The Joyce clan

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One of the most famous of the Joyce clan is Irish author James Joyce

Photo by CORBIS - James Joyce in 1938

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Although the surname Joyce may automatically be associated with author James Joyce, the name has an ancient past, with both Irish and Norman antecedents.

Derived from the Brehon personal name Iodoc, which is a diminutive of iudh meaning lord, the name was adopted by the Normans in the form Josse.

While some scholars believe that the name developed from the French Joie, which means joy, a multitude of names developed in Ireland and England from Josse, including Joce, Joass, and Joyce.

Despite its international origins, Joyce is regarded as a true Irish name and is more common in Ireland than in any other country.

The first documented Joyce, Thomas de Jorse, a Norman Welshman, married the daughter of the Prince of Thomond in 1283 and settled in Connaught. And today the majority of those bearing the name come from this province. So much so, that the area has become known as Joyce Country.

The Joyce coat of arms displays two eagles in tribute to the special relationship the bird has to the clan.

Legend has it that while William Joyce was traveling in Europe during the Crusades he was captured by Saracens. He escaped and was led by an eagle to the location of a buried treasure. After returning home, he used the riches from this treasure to build the walls of Galway City.

Later, William Joyce's granddaughter Margaret Joyce, or Margaret na Drehide (of the bridges), built bridges throughout Connaught, which includes the modern counties of Mayo and Galway. Margaret also encountered an eagle, one which dropped a jewel into her lap.

Known for their tall stature, many of the Joyces became successful merchants and interspersed themselves through the Fourteen Tribes of Galway.

The clan also produced many fine scholars, historians, linguists, and folklorists. Indeed, it is believed that it was a Joyce who designed the Claddagh Ring, one Ireland's most enduring symbols. This Joyce is said to have learned his silversmithing trade while being held captive in Algeria.

The Joyce clan also produced a most infamous member. During World War II, WilliamJoyce,also known as Lord Haw Haw, was the voice on the radio that embraced fascism. Born in New York City but raised in County Mayo, Ireland, he was eventually captured by the Allies, convicted of treason, and hanged.

Without a doubt the most famous Joyce is author James Joyce (1882-1941), who was born in Dublin. A poet, novelist, playwright, and author, Joyce is arguably the only 20th century novelist to have published only masterpieces. His notable works include: "Dubliners," "Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man," "Ulysses," and "Finnegan's Wake."

June 16 marks the annual celebration of Bloomsday when Ulysses' Leopold Bloom began his modern-day odyssey through the urban landscape of Dublin in 1904.

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