Where the Hurley surname comes from, the Dalcassian Hurleys of Thomond and Knocklong, the unrelated Cork Hurleys, and which DNA test tells you which family is yours.

Hurley covers more than one Irish name. The Dál gCais family, Ó hUrthuile (“descendant of Urthuile”), came from Thomond and was kin to the O’Moloneys and O’Kearneys. Its leading branch later held Knocklong in east Limerick. Most Cork Hurleys are a separate family, Ó Muirthile, from around Kilbrittain, with no link to Brian Boru.

Hurley at a glance

  • Irish form: Ó hUrthuile (Dál gCais); Ó Muirthile (west Cork)
  • Meaning: descendant of Urthuile
  • Seat: Thomond, later Knocklong Castle, east County Limerick
  • Kindred: Dál gCais, akin to the O’Moloneys and O’Kearneys
  • Found today: across Munster, most heavily in Cork
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Knocklong Hurley or Cork Hurley?
Two unrelated Hurley families share the name, and only one belongs to Brian Boru’s kindred. A Y-DNA test tells you which one is yours. Family Tree DNA is the only major testing company with dedicated Y-DNA tests, and it hosts the R-L226 project that places Dalcassian families on their branch of the tree.
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Origin of the name

Patrick Woulfe describes Ó hUrthuile as “a Dalcassian family in Thomond”, related to the O’Moloneys and O’Kearneys, and notes that the name later spread throughout Munster. An important branch moved south-east to Knocklong in County Limerick. In Clare a few Hurley families even turned into Commanes, a mistranslation based on camán, the Irish word for the hurley stick.

The Hurleys of Knocklong

The Knocklong family’s castle stands in ruins on the Hill of Knocklong, close to the Tipperary border. John O’Hart’s pedigree names Teige O’Hurley as chief of his name and lord of Knocklong, and records a marriage into the O’Hogans, another Dál gCais family. The Hurlys were made baronets, and Sir Maurice Hurly of Knocklong sat on the Supreme Council of the Confederation of Kilkenny in 1647. Cromwell seized the estate and transplanted the old baronet to Galway, where he died in 1683.

The family’s best-known member is Dermot O’Hurley, Archbishop of Cashel, who was born near Emly, close to Knocklong. He was arrested, tortured and hanged in Dublin in June 1584, and the Catholic Church beatified him in 1992 as one of the Irish martyrs.

Hurley DNA

Most Hurleys today live in Cork, and most of them descend from Ó Muirthile, not the Thomond family. A Dalcassian Hurley should carry R-L226 (Irish Type III), the marker of Brian Boru’s kindred, while a west Cork Hurley will not. A Y-37 test from Family Tree DNA answers the question, and Big Y-700 places you on an exact branch, which helps when the paper trail runs out in the 1800s. If your Hurley link is through your mother’s side, use Family Tree DNA’s Family Finder. Our DNA guide explains how to read the results.

Hurley places to visit

  • Knocklong: the ruined Hurly castle on the hill above the village, in east County Limerick.
  • Rock of Cashel: the seat of Archbishop Dermot O’Hurley, about 40 minutes east. Book a private Cashel tour or see places to stay in Cashel.
  • Ardcrony: the seat of the O’Hogans, who married into the Knocklong Hurleys, north of Nenagh.
  • Killaloe: Brian Boru’s royal centre, in the Thomond homeland. Plan it with our Brian Boru trail.

Related Dál gCais surnames

See the Hogans, O’Mearas, Gleesons and Caseys, or browse all Brian Boru kindred surnames.

Frequently asked questions

Is Hurley an Irish name?

In Ireland, yes. It anglicises two Gaelic names, Ó hUrthuile and Ó Muirthile. There is also a separate English Hurley surname taken from place names.

Are the Hurleys related to Brian Boru?

The Ó hUrthuile Hurleys of Thomond and Knocklong are Dál gCais kindred of Brian Boru. Most Cork Hurleys come from the unrelated Ó Muirthile family.

Where is the Hurley family from?

The Dalcassian Hurleys came from Thomond and later held Knocklong in east Limerick. The more numerous Cork Hurleys come from around Kilbrittain.

What does the name Hurley mean?

The Dalcassian name, Ó hUrthuile, means “descendant of Urthuile”.

Sources

  1. Patrick Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames: Ó hUrthuile (1923).
  2. John O’Hart, Irish Pedigrees: O’Hurley, Lords of Knocklong.