The person to whom granted: Florence O’Donohue of Sèvres had a brother Conor, who left after Limerick via France to Belgium. The arms shown here would have been granted to Conor’s son John. Florence (of Sèvres) was present at the wedding of his cousin John of Ghent to Maria Jozefa de Hornes, Lady of Geldrop and Niel. John studied law at Leuven and became a councillor and requestmaster of the great council chamber in Mechelen. He was said to be one of the most distinguished lawyers of his time.
Current person entitled: No male descendant is known. I met a descendant of the female line a few years ago, however.
The blazon: (1) De sinople à l’epée d’argent, garnie d’or, accolée d’une bisse (serpent erect) d’argent et accostée de deux loups affrontées d’or; à la bordure d’argent.
(2) De sin. à un epée d’arg., garnie d’or, accolée d’un serpent de sin., la tête cont.(contournée),et accostée de deux loups affr.(affrontée) d’or; à la bord. du sec.
Translated: Green, a sword of silver decorated with gold, encircled round the throat (or coupled) with a serpent (erect) from the left, the head to the left, and bordered by two gold wolves face to face, bordered in silver.
The crest: (1) Un pelican de sable se déchirant la poitrine.
(2) Un pelican de sa.avec sa piété de gu.
Translated: A black pelican tearing its breast (in her red piety)
The motto: Nihil virtus generosa timet as for Glens
Where and when first registered: Gand/Ghent, Belgium in early 18th century
Research carried out: Jacques Farges and Mary Casteleyn had done a lot of work which they made available to me. I visited Belgium and Holland to see the O’Donoghue castles with Pol van den Bril.
Ongoing questions: None
Sources and acknowledgements: (1) L’Annuaire de la Noblesse Belge, 1856, Vol.10(2) J-B Rietstap – V & HV Rolland’s Armorial General
Casteleyn, Mary Van den Bril, Pol