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genealogies of the families

CURRY

(0)CURRY, (Corry) The Irish name Curry or O'Curry has no connexion with the Scottish Currie. In Irish Ó Comhriadhe, it sometimes takes the form Corry or Corra, especially in the northern counties, where in the few early records in which the name is found the prefix Mac is usually substituted for 0. There was a little known sept of O'Curry in Co. Cork, now often Corry. The most important of the several distinct septs of O'Curry was that of Thomond from which sprang Eugene O'Curry (1796-1862), one of Ireland's greatest pioneer scholars. The O'Currys were a leading sept in Co. Clare in the fourteenth century.

In addition to the main Thomond sept of Ó Comhraidhe another of the same name was located in Co. Westmeath, where they were Chiefs of Moygoish. Father Paul Walsh has pointed out that Curristown (now Belmont) was outside the true O'Curry country. Dr. John Curry (c. 1710-1780) of Dublin, was notable as an eminent physician, as a historian and as the organizer of the first Catholic Committee during the Penal Code period. Families of the name belonging to south-west Cork are probably representatives of the minor Corca Laoidhe sept of O'Curry. Currie is Scottish; a branch of the clan MacDonald.

Source: Irish Families by Edward MacLysaght MA, D Litt, MRIA - Irish Academic Press 1991