Renowned for centuries as poets, scholars and guardians of ancient Celtic tradition, bearers of the Daly name are also of truly royal race.
Their main territory was near the Hill of Tara, sacred heart of the Emerald Isle, while other branches of the clan flourished in areas that include present day County Galway.
In contemporary times and on the stage, Tyne Daly is the award-winning American actress best known for her role of Christine Cagney in the 1980s’ police drama Cagney and Lacey.
In the world of scientific research Marie Maynard Daly was awarded a doctorate from Columbia University in 1947 – making her the first African-American woman to earn a Ph.D. in chemistry before she went on to become a pioneer in the study of the effects of cigarette smoking on the lungs.
Shot through with colourful romance and drama, the proud and inspiring tale of the Dalys is recounted here.
Daly Clan Mini-Book Excerpt
One particularly infamous bearer of the Daly name was the American Wild West outlaw John Daly.
Born in 1839, he arrived in Nevada territory in the early 1860s and, with his gun slinging band of fellow outlaws feared as the Daly Gang, terrorised the peaceful citizens of the townships of Aurora and Carson City for two years.
But it was not until the murder in February 1864, of townsman William R. Johnston, who had killed Daly Gang member Jim Sears, that Nevada citizens plucked up the courage to band together and form the Citizens’ Protective Association.
This move sounded the death knell of the Daly Gang – with John Daly and three other gang members captured and summarily hanged within only a week of the formation of the association.
