

 servant of S. Columba ; Gilla-Brighde, servant of S. Bridget ; Mael- 

 Patraic, one tonsured in the name of S. Patrick ; Mael-Eoin (now 

 Malone), one tonsured in the name of S. John ; Ceile-De (hence 

 the Culdees) ; Ceile-Petair, the vassal of S. Peter. In addition 

 to the names of this class, the Iiish had adopted at this time 

 several names from the Norse invaders of the country. Dr. 

 O'Donovan notes among these the following : — Tomar and Tom- 

 rair (now Toner); Maghnus (in M'Manus); Raghnall (now Rey- 

 nolds) ; Amhlaeibh (now Awley in MacAwley, and AulifFe) ; 

 Imhar (in M'lvor or M'Keever). About the nth century the 

 Irish began to use permanent surnames, each family fixing for that 

 purpose on one of its distinguished ancestors — near or remote — and 

 prefixing to his name the word Ua (O), meaning descendant, or the 

 word Mac, meaning son. These prefixes, in accordance with the 

 structure of the Celtic language, modified often the initial consonant 

 of the name following, so as to give it in its new combination 

 quite an altered appearance. Thus, a branch of the O'Kanes of 

 Ulster took at the introduction of surnames their appellation from 

 a certain Bloscadh O'Kane, who flourished in the 13th century. 

 The " Mac " which was prefixed to this Bloscadh aspirated the 

 initial consonant, and thus gave it the sound of a " w " nearly ; the 

 new composition being pronounced as if written MacCloskey. 

 This is the form in which it now exists. In the same manner, 

 MacDonnel became MacDhonnel, pronounced MacConnell (to be 

 distinguished from another MacConnell — MacChongal) ; MacDon- 

 n aghy, MacConnaghy, or MacConkey, &c. In this way, too, the 

 Ua or O Flynn became O'Lynn ; O'Flannagan, O'Lannegan. 



The Celtic names in the Highlands of Scotland are formed very 

 much after the same model as those in Ireland. Indeed, from the 

 current names on both sides of the North Channel, one would 

 argue a very close connection between the inhabitants, even 

 without testimony of history, which shows them to be of the same 

 stock. The same names which became the great leading surnames 

 in the north of Ireland, and especially in the parts adjacent to the 



