Pro aris et focis

Pro Aris et Focis is a Latin phrase used as the motto of many families and military regiments, as well as being one of the mottoes of Bristol University.

Meaning "For god and country" or literally "for our altars and our hearths", but is used by ancient authors to express attachment to all that was most dear and venerable. It could be more idiomatically translated "for our homes". Thus the famous Latin orator and philosopher Cicero uses the phrase to emphasise the importance of his argument in his philosophical work de Natura Deorum 3.40 [1].

Family motto

"Pro Aris et Focis" is the motto of many families such as the Waits of Scotland, and of military regiments all over the world, such as the Middlesex Yeomanry of Britain, the Royal Queensland Regiment of Australia and the Victoria Rifles of Canada.

Secret Society

"Pro Aris et Focis" is the name of a secret society in Brussels in 1789 which prepared the Brabant Revolution (http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Révolution_brabançonne)against the Austrian Emperor. The leading figure was Jan-Baptist Verlooy.

Motto of Institutions

"Pro Aris et Focis" is the motto for "Academia San Jorge," a Puerto Rico PK-12 school. The motto is embedded in the school's shield and logo. The school is located in Santurce, Puerto Rico.

"Pro Aris et Focis" is the motto for 'Maritzburg College, a high school in South Africa, and the motto is embedded in the school's shield.

"Pro Aris et PRO Focis" was the motto of the 71sr New York State Militia regiment, "The American Guard", which was formed not long before the Civil War and saw service in that War, and down to almost the present time. Its HQ was in the old Armory at 34th and Park Avenue in New York City. The building no longer stands, but plaque parts of its original structure have been incorporated into the walls of the skyscraper that presently occupies the site.

"Pro Aris et Focis" originates from the Irish family name "Mulvihill", the anglicized version of the original Irish and Scottish Gaelic name "Ó Maoilmhichil".

Ó Maoilmhichil is an uncommon surname of Irish origin devolving into the common Irish surnames Mitchell and Mulvihill.

The surname Mitchell is derived from the Sept or Clan name Uí Mhaoilmhichil which means Patrons or Devotees of Saint Michael the Archangel. Michael! was the war-cry in heaven in the battles against the Devil and his followers.

Following the ascendancy of Niall Noigíallach as High King, and the arrival of Saint Patrick in the late 4th century AD, Ulster was in transition from Druidism to Christianity. It is not surprising in pagan Celtic society with many war deities, as tradition suggests, that the name Maoilmhichil would be adopted early in the development of Christian Ireland.

Brion was the half-brother of High King Niall. Brions dynasty was carried on through his two great-grandsons, Ona the ArchDruid and his eponymous brother Maoilmhichil, the first legendary use of the Sept name.