Castleshort/Caisleanghearr update
Sean J Murphy
stirred up a hornets' nest, with 26 pages and rising of commentary and
forensic analysis of the military and titular claims of James Shortt,
the 'Baron Castleshort':
http://www.arrse.co.uk/cpgn2/Forums/viewtopic/t=104888/postdays=0/postorder=asc/start=0.html
These discussions have now been crystalised into a scathing wiki piece
which rightly points out that the Castleshort title was an invention of
Terence MacCarthy, and that the 'various knighthoods and orders that
Shortt routinely wears whilst dolled up in his Irish-Ruritanian uniform
are also bogus'. Much more seriously, it is stated that the Baron
'trades on his essentially false claims of military professionalism and
association with the SAS and other elements of the British Armed Forces'
(http://www.arrse.co.uk/wiki/The_Baron_of_Castleshortt).
I had a pretty good idea back in 1999 that the 'Baron' was bogus, but in
the light of the threat that I would be tailed (or worse) by Galloglas
goons I backed off at that stage, and in any case had enough on my plate
dealing with Terence and the Office of the Chief Herald.
There is another matter I have not pursued for some time, relating to a
claimed association of the 'Baron Castleshort' with one of the
contributors to this group:
'He was honoured in Scotland by The McKerrell of Hillhouse, Chief of his
clan, by being accepted as a "bondsman of the Chief" - an ancient
Scottish tradition of manrent by which one swears to give assistance of
the Clan Chief when called upon, in return for being accepted as a
member of the clan with right to Tartan and Buckler.'
(http://www.ibabodyguards.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=32&Itemid=47)
The first question again is whether this claim is accurate, and does the
'Baron' sometimes don the McKerrell tartan when not wearing his
'Galloglas' saffron kilt? Secondly, as the 'Baron' has been photographed
wearing the breast star of the Niadh Nask, have McKerrell's attempts to
prolong the existence of MacCarthy's spurious order under the name 'Nasc
Nia' been abandoned at this stage?
Sean Murphy
Irish Chiefswatch
http://homepage.eircom.net/%7Eseanjmurphy/chiefs/chiefswatch.htm
Turenne
'He was honoured in Scotland by The McKerrell of Hillhouse, Chief of
his
clan, by being accepted as a "bondsman of the Chief" - an ancient
Scottish tradition of manrent by which one swears to give assistance
of
the Clan Chief when called upon, in return for being accepted as a
member of the clan with right to Tartan and Buckler.'
I am at a loss to understand why Charles McKerrell is referred to as
''The' McKerrell of Hillhouse. As far as I am aware, only four clan
chiefs are entitled to the prefix 'The' viz. The Chisolm, The
Mackintosh of Mackintosh, The McNab and The MacNeil of Barra.
Is Mr McKerrell a clan chief? I thought that he was merely Laird of
Hillhouse, a lairdship he re-established in 1990 since the Hillhouse
estates were sold in 1895.
Richard Lichten
Sean J Murphy
Charles McKerrell of Hillhouse was certainly claiming to be 'Chieftain
Clan McKerrell' as of October 2003:
http://clanmckerrell.awardspace.com/chieftain.htm
As for the Niadh Nask, I ask again if McKerrell is still trying to
maintain Terence MacCarthy's spurious order as the Nia Naisc or some
such variant?
Sean Murphy
The Chief
behavior may care to peruse the updated report on his activities at:
http://www.sweeneyclanchief.com/id27.htm
I highly recommend the section dealing with Mr Murphy's unfounded
allegations about The O'Long.
Regards,
The Chief
Greg
Talon MacCleod rides again.
Can you at least make an attempt to perhaps please comment on the
issue rather than spread innuendo?
Sean J Murphy
Indeed. The reference to O Long is interesting, as there are a number of
similarities between this case and that of Mac Sweeney Doe: no
satisfactory evidence to prove the claims to chiefship, assertions that
named leading Irish professional genealogists have compiled reports in
favour of the claimants which however have not been published,
manipulation and alteration of pedigrees and general attempts to evade
the findings of my published reports by personal abuse.
Sean Murphy
Mac Sweeney Doe
http://homepage.eircom.net/%7Eseanjmurphy/chiefs/macsweeneydoe.html
O Long of Garranelongy
http://homepage.eircom.net/%7Eseanjmurphy/chiefs/olong.htm
The Chief
On Sep 24, 3:11 am, Sean J Murphy <sjbmur...@SPAMOUTeircom.net> wrote:
> Greg wrote:
> > On 23 Sep, 09:14, The Chief <The_Chieft...@att.net> wrote:
>
> >>Those interested in Mr Murphy's double standards and unprofessional
> >>behavior may care to peruse the updated report on his activities at:http://www.sweeneyclanchief.com/id27.htm
>
> >>I highly recommend the section dealing with Mr Murphy's unfounded
> >>allegations about The O'Long.
