The Hoy/Hoey family in the Irish Annals
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 |
|---|---|---|
| tigernach | 1171 | The Earl went into England to meet Henry, king of England, and Henry arrived in Ireland at Waterford a week before Samhain, and Diarmaid Mac Carthaigh, king of Desmond, submitted to him. Thence he went to Dublin and received the kingship of Leinster and of the men of Meath, Brefne, Oriel and Ulster. |
| ulster | 1171 | Great foraying force [was led] by Maghnus Mac Duinnsleibhe [Ua Eochadha] with all Ulidia into Cuil-in-tuaisceirt, so that they plundered Cuil-rathain and other churches, until a small number of the Cenel-Eogain under Conchobur Ua Cathain overtook them and gave battle and killed one and twenty men, both chiefs and sons of chiefs, and a multitude of others along with them. And Maghnus himself was wounded. And moreover that Maghnus was killed shortly after in Dun by Donnsleibhe, that is, by his own brother and by Gilla-Oenghusa Mac Gilla-espuic, namely, by the lawgiver of Monaigh, after great evils had been done by him,—namely, after leaving his own wedded wife and after taking his wife from his fosterer, that is, from Cu-maighi Ua Flainn and she [had been] the wife of his own brother at first, namely, of Aedh; after inflicting violence upon the wife of his other brother also, that is, of Eochaidh; after profanation of bells and croziers, clerics and churches. Donnsleibhe took the kingship in his stead. |
| ulster | 1171 | Ane, daughter of the Mac Duinnsleibhe [Ua Eochadha] queen of Airghialla, died. |
| ulster | 1171 | There came into Ireland Henry (son of the Empress), most puissant king of England and also Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine and Count of Anjou and Lord of many other lands, with 240 ships. (So that that was the first advent of the Saxons into Ireland.) And he came to land at Port-lairgi and received the pledges of Munster. He came after that to Ath-cliath and received the pledges of Leinster and of the Men of Meath and of the Ui-Briuin and Airgialla and Ulidia. |
| fourmasters | 1172 | Mac Giolla Epscoip, chief of Clann-Aeilabhra, legislator of Cath Monaigh, was treacherously slain by Donslevy O'Haughy, king of Ulidia. The chiefs of Ulidia, who were as guarantees between them, put Donslevy to death for it i.e. for his crime . |
| mccarthy | 1172 | The Pope at that time was Alexander III, the Emperor was Frederick [Barbarossa], and Louis [VII] was King of France: Ruaidhrí son of Toirdhealbhach son of Ruaidhrí Ó Conchobhair was over Ireland. Aodh Ó Néill over Cinéal Eóghain and the whole province. Donn Sléibhe son of Cú Uladh son of Conchobhar [Mac Duinn Shléibhe] over the Ulaidh. Domhnall Mór son of Toirdhealbhach son of Diarmaid son of Toirdhealbhach son of Tadhg son of Brian Bóramha over Thomond and one of the two provinces of Munster. Diarmaid son of Cormac son of Muireadheach Mac Carthaigh over the other province. Donnchadh son of Cian son of Donnchadh Donn son of Cú Mara son of Brodchú son of Mathghamhain son of Cian son of Maol Muaidh [Ó Mathghamhna] over Uí Eachach. Lochlainn Ó Mic Thíre over Uí Mac Caille. Maol Seachlainn Ó Faoláin over Déise. Domhnall Ó Giolla Phádraig over Osraighe. Domhnall Caomhánach son of Mac Murchadha over Leinster. Murchadh son of Donnchadh son of Cú Chaisil Ó Cearbhaill over Oirghialla and the men of Fearnmhagh. Dornhnall son of Maol Seachlainn Crosach [Ó Maoil Sheachlainn] over Oirthear Midhe. Tighearnán Ó Ruairc over Gairbhthrian Connacht, and he was called King of Midhe. |
| mccarthy | 1172 | Tighearnán Ó Ruairc, Murchadh son of Donnchadh Ó Cearbhaill, and Donn Sléibhe [Mac Duinn Shléibhe], king of Ulaidh, came into the house of the King at Dublin and made submission to him. |
| tigernach | 1172 | The son of Giolla Easpaig, chief of Clann Ailebra, steward of Cath Monaig, was treacherously killed by Donnsléibhe Ó hEochadha, king of the Ulaid, wherefore the guarantors that were between them, i.e. the nobles of Ulster, put him to death. |
| mccarthy | 1173 | Dorm Sléibhe son of Cú Uladh son of Conchobhar Mac Duinn Shléibhe, king of Ulaidh, was killed by Uí Eachach, Uí Bhreasail, and Uí Niallain, with great slaughter of the Ulaidh, to avenge the killing of Mac Giolla Easpuig in violation of the relics and clergy of the north of Ireland a fortnight before that. |
