Family of Creagh or Creaghe

20 Jan Family of Creagh or Creaghe

The family of Creagh, or Creaghe, is of Milesian origin, descended from Herimone, 3^rd son of Milesius and Scota, his wife, daughter of a Pharaoh of Egypt, through “Niall of the Nine Hostages,” Monarch of Erin A.D. 377.

The Milesians originally came from Scythia, that is, or rather, was the Steppe region to the north and northeast of the Black Sea, stretching from the Carpathians to the River Don. They migrated through Palestine, Egypt, and North Africa, into Spain, and from thence-invaded Erin about BC 753.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”32px” background_image=”” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][vc_column_text]In A.D. 954, three brothers of The Hy Niall, Pierce, James, and Patrick, with might of men, came to Limerick to help The Monarch of Ireland to expel the Danes. The forces under the three brothers were successful and drove the Danes from the city, through what is known as “Creagh Lane,” and the “Creagh Gate”.

According to “The Salter of Cashel”:

• Herimone reigned for 14 years Anno Nundi 2738

The “Salter of Cashel does not exist in its original form. It was written about A.D. 900, by Cormac O’Cuilean, and re-edited circa A.D. 1000 It now only exists in:

• “The Book of Rights” better known as “The Book of Lecan”
• “The Book of Ballymote”
• “The Book of Leinster”

Which is called after that name from that day to this – because it was Green branches they wore in their Helmets, each man of the said party, which was to know themselves in Battle from the enemy who were the Danes. It was from this same conquest they made of Limerick, according to “The Green Book,” they bear as Coat of Arms:

Three laurel branches, with three golden mullets, or beasants with a Nag’s head between two green branches, form a crest.

We have always borne the crest as used for many hundreds of years (A Nag’s head, bridled, and decked with a laurel branch, all in the proper colours.) (From an old M.S.S., copied by Philip C. Creaghe,1891)

I have attached my bookplate. This shows the Creaghe Arms, impaling Negus. This shows that a Creaghe married a Negus. The left-hand side is Creaghe. The Shield has a silver ground, with 3 laurel branches. The top part, of chief, is blue with 3 Gold Beasants.”

Signed: PFS Creaghe, April, 1934