>
> >>Regards,
> >> The Chief
>
> > Talon MacCleod rides again.
>
> > Can you at least make an attempt to perhaps please comment on the
> > issue rather than spread innuendo?
>
> Indeed. The reference to O Long is interesting, as there are a number of
> similarities between this case and that of Mac Sweeney Doe: no
> satisfactory evidence to prove the claims to chiefship, assertions that
> named leading Irish professional genealogists have compiled reports in
> favour of the claimants which however have not been published,
> manipulation and alteration of pedigrees and general attempts to evade
> the findings of my published reports by personal abuse.
>
> Sean Murphy
Indeed there are similarities, namely your sweeping allegations of
falsity, which you can't back up, and your self-appointed and
prejudiced role as judge and jury with regard to those who dealt with
the Office of Chief Herald. To quote from the wonder report on Sean
Murphy report at http://www.sweeneyclanchief.com/id27.htm;
"O Long Report ! On 29 April, 2000, Mr Sean J Murphy (genealogist,
part-time teacher, self-proclaimed scholar, self-proclaimed second to
none chiefly pedigree expert, and one-man Centre for Irish
Genealogical/ Local Historical Studies) announced on line: 'we have
continued the time-consuming and painstaking work of checking out
pedigrees ... and now are sufficiently advanced in our research into O
Long to issue a report'. If Mr Murphy's report of 29 April 2000 re O
Long of Garranelongy is an example of 'painstaking work', then, it's
little wonder that his semi-researched Mac Sweeney Doe report also
falls far short of the mark. Mr Murphy should make certain that his
facts are correct before he posts them on the web, for example, on 6
Sept 2006 he alleged (on Google groups alt.genealogy) that Denis O
Long was a 'bogus O Long of
Garranelongy'.
Denis O Long of Garranelongy was unfortunate inasmuch as he
commissioned Terence MacCarthy (the bogus Mac Carthy Mór) to research
his pedigree. Mr Murphy commented on line, 29 April 2000: 'The most
substantial available published pedigree of the currently recognized O
Long is from the pen of the now 'abdicated' MacCarthy Mór, and this
alone is a sufficient cause for concern'. However, no one could be
more concerned than Denis O Long and, because of his concern, he
commissioned a distinguished consultant genealogist and author, Mr
Paul Gorry, to review the pedigree researched by Terence MacCarthy. It
should be noted:
(a) that Mr Gorry had been commissioned some months previously by Mr
Brendan O Donoghue, Chief Herald of Ireland, to review Terence
MacCarthy's own pedigree;
(b) that Chief Herald O Donoghue's decision to withdraw recognition
from Terence MacCarthy in 1999 was founded on Mr Gorry's findings and
not on a leak of information to a Sunday newspaper by Mr Murphy (see
Part 11).
Mr Gorry's painstaking work confirmed Denis O Long's descent from the
last recorded Chief of the Name of O Long of Garranelongy in the
seventeenth century. Nevertheless, Denis O Long went a step further
and obtained a second professional opinion, this time from Dr Kenneth
Nicholls, an internationally acclaimed medievalist, lecturer and
author. Dr Nicholls' findings agreed with Mr Gorry's. Mr Gorry is a
full-time consultant genealogist and Member of the Association of
Professional Genealogists in Ireland, and is recognized as a Chiefly
pedigree expert. Kenneth Nicholls, Senior Lecturer in University
College Cork, holds Doctorate and Post-Doctorate qualifications and is
regarded as the foremost academic in his field.
It is interesting to note that 'Paul Gorry and Kenneth Nicholls' are
merely mentioned in passing by Mr Murphy in his O Long of Garranelongy
report, 30 June 2006. Peter Berresford Ellis was more forthcoming in
his book Erin's Blood Royal, Palgrave, New York 2002, pages156-7. He
informs us: 'Murphy denounced O'Long's pedigree as bogus and called
for an enquiry. The Office (of Chief Herald), sensitive after the
"McCarthy Affair" announced a review of O'Long's pedigree. This, like
other reviews is currently on "hold". However, The O Long, even
before the announcement of a review, was shocked by the accusations
and employed a reputable genealogist, Paul Gorry. Gorry had
discovered the McCarthy fraud after being employed by the Chief
Herald's Office to examine his pedigree. O'Long also asked for the
help of medievalist Dr Kenneth Nicholls of Cork University to examine
the material pertaining to that period. ........The O'Long, who has
a reputation for punctilious honesty, is financing his own review
through a reputable genealogist and historian.' (The 2002 edition of
Erin's Blood Royal, was reviewed by Mr Murphy, 1 May 2002.)
