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 | 1165 | A hosting by the son of MacLochlainn into Ulster and he ravaged the land, both church and district, and took hostages of Ulster, and banished the son of Donnslébe Ó hEochaidh, and killed the son of Giolla Easpaig, and Inis Locháin was ravaged by him and destroyed. |
| tigernach | 1165 | Eochaidh son of Donnshléibhe Ó hEochadha was taken prisoner by Donnchadh Ó Cearbhaill, and cast again into prison, and the kingship of Ulster was given to him by the son of Mac Lochlainn for gold and hostages. |
| ulster | 1165 | The turning of the Ulidians upon Ua Lochlainn [took place] and a foray [was made] by them upon the Ui-Meith, so that they took away many cows and killed a multitude of persons. A foray also [was made] by them upon the eastern Ui-Bresail and another foray upon Dal-riatai. |
| ulster | 1165 | A hosting by Muircertach Ua Lochlainn, [along with] both [Cenel-] Cona[i]ll and [Cenel-] Eoga[i]n and the Airgialla, into Ulidia, so that they harried all the country, except, the chief churches of the Ulidians and killed a countless number of them, including Echmarcach, son of Mac Gilla-espuic and including Ua Lomanaigh and they expelled Eochaidh Mac Duinnsleibhe [Ua Eochadha] from Ulidia. And Ua Lochlainn gave the kingship to Donnsleibhe [Mac Duinnsleibhe Ua Eochadha] and all the Ulidians gave their pledges to Ua Lochlainn, through the might of his regal power U1165.9 Eochaidh [Mac Duinnsleibhe Ua Eochadha] again attempts to obtain the kingship of Ulidia; but the Ulidians expelled him through fear of Ua Lochlainn and he was fettered by Donnchadh Ua Cerbaill, arch-king of Airgialla, by order of Ua Lochlainn. |
| ulster | 1165 | Another hosting by Muircertach Ua Lochlainn along with the Cenel-Eogain to Inis-lachain, so that they burned the Island [Inis-lachain] and razed it. And all Ulidia gave their pledges to Ua Lochlainn. After that, the Cenel-Eogain around Ua Lochlainn come to their houses with great triumph and with many ships and numerous treasures beside. From here Ua Lochlainn [goes] to Ard-Macha. After that, Donnchadh Ua Cerbaill, arch-king of Airgialla and Eochaidh Mac Duinnsleibhe [Ua Eochadha] come into the presence of Ua Lochlainn, to ask for the kingship for [Eochaidh] Mac Duinnsleibhe, so that Ua Lochlainn gave the entire [kingship] to Mac Duinnsleibhe, in return for the pledges of all Ulidia. So that Mac Duinnsleibhe gave the son of every chief of Ulidia and his own daughter in pledge to O'Lochlainn. And there were given to him [Ua Lochlainn] many treasures, including the sword of the son of the Earl and he [Mac Duinnsleibhe] gave Bairche to Ua Lochlainn [and] Ua Lochlainn gave it to [Donnchadh] Ua Cerbaill. And, moreover, there was given a townland to the clergy of Saball, by reason of the prosperity of the reign of Ua Lochlainn. |
| inisfallen | 1166 | Eochaid son of Donn Sléibe Ua hEochada, king of Ulaid, was blinded by the son of Mac Lochlainn. |
| tigernach | 1166 | And while he was in the kindred of Conall, Ó Ruairc and the men of Breifne and Conmaicne and Oriel and Ó Ruairc's army invaded Tyrone, so the kindred of Eoghan, including Muircheartach son of Mac Lochlainn, overking of Ireland, gathered against them to the woods of Uí Eachach, and delivered a battle-onset upon the; and the kindred of Eogan were routed, and Muircheartach son of Niall Mac Lochlainn, overking of Ireland, is killed, and sixteen of the choicest of his people. And the clerics of the Bell of the Bequest were killed there, and the Uí Briúin carried off the bell. It was Ó Flainn, of the Uí Briúin, that killed the king, and by the miracles of St Patrick he was killed, St Patrick's successor and the clerics of Ireland having been outraged by him concerning Ó hEochadha—i.e. Eochaidh son of Donnsléibhe, king of Ulster—who was blinded by Muircheartach son of Mac Lochlainn, in despite of those clerics, and while he was under the safeguard of Ó Cearbhaill, king of Oriel. And for that reason the men of Ulster and Oriel revolted against Muircheartach. |
| fourmasters | 1167 | A great meeting was convened by Ruaidhri Ua Conchobhair and the chiefs of Leath-Chuinn, both lay and ecclesiastic, and the chiefs of the foreigners at Ath-buidhe-Tlachtgha. To it came the successor of Patrick; Cadhla Ua Dubhthaigh, Archbishop of Connaught |
| mccarthy | 1167 | Donnchadh son of Cú Chaisil Ó Cearbhaill, high-king of Oirghialla, who obtained the kingship of Midhe as far as Clochán na hImrime, and the kingship of Ulaidh, and to whom was offered many times the kingship of Cinéal Eóghain, chief ornament of the north of Ireland, and even of all Ireland, for appearance, wisdom, bravery, friendship, brotherliness, vigour, kingship, power, for bestowing treasure, food, bounty, and reward to laymen and clergy, for overwhelming all evil and exalting all goodness, for protecting bells, croziers, and the monasteries of canons and monks, and like unto Solomon for peacefulness in his own native territory and towards every territory around, died after repentance, having bequeathed much gold, silver, and stock, and having partaken of the Body of Christ. |
