A sept or family might have a number of different mottoes. These are the ones identified so far
Numquam non paratus or Never Unprepared.
O’Donoghue of the Glens, O’Donoghue Mór, Thomas Austin Dunphy
Ni(hi)l virtus generosa timet or Generous strength (or virtue) fears nothing
O’Donoghue of the Glens, O’Donnoghue de Glanfleske,
Virtute et numine or By virtue and providence
O’Donoghues of Rineanna, Co.Clare
Source: O’Donochoo manuscript – Pedigree of O’Donoghue of Rineanna, Co.Clare
Esse quam videre or To be, rather than to seem to be
Donohoes of Cavan and San Francisco
Vincere vel mor or To conquer or die
The O’Donoghue clan of Cork and Kerry
Source: O’Donovan, Peadar – Irish Family Names taken from ‘History of Irish Surnames’ by J.D.Williams, History Information Services, Ennis, Co.Clare
Sources and acknowledgements:
Mottoes and Badges by WSW Anson, Routledge London 1975
A Dictionary of Mottoes by LG Pine, Routledge and Kegan Paul London 1983
A Handbook of Mottoes by CN Elvin, Heraldry Today 1963 Original 1860
Elvin’s Mottoes Revisited, R Pinches, Heraldry Today 1971
Mottoes, Urdang, Robbins and Adate, Gale Detroit 1986