In May 2006, Mr Murphy obtained a copy of Denis O Long's file from The
Office of Chief Herald of Ireland via a Freedom of Information request
and on 30 June 2006 he revised his report of 29 April 2000. We note
that a number of very serious allegations made by Mr Murphy in his 29
April 2000 report have been purged, without explanation or apology,
from his 30 June 2006 report. Examples follow:
'Do not the irregularities surrounding the O Long case appear on the
face of it to be even greater than those discovered in the cases of
MacCarthy Mór and Maguire of Fermanagh?'
'Once again serious discrepancies, want of documentary evidence and
indeed crude forgery have been discovered in relation to the proffered
pedigree of O Long ...'
'Just what is to be done in the specific case of O Long? Again, a
nettle must be grasped ... '
'I could not locate any sources connecting the claimant (Denis O Long)
with the last recorded chief in the seventeenth century.''
Comment. Mr Gorry and Dr Nicholls were able to locate sources
connecting Denis O Long with the last recorded O Long Chief in the
seventeenth century, but Mr Murphy could not."
Regards,
The Chief
Sean J Murphy
competence and professional integrity. Mr Gorry has no third-level
qualification and no substantial published work on Irish chiefs. His
March 1999 report on Terence MacCarthy was obtained by me on foot of a
Freedom of Information application after I completed my own report dated
June 1999. I found Mr Gorry's report useful up to a point and cited it
appropriately in my 2004 book, but the report clearly provided Chief
Herald O Donoghue with insufficient material to justify nullifying
Terence MacCarthy's certificate of chiefship, whereas my report and the
Sunday Times expos� provided the necessary prods to long delayed action
in July 1999! Kenneth Nicholls does not in fact have a doctorate as Mr
Sweeney persistently claims, although he is an eminent scholar, and I
find it hard to believe that he has validated Mr Sweeney's or Mr Long's
claims to chiefship. But if Mr Nicholls has produced positive reports
let us see them, together with the reports by Ms Mac Conghail and Mr Gorry.
Sean Murphy
Irish Chiefs http://homepage.eircom.net/%7Eseanjmurphy/chiefs/
PS Still willing to produce a report on Chief's claims, if ever he has
the guts to reveal his true identity. But perhaps I have already
mentioned him somewhere . . .
> commissioned Terence MacCarthy (the bogus Mac Carthy M�r) to research
> his pedigree. Mr Murphy commented on line, 29 April 2000: 'The most
> substantial available published pedigree of the currently recognized O
> Long is from the pen of the now 'abdicated' MacCarthy M�r, and this
> MacCarthy M�r and Maguire of Fermanagh?'
The Chief
The comment on the issue is in the "Murphy report", at
http://www.sweeneyclanchief.com/id27.htm;
"O Long Report ! On 29 April, 2000, Mr Sean J Murphy (genealogist,
part-time teacher, self-proclaimed scholar, self-proclaimed second to
none chiefly pedigree expert, and one-man Centre for Irish
Genealogical/ Local Historical Studies) announced on line: 'we have
continued the time-consuming and painstaking work of checking out
pedigrees ... and now are sufficiently advanced in our research into O
Long to issue a report'. If Mr Murphy's report of 29 April 2000 re O
Long of Garranelongy is an example of 'painstaking work', then, it's
little wonder that his semi-researched Mac Sweeney Doe report also
falls far short of the mark. Mr Murphy should make certain that his
facts are correct before he posts them on the web, for example, on 6
Sept 2006 he alleged (on Google groups alt.genealogy) that Denis O
Long was a 'bogus O Long of
Garranelongy'.
Denis O Long of Garranelongy was unfortunate inasmuch as he
commissioned Terence MacCarthy (the bogus Mac Carthy Mór) to research
his pedigree. Mr Murphy commented on line, 29 April 2000: 'The most
substantial available published pedigree of the currently recognized O
Long is from the pen of the now 'abdicated' MacCarthy Mór, and this
MacCarthy Mór and Maguire of Fermanagh?'