| tigernach | 1167 | A hosting by Ruaidhrí Ó Conchobhair, overking of Ireland, and by Ireland's kingfolk, that is, Diarmaid Mac Carrthaigh, king of Desmond, and Muircheartach Ó Briain, king of Dál Cais, and the kingfolk of Leinster and Ossory with their great muster, and Diarmaid Ó Maelseachlainn, king of Meath and Tighearnán Ó Ruairc, king of the Uí Briúin and Conmaicne, and Ó Cearbhaill, king of Oriel, and Ó hEochadha, king of Ulster, with his large gathering, and all those kings on one road. Thirteen battalions they were, of footsoldiers and seven of cavalry, and they reached Armagh, and three nights they spent there waiting for Cenél Conaill and the great fleet that came round Ireland until they reached the harbour of Derry, and they went by sea and by land throughout the Kindred of Eoghan, under cliffs and woods. And the Kindred of Eoghan assemple to deliver a camp attack on the men of Ireland, but hence, having divided it, it resulted that each division killed the other at night in error. However, on the morrow they gave eight hostages to the king of Ireland, Ruaidhrí Ó Conchobhair, and he left four of these hostages in the custody of Ó Cearbhaill, king of Oriel, protecting them, and Ruaidhrí himself came into Connacht, bringing the four other hostages. And each of the provincial kings returned to his own country. And the king of Ireland came along Tyrconnell and over Assaroe into Connacht, and he brought Ó Briain and Mac Carthaigh to his house, and gave Cormac's sword to Mac Carthaigh, and gave the drinking-horn of Toirrdhealbhach Ó Briain to Ó Briain's son. |
| fourmasters | 1169 | An army of the men of Ireland was led by Ruaidhri Ua Conchobhair to Teamair; and the chiefs of the north of Ireland came to meet him, together with Maghnus Ua hEochadha, King of Ulidia, and Murchadh Ua Cearbhaill, lord of Oirghialla; and they went from th |
| fourmasters | 1170 | An unknown, atrocious deed was committed by Maghnus Ua hEochadha, King of Ulidia, and the monk Amhlaeibh, son of the successor of Finnen, and by the Ulidians in general. |
| lochce | 1170 | A great, ungenerous deed was committed by the monk, son of the comarb of Finnen of Magh-bile, and by Maghnus, son of Donnsleibhe, king of Uladh, with the chieftains of Uladh, and the Ulidians besides—except Bishop Maelisa, and Gilladomhaingairt, son of Co |
| lochce | 1170 | A great, ungenerous deed was committed by the monk, son of the comarb of Finnen of Magh-bile, and by Maghnus, son of Donnsleibhe, king of Uladh, with the chieftains of Uladh, and the Ulidians besides |
| ulster | 1170 | A great, unbecoming deed was done by the monk, namely, by Amlaimh, son of the successor of [St.] Finnian of Magh-bile and by Maghnus Mac Duinnsleibhe [Ua Eochadha], king of Ulidia, along with the chiefs of Ulidia and with the Ulidians besides, except the bishop, Mael-Isu and Gilla-Domanghairt Mac Cormaic, successor of [St.] Comgall and Mael-Martain, successor of [St.] Finnian, with their communities: that is, the Congregation of Canons Regular, with their abbot, whom Mael-Moedoic Ua Morgair, Legate of the successor of [St.] Peter, instituted in Saball of [St.] Patrick, were expelled out of the monastery they themselves built and were despoiled completely, both of books and furniture, cows and persons, horses and sheep and all things they had collected therein from the time of the Legate aforesaid to then, save the tunics and the capes which were upon them at that hour,—through carnal jealousy and self-love and desire of honour for himself. For the monks of Drochait-atha deposed him from the abbacy [of Saball] for just causes. Alas! alas! alas! in sooth. Woe who did and woe the country wherein was done the deed. But it went not without vengeance from the Lord; for the chiefs who did it were killed at one and the same time by a few enemies and the king was wounded and killed unhappily a little while after, in the place wherein that unrighteous counsel was decided upon, namely, in Dun. Now, on Tuesday the Congregation was expelled; on Tuesday, at the end of a year, the nobles of Ulidia were killed and the king was wounded; on Tuesday, a little after, he himself was killed by his brother in Dun. |
| fourmasters | 1171 | A great predatory force was led by Maghnus Mac Duinnsleibhe Ua hEochadha and the Ulidians into Cuil-an-tuais-ceirt; and they plundered Cuil-rathain Coleraine and other churches. A small party of the Cinel-Eoghain, under Conchobhair Ua Cathain, overtook th |
| lochce | 1171 | Venit in Hiberniam Henricus potentissimus rex Angliae, et idem dux Normanniae et Aquitaniae, et comes Andegaviae, et aliarum multarum terrarum dominus, cum ducentis .XL. navibus; and he came on shore at Port-Lairge, and took the hostages of Mumha; and he |
| lochce | 1171 | A great preying expedition by Maghnus, son of Donnsleibhe, with all the Ulidians, into Cuil-an-tuaisceirt, when they plundered Cul-rathain and other churches; but a small party of the Cenel-Eoghain, with Conchobhar Ua Cathain, overtook them, and gave them |
| mccarthy | 1171 | Maghnus son of Cú Uladh son of Conchobhar [Mac Duinn Shléibhe] king of Ulaidh, was killed by his own brother, Donn Sleibhe. |
| tigernach | 1171 | Maghnus Ó hEochadha, king of Ulaid, was killed by his own brother. |
