HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY JIM MORIARTY!

The name Moriarty is an Anglicized version developed from of the Olde Gaelic pre 10th century surname O'Muircheartaigh. which originated in County Kerry, in Ireland.

Ó Muircheartaigh is thus often translated to mean navigator or sea worthy, as the Irish word muir means sea and cheart means correct.

The prefix O’ indicates male descendant of and in this case a personal or perhaps occupational name “Muircheartach” literal meaning was “ The navigator”. Ó Muircheartaigh is thus often translated to mean navigator or sea worthy, as the Irish word ‘muir’ means sea and ‘cheart’ means correct.

The surname Ó Muircheartaigh was originally closely associated with the O'Donoghues and the O'Mahonys of County Kerry. Their territory lay on both sides of Castlemaine Harbour where they held great sway prior to the Anglo-Norman Invasion of 1170.

The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Teag O'Moriarty, a chief of the clan in County Kerry. This was dated 1210 when he married the daughter of a leading Anglo-Norman called Fitzgerald. This was during the reign of King Cathal and known as “Craobhdhearg”, or Red Hand, The High King of Ireland,1198 - 1224.

Historical figures such as Henry Augustus Moriarty (1815 - 1906) was true to his name, a renowned navigator who was highly acclaimed for his success in the recovery of first Atlantic telegraph cable which broke in mid-ocean in 1866. David Moriarty (1814 - 1877), and educated at Boulogne-sur-Mer and Maynooth, became the bishop of Kerry in 1856.

Moriarty family has been granted a coat of arms, which depicts a black eagle displayed on a silver shield. On the crest is an armoured arm embowed holding a sword fessways entwined with a serpent. In heraldry, an eagle displayed is representative of ‘speed and wisdom’.

Reference: http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Moriarty and http://www.irishgathering.ie/html/moriarty.htm