Nathaniel Taylor
<10b2de3a-f4c1-4cfe...@k13g2000hse.googlegroups.com>,
The Chief <The_Ch...@att.net> wrote:
> > Can you at least make an attempt to perhaps please comment on the
> > issue rather than spread innuendo?
>
> The comment on the issue is in the "Murphy report", at
> http://www.sweeneyclanchief.com/id27.htm;
<...>
> Mr Gorry's ... work confirmed Denis O Long's descent from the
> last recorded Chief of the Name of O Long of Garranelongy in the
> seventeenth century.
<...>
> Dr Nicholls' findings agreed with Mr Gorry's...
<...>
> Mr Gorry and Dr Nicholls were able to locate sources connecting
> Denis O Long with the last recorded O Long Chief in the
> seventeenth century, but Mr Murphy could not."
What are those sources?
Nat Taylor
a genealogist's sketchbook:
http://www.nltaylor.net/sketchbook/
The Chief
> Note that I place the following the record in response to attacks on my
> competence and professional integrity. Mr Gorry has no third-level
> qualification and no substantial published work on Irish chiefs. His
> March 1999 report on Terence MacCarthy was obtained by me on foot of a
> Freedom of Information application after I completed my own report dated
> June 1999. I found Mr Gorry's report useful up to a point and cited it
> appropriately in my 2004 book, but the report clearly provided Chief
> Herald O Donoghue with insufficient material to justify nullifying
> Terence MacCarthy's certificate of chiefship, whereas my report and the
> in July 1999! Kenneth Nicholls does not in fact have a doctorate as Mr
> Sweeney persistently claims, although he is an eminent scholar, and I
> find it hard to believe that he has validated Mr Sweeney's or Mr Long's
> claims to chiefship. But if Mr Nicholls has produced positive reports
> let us see them, together with the reports by Ms Mac Conghail and Mr Gorry.
>
> Sean Murphy
> Irish Chiefshttp://homepage.eircom.net/%7Eseanjmurphy/chiefs/
>
Well, Murphy, you really are pathetic. Not only do you have to
constantly puff yourself up, but you seek to denigrate others also,
the latest being Paul Gorry, a well known, highly respected and very
well qualified genealogist. But then, of course, it is all of a piece
with your previous comment:
'It is a reflection not of my ability, but of the rock bottom
standards applying in Irish heraldry and genealogy, that I cannot
think of a single other professional with the capacity to check the
validity of the information contained in such documents.' - the self-
regarding remarks of a boor if ever there was one.
You really are a vile piece of work, just like they all say about you,
and I rather think the MacSweeney Doe is too kind to you in his report
on Sean Murphy at http://www.sweeneyclanchief.com/id27.htm
With very little regard,
The Chief
Turenne
Why are you quoting the 'Report' at such length, haven't you any
original thoughts of your own? What on earth's the point of posting a
link, and then cutting and pasting whole chunks? One more quick
question: why should you want to lend any credence Mr Short's
fantasies?
Richard Lichten
Greg
>
> With very little regard,
> The Chief- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
Mr. MacLeod,
It's obvious that you cannot quote your "known souces", because you
have none. Rather than comment factually or at the very least
cogantively with respect to the subject you sling hash! Great choice.
Can you cite facts that make Mr. Murphy's report unworthy? I'm not
talking about whether he wears two colors of socks: I'm talking about
a verifiable fact that disputes Sean's work. The opinion of a
genealogist is only as good as the material he uses to prove his work.
Therefore sean says that the genealogist of interest cannot support
his position.
Either get with it sir or get off the bus.
The Chief
> Re The Chief's efforts at copying and pasting:
>
> Why are you quoting the 'Report' at such length, haven't you any
> original thoughts of your own? What on earth's the point of posting a
> link, and then cutting and pasting whole chunks?
Oh, no, what I posted is only a very, very small piece of the entire!
>One more quick
> question: why should you want to lend any credence Mr Short's
> fantasies?
I have said nothing at all about Mr Short, whether fantasy or not, so
I don't think your comment follows. What I have responded to is Mr
Murphy's ongoing "long war" against the APGI and OCHI as well as his
technique of besmirching any and all who disagree with him, or don't
accede to his bullying ways, the latest being The McKerrell of
Hillhouse, The MacSweeney Doe and now Paul Gorry. Paul, of course, is
"guilty" of being a member of the APGI,
>
> Richard Lichten
Regards,
The Chief
Greg
You have no credibility on the issue. Your diversion is negligible.