The O'Keifs of France
The O'Keeffe name does have a little royalty in its history. The last Irish Chief of this clan was a Donal O'Keeffe who was a member of the Catholic Convention held at Kilkenny duriing the civil war of 1641. He also commanded a compnay of infantry in the Irish Confederate Army, and he held out against Cromwell forces until 1652. Donal O'Keeffe's great grandfather was the builder of the last O'Keeffe Castle. This Castle, called Dromagh, was surrendered by Donal's uncle, Hugh O'Keeffe on May 14, 1652. After the surrender Donal O'Keeffe followed the ousted King Charles II to France, and a good number of the O'Keeffe surname followed their leader. While in France the O'Keeffes were given positions of honor and title by King Charles. Because of their loyalty, the Castle of Dromagh was restored to the O'Keeffes for a time when Charles came back to conquer England and Ireland in 1660, but control was shortlived and utlimately lost by 1691. This time it was King Charles' son, James, who was dethroned, and it was Donal O'Keeffe, Jr and still more O'Keeffes who accompanied James II into exile in France. It is from these French O'Keeffe immigrants of the 17th century that the O'KEIF spelling was derived, and those named O'Keif or Keif probably come the closest to having some French heritage and true...blue...blood.