According to legend, this relates to the eleventh descendant of Colla da Chrich,[2] great-grandson of Cormac mac Airt, who was monarch of Ireland about the middle of the third century.

The surname has been anglicized variously as McGuire, McGwire, McGwyre and most commonly, Maguire (from variant form Mag Uidhir).

and maintained their independence as Lords of Fermanagh down to the reign of King James VI & I, when their country was confiscated like other parts of Ulster.

The family was first mentioned in the Annals as early as 956 AD and have always been closely associated with the other leading septs of Ulster such as the O'Neill and the O'Donnell.

"[7] Enniskillen Castle was the medieval seat of the Maguire (Mag Uidhir), chieftains of Fermanagh, who policed the lough with a private navy of 1,500 boats.