Donlevy is an Irish surname derived from the

Gaelic Gaelic (pronounced for Irish Gaelic and for Scots Gaelic) is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". It may refer to: Languages * Gaelic languages or Goidelic languages, a linguistic group that is one of the two branches of the Insul ...

'son/descendant of Donn Sléibhe'; a given name meaning 'Donn of the mountain', i.e. 'dark mountain'. The MacDonlevys were the hereditary rulers of

Dál Fiatach Dál Fiatach was a Gaelic Ireland, Gaelic dynastic-grouping and the name of their territory in the north-east of Ireland, which lasted throughout the Middle Ages until their demise in the 13th century at the hands of Normans in Ireland, Normans ...

and styled as the Kings of Ulaid, i.e. rulers of (east) Ulster, in present-day

County Down County Down () is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the traditional thirty-two counties of Ireland. It covers an area of and has a population of 552,261. It borders County Antrim to the ...

History

Ancestry

The family's eponymous ancestor is Donn Sléibe mac Echdacha, who ruled as king of the Irish petty-kingdom of

, as well as its over-kingdom,

Ulaid (Old Irish, ) or (Irish language, Modern Irish, ) was a Gaelic Ireland, Gaelic Provinces of Ireland, over-kingdom in north-eastern Ireland during the Middle Ages made up of a confederation of dynastic groups. Alternative names include , which ...

, in the late 10th century.

History

The power-base of the MacDonlevys was Dál Fiatach, a territory which spanned south from the

Mourne Mountains The Mourne Mountains ( ; ), also called the Mournes or the Mountains of Mourne, are a predominantly granite mountain range in County Down in the south-east of Northern Ireland. They include the highest mountain in all of Ulster, Slieve Donard ...

north to the

River Lagan The River Lagan (; Ulster Scots dialects, Ulster Scots: ''Lagan Wattèr'') is a major river in Northern Ireland which runs from the Slieve Croob mountain in County Down to Belfast where it enters Belfast Lough, an inlet of the Irish Sea. The ...

; at times they exerted control over the entirety of Ulaid (eastern

Ulster Ulster (; or ; or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional or historic provinces of Ireland, Irish provinces. It is made up of nine Counties of Ireland, counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kingdom); t ...

; present-day counties Down and Antrim). According to historian C. Thomas Cairney, MacDonlevys were the chiefly family of the Ulaid who were a tribe of the

Erainn The Iverni (, ') were a people of early Ireland first mentioned in Ptolemy's 2nd century ''Geography'' as living in the extreme south-west of the island. He also locates a "city" called Ivernis (, ') in their territory, and observes that this se ...

who were the second wave of Celts to settle in

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

between about 500 and 100 BC. In the aftermath of

John de Courcy Sir John de Courcy (c. 1150–1219) was an Anglo-Norman knight who lived in Ireland from 1176 until his expulsion in 1204. He conquered a considerable territory, endowed religious establishments, built abbeys for both the Benedictines and the ...

's conquest of Ulaid in 1177, MacDonlevy's power was vanquished. As a result, the last-remaining members of the clan migrated to Tír Conaill (present-day

County Donegal County Donegal ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county of the Republic of Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster and is the northernmost county of Ireland. The county mostly borders Northern Ireland, sharing only a small b ...

), whilst others went to Scotland. In Donegal, they became the hereditary physicians (

Old Irish Old Irish, also called Old Gaelic (, Ogham, Ogham script: ᚌᚑᚔᚇᚓᚂᚉ; ; ; or ), is the oldest form of the Goidelic languages, Goidelic/Gaelic language for which there are extensive written texts. It was used from 600 to 900. The ...

: ''ollahm leighis'') of the O'Donnells of Tír Conaill. Indeed, since 1177, the MacDonlevys became renowned as a medical family and were among the foremost

Irish medical families Irish medical families were hereditary practitioners of professional medicine in Gaelic Ireland, between 1100 and 1700. Overview Professional medical practitioners in the Gaelic world of Ireland and Scotland was mainly the preserve of a small nu ...

, employed across

Gaelic Ireland Gaelic Ireland () was the Gaelic political and social order, and associated culture, that existed in Ireland from the late Prehistory of Ireland, prehistoric era until the 17th century. It comprised the whole island before Anglo-Norman invasi ...

and the

Scottish Highlands The Highlands (; , ) is a historical region of Scotland. Culturally, the Highlands and the Scottish Lowlands, Lowlands diverged from the Late Middle Ages into the modern period, when Scots language, Lowland Scots language replaced Scottish Gae ...

and Isles. After the

Battle of Kinsale The siege of Kinsale (), also known as the battle of Kinsale, was the ultimate battle in England's conquest of Gaelic Ireland, commencing in October 1601, near the end of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, and at the climax of the Nine Years' War� ...

in 1602, the sept migrated to the province of

Connacht Connacht or Connaught ( ; or ), is the smallest of the four provinces of Ireland, situated in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, C ...

