MacCarthy;
Variant Spellings; Carthy, Carrty, Carton, Charthy, McArthy, O'Carthy,
MacCarthy is the commonest Mac name and the name has retained its prefix through the centuries; in Irish the name is Mac Carthaigh and means 'Son of Carthach'. It is derived from the word carthach which means 'loving'. The name has always been associated with Desmond or south Munster where the McCarthys ruled for centuries.
Three forenames are frequently used by the McCarthys; Saorbreathach, Justin in English and Finghin, which nowadays is translated as Florence in English. Cormac (Charles) is a favorite Christian name used by the Muskerry MacCarthys
Finneen (Florence) MacCarthy (1572-1640) spent time as prisoner in the Tower of London where he wrote a history of Ancient Ireland. Justin MacCarthy (d.1694) Earl of Mountcashell was a commander of a regiment under James II and later of the Irish brigade in France.
Throughout the centuries members of the family have been loyal both to the English and Irish side in the history of the country. It is well to remember that Viscount Muskerry was a member of the supreme Council of Confederate Catholics in 1646 and MacCarthy Reagh was a member of the Confederate parliament, while Eleanor MacCarthy is remembered for her protection of Garrett Fitzgerald after Henry VIII murdered his five uncles in 1537.
Blarney Castle was the principal residence of the Chief of the Muskerry McCarthys.
Coat of Arms
MacCarthy
Where the Family Lived (Blue Area)
Addresses for More Information
Ireland
Centre for Irish Genealogical and Local Studies, Carraig, Cliff Road, Windgates, Bray, Co. Wicklow, Ireland. (Sean Murphy, MA, Director)
General Register Office, 8-11 Lombard Street East, Dublin 2, Ireland.
Telephone (01) 671 1000
Website http://www.doh.ie/manual/chap4/gere.htm
National Archives, Bishop Street, Dublin 8, Ireland.
Telephone (01) 478 3711
National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2, Ireland.
Telephone (01) 603 0200
Website www.heanet.ie/natlib
Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, 66 Balmoral Street, Belfast BT9 6NYY, Northern Ireland
Telephone (01232) 251319.
Website http://proni.nics.gov.uk/index.htm
University College Dublin, Adult Education Office, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
Website http://www.ucd.ie/delltti
Britain
Family Records Centre, London, England.
Website http://pro.gov.uk/about/frc/default.htm
Public Records Office, Kew, Surrey, England.
Website http://www.pro.gov.uk
General Register Office for Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland.
Website http://www.open.gov.uk/index.html
National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth, Wales.
Website http://www.llgc.org.uk/index.htm
North America
Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints, Family History Information, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
Website http://lds.org/en/ 2 how do I begin/0- how do I begin.html
Family Tree Maker’s Genealogy Site
Website http://www.familytreemaker.com/index.html
The Irish Ancestral Research Association (TIARA), P.O. Box 619 Sudbury, MA 01776, USA.
Website http://tiari.ie
Irish Genealogical Society International, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA.
Website http://www.rootsweb.com irish/index.html
New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston Massachusetts, USA.
Website http://nehgs.org/main-01.htm
Australasia
Genealogical Society of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia
Website http://www.alphalink.com/au/esv
National Archives of Australia, Canberra, Australia.
Website http://www.aa.gov.au/AA_WWW/AA_Home_Page.html
National Archives of New Zealand, Wellington, New Zealand
Website http://www.archives.dia.gov.nz
List of Links
Cyndi’s List of Genealogical Sites on the Internet: Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Website http://www.cyndilist.com/ireland.htm
UK and Ireland Genealogical Information Service.
Website http://www.genuki.org.uk
Copyright © 1998 by A. MacDarragh Burke, MD
All Rights Reserved.