| mccarthy | 1173 | Ruaidhrí son of Cú Uladh [Mac Duinn Shléibhe] took the kingship of Ulaidh, and Niall son of Cú Uladh, his own brother, was blinded by him. |
| tigernach | 1173 | Donnsléibhe, {folio 26a1}king of Ulster, was killed by the UÍ Eachach Ulad and by his own brother. |
| mccarthy | 1176 | A hosting by Maol Sheachlainn Ó Lochlainn, king of Cinéal Eóghain, into Ulaidh, and he carried off their hostages. |
| tigernach | 1177 | John de Courcy went to Downpatrick, and the town was destroyed by him, and the whole of Ulaid was destroyed by him; but therin a defeat was inflicted upon him, and the nobles of his people were slain, and he himself was taken prisoner. |
| tigernach | 1177 | A defeat inflicted on the Kindred of Eoghan and the Ulaid by the Foreigners of Downpatrick, and Conchobhar Ó Cairealláin was the best that fell there. |
| ulster | 1177 | Dun-da-lethglas was destroyed by John De Courcy and by the knights that came with him, and a castle was made by them there, wherefrom they twice inflicted defeat upon Ulidia and defeat upon Cenel-Eogain and upon Airgialla; where was killed Conchobur Ua Cairella[i]n (namely, chief of Clann-Diarmata) and Gilla Mac Liac Ua Donngaille, chief of Fir-Droma, and wherein was wounded with arrows Domnall Ua [F]laithbertaigh—and he died of those wounds in the monastery [of Canons Regular] of Paul [and Peter] in Ard-Macha, after partaking of the Body of Christ and after his anointing and wherein were killed many other nobles. Now, Conchobur Ua Cairella[i]n before that (namely, in the Spring) inflicted defeat upon the Cenel-Eogain and upon Ua Maeldoraidh; where a great number of the Cenel-Eogain were killed, around the son of Mac Sherraigh and around many nobles besides. |
| fourmasters | 1178 | John De Courcy with his foreigners repaired to Machaire Conaille, and committed depredations there. They encamped for a night in Glenree, where Murrough O'Carroll, Lord of Oriel, and Cooley Mac Donslevy, King of Ulidia, made a hostile attack upon them, an |
| lochce | 1178 | Murchadh O'Cerbhaill, king of Oirghiall, and Mac Duinnsleibhe, i.e. the king of Uladh, came to them, however, on that night, and gave him battle. |
| mccarthy | 1178 | A.D. 1178. The valiant knight John de Courcy came secretly with a band of knights and archers from Dublin to Downpatrick, and reaching it unperceived, they made a dyke from sea to sea about Downpatrick. The Ulaidh then assembled, under Ruaidhrí Mac Duinn Shléibhe, to make an attack on Downpatrick against John, but on reaching it they retreated without striking a blow when they saw the Englishmen with their horses in full battle-dress. When the Englishmen saw the Ulaidh in flight, they followed them with their people, and inflicted slaughter upon them, both by drowning and by the sword. The Bachall Fínghin and Bachall Rónáin Fhinn and many other relics were left behind in that slaughter. |
| mccarthy | 1178 | A hosting by Maol Sheachlainn Ó Lochlainn with Cinéal Eóghain, Ruaidhrí Mac Duinn Shléibhe with the Ulaidh, Giolla an Choimdhe Ó Caráin, Patrick's coarb, having with them the relics of the north of Ireland, together with their clerical keepers to Downpatrick to capture it from John [de Courcy]. When they reached it, they fled without striking a blow, leaving behind Patrick's coarb with his clergy, and the Canóin Pádraig, Fionn Faoidheach Pádraig, Clog Timchill Arda Macha, Bachall Comhghaill, Ceolán Tighearnaigh, Bachall Da-Chiaróg Argail, Bachall Eimhine, Bachall Mhura, and many other relics. There fell there Domhnall Ó Flaithbheartaigh, chieftain of Clann Fhlaithbheartaigh, Conchobhar Ó Ciaralláin, chieftain of Clann Diarmada, Giolla Mic Liag Ó Donnghaile, chieftain of Fir Dhroma, Giolla Criost Ó hAdhmaill, chieftain of Clann Adhmaill, Giolla Mártain Mac Con Allaidh, chieftain of Clann Chonchadha, Giolla Comhghaill Mac Tiúlacáin, chieftain of Muinntear Mhongáin, Cionaoth Mac Cartáin, chieftain of Cinéal Faghartaigh, and many others who cannot be reckoned here. Patrick's coarb was captured, but was released by the English of their own accord, and the Canóin Pádraig and the Ceolán Tighearnaigh were brought back from the Galls, after they had been found in the slaughter, when their young keepers were killed. The Galls have all the other relics still. |
| mccarthy | 1178 | Lane Rónáin Fhinn, chief sanctuary of all Ulaidh, was plundered by John de Courcy, and Tomas Ó Corcráin, its erenach, was beheaded. |
