The Dynastic House of Bradley, also known as Ui Bhrolchan, stands as a sovereign and deeply interconnected royal lineage with a profound and lasting historical impact.

The current sovereign, H.R.H. Prince Carl Bradley, holds authority through both ancestral descent and a formal Declaration of Sovereignty, which together affirm the legitimacy and continuity of the house’s position. The family’s distinguished origins trace back to Milesius, King of Spain, through his son Heremon, and include King Brión, son of Eocha Moy Veagon, who ruled Ireland around A.D. 350. The ancient family name, Brodamhlacht—meaning “Proud”—reflects the noble spirit and stature of this lineage. Leadership of the house has passed through generations, with H.R.H. Prince Gerald Paul Bradley serving from December 1976 until March 2024, preceding the current sovereign prince.

Historically, the Bradley sept’s ancestral lands covered a significant part of Ireland, including the present-day counties of Meath, Fermanagh, Armagh, Cavan, Cork, Mayo, Donegal, Tyrone, and Derry with its Ecclesiastical ties to Royals and the Church. The Bradleys are ancestrally linked to the Ui Bhrolchan (O’Bhrolchans), a prominent branch of the Kinel Owens (Cenel Eoghain), and are part of the Sept Cenel Fearadhaigh, which formed the Cenél Bhrolchan. Their lineage descends from the High Kings of Ireland at Tara and the Kings of Aileach in Donegal, Derry and Tyrone, in Ulster, placing the family at the heart of Irish royal history. Recent reforms by Prince Carl—including a new Constitution, updated succession laws, and the creation of new royal and noble titles, as well as Sovereign, Chivalric, Ecclesiastic, Royal, and Military Orders—have further strengthened the house’s enduring legacy and its influence on Ireland’s sociopolitical landscape throughout the history of Ireland. 

A particularly significant decree by Prince Carl, issued through letters patent, asserts that no Papal Bull (a public decree from the pope) may be issued within his domains and Clan without his explicit approval (placetum regium), thereby affirming the house’s sovereignty and independence in royal and ecclesiastical matters. Prince Carl is the fourth in a direct royal line from Suibne Menn, High King of Ireland and King of Aileach. Suibne Menn was the great-grandfather of Flann Find, another High King of Ireland and King of Aileach, who was the grandfather of Brolchain the Royal Prince—the namesake of the Bradley family / Clan and the ancestor of the line descending from the Cenél Fearadhaigh and Cenél Bhrolchan. This unbroken succession of princes, passed from father to son, highlights the remarkable continuity and resilience of the house’s dynastic tradition.

The “Cenél Bhrolchan – Clan Bradley”

In Ireland they include a wide array of surnames, such as O’Brolchain, Ó Brolacháin, MacBrolchain, McBrallaghan, O’Broileachain, Brollaghan, McBradley, Bradlee, Brody, Brabazon, Daly, and others. These names reflect a rich Irish heritage and connect the family to other notable families like Fox, Norton, Clancy, Sutherland, Maguire, O’Ferry, and Kilpatrick, demonstrating the house’s extensive influence and alliances.

In Scotland, the Bradley name and its variants—including Mac Bradlee, Mac Bradleigh, Brophy, Robertson, McIntyre, MacGregor, Ross, Cameron, and Livingston—are part of the Scottish Cenél Bhrolchan Clan, underscoring the enduring impact of the Bhrolchan lineage on Scottish history and culture.

The Cenél Fearadhaigh

The Cenél Fearadhaigh, or “kindred of Ferry,” descend from Feradach mac Muiredach (Ferry MacMurdoch), a grandson of Eógain. By the twelfth century, they controlled much of County Tyrone and expanded into County Fermanagh, though their power was later reduced by the Maguires in the mid-fourteenth century. Members of the Bhrolchan family rose to prominence as princes, clergy, and ecclesiastical leaders throughout Ireland and Scotland, maintaining influence within both the Catholic Church and regional royalty.

The name Fearadhaigh, in Old and Middle Irish Gaelic, means “woodsman,” derived from “fear” (man) and “fiodh” (wood). The sept Mac Cathmhaoil, meaning “battle-chief,” held territory in the Barony of Clogher, County Tyrone. Bhrolchan, the ancestor of the Cenél Bhrolchan / Clan Bradley / Ó Brolacháin, comes from “brollach,” meaning

“The Bold and Defiant” or “heart of the king.”

Their lands stretched across Ireland and into Scotland, including Kyntyre and the Isle of Iona. The princely status of the O’Brolchan family is rooted in their descent from Eoghain, son of Niall of the Nine Hostages, and their close ties to the Northern and Southern Hy Nials dynasty's. Their main seat was in Clogher, County Tyrone, with branches in Derry, Mayo, Meath, and Cork. As princes, their roles included:

• Leading and defending their territories, forging alliances, and participating in military and political affairs;
• Serving as hereditary Brehons—judges and lawmakers—overseeing legal and ceremonial matters;
• Mediating disputes and fostering harmony among clans;
• Providing both civic and ecclesiastical leadership, supporting church institutions, and integrating religious priorities into governance;
• Shaping the political, legal, and spiritual landscape of their regions, exemplifying the intertwined nature of dynastic and ecclesiastical leadership in medieval Gaelic Ireland.

The legacy of the Dynastic House of Bradley has left a lasting and transformative mark on Irish history, blending royal and noble heritage, regional governance, and service to both civic and ecclesiastical communities. The house’s enduring prominence and contributions to the sociopolitical and religious fabric of Ireland and Scotland highlight its historical significance and the remarkable continuity of its royal tradition.