Except for the images of the crests, all information inlcuded on this page was commissioned research by William H. Heeney from Galaway & Dublin: O'Gorman Ltd. in 1960.
Thanks to Wesley W. Heeney for copies of this research.
Most of this is also included in H. B. Heeney's "From Roots to Twigs - Book 1".
 

An extract on the family history from “More Irish Families”, by Edward MacLysaght, pg. 140-141 (Dublin, Hoges, Figgis & Co. Ltd., 1957, plate xx111)

(0)  Heany, Hegney, Bird extract from “More Irish Families”
by Edward MacLysaght.
(Together with Henaghan and MacAneany, Heany have often been absurdly anglicized as "Bird")

Heany is the anglicized form both of O'hEanna (i.e. descendant of Edna and also of O'hEinigh, which was formerly O'hEignigh, a form still extant as Hegney. There were several septs of both these names, now all Heany or Heeney. Since these are now found primarily in the counties Armagh and Louth, the ancient sept of greatest interest to people of the same name today will be that of Oriel: O'hEignigh was the chief of Fermanagh until they became tributary to the MacGuires in 1202: some annalists give them the title King of Fermanagh and others King of Oriel prior to that date. There were also O'Heaney's, Chiefs of Clan Cheanaigh (in Co. Armagh) whom authorities consider to be a distinct sept. Also in Ulster there were the O'Heany's who were Erenaghs of Banaghenm Co. Derry. The tomb of St. Muireadach O'Heaney is in the church which he is reputed to have founded in 1121. O'Heany's and Heney's were found by Retty's enumerators to be numerous in both Louth and Derry in 1659. The Hearth Money Rolls of Co. Armagh, compiled about the same time listed a considerable number of them. At that time the former recorded Heany, Heeney, and Heney as among the principal Irish names in Co. Tipperary, and in the Hearth Money Rolls of the county it appears no less than 44 times. It and Bird are rare now in Munster. One may assume that these O'Heany's of Tipperary were those mentioned by Woulfe as descendants of three medieval archbishops or bishops of the name. There were five in fact; three of Killaloe in the early thirteenth century and two of Cashel, notably Matthew O'Heney (d. 1205), a Cistercian monk of Holy Cross, who became archbishop in 1196, was Papal Legate, founded many churches, and wrote a life of St. Cuthbert. There is yet another important O'Heany sept, one of the hy Fiachrach group seated in County Mayo. Here again it is probable that these O'Heany's of North Connacht are of dual origin, one being O'hEighnigh and the other O'hEanna.

The name however is not numerous there today. In modern times one of the North Tipperary-Offaly O'Heany's was very well known in America, namely Cornelius Heeney, (1754-1848), who went to New York at age 30, became a multimillionaire and devoted practically all of his immense fortune to charity.

Another paragraph of ancient family history, believed to be from the same research William H. Heeney commisioned.
This was included in Wesley W. Heeney's 1971 brief "Heeney". (pg. 1)

Heeney
This family is descended from Fiachra, the second son of Eochy Moyvane O'Neill, Monarch of Ireland, King of Ulster, Prince of Tyrone. 357 A.D. Fiachra's numerous descendants known as the Hy-Fiachra settled in what is now the barony of Tireragh in Co. Sligo. From there, the Heeney's migrated to Fermanagh, where they became chieftans. The Irish form of the name is O'hEanna (descendant of Enda). Woulfe mentions five bishops of this name, three of Killaloe and two of Cashel ranging from 992 A.D. to about 1205. The family also appears in the rolls of Co. Meath.

Motto:

"Lamh Deargh Aboo"  -  Red Hand to Victory<

When I inquired about the meaning of the above motto, Wesley W. Heeney passed on this information told to him by William H. Heeney.
The origin of the motto comes from a time when the family went from Scotland to Ireland. The final approach was in long boats. It was to be a race where the first to hit shore would become the leader. The winner ended up being one who chose to cut of his hand and throw it to shore to ensure victory.
 

The Heeney Coat of Arms:

Is the O'Neill Coat of Arms,
i.e.,  "argent two lions rampant, combatant gules supporting a Dexter hand carped the wrist of the last in chief three estoiles of the second, in the base waves of the sea therein naiant a salmon all proper."
 

Images of the Coat of Arms:
 

An outline drawn by Wesley W. Heeney. It was made using the above description given to William H. Heeney.
This version was included with his 1971 brief, and also used by H. B. Heeney in "From Roots to Twigs - Book 1".
Wesley W. Heeney gave framed, coloured drawings of the same crest to his siblings in 1971. Each was taken from a negative of the outline. The text above from his brief was also included for which he did the calligraphy himself. Several copies were made of the outline with the text, then each was coloured individually using designer colours. He mounted them on board and made the frames as well.
 
 

O'Neill	O'Heany

The above crests have been copied without permission from:

Irish Family Names Map - Arms and Mediaeval Locations
Published by Johnston & Bacon, a division of Cassell Ltd, 1970.
ISBN Paper folded  0-7179-4543-X
The family shields were drawn by Myra Maguire, present heraldic artist to the Genealogical Office, Dublin Castle.