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.”
The O’Carrolls belonged to the second order of the Irish royal line that is the provincial kings, of whose ancestors sat on the imperial throne, although in the later days of the kingdom, since the dawn of the Christian era, the Ard Righs were chosen from the four great families of O’Melaghlin of Meath, O’Neill of Tyrone, O’Brien of Thomond and O’Loghlin of Tirconnell and O’Connor of Connaught.