Chapter CL: Section X: Feidlim, &c

Feidlim was a very early Irish name, meaning the ever good, and Feidhlim Reachtmar, or the lawgiver, gained himself high reputation early in the second century, from which time Feidlim flourished in Ireland as Felimy or Felim, until a fashion arose of spelling it like a Greek word, Phelim, and then one Sir Phelim O'Neill, who was deeply implicated in the great Popish massacre of 1641, changed his name to Felix. He was seized by the English army and condemned, but was offered his life by Cromwell if he would inculpate King Charles, and on his gallant refusal, was executed. His new name caused the Irish poet M’Gee to exclaim—

“Why when that hero age you deify,
Why do you pass _infelix Felix_ by?”

A later Phelim O'Neill, in the last century, who made the same change, and called himself Felix Neele, was indignantly addressed in a Latin epigram:—-

“Poor paltry skulker from thy noble race,
_Infelix Felix_, blush for thy disgrace.”

Felim once had a feminine Fedlimi, now either forgotten or transmuted into Felicia.

Tadhg is translated a poet, and was always a favourite in Ireland, where it has degenerated into Teague, Teige, or Thady, and then has been translated into Timothy, Thaddeus, Theodore, Theodosius, according to the fancy of the owner, though Tim is perhaps the most usual.

Mathew is in like manner the Anglicism of Mathghamhain, pronounced Mahoone, or Mahon, and meaning a bear.

Here again we meet with that universal Amal, as in the Roman Æmilii and Teutonic Amaler, and probably like them originally meaning work, though the direct meaning of _Amuil_ in Gaelic is now, a hindrance, possibly as increasing labour. Amalgaid was a good deal in use in the elder times. The seven sons of Amalgith are said by Nennius to have been baptized by St. Patrick, and the race formed a sept called the Ui Amalghaid, who left their designation to the barony of Tir Awlay, in Ireland; while their Scottish cousins became the memorable clan Macaulay, the sons of labour. Awlay is the genuine Anglicism, not entirely disused in Scotland; but in Ireland, intercourse with the Danish conquerors led to the substitution of Amlaidh, as the Erse spelt the Danish Anlaff, ancestor’s relic, the same name as Olaf, and now this is likewise called Auley.[100]

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Footnote 100:

O'Donovan; Macpherson; Nennius; Munch; _Highland Society’s
Dictionary_.