The Great Ferriter Family

Dominick Ferriter’s Restoration Document: Upon consideration had of a report unto us made by Morogh ats Morgan, Earl of Inchquin, Henry, Viscount Moore of Drogheda, & Sir William Penn, Knt., grounded on our reference of the 15th of January instant granted on the petition of Major Dominick Feriter, in which report it appeareth that the said Dominick Feriter his father Captain Pierce Feriter did in the beginning of the Rebellion in Ireland relieve and preserve many English Protestant families & continued his case of their preservation so far that he withdrew many of them for their safety to the securest parts of his own estate ... Read More

Creation of the new Ferriter Family website moved me to a review of certain items that I had in hand, for inclusion on the site. A number of these are now posted as blog entries, including the following. None of these observations, speculations, and theories have been altered by the time that has passed between having been written and now…enjoy reading, and comment, please!   I have been exploring the very early and early period of Ferriter Family activity in Ireland, with a goal of illuminating aspects of our common history in that place. The principal source for early references has been the various Calendars... Read More

Cattle Raid   The following is a story from the life of Nicholas Fyreter, a man who lived during the middle years of the 14th century in Ireland. The episode as presented is accurate in terms of the historical context and the central event – aligning the very scanty documentary references to this Nicholas with the historical framework has provided the structure for recounting the tale. That this Nicholas was the son of the better documented family chief Philip le Fureter junior, or that this Nicholas himself became family chief are both conjectural, but both are supported by facts. The main event and the names... Read More

Maurice FitzGerald, c1180 Muiris Feiritear (An Chéad Ainmneacha) Analysis of Irish genealogies via examination of naming patterns is a proven and recognized practice. Persistence of certain favored family names generation to generation also has recognition as a means of evaluating common ancestry and collateral bloodlines. Given name preferences show up in different ways within many Irish and Norman-Irish from the earliest period. This investigation will attempt to use these methods in treating an aspect of Ferriter Family history. One of the mysteries in the Ferriter Family’s history involves the nature of the relationship between Lucas na Srianta (Luke of the Bridles), and Piaras Feiritear (1),... Read More

Anyone reading this who might also read the occasional news update on Facebook's "The Great Ferriter Family" may recognize that work has commenced on compiling a "Red Book of the Ferriters" (Leabhar Deargh an Fheiritearaigh). Such a document would be a comprehensive family history, genealogy, reference and register.   The idea of such a book extends directly from the Irish, who kept such compilations within their septs, to chronicle and document the family history. These were not usually single volumes, but in some cases rolls of parchment, bound books, loose documents, all taken together and considered as one thing. Most such collections only exist in... Read More