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Healy Family History
Ó hÉilidhe - anglicised as Healy, Hely, earlier as O Hely, (O) Hally &c. The root is ealadhach, 'scientific, ingenious', according to Woulfe in 'Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall' (1923), though MacLysaght disagrees, and gives the root as eilidhe, meaning 'claimant', in 'Irish Families' (1985).
Ó hÉalaighthe -anglicised as Healy, Hely, earlier as Healihy, O Healihie, Hal(e)y &c., the root being probably ealadhach or 'ingenious'. Woulfe says the original surname was spelled Ó hÉaladhaigh.
The anglicised form Healy coincides with an English surname from one of the places so-called in Yorkshire, Lancashire and Northumberland, Old English 'heah+leah', or 'high clearing'. Healy is of that class of common Irish names whose anglicised forms coincide with British names, v. Appendix*. A few English immigrants, soldiers, officials &c. bearing such names would have been in Ireland, esp. during the 17th century, without affecting the majority Gaelic provenance of these names.
The Ó hÉilidhe family were anciently of Co Sligo, inhabiting the area around Ballyhely, Baile Uí hÉilidhe, their former lands lying along the western shore of Loch Arrow. The Cromwellian 'Expugnatio' of the 1650s initiated a decline in their fortunes. 'Castles are sacked in war, Chieftains are scattered far...' (Gerald Griffin). However, Woulfe (op.cit.) writes that the name had spread across Connacht and into Leinster as early as the 16th century. The arms shown above, are of this family.
Ó hÉalaighthe was the name of a family of Muskerry, Muscraighe, in Co Cork. Like the above family they were divested of their ancient territories during the great Expropriations of the Cromwellian period, but were regained in part by the conversion of one of their clan to the Protestant faith, probably Francis Healy of Kilshannig (fl 1720) From this act of prudence came the later title, Earl of Donoughmore, the latter name being a place in their ancient holdings. A son of the aforementioned Francis, married into the Protestant Hutchinson family, and changed his name to Hely-Hutchinson. This gentleman, John Hely-Hutchinson (1724-1794) was M.P. for Cork and Provost of Trinity College, Dublin. One cannot help contrast the fortunes of this family to those of the majority of Healys who had held to their traditional faith.
By the time of the 1659 'Census', undertaken by Cromwellian bureaucrat Sir William Petty, the surname is listed as a 'Principal Irish Name' in the wollowing counties:
Sligo
(Barony of) Corenn, O Healy 13 (all figures = families); Culavin, Hely 6.
Galway & Mayo are missing from the Census.
Clare
Tullagh, Hally & O Hally 15; Island, O Hally & c. 12.
Kilkenny
Gowran, Healy & c. 11; Iverke, Haly & Healy 8;Crannagh, Healy 6.
Cork
City & Liberties, Haly 12.
Limerick
City & Liberties, O Hally 6; Connologh, Hely & O Heally 13, O Haley & O Hally 11.
Tipperary
Slieveardagh, Healy & Haly 10; Iffa & Offa, Hally & Haley 13; Eliogurty & Ikerrin, Haelly & Hally 14.
Waterford
Decies, Hally 8.
Griffith's 'Primary Valuation' (1847-64) of households shows most Healy households in counties Cork 450, Kerry 220, Sligo 219, Galway 188, Tipperary 143, Mayo 122, Limerick 118, Roscommon 108, Kilkenny 107 and Clare 92. 7 variants are found in the survey, with the clear majority as Healey, 2410; the nearest to approach that is Hely with 115.
The Registrar General's 'Special Report...' (1894, 1901) based on births distribution in 1890 shows counties Cork, Kerry, Dublin, Galway, Roscommon and Mayo.
Two Interesting Healys:
William O Hialyhy (fl. 1615) of the Cork Healy family, became a Protestant clergyman and Chancellor of Cork Diocese 1610-1632. A memo in the Fiants, says of him 'noe graduate, his wife & children goe to Masse'!
James Augistine Healy (1830-1900), first black American bishop in the U.S.A, the Catholic Bishop of Portland. His father, Michael Morris Healy, an immigrant from Co Roscommon, and later plantation owner in Georgia, married one of his slaves, Eliza Smith, who was of 'mixed race'. They had a common law marriage, as state law prohibited inter-racial marriage.
*Appendix.
Also q. v. v. Boland, Boyle, Brady, Breen, Buckley, Canny, Car(e)y, Conway, Craven, Crowley, Cullen, Curry, Delan(e)y, Farren, Fearon, Foley, Gavin, Geary, Gorman, Hanl(e)y, Healy, Hurl(e)y, Hynes, Kelly, Kenny, Larkin, Loftus, Long, Luc(e)y, Lyons, Mullen, Rea, Reaney, Ring, Sexton, Trac(e)y, Tunney et. al.
