The Irish Annals were a set of documents written in Monasteries throughout Ireland starting around 600 AD. Like the Bible, the oldest versions are lost, but we have copies made for a period of 1,000 years until the last and most complete was finished in 1636. Before, and even after that, many of the copies were destroyed due to the occupation of the country by foreigners.
This page is a collection of the entries that refer to the surname Hoy in its various forms which changed through time. The earliest is for the year 1019 and the last for 1208. Before that, the surname did not exist, but the genealogy of the family is well documented and it is these men who are recorded in the Annals.
The death of Muireadhach in 489 is considered the first reliable event, but not the date. Saint Patrick lived with him and later with his sons Eochaidh and Cairell.
The earliest spelling of the surname is Ua hEochadha where Ua means 'descendant of'. Eochadha and later Eochaidh (Owey) were a popular a king's names (our Eochaidh died in 1004) meaning Steedlike. "The genealogy of all the Dál Fiatach is filled with the name Eochu (Horse-God or Horse-Like), and its modern form (Eochaidh)" - from IrishTribes.com. Eochu is cognate with the latin word for horse, equus.
In the census of 1651, O'Hoy is listed as a principle surname in mid-Louth, while in late 18th century baptisms, it is always written Hoy. Starting after 1800, it came to be written Hoey which is now the most common in Ireland.
There are eight Annals listed here. For all of them, the earlier the date, the more accurate the entry. The entries before the time of Christ were attempts by the monks to join Irish history with Jewish and Greek history and cannot be taken as true, but may have some worth.
| Source | Year | Text |
|---|---|---|
| fourmasters | 1127 | A battle between the Ulidians themselves, in which two kings of Ulidia were slain, namely, Aedh Ua Mathghamhna, and Niall, son of Donnsleibhe Ua hEochadha; and a slaughter was made of the Ulidians along with them. |
| inisfallen | 1127 | A battle was fought by the Ulaid among themselves, and their two kings, i.e. Ua Mathgamna, and the sons of Donn Sléibe, fell therein, and there was a terrible slaughter of the Ulaid. |
| inisfallen | 1127 | A hosting by the son of Mac Lochlainn into Ulaid, and he took hostages from the Ulaid |
| lochce | 1127 | A battle between the Ulidians themselves, when two kings of Ulidia, viz.:—Niall, son of Donnsleibhe (and a slaughter of the Ulidians about him), and Eochaidh Ua Mathghamhna, were slain in the mutual wounding of the battle. |
| tigernach | 1127 | A battle between two kings of Ulster, wherein fell Aodh Ó Mathghamhna and Niall son of Donnslébhe Ó hEochadha, king of Ulster. |
| ulster | 1127 | A battle took place between the Ulaid themselves, in which two kings of the Ulaid fell, i.e. Niall son of Done Sléibe, with a slaughter of the Ulaid around him, and Eochaid ua Mathgamna in a counter-attack. |
| fourmasters | 1128 | Ceinneidigh, son of Aedh Mac Duinnsleibhe, King of Ulidia, was killed. |
| inisfallen | 1129 | The son of Donnchad Ua hEochada, king of Ulaid, was killed in a house [set] on fire by the Ulaid. |
| inisfallen | 1129 | A great raid by Conchobar, son of Mac Lochlainn, in Ulaid. |
| inisfallen | 1129 | The plundering of Inis Taite by the Ulaid, in which --- gel, son of Mac Lochlainn, Mac Caíme Ua Flainn, and many others were slain. |
| inisfallen | 1129 | A great raiding by the Ulaid in Dál Araide, in which Ua hAmráin was slain at Camus Comgaill. |
| inisfallen | 1130 | A battle-rout of the Ulaid by Conchobar, son of Mac Lochlainn, and by the Cenél Eógain, and he [Conchobar] took their hostages in addition to their principal chiefs(?) |
| lochce | 1130 | A hosting by Mac Lachlainn and the men of the North of Erinn, into Ulidia, and the Ulidians assembled to give them battle;0 but the Ulidians were defeated and slaughtered, together1 with Aedh Ua Loingsigh, king of Dal-Araidhe, and with2 Gillapatraic Mac S |
| lochce | 1130 | The chief men of Ulidia, however, came afterwards,9 with their king, to Ard Macha, to meet Conchobhar, and they made peace and took mutual oaths, and they the Ulidians left hostages. |
| mccarthy | 1130 | A hosting by Conchobhar son of Ardghar Mac Lochlainn along with Cinéal Eóghain and Cinéal Conaill and the Oirghialla into Ulaidh, and they plundered Druim Both, including round tower, and oratory, and books. The Ulaidh came to Cnoc Cluana to meet them in battle, and the Ulaidh were defeated and slaughter inflicted on them. |
| ulster | 1130 | An army was brought by Conchobor ua Lochlainn and the north of Ireland into Ulaid, and the Ulaid gathered to give them battle. The Ulaid, however, were defeated, and slaughter inflicted on them, including Aed ua Loingsigh, king of Dál Araide, and Gilla Pátraic ua Serraigh, king of Dál Buinne, and Dub Railbe son of Cairtin, and many others. They plunder the country as far as Airthir na hArda, both laity and church, and brought away a thousand prisoners or a little more, and many thousand cows and horses. The nobles of Ulaid with their king then went to Ard Macha to meet Conchobor, and they made peace and mutual oath, and left hostages. |
| chroniconscotorum | 1131 | A great army was led by Conchobor ua of Lochlainn, king of the north of Ireland, with the Ulaid and the Airgialla along with him, into Connachta, and he came as far as Corrsliab and the Connachta attacked him in the Segais and the Cénél Conaill were defea |
| fourmasters | 1131 | In the absence of this army a predatory excursion was made by Tighearnan Ua Ruairc, and the men of Breifne, into Cuailgne; and they plundered Ui-Meith. The Ulidians and the South Airghialla, however, returned homewards across Ath-Luain, and fell in with t |
| lochce | 1131 | A battle was fought, in which Raghnall Ua hEochadha, king of Uladh, and Cumhidhe Ua Crichain, king of Fernmhagh, and his son, and Donnsleible Ua hInnrechtaigh, king of Uí-Meith, et alii multi, were slain. |
| mccarthy | 1131 | The Ulaidh and the men of Fearnmhagh [went] beyond Athlone into the territory of Fir Rois, and Tighearnán Ó Ruairc with the Craobh Fearnmhuighe met them at Muine Uachtair Imrimhe, where they fought a battle, in which the Ulaidh were defeated, and Raghnall Ó hEochadha, king of Ulaidh, Cú Midhe Ó Críochain, king of Fearnmhagh and Oirghialla, Aodh, his son, and Donn Sléibhe Ó hOireachtaigh, king of Uí Mhéith, were killed, with slaughter of the Ulaidh, [the men of] Fearnmhagh, and the Uí Mhéith. |
