News

Finte O’Broin and Clan O’Byrne of Leinster offers all good wishes to the new

Pope Francis I. May he lead the Catholic Church with compassion and humility

throughout the world.

Viva El Papa.

We are delighted to announce that Mr. Gay Byrne, Broadcaster and Chairperson of the Road Safety Authority, has accepted the Merit Order of the Raven, the highest order Finte O’Broin can award.

Mr. Byrne also hopes to attend the Clan O’Byrne gathering event at Ballinacor in Wicklow on July the 20th where he will  be presented with his insignia by Lt.-Col. Charles Artaud Byrne.

Should Mr. Byrne be able to attend he has also agreed to unveil a memorail plaque to Fiach Mac Hugh O’Byrne which will mark the exact place where he was captured and executed by the English in 1598.

We are delighted by Mr. Byrne’s support for our gathering event and we look forward to celebrating two of our most famous clan members on the 20th of July.

For more information on our gathering event, please see the main page of the website and click on Gathering 2013.

On the 9th of January an exhibition entitled, The Irish and France, Three Centuries of Military Relations, opened at the Collins Military Museum in Dublin.

Admission is free and the exhibition runs from January to June 2013.

The launch of the exhibition was attended by Derek Byrne who highly recommends it.

See if you can find the reference to Myles Byrne.

The exhibition is presented by the French Embassy in Ireland www.ambafrance-ie.org

The board of Finte O’Broin and our Patron Lt. Col. Charles Artaud Byrne are pleased to announce that there are two nominations for our private clan order, the Merit Order of the Raven.

The Order is presented to those who have brought dignity and honour to the Byrne name including descendants of the name.

The order was established in 2012 and each year between one and five people are nominated for the award. Names are presented to the Chancellor of the order who in turn presents them to the Patron, Lt. Col. Charles Artaud Byrne.

Nominees are announced on New Years Day on the website and then contacted by our administration team for acceptance. The order, a silver medal worn on the left side of the breast features a raven surrounded by an olive wreath with the words “Merit Order of the Raven” verso.

The insignia is presented at a ceremony during the year and in 2014 will be presented at Ballinacor on Sunday the 11th of May to mark the anniversary of the capture and execution of Feagh mac Hugh O’Byrne in 1598.

Recipients of the Merit Order of the Raven also receive a certificate and may use the designation Companion of the Raven and use the initials CR after their name.

The two nominees for 2014 are;

Nicolas C. Burns for his outstanding work and research into volumes of The Byrnes and The O’Byrnes, volume IV of which is due for release in 2014.

Celine Byrne for her contribution to the world of classical music on the international stage.

We congratulate both nominees for their work and for having brought dignity and honour to the Byrne name internationally.

A very Happy New Year to all our members.

Derek Byrne CR, Chancellor, Merit Order of the Raven.

Full details about our private clan order can be found on the Finte O’Broin website.

As tradition dictates, we mark the beginning of every new year with the announcement of nominations for the Clan Order, The Merit Order of the Raven.

The Order is presented each year to those who have brought honour and dignity to the Byrne name. There can be no more than five nominations each year and this year there are two.

The nominations for 2013 are;

Mr. Paul Burns of the United States, for his work and dedication in co-ordinating the Byrne DNA project.

Mr. Gay Byrne of Ireland for his remarkable career in Irish broadcasting and work with the Road Safety Authority of Ireland.

Unfortunately, Paul Burns is unable to accept the Merit Order but Finte O’Broin/Clan O’Byrne of Leinster announce his nomination at least in recognition of the enourmous amount of work he has done in making the Byrne DNA project an invaluable resource to those tracing their family tree.

We will now contact Mr. Gay Byrne with news of his nomination and should he accept, he will be presented with the insignia of the Order at the Clan Gathering at Ballinacor Estate in July by Lt.-Col. Charles Artaud Byrne, the O’Byrne of Ranelagh and Patron of the Merit Order of the Raven.

Lt.-Col. Charles Artaud Byrne, The O’Byrne of Ranelagh.

