False Claims!

An Irish Society by the name of Clan Cian Society, was created by a charter in 1982 written by it's self appointed Chief, Frederick J. O'Carroll, and has proclaimed itself as an Irish Clan over all the families of Munster. According to their charter, they claim several Irish Chiefs of Name under them, including The O'Brien, Chief of Name and historical Chief of the Dalcassians. Whereas their Chief has been referred to as a petty Chief under the McCarthys of Desmond in several published biographies.

Clan Cian Society was organized in 1982 in support of Clan O’Carroll.
Ref: Erin ’s Blood Royal by Peter Berresford Ellis (page 136)

'CLANN CIAN’ translated means ‘Race of Cian’, therefore, descendents of Cian from the third century. They are also referred to as Ciannachta.
Ref: Rev Patrick Woulfe (There are only 42 families and variations that descend from Cian).

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Let us start at the begining, i.e., the 3rd century:

From the History of Ireland; by Keating, pg 123:

'There were two races who used to be in possession of these two provinces of Munster, that is to say, the race of Dáirfhine and the race of Deirgthine, up to the time of Oilioll Ólom of the race of Deirgthine who took the chieftaincy of the two provinces, having banished from Ireland Mac Con, who was of the race of Dáirfhine. And he left the chieftaincy of the two provinces with his own posterity from that out: by way of alternation to be with the race of Eoghan mór son of Oilioll Ólom, and with the race of Cormac Cas (second son of Oilioll Ólom), every generation by turns, in the sovereignty of the two provinces of Munster.'

Cian, the younger brother of Eoghan mór and Cormac Cas, received no inheritance from his father, Oilioll Ólom.

From the 'Annals of The Four Masters', in the year 226 A.D.:

'In the army of Cormac came Tadhg, son of Cian, and Lughaidh, to that battle; and it was as a territorial reward for the battle that Cormac gave to Tadhg the land on which are the Ciannachta, in Magh Breagh, as is celebrated in other books.'

Therefore, the land of the Ciannachta (Eile) were given to them by Cormac Cas, older brother of Cian and ancestor of the Dalcassians. From the 'Kingdom of Thomond, Munster Series':

The diocese of Killaoe, which was first established at the Synod of Rathbresail in 1111, is often given as "coterminous with the boundaries of the ancient kingdom of Thomond." At that time Killaloe was an area held by the Dál gCais and those most closely 'tributary' to them. This included the territory of the Dál gCais, Corco Baiscinn, Aradh, Múscraige Tíre, and much of Éile (Offaly).

With this 12th century division of Munster into two parts, Thomond included the area about the diocese of Killaloe, and additionally encompassed the traditional territorites of Úi Fidgeinti, Uí Chonaill Gabra, Eóghanacht Áine, Éile, Corco Mruadh, the tribes of Uaithne, and much of Eóghanacht Caisel and Ciarraige Luachra. 

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According to a map of the Munster region of Ireland (circa 750 A.D.) below, the territory of Eile was just outside the boundaries of the Province of Munster.

Another map showing the Kingdom of Thomond within the Province of Munster in the 11th century is located below.

Both of the maps above show the territory of Eile is outside the Province of Munster in the Province of Leinster, and therefore their Chief has no claim to any of the families of Munster even though he descends from a Munster ancestor. More about this Irish Chief and his credibility can be reviewed here.

Clan Cian for the last 20 plus years have tried to convince both Irish and Scottish visitors that they are an Irish Clan representing all Irish families in Munster. This is a false claim as they do not represent Clan O'Brien nor any other Irish clan of Munster. As part of their claim, they claim all the Dalcassian (descendents of Cormac Cas, older brother of Cian) and Eugenian families (descendents of Eoghan Mor, older brother of Cian) as belonging to them according to their charter of 1982.

This is a false claim and they have been told verbally and in writing twice (2003-04) to stop misrepresenting the O'Briens and all Dalcassians.

Their goal is to get your membership fees. They will sell you an Irish tartan designed and provided only by them with all proceeds going to their Clan Cian Services, a venue of their Chief, Frederick J. O'Carroll. This tartan is registered with the Scottish Tartan Society under the name of Clan Cian (Carroll). They have a badge of Munster (three gold crowns in a row). This badge was created and registered with the Chief Heralds Office of Dublin, Ireland and is registered under the name O'Carroll. They have a Clan badge which is also registered with the Chief Heralds Office of Dublin, Ireland and is also registered under the name O'Carroll.

This Irish Society also claims to be a member of The Clans of Ireland Ltd.

Quote from The Clans of Ireland, Ltd in an email dated 3 March 2008:

'They (Clan Cian) tried to register with Clans of Ireland as Clan Cian some years ago, but The Clans of Ireland refused this designation as their advice is that there is no 'Clan Cian' but 'An Cianacht' or the Race of Cian to which belongs a multitude of Clans. It could be likened to one individual endeavouring to register 'The Irish Race' as a Clan. Obviously this was not agreeable to clans of Ireland and they advised Frederick J. O'Carroll of this fact with out explanation and he conceeded and agreed to just register his own O'Carroll Clan and this is the one presently registered with Clans of Ireland. The individual Clans of the Ciannachta must register as individual Clans, and this is our our stance on the matter.'

There is no record of this group being registerd with The Clans of Ireland Ltd. Clan O'Carroll along with 130 plus other Irish Clans are recognized by The Clans of Ireland Ltd.- Clan Cian is not! The Clans of Ireland Ltd recognizes only Irish Clans based on Irish surnames. Cian is not a recognized Irish surname.

The Chief Heralds Office in an email 1 July 2003, stated 'This Office does not concern itself with clan organizations, as it is not its function to do so. The O'Carrolls of Eli are not a branch of the Dal gCais.'
Deputy Chief Herald of Ireland.

Bottom line:
Clan Cian IS NOT recognized by the Irish Government.
Clan Cian IS NOT recognized by the Chief Heralds Office.
Clan Cian IS NOT recognized by The Clans of Ireland Ltd.

Beware of misrepresentation by Clan Cian. If you have questions about your Irish heritage, please contact a Clan representative.