The Coat of Arms was historically awarded to an individual or group of individuals banded together in a common cause. The reigning authority used this means of rewarding service of some kind, most often for service in combat with an enemy. The shield was ordinary combat equipment of a soldier or knight, a symbol placed on the shield to denote the particular virtue or quality of the bearer. The lion held a high place in heraldry as the emblem of deathless courage. One author describes It as a lively image of a good soldier."
The greyhound at the top of the Coat of Arms symbolizes courage, vigilance and loyal fidelity. A cross at the top symbolizes the Christian quality of the family or clan. (The author knows of two Coats of Arms of the Clan O'Moitide which are similar in all respects except that one has a cross at the top and one has a greyhound at the top, and the motto on one is " Densest nostraRex " or " God is our King " while the motto on the other is in Gaelic ' Cu-Reu-bald " or ' The Hounds are loose ") Most of the authorities say that the motto and the topmost symbol may vary as the choice of the family.
The helmet mainly symbolizes armed service rendered by the person or group upon whom the Coat of Arms has been bestowed - usually in combat with an enemy. The crown atop the helmet is a ducal coronet and it is a symbol of royalty or reigning authority or nobility. The mantling at the sides is decorative. The coloring of the shield (green background) in this case is not symbolical.