O'Dea


O'Dea, is an Irish surname derived from Deághaidh, the name of a tenth-century clan chieftain.

O'Dea Clan Origins

The Ó Deá /O'Dea clan came originally from County Clare where there is a fortified tower house over 500 years old known as O'Dea Castle at the townland of Dysert O'Dea. The ruins of Dysert O'Dea Monastery, round tower, and St. Tola's high cross are 265 metres to the south-southwest of the castle in the adjacent townland of Mollaneen, near Corofin.
The name Ó Deá is normally pronounced "oh-daa" while the anglicised form O'Dea is normally pronounced oh-dee, and sometimes oh-day. Clan descendants may have the surnames Alday, Allday, O'Dea, Dea, Deas, Day, Daye, O'Day, O'Daye, Dee, Dees, O'Dee, Odey,Godwin, or Goodwin.
Edward MacLysaght, the former Chief Herald of Ireland, writing in his book, Irish Families, began his discussion of the O'Dea family as follows:
In another book, The Surnames of Ireland, MacLysaght describes the O'Deas as "one of the principal Dalcassian septs", and about the name itself, he remarks, "The prefix O is now almost always used, but a century ago Dea was quite usual and the surname Day was regarded as synonymous."

Ancestry

The O'Deas, together with the O'Quinns and the O'Griffins, belong to the Uí Fearmaic group.

Annalistic references

See also the O'Day page for a listing of O'Days.