For me, journeys often weave along city streets or wander through remote landscapes, spanning from European familiarity to North American unknowns. While each of these begins with inevitable preparation, it is the art of embracing the unexpected that brings these experiences to life. Every step, whether through bustling cityscapes or tranquil countryside, adds another piece to this evolving anthology of exploration. As new horizons continue to beckon, I look forward to sharing more discoveries with you, letting each journey inspire the next in an endless quest for wonder.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
The Hennessy family name is an Anglicisation of Ó hAongusa (its form in the Irish language) which means descendant of Aonghus or Angus (a native Irish personal name meaning the chosen one). The name is apparently an ancient one. The first hint of this is the Ó prefix, which, along with Ua, means "grandson of". Also, there is a character in mediaeval Irish mythology called Aonghusa who was supposed to be a chief of the Fir Bolg people. These were said to have lived in Ireland before the arrival of the Celts. Dún Aonghasa, a 2500-year-old fort on Inishmore, one of the Aran Islands situated off the Galway coast, is associated with him.
There were numerous branches of the Hennessy clan in Ireland before the coming of the Normans. The leading one was based in Offaly, where they shared lordship of Clan Cholgain with the O'Holohans near Kilbeggan and the hill of Croghan. Another significant branch was found near Dublin, with the clan chief ruling Gailenga Beg on the north side of the River Liffey. With the arrival of the Normans, the surname became scattered across counties Limerick, Cork and Tipperary, where a distinct sept established itself near Ross Bay in southwest Cork. These also are the counties where the majority of the name is still found today.
The name has undergone several transformations over the centuries. The prefix "O" was commonly used (O'Hennessy) until the 17th century, after which it was largely dropped. Various anglicised versions emerged, including Hennessey, Henessy, Henesy, and Hensey. In some cases, the name evolved into Ennis, formerly O'Hennis, and sometimes rendered as Ennos or Enos.
Today, the Hennessy name is best known for its association with a world-famous cognac, the formula for which was developed in the eighteenth century by Richard Hennessy. Born in 1724, he originated from Ballymacmoy near Mallow in Co. Cork, and left his ancestral home as part of the "Wild Geese" or Flight of the Earls. At age 20, Richard joined the French Army of King Louis XV as an officer and fought in the Battle of Fontenoy in 1745, where he sustained injuries. After retiring from military service in the 1850s, he settled in the Cognac region of France.
In 1765, Richard established the Hennessy cognac trading house with his cousin James, having learnt the art of trading in Ostend, Flanders. He married Ellen Barrett, and they had a son named Jacques (James) Hennessy, born on October 11, 1765. Jacques played a crucial role in expanding the family business, starting "James Hennessy and Company" brandy merchants in 1813, which explains the "Jas. Hennessy" label still found on bottles today.
The family business continued to flourish and innovate. They made their first cognac shipments to America in 1794 and began exporting in labelled glass bottles by 1804. In 1817, they created Hennessy Very Superior Old Pale at the request of the Prince of Wales, and the following year made their first shipments to Russia. The family maintains strong ties to their Irish roots, having repurchased their old family home in Ballymacmoy in the 1930s, and today, Maurice Richard Hennessy, the eighth-generation ambassador of the company, continues the legacy of his ancestor.
The Hennessy name has now spread globally, with significant populations in Ireland, the United Kingdom (around 6,000, mostly in London), the United States (approximately 8,000, primarily in New York), and about 17,000 combined in Australia and other countries. This global presence is a testament to both Irish emigration patterns and the enduring legacy of the Hennessy cognac brand.
Pocket Book of Irish Family Names, Ida Grehan, Appletree Press, Belfast, 1985.
The Surnames of Ireland (Fourth Edition), Edward MacLysaght, Irish Academic Press, Dublin, 1985.
A page devoted to one of Ireland's most distinctive antiquities.
The Internet home of the world-famous brandy; you need to be of legal drinking age to enter.