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The ancient Irish system of professional historians for each district extending far back beyond the Christian era has resulted in there being available in the 20th centruy Gaelic sagas of great interest to the modern historian. Since the O'Keeffes were the senior line of the Munster kings their genealogical tree is fairly complete. The Books consulted in the compilation of the lineage are:
1. Annual of the Four Masters, translated by John O'Donovan, 2nd Edition, 1856, Hodges, Smith & Co., Dublin.
http://www.ucc.ie/celt/online/T100005A/
2. Annuals of Ulster, translated by William M. Hessessy, 1887, Alexander Thom, & Co., Dublin.
http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/G100001A/index.html
3. An Leabhar Muimhneach (The Book of Munster) reprinted in Gaelic by Thady O'Donoghue, The Irish Manuscripts Commission, Dublin.
4. The History of Ireland by Geoffrey Keating translated by Patrick S. Dinneen, 1914, Irish Texts Society, London.
http://www.ucc.ie/celt/online/T100054.html
5. Genealogical Tracts I by Turlough O'Rafferty, 1932, Irish Manuscripts Commission, Dublin.
6. Irish English Dictionary, by Patrick S. Dinneen, 1927, Irish Texts Soiety;
7. The War of the Gaedhill with the Gaill, translated by James H. Todd, 1867, Longmans, Green, Reader & Dyer, London.
8. The Book of Leinster quoted by J. H. Todd in (7).
9. Dublin Annals of Innisfallen quoted by J. H. Todd (7).
Surnames, generally adopted in the 10th century, have been extended back to the beginning of the family line for orientation. The senior line has been chosen for each surname. Thus, Hugh O'Sullivan, the Dark Haired, rather than Hugh McCarthy since Failbe, the Red Haired and son of Hugh and the first McCarthy was a younger brother of Finneen O'Sullivan son of Hugh. If may seem an impertinence to many Irish annalists to see the O'Keeffes listed as the senior Eoghanacht line and senior to O'Sullivan and McCarthy but the first five Kings of Munster following Aeneas were in the O'Keeffe lineage, and of the first 25 Kings of Munster following Aeneas 11 were of O'Keeffe, 4 of O'Sullivan, and 2 of McCarthy lineage. In studies of British & American genealogies each generation averaged between 31-32 years., but the Keeffe lineage (from Carbry whose birth was recorded AD10 & Conn whose birth was recorded as AD 600) average between 34 & 35 years. Birth & deaths where not verified by the annalists are based on these average figures. Verified dates are "*". Gaelic names are anglicized.
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