Kennedy Irish Family Gifts & Heritage

Kennedy and O’Kennedy come from the Irish Ó Cinnéide, “descendant of Cinnéidigh,” a personal name Woulfe glosses as “helmeted-head.” The leading family belonged to the Dál gCais of Thomond and took its name from Cinnéidigh, son of Donnchuan and nephew of Brian Boru.

First seated at Glenomra in east Clare, the parish now called Killokennedy, the O’Kennedys moved into Upper and Lower Ormond in north Tipperary and ruled there as lords of Ormond from the twelfth to the sixteenth century, in three branches known as Fionn, Donn and Ruadh. A separate Ó Cinnéide family belonged to Clann Cearnaigh of the Uí Maine in County Galway. The best-known modern bearer is President John F. Kennedy, whose great-grandfather Patrick left Dunganstown, County Wexford, in 1848.

The Kennedy range covers every room and season. Pick a woven blanket or printed throw, an accent mug, a garden flag or a ceramic or framed Christmas ornament on the Irish National Tartan, then add a coaster set, wall pennant, family crest T-shirt or novelty license plate.

Meet the lords of Ormond in our Kennedy surname history.