A Clan's Coat Of Arms
Posted: Sat Oct 16, 2010 6:11 pm
Many have asked me in PM's. What does this infamous Riley Coat of Arms look like? I'll show you the clan that even w/o a "legally binding marriage contract" I seem to still be a part of:
The History behind it is interesting:
The story behind the coat of arms of the Reilly clan (originally O'Ragheallach meaning Son of Ragheallach ("ragh:" Irish, a race; "eallach," gregarious)) has always amused me.
Note the bloodied hand? Apparently the story goes something like this:
Back when the Rileys were top of the pile, a family coat of arms used to mean something --like a logo supposedly for genetic material. It can be viewed as an abstract representation of a double helix. But when yours is a severed orange hand dripping blood the impression sure wasn't romantic. In Ireland severed hands were an emblematic dime a dozen. Them Celts knew the shock value of body parts.
However, ours, if I can claim such lineage, had a great story attached to it. The Riley bros were told by their da that the one who touched Irish land first got their choice of the countryside. So in rowing to shore -- as some sort of boat race was involved -- one of : the lads saw that he was slipping behind his sibling(s). Rather than miss out on the chance of a lifetime, junior hacked off his own hand : and threw it ahead onto the beach. And the winner, by a bloodied fist: is... So the Rileys grasped County Cavan in the open palm of a severed hand thereby learning a lesson or two about sibling rivalry. (courtesy Dave Riley's blog)
And the family motto "Fortitudine et Prudentia" (Fortitude and Prudence) sums it up. You have to know when the prize is worth losing a limb for and have the guts to chop it off. The lesson - don't frak with a Reilly.
Basically This clan was that of Kings. In technicality, that makes me a princess or a queen, even if it doesn't mean anything in today's age ^^
The History behind it is interesting:
The story behind the coat of arms of the Reilly clan (originally O'Ragheallach meaning Son of Ragheallach ("ragh:" Irish, a race; "eallach," gregarious)) has always amused me.
Note the bloodied hand? Apparently the story goes something like this:
Back when the Rileys were top of the pile, a family coat of arms used to mean something --like a logo supposedly for genetic material. It can be viewed as an abstract representation of a double helix. But when yours is a severed orange hand dripping blood the impression sure wasn't romantic. In Ireland severed hands were an emblematic dime a dozen. Them Celts knew the shock value of body parts.
However, ours, if I can claim such lineage, had a great story attached to it. The Riley bros were told by their da that the one who touched Irish land first got their choice of the countryside. So in rowing to shore -- as some sort of boat race was involved -- one of : the lads saw that he was slipping behind his sibling(s). Rather than miss out on the chance of a lifetime, junior hacked off his own hand : and threw it ahead onto the beach. And the winner, by a bloodied fist: is... So the Rileys grasped County Cavan in the open palm of a severed hand thereby learning a lesson or two about sibling rivalry. (courtesy Dave Riley's blog)
And the family motto "Fortitudine et Prudentia" (Fortitude and Prudence) sums it up. You have to know when the prize is worth losing a limb for and have the guts to chop it off. The lesson - don't frak with a Reilly.
Basically This clan was that of Kings. In technicality, that makes me a princess or a queen, even if it doesn't mean anything in today's age ^^