The Hoy/Hoey family in the Irish Annals
The Irish Annals were a set of documents written in Monasteries throughout Ireland starting around 600 AD. Like the Bible, the oldest versions are lost, but we have copies made for a period of 1,000 years until the last and most complete was finished in 1636. Before, and even after that, many of the copies were destroyed due to the occupation of the country by foreigners.
This page is a collection of the entries that refer to the surname Hoy in its various forms which changed through time. The earliest is for the year 1019 and the last for 1208. Before that, the surname did not exist, but the genealogy of the family is well documented and it is these men who are recorded in the Annals.
The death of Muireadhach in 489 is considered the first reliable event, but not the date. Saint Patrick lived with him and later with his sons Eochaidh and Cairell.
The earliest spelling of the surname is Ua hEochadha where Ua means 'descendant of'. Eochadha and later Eochaidh (Owey) were a popular a king's names (our Eochaidh died in 1004) meaning Steedlike. "The genealogy of all the Dál Fiatach is filled with the name Eochu (Horse-God or Horse-Like), and its modern form (Eochaidh)" - from IrishTribes.com. Eochu is cognate with the latin word for horse, equus.
In the census of 1651, O'Hoy is listed as a principle surname in mid-Louth, while in late 18th century baptisms, it is always written Hoy. Starting after 1800, it came to be written Hoey which is now the most common in Ireland.
There are eight Annals listed here. For all of them, the earlier the date, the more accurate the entry. The entries before the time of Christ were attempts by the monks to join Irish history with Jewish and Greek history and cannot be taken as true, but may have some worth.
| Source | Year | Text |
|---|---|---|
| tigernach | 1131 | An alliance was made between Conn's Half and Mogh's Half to invade Connacht at the same time. So the forces of the North, seven battalions, came over Assaroe to the Curlews and Segais. The king of Ireland mustered Síol Muireadhaigh against them, and the Uí Beicc despatched a body of young soldiers into the Segais to await them, and they delivered and attack upon the and routed Tyrconnell and Tyrone, and the whole army, except a battalion of Ulstermen, which had at first gone through the wood. So a slaughter was inflicted upon them, including the Garbánach Ó Baoighill and Conn Ó Maolgaoithe and many others, and they lost their horses and their weapons and their armour. The king then granted a little truce, that night, and they made peace with the Síol Muireadhaigh, agreeing that never again should Connacht be invaded by the army of the southern half of Ireland. To the folk of the North Toirdhealbhach Ó Conchobhair gave order how they should repair to their homes, to wit, the men of Tyrconnell and Tyrone, including the son of Mac Lochlainn, over Assaroe, with a party of the nobles of Connacht to escort them, and the Ulaid with the troops of the north-east of Ireland were, by the generosity of the Connachtmen, billeted in Magh Aí for three days and three nights, and then escorted to Ardee. But a conflict took place on the Plain of Conaille, between them and Tighearnán Ó Ruairc, king of the Uí Briúin and Conmaicne, he having driven a prey out of Ulster in their absence. The Ulaid and Airgéill were routed, and Ó hEochadha, king of Ulaid, was killed there, and Ó Cridain, king of Farney and his son, and Ó hInnreachtaigh, king of the Uí Méith, and others. |
| mccarthy | 1145 | A hosting by Muircheartach son of Niall Ó Lochlainn and Donnchadh Ó Cearbhaill into Ulaidh, and they reached Tráigh Dúin Droma after a defeat of the Ulaidh. They plundered and burned Leath Cathail, and carried off four hostages from the Ulaidh, after leaving four kings over them. |
| fourmasters | 1148 | Another army was led by Muircheartach Ua Lochlainn and the Cinel-Eoghain, across Tuaim, into Ulidia; and he expelled Cuuladh Ua Duinnsleibhe from Ulidia, and placed Donnchadh in his place; and they proceeded on this occasion into Machaire-Chonaill, and bu |
| fourmasters | 1148 | An army was also led by Tighearnan Ua Ruairc and Donnchadh Ua Cearbhaill into Ulidia, as far as Craebh-Tealcha; and they plundered the country, and placed Cuuladh in his kingdom again; however, he was immediately expelled by the Ulidians themselves. |
| fourmasters | 1149 | Cuuladh, i.e. the son of Conchobhar, came into Ulidia again, and expelled Donnchadh from the chieftainship of the upper part of Ulidia: and Ua Mathghamhna and the two sons of Aedh Mac Duinnsleibhe (Donnchadh and Murchadh) made an attack upon his camp, but |
