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The Neely family crest has the motto in Gaelic, "Lamh Dearg Eirin," or "Red Hand of Ireland." Legend has it that in sailing to Ireland from Spain, it was decided that the first to touch Irish soil would be king. So the Neely (Neeley, Nealy, Nealey, Neily, Neiley, O'Neil, O'Neal, McNeely, MacNeely, McNeeley, MacNeeley, McNealy, MacNealy, McNealey, MacNealey, McNeily, MacNeily, etc.) who would be king cut off his left hand and threw the bloody hand onto shore in order to be first and king. In Gaelic "Neely" means "Courage," and "Donnelly" means "Dark Courage."
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