Roche Family Crest beer glass

Here’s a proper gift for anyone called Roche who enjoys a beer! The Roche Family Crest on a sturdy 16oz pint glass. Beautifully illustrated. Carefully researched. Uniquely personal.

The surname Roche entered Ireland during the twelfth-century Anglo-Norman migrations. The family originally derived its name from Roch Castle in Pembrokeshire, Wales, where they were recorded in Norman-French as de la Roche ("of the rock"). The lineage holds a distinct place in Irish history: Richard FitzGodebert de Roch is documented as the very first Anglo-Norman knight to land in Ireland, arriving in County Wexford in 1167—two years ahead of the main invasion forces.

The family subsequently consolidated immense power in Munster, establishing a territory in North County Cork that became formally known in administrative records as "Roche’s Country," governed from their principal stronghold at Castletownroche. Over the centuries, the family became archetypal examples of the phrase Hiberniores Hibernis ipsis ("More Irish than the Irish themselves"). They completely integrated into Gaelic society, intermarrying with native dynasties like the MacCarthys, adopting the Irish language, utilizing Brehon law, and remaining staunchly aligned with Irish Catholic interests through the upheavals of the seventeenth century.

The symbolism of the coat of arms

The official heraldic blazon records a solid red shield (Gules) charged with three silver roach fish swimming horizontally in a vertical alignment (three roaches naiant in pale argent). This design is a classic example of "canting" arms, a heraldic convention where the chosen charges form a literal pun on the bearer's surname. The French motto on the scroll, Mon Dieu est ma roche, translates to "My God is my rock," providing a secondary linguistic play on the name. The crest positioned above the helmet displays a fish eagle holding a silver roach in its talons.

Notable historical figures

Richard FitzGodebert de Roch (fl. 1167): The Pembrokeshire knight who initiated the family's Irish lineage by landing in Wexford as the vanguard of the Anglo-Norman transition.

David Roche, Lord Roche of Fermoy (died 1492): A prominent feudal lord within "Roche's Country" in County Cork, who sat in the medieval Irish Parliament and maintained these ancestral arms as the head of the regional Munster sept.

Maurice Roche, 6th Viscount Fermoy (c. 1595–1670): A direct descendant of the Cork lineage who actively supported the Confederate Catholics of Ireland during the mid-seventeenth-century wars, ultimately facing the confiscation of his ancestral estates under the Cromwellian regime.

About the Artist

Each coat of arms in the Family Crests Store is an artwork by heraldic artist Éamonn Breathnach. All are carefully researched, drawing from the earliest available records across multiple heraldic archives. Noted for their elegance and attention to detail, these artworks make meaningful and uniquely personal gifts for any occasion with family and friends.

Product details:
• High-quality glass material
• Volume capacity: 16 oz (473 ml)
• Not suitable for dishwasher or microwave – hand wash only
• Simple yet robust design ideal for everyday use
• Can also serve as a mixing glass
• Product manufactured in China

Size guide