John Delany, Sr.

A Patriot of the American Revolution for VIRGINIA. DAR Ancestor # A031493

Dulany : THE NAME in its form, Delaney is a Norman name, form De l'aunaie, meaning "from the alder grove.' and doubtless some of those bearing the name in Ireland are of Norman stock. However, in the majority of cases it was adopted as the anglicized form of the original Irish O'Dubhslaine the word dubh, meaning 'black,' and slan, meaning 'defiance' or possibly taken from Slaine, a topographical name which most likely refers to the River Slaney. The name evolved from O'Dubhshlaine to O'Dulany to finally Delany, although the name is found in old records with the various spellings of O'Delany, Delane, and Dillane.

"Traditionally, the Delany clan was said to have been descended from one of the ancient clans of septs which migrated to Ossory, in the County Laoightis, Ireland, with King Herman, one of the five sons of Melisius, from Spain 1000 years before the birth of Christ. He was king and monarch of all Ireland and resided in Ossory at a place called Rathbeagh, pronounced "Rawbay." Ancient Ossory is now County Kilkenny, southern Tipperary, and the Barony of Upper Ossory, in Queen's County." (Dulany-Furlong, pg.4)

The home of the O'Delany's was Tuath-Na-Toraidh, when translated means 'the people of the district of the towers.' Tuath-Na-Toraidh was also located in Ossory, in fact, within miles of Rathbeagh. "The O'Delanys were chiefs of the territory called Coilluachtarach, now known as Upperwoods, at the foot of the Slieve Bloom Mountains, near the source of the rivers Nore and Barrow in County Lexis." (Dulany-Furlong, pg. 5) Today the name is prominent in the four baronies of Queen's County (now Leix) and in the five baronies of County Kilkenny.

The O'Delany Clan was a social and political force in Queen's County and was of ancient origin, Irish records mention Felix o'Dulany, a Cistercian monk, who was Bishop of Ossory from 1173 to 1202. He built the Cathedral of St, Canice in Kilkenny and he was interred at Jerpoint Abbey. ( Source: William M.Hennessy, The Annals of Loch Ce,Kraus Reprint, Ltd., 1965, Vol. 1., pg. 223) The fact that Felix O'Dulany was the Bishop of Ossory presents evidence that the family was of high standing in the community, The hierachy of Ireland in those times was composed from the sons of the kings and chiefs of the area. And accordingly, "there was no other country in which purity of blood was so severely guarded as in Ireland, the kings and chiefs to the humblest in the clans being of the same blood and held in strict accountability for the preservation in all its purity." ( B.L. Dulaney, Something About the Dulaney (Dulany) Familyand a Sketch of the Southern Cobb Family 1700-1920, Washington D.C. pg. 13)

The bard O'herrian, who died in 1420, in his topographical poem enumerating the Munster clans, refers to the Chiefs of the O'Dulanys: (Dulany-Furlong, pg. 5)

High chief of the productive territory,

From the delightful Coil Oughterugh

Is O'Dubhlaine, the man of hospitality,

From the mountains of the most delightful.

Thomas Delany's own family seems to have had social and political prominence in Ireland. Daniel Delany, his brother, was born in Queen's County, Ireland and is recorded dying in the year 1750. It is said he married into the "Uniacke' family, who like the O'Dulany clan were of ancient origin and highly distinguished in both England and Ireland. His nephew, Dr. Patrick Delany, was an alumni of "Trinity College, Dublin, Chancellor of the Christ Church, prebendary od Saint Patrick's Cathedral (Protestant), Dean of Down. A man of much knowledge and an author, he was a close friend to Jonathan Swift. His wife wife, Mary (Granville) was the niece of the first Lord Landsdowne, and a special friend of Queen Charlotte, wife of George III." (Dulany-Furlong, pg. 5-6)

America

The sons of Thomas Dulany arrived in Port Tobacco, Maryland in April of 1703. Joseph, Daniel, and William were bound in articles of redemption to the captain of the ship that had transported they to the Colonies. It was the right of the captain to sale at his own discretion these articles and make them indentured servants to the buyer. However, it appears that they made satisfactory arrangements upon their arrival for there is no evidence that they were indentured to any resident or planter in the Maryland area. Evidently, Joseph obtained and served an apprenticeship in a local doctor's office, William taught school, and Daniel studiedlaw in the office of Col. George Plater of Saint Mary's County, Maryland.

Thomas Delany, Sarah his wife and his son, Thomas arrived in Maryland in 1709. According to an entry in the MarylandCalender of Wills, Thomas Delany, age 19 witnessed and signed a will of one of the crewman of the vessel Mary out of London, England in the year 1709. The will was later recorded and probated in Maryland that year. Settling in Port tobacco and later Joppa, Maryland, the county seat of Maryland. Thomas changed his name to Dulany, to conform with his three son's name who had arrived before him.

Thomas Delany/Dulany's descendants are now spread across America. Descendents of a rich Irish heritage. Possibly the descendants of kings and certainly, the descendants of educated and enlightened men who helped to ensure the birth of a new nation. --Gray Family History

John Delaney is an American Revolutionary War Patriot, DAR Number A031493 and SAR Number P-338866, for proving Patriotic service in 1783 in Culpepper County, Virginia by furnishing beef and paying supply tax.