The name O'Shaughnessy is easily recognisable as a quintessential Irish name whereas the surname of its lineal cousins, Hynes, the anglicised rendition of Ui hEidhne, looks more Saxon than Gaelic. The name O 'Cleary is also obviously Irish as indeed it is because that family shares the same ancestry as the Hynes and O'Shaughnessy and has the added distinction of being one of the earliest recorded hereditary names ever. This book, the 'O'Shaughnessys', is a companion book to 'The Hynes of Ireland' so ideally it should be read shortly after the other because the two families share their earliest ancestors and history. Between them the two books present vivid accounts of the battles, murders, duels, conflicts, love stories, poems, castles, monasteries and miracles involving these ancient families and their kinsfolk, other descendants of King Guaire, the O'Clearys, O'Cahans, O'Cahills, Killikellys, . Their ancient friends and foes are mentioned too, among them - the Burkes, Comerfords, Gregorys, Martins, O'Briens, O'Connors, O'Donovans, O'Kellys, O'Loughlins, Ludlow, O'Neills, Prendergasts and Taylors. Researchers into family history will find a wealth of intriguing information about these families which has hitherto been hidden away in obscure papers and documents.Where most of the narrative of The Hynes of Ireland centres on the seaside town of Kinvara on the edge of Galway bay, Ireland, The O'Shaughnessys centres on the market town of Gort, a few miles inland.