The Dunne clan

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Father Duffy statue

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The name Dunne is derived a color - donn, the Gaelic word for brown. This is relatively unusual since the vast majority of Gaelic names are based on relationships, i.e. "Son of" or "Follower of".

The Dunne family name is derived from the Gaelic O'Duinn or O'Doinn, and originates in County Laois. They were one of the principal Gaelic families of Leinster and the official papers of the English administration in Ireland noted the family as hostile and dangerous to English interests.

There is also a Dunn family of Scottish origin, some of whom settled in Ulster.

In Ireland this name is usually spelled Dunn rather than Dunne, although in the U.S. the distinction is less evident. Notable Dunnes include Charles Dunn (1799-1872). Born in Kentucky of Dublin parents, he became a lawyer in Illinois. In 1836 he was appointed Chief Judge of the New Territory of Wisconsin, a position he held until Wisconsin became a state in 1848. From 1853-56 he also served as a Wisconsin senator.

Another Dunne in the legal profession was William McKee Dunne (1814-1887). Born in Indiana, he rose to become Judge Advocate General of the U.S. Army in 1875. Williamson Dunne (1781-1854), who was born in Kentucky, was an early pioneer of Indiana. In 1809 he built the first house in what is now the town of Hanover, and participated in various local Indian wars in the early days of this community. He was eventually elected to the House of Representatives for Indiana.

Finley Peter Dunne (1867-1936): was born in Chicago, and went into journalism, rising rapidly in the editorial ranks to become managing editor of the Chicago Journal. At the turn of the century he invented "Dooley", a satirical Irish-American character whose comments on the political scene were an instant hit with the public. Many Dooley books, as well as newspaper columns (for the Chicago Journal, Colliers and other periodicals), were produced by Finley Peter Dunne during his tenure in Chicago and later New York.

In modern Ireland the Dunne name is well known, and not least because the largest chain of supermarkets is Dunne's Stores. The Duffy name is derived from the Gaelic O'Dubhthaig and is mainly associated with County Monaghan. Both forms Duffy and O'Duffy are found in modern Ireland. In Ulster the name has also been transformed to Downey.

The Duffys were exceptional craftsmen and worked on many Irish monasteries and churches. Thereare several interesting Irish (O) Duffy characters, among whom are General Eoin O'Duffy (1892-1944) who was born in Monaghan and fought in the Irish Independence movement from 1917 to 1921. In 1922 he was made Commissioner of the Garda, the new Irish Police force. In 1933 he was dismissed by Eamon de Valera and he became the leader of the Army Comrades Association, which he gradually turned into an active political force, commonly known as the Blueshirts. This group effectively supported the fascist movements then current in various European countries. In 1933 he became President of the new Fine Gael party but resigned in 1934.

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