ORDER OF COLM CILLE

The Order of Colm Cille (O.C.C) is a cultural fraternal Order belonging to the Cinéal Chonaill clans. The Cinéal Chonaill refers to the majority of Irish clans located in Tír Chonaill the 'land of Conall', now known as Donegal. The award can be given only to those deemed to have been important to Donegal culture and history and very rarely to wider Irish culture. Awards can be bestowed on individuals only by recognised clan chieftains within the Cinéal Chonaill, either by primogeniture or by Brehon Law, also known as Tanistry. 

The Order is named after St. Colm Cille (521-587), earlier spelt St. Colum Cille, the patron saint of all Donegal clans as well as one of the three patron saints of Ireland along with St. Pádraig and St. Brighde. Colm Cille, the 'Dove of the Church', spread Christianity throughout Ireland, Scotland and the north of England and it is fitting that this Order should hold his beloved and revered name. St. Colm Cille is regarded as the central figure of early Irish and Scottish Christianity.

The Order was established in the 1650s by Manus O’Donnell who fled to Mayo. He was saddened by the downfall of the O’Donnell clan, once Chiefs of Cinéal Luighdheach and Cinéal Chonaill. It is said that it was he who initiated the honour of the Order of St Colum Cille (O.C.C) to recognise leaders of the Cinéal Luighdheach and the greater Cinéal Chonaill families and to important descendants of those families. The clan leaders of the family of Lughaidh automatically had this award and could install it on notable people. Very few people have been given this award out with chieftains. Sadly, a full list of those given the award has been lost. Here is a list of those known to have been given this award:

General Daniel O’Donnell (1666-1735). Awarded in about the year 1700.

Sir Neal O’Donnell (d, 1827) of Newport House, Co. Mayo. Awarded circa 1781.

Sister Julia McGroarty (1827-1901). Awarded December 8th 1899.

Cardinal Patrick O’Donnell (1856-1927). Awarded sometime in the 1920s.

Séamus Ó Grianna (1889-1969). Poet. Awarded in 1950.

Patrick Denis O’Donnell (1922-2005). Awarded in 1985. 

Proinsias Mag Fhionnghaile. Awarded in 2018.

Sources:

Niall McGinley. Personal conversation with John Ward (1927-2009), Ballyshannon Historian, April 2001.

Proinsias Mag Fhionnghaile. McGinley Clan Chieftain & Historian.

The McGinley Clan Book.

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