Flynn
also O'Flynn, Ó Floinn
The reddish one — across three Ó Floinn septs.
CoreHistoric reach
The seat of Flynn
Seat vacantChief
No chief yet. The seat awaits its first claimant — be the first to stake your name to Flynn.
Current mission
No mission proclaimed. The chief, once seated, sets the clan’s public focus — a campaign, a contest, a piece of restoration, a year of remembrance.
The pledge surface for chiefdoms and missions is being built. Until it ships, register your name through the submit form.
Stake your name →What does the Flynn name mean?
From Ó Floinn — descendant of Flann ('reddish' or 'ruddy'). At least three distinct Ó Floinn lines: the Connacht Ó Floinn of north-east Roscommon (the principal sept), the Munster Ó Floinn of north Cork around the river Bregog, and the Ulster Ó Floinn of east Antrim (a sub-sept of the O'Neill confederation). All Anglicised as Flynn. The personal name Flann itself was widely current in early Christian Ireland — the high king Flann Sinna (d. 916) is its most famous bearer.
The history of Flynn
The Connacht Ó Floinn were chiefs of Síol Maoil Ruain in north Roscommon, with their seat at Castlerea. The Munster Ó Floinn held Muskerry-Flin around modern Coachford in Cork; the Ulster Ó Floinn — distinct again — held lands around Larne in modern Antrim. All three lines lost political ground in the Tudor and Cromwellian confiscations, and the surname Anglicised to Flynn across the board by the 18th century. Modern Flynn is densest in Connacht, particularly Mayo and Roscommon, but distributed across the island.
Errol Flynn (1909–1959), the Hobart, Tasmania-born actor of Captain Blood, The Adventures of Robin Hood and Captain of the Clouds, was Hollywood's foremost swashbuckling lead of the 1930s and 40s — descended from a Carlow-Flynn emigrant family on his father's side. Vince Flynn (1966–2013), the St Paul, Minnesota-born thriller novelist of the Mitch Rapp series, was Connacht-Irish-Flynn. Jerome Flynn (b. 1963), the Bromley-born actor, played Bronn in Game of Thrones across all eight seasons.
Notable bearers of the Flynn name
- Errol Flynn (1909–1959) — Hollywood actor (Captain Blood, Robin Hood)
- Vince Flynn (1966–2013) — thriller novelist (Mitch Rapp series)
- Jerome Flynn (b. 1963) — actor (Game of Thrones)