The O'Farrell Name

Primary county: Longford RoscommonLeitrim

History and Origins

The Ó Fearghail dynasty ruled the kingdom of Annaly in what is now County Longford from the early medieval period. Their territory centred on the plain of Longford, bounded by the Shannon to the west and the drumlins of Cavan and Leitrim to the north — a fertile midland region that supported a substantial population. The O'Farrells were a branch of the Uí Briúin Bréifne, the tribal grouping that dominated much of Connacht and the midlands in the early medieval period. The town of Longford — historically Longphort Uí Fhearghail — took its name from the O'Farrell dynasty's fortified residence.

The County of Longford

The identification of County Longford with the O'Farrell name is unusual and significant: while many Irish counties bear the names of their Norman or ecclesiastical centres, Longford preserves the name of its Gaelic ruling family in its etymology. The O'Farrells were kings of Annaly for centuries, maintaining their power through the Norman period by a combination of diplomacy and resistance. They are recorded in the Annals as participants in the great events of medieval Irish politics — alliances, wars, ecclesiastical patronage, and the complex web of tribute and kinship that structured Gaelic Ireland.

The Elizabethan Conquest

The O'Farrell dynasty lost their kingdom to the Elizabethan conquest in the late sixteenth century. Their lands were confiscated and granted to English settlers under the Leinster Plantations. Some O'Farrell leaders entered Continental military service — the Wild Geese tradition — serving in the Irish Brigades of France and Spain. The family's ecclesiastical connections meant that some branches survived into the eighteenth century with a degree of social standing as Catholic gentry.

The Wild Geese and the Diaspora

The O'Farrells contributed significantly to the Wild Geese — the tradition of Irish military service on the Continent following the Jacobite defeat of 1691. Several O'Farrell officers served with distinction in French and Spanish service in the eighteenth century. The Great Famine of 1845–1852 brought a second great diaspora, with Longford emigrants heading primarily to the United States.

The Diaspora

The O'Farrell diaspora is concentrated in the United States, Britain, and Australia, with a smaller historical presence in Continental Europe through the Wild Geese tradition. American O'Farrells arrived primarily during the Famine emigration from Longford and Roscommon, settling in New York, Pennsylvania, and New England. The Irish-American press of the nineteenth century carries numerous references to O'Farrell families across these communities.

In Australian history, the O'Farrell name is associated with Henry James O'Farrell (1833–1868), an Irish-born man who attempted to assassinate the Duke of Edinburgh (Prince Alfred) during a royal visit to Sydney in 1868 — an event that triggered anti-Irish Catholic sentiment in Australia and shaped the political tensions of the colonial period.

Notable O'Farrell Families

• Henry James O'Farrell (1833–1868) — Irish-born man executed for the attempted assassination of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, in Sydney in 1868 — a pivotal moment in Australian colonial history.
• Brigid O'Farrell (1938–2022) — American labour historian and advocate, author and expert on the history of women in the American labour movement.
• Peter Farrell (1922–2004) — Irish international footballer of Longford descent, one of Ireland's most capped players of the 1940s and 1950s.
• Roddy McDowall (1928–1998) — British-American actor of Irish descent, whose family name was anglicised from O'Fearghail stock via London. Known for the Apes film franchise and prolific stage career.