Re: NALLY FAMILY, CO. WESTMEATH, IRL TO PA
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In reply to:
Re: NALLY FAMILY, CO. WESTMEATH, IRL TO PA
11/10/98
Jim , I am married to Eileen Nally of Abbeyshrule Co.Longford ,which is only 30 minutes from Moate . My Father-in-Law was John(Jack)Nally of Rathkelet ,Co. Westmeath. These Nallys are not to the best of my knowledge related to Nallys in Moate . The name Nally has an interesting history . It was originally (for this family) McNally but as a result of history the Mc was dropped to show a distance from McNally the 1798 traitor in that year of rebellion in Ireland . Further the name comes from the ancient Gaelic mythology of Lir and the Swans , a story based around Lake Derravarra in Co. Westmeath . The children of Lir returned from Tir Na nOg [the land of eternal youth]and returned to the human state and at the age they were after 900 years in Tir na nOg and on being blessed by St. Patrick they died . The Gaelic for swan is ealla , and son of a swan is Mac an Ealla anglisised to MACNALLY [McNally].