Are You A Clansman?

[BoldHighlander]

The Irish certainly had a different system, but I certainly would not call them "clans". The Irish system did not have primogeniture like the Scottish or Anglo-Norman system did. Primogeniture is the passing of land and title from father to son. This did not exist in Ireland. Instead, nobles in the kingdom would elect their next king, which meant that while families stayed in power, the power could transfer from uncle to nephew or cousin to cousin.

You are correct in that point. The Irish had the system known as Tánaiste (or Tanistry). So I guess if we were to appease those who don't like the use of Irish & clans together we should really be referring to the Irish 'Clans' as 'Septs' or 'Families', eh?
Might get a wee bit confusing to those who think of Sept in the Scottish terms

One interesting point, in reference to Primogeniture. It seems that the Scottish clans have, over time, adopted a form of Tanistry in that time & time again, when a Chief dies without issue of his own, (& know immediate kin are found), then the Chieftainship has gone to other related (& sometimes distant) lines.

[Begin Irish archaeology reference]
This is why the Irish built wooden defenses. When the Normans (and later the Anglo-Normans) invaded, they built large stone castles while the Irish built wooden structures and crannogs. They knew there was no guarantee that the large, expensive stone castles would be passed to their son like the Normans did. Instead, they spent their money on poets, lawyers, historians, and armies.
[End Irish archaeology reference]

hmm.... I do know of at least two pre-Norman stone structures /castles that exist: Collooney Castle (listed as a 12th century pre-Norman Irish castle) , & the O'More's own Rock of Dunamase - the ruins of which can be seen at: http://www.clanomore.com/Photos.htm
which go back to the times of the kings (or chiefs) of Laois (Leix) / Dunamase, until 1325, when 'Laoiseach O’More, seized the castle of Dunamase and recovered for his family all the lands held by his ancestors, viz., all that extent of country lying between the Barrow and the Nore, and extending westwards towards the Slieve Bloom mountains, and portions of the present Counties of Kildare and Kilkenny.'