Society of Descendants of Ireland
The Society of Descendants of Ireland is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Augustan Society, Inc. Online data is here.
Applicants must meet one of the following qualifications:
- Hereditary class members must show a proven lineage that includes three generations of residence in Ireland; or
- Royal class members must show a proven lineage that includes any historic Irish High King, Provincial King, or Sub-King.
This society was organized to further interest in the study of Ireland and Irish emigrants. This has, at times, involved sponsorship of Irish-American Genealogist. Today the scholarly and genealogical data gathered are submitted to The Augustan Omnibus and the Family of Augustans project.
The society is governed by a Dean, appointed by and answerable to the President of the Augustan Society.
Membership in the society is open to those who meet the following qualifications for each class of membership:
I. Royal Life Member (RLM): Eligibility is restricted to persons who can demonstrate through research and scholarship that he or she has an unbroken descent from any historic Irish High King, Provincial King, or Sub-King, residing in Ireland prior to 1170 (the date of the beginning of the Anglo-Norman invasion of Henry II).
Many people can prove descent through Diarmait MacMurchada (Dermot Mac Murrough, 1100–1171), King of Leinster, and his wife Mor O'Toole, father-in-law and mother-in-law respectively of Richard de Clare ("Strongbow," circa 1130–1177), 2nd Earl of Pembroke, Justiciar of Ireland, whose daughter Isabel married the great Sir William Marshall (1146–1219), 3rd Earl of Pembroke and Regent of England (1216–1219). However, any pre-1170 Irish High King, Provincial King or Sub-King is acceptable if lineages are proven.
Pedigree lines based upon the works of O'Hart or O'Duirnin are not acceptable. Acceptable references for lineages include the (New) Complete Peerage 1910–1959; Ancestral Roots of Sixty Colonists... (5th edition, 1976); Magna Charta Sureties, 1215... (3rd edition, 1979); and Francis John Byrne's Irish Kings and High Kings (1973).
II. Hereditary Life Member (HLM): Eligibility is restricted to persons who cannot demonstrate Royal Life Membership (because of the vast destruction of genealogical records at Four Courts, Dublin in 1922, or for other reasons), but who can prove descent from some Irish family. There is no restriction as to time period, but proof must be provided that he or she has Celtic-Irish descent, or descent from other ancestors who lived in Ireland a minimum of three generations.
The entry fee is $100; $50 for converting from Hereditary to Royal member at a later date; plus a genealogist's fee of $5/generation for each lineage submitted, including corrections and extensions. No fees need attach for lineages or portions of lineages already recognized by The Augustan Society, and a credit will be issued for any such duplication.
 | The arms of the SDI is an inescutcheon Argent a shamrock Proper, upon the shield of The Augustan Society, as shown to the left. |
 | The insignia of the SDI is a lapel pin showing the inescutcheon above, as shown to the left. Informally, this may be worn on the left lapel. Augustan Society members may wear the pin on the ribbon of the Medal of Membership when appropriate. |
All members, in whichever category, must submit the entry fee, and will receive the certificate of membership and the insignia of the Society. Members may not belong to more than one class.
