Welcome to the Whitty Clan website which was researched by Maura Whitty RIP 4th March 2014
A brief history of The Whitty Clan
The first of the Irish Whittys settled in south Wexford following the arrival of the Anglo-Normans on the south-east coast over 800 years ago. Their descendants have continued to live in the area ever since, while many more are to be found in Britain, America and Australia as a result of emigration.
At the middle of the last century as many as 145 Whitty occupiers were registered in Co. Wexford, the great majority in the southern baronies of Forth and Bargy. In common with all the other Anglo-Norman families, the Whittys built strong castles on the estates they were granted, established their principal residence at Ballyteigue, alongside the picturesque fishing village that later developed at Kilmore Quay.
Here they remained as lords of their extensive lands for over 400 years until disposed in the Cromwellian confiscations as the price for having aligned themselves with the great Catholic rebellion of 1641. At the time, Richard Whitty, described as an ‘Irish Papist ‘, owned 490 acres in the district around Ballyteigue.
The Whittys built another castle at Dungulph, near Fethard-on-Sea, which is now owned by the Cloney family. The Ballyteigue Whittys inter-married with other leading Anglo-Norman families, such as the Devereuxs of neighbouring Ballymagyr, Keatings of Baldwinstown and Cheevers of Ballyhealy. The earliest record shows Robert Wythay (sic) at Ballyteigue in 1247. From then on there many references to the Whittys there, a few noble examples being Richard Whitty who was a witness to Aylmer de Valence’s charter to the town of Wexford in 1317; Walter Whitty, Dean of Ferns Diocese in 1345; Sir Richard summoned as a baron to parliament by Edward II; George Whitty, appointed as a commissioner to raise money in the Barony of Forth in 1410. In 1408 Ballyteigue Castle was attacked and burned by rebel Irish Kavanaghs who frequently carried out raids on the strongholds of the Anglo-Norman colonists.
Peter Whitty our late Honorary chief passed away peacefully at his home on the 5th October 2011 at the age of 78.
Our New Honorary Chief is Paul Whitty an Irish American.