, where their name is now most common. Some of the clan in Donegal adopted the surname ''Mac an Ultaigh'', meaning "son of the Ulsterman", which was anglicized as

McNulty McNulty is an Irish surname. It is derived from the Gaelic ''Mac an Ultaigh'' meaning "son of the Ulsterman". Usually considered a branch of the Ulaid ruling dynasty of ''Mac Duinnshléibhe'' ( MacDonlevy), a branch of Dál Fiatach, who fled Ul ...

Notable people

Donlevy

Andrew Donlevy Andrew Donlevy (born c.1694) was an Irish Catholic priest and educator. Life Little is known about his early life. He was probably born in County Sligo and went abroad to study for the priesthood, reaching Paris in 1710 and becoming a student ...

(born 1694), Irish Roman Catholic priest *

Brian Donlevy Waldo Brian Donlevy (February 9, 1901 – April 6, 1972) was an American actor, who was noted for playing dangerous and tough characters. Usually appearing in supporting roles, among his best-known films are '' Beau Geste'' (1939), '' The Great ...

(1889–1972), American actor *

Frank Donlevy Frank Donlevy (born 16 December 1932) is a Scottish former footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American footbal ...

(born 1932–1982), Scottish footballer *

Jim Donlevy James Garvey Donlevy (April 16, 1937 – August 4, 2019) was a Canadian football coach. He coached the Alberta Golden Bears of the University of Alberta from 1971 to 1981 and 1984 to his resignation in 1990, amassing a record of 86–69–3 and w ...

(1937–2019), Canadian football coach

Donleavy

* J. P. Donleavy (1926–2017), American writer

Dunleavy

Chris Dunleavy Chris Dunleavy (born 30 December 1949) is an English former professional footballer who played for Everton, Southport, Philadelphia Atoms, Chester, Halifax Town and Wollongong FC. Dunleavy was voted Chester's player of the year for 1973– ...

(born 1949), English footballer *

Houston Dunleavy Houston ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the seat of Harris County, as well as the principal city of th ...

(born 1962), Australian-based composer, conductor, actor, academic *

Dan Dunleavy Dan Dunleavy (born September 27, 1965) is a Canadian sportscaster for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League. He was formerly a sportscaster with Sportsnet 590 The Fan, and Rogers Sportsnet. Career Hockey Dunleavy is currently the pl ...

(born 1965), Canadian sportscaster * Jack Dunleavy (1879–1944), American baseball player *

John Dunleavy John Francis Dunleavy (born 3 July 1991) is an Irish former footballer who played as a defender. Career Dunleavy joined Wolverhampton Wanderers academy in October 2006, rejecting the chance to join clubs such as Manchester United and Celtic, ...

(born 1991), Irish footballer * Mary Dunleavy (born 1966), American opera singer *

Mike Dunleavy Sr. Michael Joseph Dunleavy Sr. (born March 21, 1954) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and former general manager of the National Basketball Association's Los Angeles Clippers. He was most recently the head coach of the Tu ...

(born 1954), player and coach **

Mike Dunleavy Jr. Michael Joseph Dunleavy Jr. (born September 15, 1980) is an American professional basketball executive and former player who is the general manager for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college ba ...

(born 1980), older son, player **

Baker Dunleavy Baker Dunleavy (born October 5, 1982) is an American college basketball coach who is currently serving as general manager of basketball operations at his alma mater, Villanova University. He was previously the head coach for the Quinnipiac Bobca ...

(born 1982), younger son, coach * Mike J. Dunleavy (born 1961), American politician *

Patrick Dunleavy Patrick John Dunleavy (born 21 June 1952), is Emeritus Professor of Political Science and Public Policy within the Government Department of the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). He was also Co-Director of the Democratic Aud ...

(born 1952), British political scientist *

Philip Dunleavy Philip Dunleavy CBE (5 October 1915 - 13 January 1996) was a Labour Party councillor in Cardiff, Wales. He was Lord Mayor of Cardiff 1982-83 and leader of Cardiff City Council for five years.Tony Heat"OBITUARY: Philip Dunleavy" ''The Independent ...

(1915–1996), Welsh politician *

Richard Dunleavy Admiral Richard Michael Dunleavy (born April 25, 1933) is a retired US naval officer. He retired as a two-star rear admiral in 1992 after being demoted from the rank of three-star vice admiral as a result of the Tailhook scandal.Rosemary Dunleavy, American ballerina *

Steve Dunleavy Stephen Francis Patrick Aloysius Dunleavy (21 January 1938 – 24 June 2019) was an Australian journalist based in the United States, best known as a reporter, columnist and editor for the ''New York Post'' from 1977 to 1986 and again from 1995 ...

(1938–2019), Australian journalist

Mac Duinnshléibhe

Cormac Mac Duinnshléibhe Cormac Mac Duinnshléibhe (anglicized as Cormac MacDonlevy) was an Irish physician and scribe, fl. c. 1460. He was an influential medieval Irish physician and medical scholar of the Arabian school educated at universities on the Continent. He i ...