| fourmasters | 1149 | Another army was led by the son of Niall Ua Lochlainn, being joined by the people of the north of Ireland, namely, the Cinel-Conaill, the Cinel-Eoghain, and the Airghialla, into Ulidia; they plundered all the upper part of Ulidia, from the harbour of Snam |
| fourmasters | 1149 | A predatory incursion was made by Donnchadh Ua Cearbhaill and Cuuladh Ua Duinnsleibhe into Breagha, and they carried off many spoils. The men of Breagha afterwards came in pursuit of them, and they plundered the half of Tearmann-Feichin, and carried off s |
| tigernach | 1149 | A hosting by Muircheartach son of Niall son of Lochlann, together with the men of Tyrconnell, Tyrone and Oriel, into Ulster, where they harried both churches and districts, and he afterward took hostages with him. |
| mccarthy | 1153 | A hosting by Muircheartach son of Niall Ó Lochlainn, king of Cinéal Eóghain, Donnchadh Ó Cearbhaill with the Ulaidh and Cinéal Conaill, and Toirdhealbhach son of Diarmaid Ó Briain to Áth Maighne against Tadhg Ó Briain, and they threw them [i.e. the forces of Tadhg Ó Briain] out of their three encampments and killed nine hundred of them. Toirdhealbhach Ó Briain and [the men of] the north of Ireland stayed at Teach Tille that night, celebrating the triumph. |
| fourmasters | 1157 | Cuuladh Ua Duinnsleibhe Ui-Eochadha, King of Ulidia, died, after penance, at Dun-da-leathghlas, and was interred at Dun itself. |
| tigernach | 1157 | Cú Uladh Ó hEochadha, king of Ulster, died in Downpatrick. |
| fourmasters | 1158 | An army was led by Muircheartach Ua Lochlainn, with the Ulidians and Airghialla, into Tir-Conaill, and they plundered the country, both churches and territories; but the Cinel-Conaill made an attack upon the camp of the Ulidians, and slew Aedh Ua Duinnsle |
| mccarthy | 1158 | A hosting by Muircheartach son of Niall [Ó Lochlainn] with the Oirghialla, the Ulaidh, and Cinéal Conaill into Connacht, and they destroyed Dún Mór and many other towns, and returned home without peace or battle. |
| ulster | 1159 | A hosting by Muircertach Ua Lachlainn with the Cenel-Eogain and with the Airgialla and the Ulidians and Cenel-Conaill into Connacht, so that they burned Dun-mor and Dun-Ciaraidh and Dun-na-nGall and wasted much of the land besides, until they returned to their own country after that, without peace, without pledges. And it is on that occasion they gained over to them Ua Gailmredhaigh and the Cenel-Maien. |
| ulster | 1161 | A hosting by Muircertach Ua Lochlainn into Tir-Briuin: the way they went [was] past the Confluence of Cluain-Eois, through the length of the country, until Tigernan [Ua Ruairc] abandoned his camp to them. From that to the Well of Messan. The Airgialla and Ulidians [came] to that place to him and Mac Murchadha with the Leinstermen and a battalion of Foreigners [came], so that they all went into the Plain of Tethbha. Then Ua Conchobuir came from the west, across the Shannon and gave pledges to Ua Lochlainn and thereupon Ua Lochlainn gave his entire Fifth [i.e. Province] to him. |
| mccarthy | 1164 | A hosting by Muircheartach son of Niall Ó Lochlainn with the men of Fearnmhagh, the Cinéal Conaill, and the [Cinéal] Eóghain into Ulaidh. They destroyed the monastery of the monks of Newry, and plundered Sabhall Pádraig in Rinn Móin, Downpatrick, Aointreabh, Baile Cluig Comhghaill, all Ulaidh, and almost all Dál n-Araidhe, and they banished Domhnall son of Cú Uladh [Mac Duinn Shléibhe] from the kingship of Ulaidh. |
| tigernach | 1164 | Dáibhí son of Donnsléibhe Ó hEochadha was treacherously killed by the Uí Eachach. |
| fourmasters | 1165 | The Ulidians began to turn against Muircheartach Ua Lochlainn, and proceeded with a force against the Ui-Meith, and carried off cows, and slew many persons. They made another deprecatory irruption upon the Ui-Breasail-Airthir, and another upon the Dal-Ria |
| fourmasters | 1165 | Muircheartach Ua Lochlainn proceeded with the Cinel-Eoghain to Inis-Lochain, and burned and destroyed the island. The Cinel-Eoghain afterwards returned to their houses in triumph, with vast spoils and many ships. Ua Lochlainn then went to Ard-Macha, whith |
| mccarthy | 1165 | Muircheartach son of Niall Ó Lochlainn, king of Oileach, captured Eochaidh son of Cú Uladh Mac Duinn Shléibhe, king of Ulaidh, his own gossip, at Camus Comhghaill, in his Easter house, after they had been at the same guest-table up to that, and he carried him off to Inis Aonaigh and blinded him there, in violation of the protection of Patrick's coarb, the Bachall Íosa, Clog an Udhachta, Soisgéala Mártain, Míosach Cairnigh, the three shrines in Teampall na Sgrín, together with the relics of the north of Ireland, and in violation of the protection of Donnchadh son of Cú Chaisil Ó Cearbhaill, king of Oirghialla, together with the nobles of the north of Ireland, including |
