The King’s Cousins: A History of Clan McGrath Now out in Paperback and ebook (Irish History and Genealogy)

Curiosity about Irish History and Genealogy led me to write The King’s Cousins: A History of Clan McGrath

My given name is Daniel Patrick McGrath Jr. – A mix of Danny Boy, Saint Patrick and a surname indicating I’m a distant cousin to Brian Boru. I’m American by birth and culture, but have strong Irish ancestry on both sides of my family and that ancestry hasn’t been forgotten, as you can probably discern from my name. I was always curious about Ireland and my ancestry, but a trip to the Emerald Isle sparked a more vigorous fascination and I wanted to get to the origins of my clan. The prefix “Mc” or “Mac” means “son of” or “descends from” in Gaelic, the same way “son” or “sen” works as a suffix for Scandinavian peoples. So I wanted to know, “Who the heck was was ‘Grath?’” – the son of whom presumably gave my family our persistent surname. Finding that answer led me down a twisting rabbit hole, where one fascinating story led to another and I ended up researching a thousand years of Irish history and genealogy along with Irish-American history to learn the amazing story behind the McGrath family tree.

I’ve compiled what I’ve learned into a new book, The King’s Cousins: A History of Clan McGrath. 

The King’s Cousins is a sweeping journey through a thousand years of Irish history – seen through the remarkable story of one clan. Springing from the Dalcassian line of Cennétig mac Lorcáin, father of High King Brian Boru and namesake of the mighty O’Kennedy line, the McGraths emerge as poets, warriors, churchmen, rebels, emigrants, and builders whose path mirrors the fate of Ireland itself. Following the rise, fall and rise again of this ancient and noble clan provides a fascinating ride through the epic story of the Irish experience.

From medieval Waterford and Ulster strongholds, through the upheavals of Norman invasion, Tudor conquest, the Plantation era, and the tragic fall of Gaelic Ireland, the McGraths carved a uniquely Irish destiny. Their saga continues across the Atlantic, where famine survivors forged new lives in America – joining Union battalions, building cities, policing streets, writing songs, and shaping immigrant communities. Along the way, readers encounter unforgettable figures: Legendary bards, an infamous archbishop, chieftains clashing with Viking raiders, rebels in the IRA, innovators, artists, mob bosses, and modern cultural icons.

Told with drama and clarity, The King’s Cousins offers a unique way to learn the story of Ireland and the Irish in America through the lens of a single resilient clan whose branches stretch across centuries and continents. Whether your interest is in medieval Ireland, bardic traditions, the Great Famine, legends of St. Patrick, the Irish Brigade of the American Civil War, the Troubles, or exploring your own Irish family tree, this book brings the past alive with vivid detail and human warmth.

A chronicle of survival, identity, and belonging, The King’s Cousins is both a family history and a grand narrative of a people – an excellent read for anyone curious about Irish history, genealogy, culture, and the enduring legacy of the McGrath name.

If you’re a McGrath looking to explore your roots, you need this book. If you’re interested in a quick easy, but expansive lesson on Irish history, this book is also for you. Get The King’s Cousins today at Amazon. Kindle and paperback editions are now on sale!

This one’s written with a bit of dramatic flare, but non-fiction. For pure entertainment, don’t miss my new science-fiction comedy, UFO Farmers, while you’re at it!