Denis O'Conor Don

Denis Armar O'Conor, O'Conor Don (Irish: Donnchadh Ó Conchubhair Donn; 1912–10 July 2000) was hereditary Chief of the Name O'Conor and principal claiment to the High Kingship of Ireland.^[1]

The coat of arms of the O'Conor Don are, Argent an oak tree eradicated and adorned proper. For a crest, An arm embowed in armour holding a short sword entwined with a serpent all proper. As a Chief of the Name, the O'Conor Don is granted the privilege of bearing supporters in his armorial achievement.

Born in London in 1912 to Charles William O'Conor and Evelyn Lowry-Corry and grew up in Hertfordshire. He was educated at Downside School in Somerset,England, after this he went to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and later served in India and was part of the retreat to Dunkirk but saw no further action as he was honorably discharged due to injuries to his face. He moved to Ireland some years later with his second wife Rosemary and bought a farm in Co Wicklow where he farmed until he moved to Dún Laoghaire in the 1970s.

He inherited his title in 1981 from his second cousin Fr. Charles O'Conor, a Jesuit priest. He used his position to promote an interest in Irish heritage from genealogy, local history to archaeology. He became President of the Dún Laoghaire Genealogical Society in 1991 and President of the Genealogical Society of Ireland in 1999. He was also Deputy Chairman of the Standing Council of Irish Chiefs and Chieftains.

He married Elizabeth Marris and they had a son, Desmond a retired Banker. With his second wife, Rosemay (née O'Connell Hewett), he had two sons: Kieran a senior lecturer in Archaeology at the National University of Ireland Galway and Rory. A daughter, Gail, died aged thirteen.

His eldest son, Desmond, inherited his title of O'Conor Don.

Ancestory

Distinctions

• Order of Saint Lazarus (statuted 1910)

References