The Carroll family of Maryland has been for three centuries a prominent one in the Province and the State, and may be said to have left an indelible impress upon the history of the Commonwealth. It would be gratifying to members of the Irish race to know that the family is distinctively a Gaelic one and occupied for centuries a high position in Ireland, being one of royal origin. The Carrolls are descended from Cian, the youngest brother of Eoghan (Owen or Eugene “Mor” great) and son of Olioll Olum, first king of Munsters, who was the ancestor of O’Cearbhaill (Cearball)—Irish for massacre or slaughter—referring to some incident possibly of the bearer’s life, Anglicized O’Carroll Ely, Karwell, Carroll, Gervil and McCarrell. It is therefore not to be wondered at that the descendants of this knightly race achieved equally knightly distinction in America. There were several different branches of the O’Carroll family all from the same parent stock, the principal one of which was that of the princess of Ely O’Carroll, territory which comprised the barony of Lower Ormond in Tipperary, with the barony of Clonlisk and part of Ballybut in the kings county, extending to the Slieve Bloom Mountains, in the Queens County. [Illustration: MICHAEL P. KEHOE, ESQ., Baltimore, Md. Vice-President of the Society for Maryland. ] The title “Ely” as prefixed to the O’Carrolls is derived from Eile, a prince of the fifth century. Cearbhaill or Carroll was also the last king of Leinster who lived in Naas, the capitol in the County of Kildare. He died in 909 and was a noted warrior, his sword being treasured for centuries as a precious relic by fighting men. It is evident from what is known of this sword of Carroll that sword-making was a fine art in Ireland in those days. There is extant an ancient poem in the Gaelic dedicated to the sword of Carroll which was recently translated by Prof. Kuno Meyer of the Liverpool University, who is a noted Gaelic scholar. The poem is addressed to the famous blade and is taken from the “Book of Leinster.” It is written in that intricate metre known as “Derbhde” which it is impossible to reproduce in English on account of its difficulty and has long ceased to be practised by the Gaelic poets. Its opening lines are as follows: “Hail, sword of Carroll. Oft hast thou been in the great woof of war, Oft giving battle, beheading great princes. Oft hast thou gave a raiding in the hands of kings of high judgment. Oft hast thou divided the spoil when with a king worthy of thee. Oft hast thou been among kings, oft among great hands. Many were the kings with whom thou hast been when thou madest fight. Many a shield hast thou cleft in battle, many a head, many a chest, many a fair skin.”