Going back to Faolan, the 18th  Christian King of Leinster, we Byrnes represent an ancient deep and wide ranging clan that still breeds the long secietal sinews, the multi-generaltional families, who enable Christian civilization to succeed.

On Christmas 2012, we can rejoice in the birth of our Lord Jesus, marvel at how He has favoured us since, and hope to merit His support as we gaze into the coming centuries.

A very Merry Christmas to you all.

Charles.

The Christmas message from Charles Artaud Byrne, The O’Byrne of Ranelagh, reminds me of the importance of family, not only at Christmas, but throughout the year. A family can provide strength, support and stability in these testing economic times.

At Finte O’Broin, we have joined together as one universal family, the family of O’Byrne, and wherever you find yourself this Christmas I hope you will feel part of that family by spending time with those you chrish most.

Wishing you all peace and prosperity in the coming year.

Merry Christmas,

Derek.

The board of Finte O’Broin and Clan O’Byrne of Leinster are delighted to announce confirmation of our clan gathering for 2013.

A re-enactment of the capture and execution of Fiach Mac Hugh O’Byrne will take place on the 20th of July 2013 at Farrineirinn, the very time and place where Fiach was captured and executed in 1598.

Sir Robert and Lady Goff, the current owners of the estate, have kindly given permission for this event to take place as part of the Clan O’Byrne Gathering 2013.

A memorial plaque will be unveiled by a very prominent celebrity with the Byrne name and the 2013 Merit Order of the Raven will be presented to the 2013 recipients, details of which will be posted on the website on New Years Day.

This is a  free event and open to all Byrnes and interested parties in Ireland and abroad.

People are asked to meet at the Brook Lodge Hotel, Macreddin near Ballinacor in Co. Wicklow by 2pm for registration and a short briefing on Saturday July the 20th.

This is an official Gathering 2013 event and supported by Wicklow County Council.

We look forward to seeing you all at The Gathering.

For further details, please contact Derek Byrne at derek@clanbyrne.com

Finte O’Broin – Official Gathering Event 2013

Finte O’Broin and the Clans O’Byrne of Leinster and Ireland are pleased to announce plans to hold a re-enactment of the capture and execution of Feach Mac Hugh O’Byrne on Saturday the 20th of July at Farrinerin on the Ballinacore Estate, the very spot where this historic event took place in 1598.

We have presented a proposal to Sir Robert and Lady Goff, the current owners of Ballinacor, for the event which we hope will also include the unveiling of a memorial plaque to Fiach Mac Hugh at Farrinerin.

It is also planned to present the 2013 recipients of the Merit Order of the Raven with their insignia at this event and thus making the gethering event a memorable experience for all those who wish to attend.

All Byrnes are welcome and anyone who would like to be part of this unique event should contact Derek Byrne at derek@clanbyrne.com

This morning, Ceann Fine Derek Byrne received a message of appreciation from HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco in response to Saint Patrick’s Day wishes sent to the Royal Family of Monaco in celebration of their Irish heritage on their mother’s side of the family.

Prince Albert’s mother HSH Princess Grace was born Grace Kelly and visited Ireland on many occasions. In 1976 she bought the Kelly ancestoral home, a two roomed stone cottage in Drimurla near Newport in Co. Mayo where her grandfather John Kelly was born in 1857.

The princess had planned to build a holiday home on the land she had bought in Drimurla but was sadly killed in a car accident in 1982 before her plans were realised.

Prince Albert and the Royal Family of Monaco obviously hold their Irish ancestry very dearly as Prince Albert showed when he brought his wife HSH Princess Charlene to Ireland in April 2011.

On behalf of our Hereditary Chiefs, Lt.-Col. Charles Artaud Byrne KCOR and Count Henri O’Byrne and the Board of Finte O’Broin, I would like to wish all Byrnes in Ireland and throughout the world a very happy Saint Patrick’s Day.

I hope that on our national day you all feel a sense of kinship and pride in being Irish and being part of the great world wide Byrne family.

Beannachtai le Feile Paidraig.

Derek Byrne KOR, President Finte O’Broin.