Writing in 1862 of the Irish in London and Liverpool, the English humorous magazine Punch, whose cartoons always depicted the Irish as ape-like creatures, wrote that the Irish when conversing with its kind (it) talks a sort of gibberish. "The somewhat superior ability of the Irish yahoo to utter articulate sounds may suffice to prove that it is a development and not, as some imagine, a degeneration of the gorilla." This derision of the Irish language reached back hundreds of years: laws were enacted against it and every effort was made to eliminate it. Betimes, however, the English authorities in Ireland had, of necessity, recourse to use it. One of the prohibitions in the act of 1450 was that no merchant, in dealing with the Irish, should "take anye coynee, cuddies or night suppers . . ." The Oxford Dictionary informs that "cuddy" originally meant "a supper and night's entertainment due to the lord from his tenant, deriving from cuid ≤iche, literally "evening's portion". Cuid is defined in Ua Duinnin's Focl≤ir Gaedhilge agus BΘarla as "Share, quota, portion, some, a few, meal, etc.," adding "cuid do bheith aige do, to have sexual intercourse with". Was it from this the callous youth's blathering about "getting his bit?" or the optimistic Romeo, planning on visiting a young lady, boasting about "Tea and thing down the room!" or the claim of some landlords to bedding the new bride of a tenant before the husband did? "A night's entertainment?"
Cuidi· means "act of helping; participation, assistance from whence cuiditheach, "Helping, assisting; sm. a helper". And from this again we get the surname ╙ Cuidighigh (now ╙ Cuidithe), variously anglicized O Cuddihy, Cuddy, and Quiddihy. Although the very earliest reference to this name in Co Cork in 1214 gives the Mac prefix calling it MacCuidithe, it appears as O Codihie, O Kuddyhy, etc. in the 16th century Fiants several times. Subsequently it is Cuddihy, Cudahy and Quiddihy with no prefix (Edward Mac Lysaght's More Irish Families). The suggestion this might be a form of that other Co Kilkenny name O Cody is generally dismissed.
The Justiciary Rolls (1308-1314) record a 1312 hearing in Cashel where Walter de S'Albino was charged with receiving a group of Irish rebels, described as "common robbers", one of whom was Domlech O Cudy. They were charged with misdeeds done in the parts of Slefardagh and elsewhere in the parts of Comsey (two baronies in east Co Tipperary, bordering Co Kilkenny). It was in this latter county and neighbouring counties that we find persons bearing this surname listed in the fiants. There was Collodoo O Codyhie, Kilcash, Co Tipperary (1567); Conoghor (1576) and Dermod O Kuddyhy of Bolifleughe, Co Kilkenny; John O Coddihie fitz Richard, shoemaker, Knocktogher (?Knocktopher) (1602); Edmund, James O Cuddie, Bolliflogh (1602); Derby Cuddie, Croghtebeg; David Cuddihie fitz Thomas, Garnanmore (1602) and Morrish, Daniel, and James M Coddie, Garran (1602). Bolifleughe/Bolliflugh is Baile Fliuch (wet town), now rendered Wetland, being in the parish of St Patrick's.
A 1698 list of priests notes that "Richard Cuddy, a Dominican Fryer living for the most part in Athy", while in July 1798 Anne Cuddy, Milltown, Co Kilkenny, was among those who gave evidence of Pat Fenelon, Milltown, on trial for being abroad at "an unreasonable hour" - after 9 o'clock. He was sentenced to transportation for life. Not so fortunate was William Cuddy. On 20th June (1798) a drumhead court martial in Maghera, Co Derry, tried him and three others with aiding and assisting the rebels who took possession of Maghera. He was found guilty and hanged. Spelt Cuddihy, etc., this surname was found in nine of Co Tipperary's 12 baronies in the Tithe Applotment Books and Griffith's Primary Valuation (1824-1856), especially strong in the above-mentioned Slievardagh. Sixty of the 105 Cuddihy entries in the telephone directory are in the 05 area, mainly in Cos Kilkenny and Waterford, while the 40 Cuddy entries were chiefly in Co Laois.
Owners of Land and One Acre and Upwards (1876) listed Cuddihy holdings of one acre in Dublin, and three in Co Kilkenny - one acre at Ballyclovan, 28 acres at Kylevehagh and 402 acres at Lowgrange, Goresbridge. Interesting then, in that the name ╙ Cuidithe is found in six townland names - Ballycaddahy in Co Laois; Ballycuddihy twice in Co Kilkenny; and Ballycuddy in Co Galway and twice in Co Tipperary. The Irish of those in Kilkenny is Baile U∅ Chuidithigh.