Short Biographies of the Chiefs and Chieftains of the Ballyhale Line

Morgan Butler Kavanagh of Ballyhale (1876-1919)

Morgan Butler Kavanagh was born in Dublin in 1876. He was educated at Clongowes Wood College, Co. Kildare before leaving Ireland, whereupon he made his way to Australia in 1895 and eventually took up residence in India. As were many of his age, he was supported by his family on a private income, but also wrote as a journalist. On the 15th September 1906 he married Isabella, daughter of William McKenzie Young, in Melbourne, Australia. He returned to Ireland from India in 1914 to fight in the First World War; his son (the father of the present Chief) was born during this journey on a stop over at Springfield, Massachusetts. Upon the conclusion of the war he returned to India, where he died shortly afterwards at his residence there in 1919.

William Butler Kavanagh, The MacMorrough Kavanagh,
Prince of Leinster (1914-1962)

William Butler Kavanagh, The MacMorrough Kavanagh, Chief of his Name and Arms, was born on the 27th February 1914 in Springfield, Massachusetts. His father and mother were at the time returning from India in order for his father to fight in the First World War. After his fathers' death in 1919 his mother brought him up in Scotland, where he was educated at St. Andrews' University and later became a Chartered Civil Engineer. He moved to Pembroke, Pembrokeshire, South Wales, where he took a post as the Pembroke Borough Surveyor. On the 9th of March 1939 he married Elsie Violet Aida Addis, daughter of William Edward Addis, by whom he had three children, William Butler Kavanagh, his eventual heir to The MacMorrough Kavanagh title, and daughters Patricia MacMorrough Kavanagh and Margaret MacMorrough Kavanagh. He was recognised as The MacMorrough Kavanagh, Chief of his Name and Arms, in 1959 by the Chief Herald of Ireland, who was at that time based at Dublin Castle. He succeeded to the title upon the death of Arthur MacMorrough Kavanagh, of Borris House, County Carlow.

William Butler Kavanagh, The MacMorrough Kavanagh,
Prince of Leinster (b. 1944)

William Butler Kavanagh succeeded to the title of The MacMorrough Kavanagh, Chief of his Name and Arms, in 1962 upon the death of his father. He was born on the 9th February 1944 in Pembroke, Pembrokeshire. He was educated locally and later attended Shenstone College. Further to this he undertook a career in the oil industry. On the 31st July 1965 he married Margaret Joy Phillips daughter of Claude Phillips, and they have two children Simon MacMorrough Kavanagh (Tanist, or "heir designate," to the title, The MacMorrough Kavanagh) and William MacMorrough Kavanagh. He is now retired and spends time between his homes in Pembroke and the United States.

Simon MacMorrough Kavanagh, Tanist of Leinster (b. 1967), and
William MacMorrough Kavanagh, Rioghdamhna of Leinster (b. 1974)

Simon MacMorrough Kavanagh, heir to the title, The MacMorrough Kavanagh, was born on the 14th May 1967 in Worcester and William MacMorrough Kavanagh born 23rd May 1974 in Haverfordwest. Both followed in their grandfather's footsteps, becoming professional engineers. They are at present involved in the writing of a book on the Kavanagh / MacMorrough Kavanagh family.

Genealogical Charts

Pedigree of the descent of the Chiefship in the 18th through 20th centuries.

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