Murphy: O Murchadha (for derivation see Morchoe). Murphy is the most numerous name in Ireland and is that of three different steps as indicated on the Map. The resumption of the prefixes O and Mac, which is the modern tendency with most Gaelic-Irish names, has not taken place in the case of Murphy. Kelly: O Ceallaigh. (The derivation of Kelly is uncertain; the most probable suggestion is that it is from ciliate, strife). The most important and numerous step of this name is that of the UI Maine. There are several other steps as indicated in Map. Kelly is the second most numerous name in Ireland. In 1890 less than 1% of them had the prefix O but this has since been to some extent resumed.