The Kelly Irish-knit sweater, neat-O! Turns out there are different knits for different surnames.
For the bright-haired, or troublesome KELLY (sidebar: there’s a region known as O’Kelly country? Take me THERE!)
Kelly is the Anglicisation of the Gaelic Ó Ceallaigh, based on the personal name “Ceallach” which can mean either ‘bright-haired’ or ‘troublesome’. The popularity of the name dictated that it would be incorporated into surnames in several different areas across the country, including Co. Meath, Co. Wicklow, Co. Antrim, Co. Derry, Co. Sligo, Co. Galway, Co. Roscommon and Co. Laois. The most important of all these clans was the O’ Kellys from the territory of the Uí Máine, which covered east Galway and south Roscommon, and was known as O’ Kelly Country. Today the name is the second most prominent in Ireland, and is spread throughout the country, being most numerous in counties Galway, Kildare, Leitrim and Roscommon.
OR, there’s O’Reilly too:
The name O’ Reilly, and its variations, is extremely common throughout Ireland. The clan is descended from the Ó Raghailligh of Breffny, which comprises the modern areas of counties Cavan and Longford, and their influence also extended to counties Westmeath and Meath. Today the surname is the eleventh most numerous in the country, and is number one in counties Cavan, Longford and Meath.
The name O’ Reilly (sweater above), and its variations, is extremely common throughout Ireland. The clan is descended from the Ó Raghailligh of Breffny, which comprises the modern areas of counties Cavan and Longford, and their influence also extended to counties Westmeath and Meath. Today the surname is the eleventh most numerous in the country, and is number one in counties Cavan, Longford and Meath.
