The McAuliffe Family

John Rooney
A Genealogical History of Irish Families
1895
McAuliffe family crest

(Crest No. 153. Plate 17.)

THE McAuliffe family is descended from Milesius, King of Spain, through the line of Heber, third son of that monarch. The McAuliffes belonged to the Eugenians, or Eoganacht tribe, founded by Eogan More, son of Olliol Ollum, first absolute King of Munster, A. D. 177.

The ancient name was Ailleachd, and signifies “Handsome.” The head of the clan was styled Chief of Clan Cawley, and the possessions of the family were located in the County of Cork. The McAuliffes possessed the country from Amhain Ella westward beyond Glen Salcain. This territory was in the barony of Duhallow, in the county mentioned, extending westward from the River Alla to the borders of Limerick. These McAuliffes were a branch of the MacCarthys, and possessed the territory called Glen Omra, of which they were chiefs, in the barony of Duhallow. The last chief of the family was colonel of a regiment in Spain, and died about the year 1720.

In the long contests maintained by the MacCarthys against the Anglo-Norman and the English settlers, the McAuliffes bore a distinguished part, and they held their possessions down to a comparatively recent period. Their chief seat was Castle MacAuliffe, near Newmarket. The McAuliffes are thus mentioned by O’Heerin:

“Far beyond the beautiful River Ella,

To the west of Glen Salcain of tall trees,

A fair land of affluence undenied;

The territory belongs to the noble McAuliffe.”