An Ode to Being Irish

Happy Saint Patty's Day!

St. Patty's Day inspired me to get more in touch with my Irish roots. My ancestors hail from the Emerald Isle, if you can't already tell by the name: Caitlin Bevin Doherty. This gave me a starting place: The name "Caitlin" means "pure" in Gaelic (Gaelic is "Old Irish," kind of like what "Old English" is to us) and evolved in Ireland from the Ancient Greek name "Aikaterine" or "Catherine" as we know it today. "Bevin" means "melodious one" and "fair lady," but it also means "daughter of Brian," which is my dad's name. In my family, the tradition is to give sons the middle name "son of [dad's name]" which you do in Irish by putting "Fitz" before the father's name. For example, my brother's middle name is "FitzBrian" ("son of Brian") and my dad's middle name is "FitzJohn" ("son of John").  My parents thought it was special to extend the tradition to their daughter as well as their son.

The Doherty Family Crest

The name "Doherty" comes from the Dochartach dynasty, which can be traced back to the 455 AD when the High King of Ireland, Conall Gulban, founded the kingdom now known as Donegal County. The land was fought for by Gulban's relatives, also known as the Dochartaigh clan, who were then given the title "the Princes of Donegal" after the conquest. Conall was the son of King Niall, who began the family's substantial reign that lasted through the 10th century. Through Niall, the Doherty heritage can be traced back even further, making the clan one of Europe’s longest descent lines. So although it may be distant, my family heritage on my dad's side dates back to the royal family of Ireland. How cool!

Campbell Argyle!

I will soon be a Campbell, which is primarily a Scottish name of Gaelic origins. In Scotland, the name itself derives from two Scot-Gaelic words: "Cam" (mouth) and "Béal" (crooked) meaning "wry-mouthed," originally a nickname which over time became used as a surname. The Campbell Clan of Scotland can be traced back as far as the 13th century. They developed into one of the largest and most powerful Highland clans and the chief of the clan later became the Duke of Argyll. The argyle pattern we know today was derived from the tartan of the Campbell Clan!

The Scots would probably not approve of my inclusion of them on a St. Patty's Day post, but I thought it quite interesting! I leave you with one final fun fact about St. Patty's: Saint Patrick was actually a British missionary in Ireland who used the three leaves on the clover to teach the Irish about the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So go forth and drink some green beer and celebrate your Irish heritage even if it's only in spirit.

Happy Saint Patty's Day to All!