O'Friel
O'Friel
Surname list
O'Friel (Irish: Ó Fearghial or Ó Frighil) is a surname of Tyrconnell (modern-day County Donegal).
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The origin of the names comes from Firghil (Ó Fearghial or Fergal), a descendant of Eoghan, (son of Niall Noígíallach, the most prolific warrior in Irish history) brother of St. Columcille, and are thus nearest in descent to Columcille. The name Fearghial is composed of "fear." meaning man and "gal," meaning valour.
The leading line of the family were hereditary coarbs of Kilmacrennan, County Donegal. Before the introduction of Christianity, the family was a hereditary line of Druid priests/priestesses. The Chief of the Name possessed the hereditary right of inaugurating O'Donnell as lord of Tirconnell.
Not being a powerful or numerous sept they do not appear very frequently in the national records. The records of the Diocese of Raphoe have many references to distinguished ecclesiastics of the name, both as O'Friel and Friel, including one Bishop Florence or Feargal O'Friel (d. 1299). Amhalgaid Ó Frighil was one of the many clergy from Raphoe and Derry who went to Iona - he was elected Abbot of Iona in 1203.