, fifteenth-century Irish physician and scribe *

Suibhne mac Duinnshléibhe Suibhne mac Duinnshléibhe was a late 12th-century, and early 13th-century, lord in Argyll. He does not appear in contemporary records, although his name appears in the patronymic names of two of his sons. Suibhne appears in the 16th century '' ...

, thirteenth-century Scottish magnate

Ó Duinnshléibhe

Donnchadh mac Eoghan Ó Duinnshléibhe Donnchadh mac Eoghan Ó Duinnshléibhe, anglicised as Donough MacOwen O'Donlevy (died 30 September 1527) was an Irish physician. He was the ''ollam leighis'' (official physician) of the O'Donnell dynasty from at least 1497 to 1527. Background B ...

, Irish physician, d. 1528 * Muiris mac Donnchadh Ulltach Ó Duinnshléibhe, Irish cleric, fl. 1602–1630s *

Muiris mac Seaán Ulltach Ó Duinnshléibhe Muiris mac Seaán Ulltach Ó Duinnshléibhe, aka Father Muiris Ulltach, fl. 1602-1630s. Spain Ó Duinnshléibhe was one of two Donegal men named Father Muiris Ulltach who attended Aodh Ruadh Ó Domhnaill (d. 1602) on his death-bed in Simancas ...

, Irish cleric, fl. 1602–1630s

List of Mac Duinn Sléibe kings of Ulaid

*Donn Sléibe mac Eochada 1081–1091, the eponymous ancestor of the Mac Duinn Sléibe dynasty. *Donnchad mac Duinn Sléibe 1091–1095 *Eochaid mac Duinn Sléibe 1095–1099 *Donnchad mac Duinn Sléibe 1099–1099 *Eochaid mac Duinn Sléibe 1099–1108 *Donnchad mac Duinn Sléibe 1108–1113 *Áed mac Duinn Sléibe 1113–1127 *Cú Ulad mac Conchobair Chisenaig Mac Duinn Sléibe 1131–1157 *Áed mac Con Ulad Mac Duinn Sléibe 1157–1158 *Eochaid mac Con Ulad Mac Duinn Sléibe 1158–1166 *Magnus mac Con Ulad Mac Duinn Sléibe 1166–1171 *Donn Sléibe mac Con Ulad Mac Duinn Sléibe 1171–1172 *Ruaidrí mac Con Ulad Mac Duinn Sléibe 1172–1201 *Cu-Ulahd Mac Duinn Sléibe (fl. c. 1178)

List of physicians

*Muiris MacDonlevy (died 1395) is the first member entered in the Irish Annals where they are listed as ''ollahm lieghis chenel Conaill'', the physician to the Cenel Conaill, the ruling dynasty of Tír Conaill. *By his agnomens Paul Ultach or Paul the Ulidian, Muiris's father is also mentioned at this 1395 A.D. entry to be a physician who flourished both before and after Muiris. * Cormac MacDonlevy (fl. c. 1460) was an influential medieval Irish physician and medical scholar, who advanced Irish medieval medical practice by, for the first time, translating seminal continental European medical texts from Latin to the vernacular. His translations provided the then-exclusively Gaelic language-speaking majority of Irish physicians with their first reference access to these texts. *Murtough Ultaigh Donlevy is recorded as being a physician under an entry for 1497. *Donnell Ultaigh Donlevy, the son of an unnamed Ultaigh "ollav" to the O’Donnell in Tir Chonaill, is recorded as having been slain in the year 1567. *

(Donnchadh MacDonlevy, died 1527) is recorded as a physician. *

Owen Ultach Owen Ultach (; died 26 October 1586) was a sixteenth-century Irish physician. He was the ''ollam leighis'' (official physician) to the O’Donnell clan of Tyrconnell. Background Ultach was born in the sixteenth century to the Ó Duinnshléi ...

(died 1586) was the son of Donnchadh. Considered throughout Ireland and much of Europe as the finest physician of his time, with his skills not only recounted by the Irish Annals and at the Dictionary of National Biography but also by Stanihurst. *"Dyonisius Ultanus", the son of an Irish doctor, is referenced by Tyrconnell-born physician

Niall Ó Glacáin Niall Ó Glacáin (sometimes anglicised as Nial O'Glacan; 1563 – 1653) was an Irish physician and plague doctor who worked to treat victims of bubonic plague outbreaks throughout continental Europe. He was a physician to Hugh Roe O'Donnell ...

as a patient he treated in

Valencia Valencia ( , ), formally València (), is the capital of the Province of Valencia, province and Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, the same name in Spain. It is located on the banks of the Turia (r ...

. The Annals note further that the branch of the MacDonlevy, who had been the physicians, still existed near Kilmacrenan, County Donegal in the early 17th century.

References

Bibliography

* * * * {{Érainn Surnames of Irish origin Anglicised Irish-language surnames Irish families Irish royal families Irish medical families Surnames Irish clans

History

Ancestry

History

Notable people

Donlevy

Donleavy

Dunleavy

Mac Duinnshléibhe

Ó Duinnshléibhe

List of Mac Duinn Sléibe kings of Ulaid

List of physicians

See also

References

Bibliography