Maguire Tartan Family & Clan History | Scottish Kilt The Maguires' proud motto is 'Justice and courage are invincible,' a very suitable attitude that represents the tenacity and valour with which the clan maintained control for generations as lords of modern-day Co. Fermanagh, one of Ulster's six counties, or modern-day Northern Ireland. The Gaelic version of the name is Mac Uidhir or Mag Uidhir, which comes from the word 'Odhar,' which means dun or brown-haired.
Odhar was a popular personal name because it was derived from the celebrated St. Odhar, a personal servant of St. In the early fifth century A.D., Patrick introduced the light of Christianity to the Emerald Isle. Odhar was killed after taking St. Patrick's place in an attempt to confuse enemies who were pursuing them. While the Maguires earned a powerful reputation on the battlefield, many of the names appear to have been inspired by their namesake, Odhar's, Christian example.
Is The Name Maguire Irish or Scottish? Mac/Mag Uidhir, which meaning "son of Odhar" or "son of the dun or dark one," is an Irish surname originated from the Irish language. He was, according to legend, he was the twelfth in line from Colla da Chrich, the great-grandson of Cormac mac Airt, the ruler of Ireland in the mid-third century. The Maguires ruled Fermanagh from the 13th to the 17th century. Maguire is a rare given name. Ireland was far from a cohesive nation in the twelfth century, divided into provinces ruled over by feuding chieftains who governed as kings in their own right – and this inter-clan conflict aided the invaders. In a series of deadly battles, one chieftain, or king, would periodically triumph over his competitors, and by 1156, the most powerful was Muirchertach MacLochlainn, king of the O'Neills, who, together with the Maguires, were among the most prominent Ulster families. Rory O'Connor, king of Connacht, resisted MacLochlainn, but he strengthened his position by allying himself with Dermot MacMurrough, king of Leinster.