|
Kennedy - Cinneide
The Dal gCais
The Dal gCais were the great clan of Thomond, or
North Munster, an area more especially associated with County Clare (excluding the Burren
and Corcomroe on the northwest corner) and adjacent parts of Tipperary and Limerick. They
were the axe-wielding footsoldiers who formed the core of the army that defeated the
Vikings in 1014, one of the most significant dates in Gaelic history. The chief families
of this tribe were above all the O’Briens, but also the MacConsidines, MacDonnells,
MacLysaghts, MacMahons, O’Ahernes, O’Kennedys, O’Shanahans, O’Duracks,
MacGraths, O’Fogartys, O’Galvins, O’Gradys, O’Hanrahans,
O’Hickeys, O’Mearas, O’Molonys, O’Moroneys, O’Haruzgans,
O’Lonergans, Creaghs, O’Quins, MacNamaras, Maclnerneys, O’Deas and
O’Griffeys.
The O’Briens (0 Briain) were the chief family of the Dal gCais,
otherwiseknown as the Dalcassians, and the heads
of the family were kings of Thomond. The O’Briens derive their descent from Brian
Boru, High King of Ireland, who was slain at Clontarf in 1014, at the moment of his final
decisive victory over the united Viking army. His individual career is remarkable in the
history of the Gael, and is so distinguished and outstanding that it cannot be mitigated by faint
praise, for among other things he brought a degree of unity and common purpose to the Gael
never seen before or since. He came out of virtual obscurity to bring Ireland out of its
perpetual chaos just enough to guarantee its existence into the future. Such was his
greatness that neither his nobility nor the quality of the seed that produced him can ever
be called into question (as a tree bears fruit in kind, so a man’s parentage and
ancestry were of central social and political importance to the Gael, hence the family
names in "0" and "Mac" (see Chapter V). For those interested, the book
Lion of Ireland by Morgan Llywelyn gives his life story with remarkable accuracy and human
interest.
In any case, it was Brian who raised his clan, the Ui Toirdealbhaigh,
to preeminence among the Dalcassians, although there is evidence that the Ui
Toirdealbhaigh were originally from Connacht (see Chapter IX). He laid the foundation for
his progeny’s future greatness, just as the guerrilla tactics of the Ui
Tordealbhaigh, under Brian’s leadership, laid the foundation of Brian’s later
reputation and success as a "Viking-stopper." The O’Briens became not only
the ruling family in Thomond, but some of them were over-kings of Munster and some
High-Kings of Ireland as well. Their own possessions included the whole of County Clare,
and large parts of Tipperary, Limerick, and Waterford as well.
The O’Briens divided into several branches, the most important of
which were the O’Briens of Ara, in northwest Tipperary, the chief of which was known
as Mac I Bhriain Ara; those of Coonagh in the east of County Limerick; those of
Pobelbrien, now the barony of that name in County Limerick (their chief stronghold was
Carrigogonnell, on the Shannon); those of Aherlow, in Tipperary, and finally those of
Cumaragh, in County Water-ford, who had extensive possessions along the Cummeragh
Mountains, that is, the valley between Dungarvan and the Suir. Other families of the Ui
Toirdealbhaigh, whose original territory was in the east of County Clare, include the
MacConsidines, MacLysaghts, MacDonnells and MacMahons.
The MacConsidines (Mac Consaidin) are a branch of the O’Briens,
being descended from Domhnall Mor 0 Briain, King of Munster, who died in 1194.
The MacLysaghts (Mac GiolLa Iasachta) are also descended from Domhnall
Mor 0 Briain (Great Donal O’Brien), who lived from 1163 to 1194. They formed a
sub-sept of the O’Briens, being originally settled around Ennistymon, County Clare,
and spread afterwards throughout Clare and Limerick, with a branch also going to County
Cork.
The MacDonnells (Mac Domnaill) descend
from Domhnall, son of Murtagh Mor O’Brien, High-King of Ireland, who died in 1119.
They were hereditary bards to their O’Brien kinsmen. A branch of these Thomond
MacDonnells settled in Connacht.
The MacMahons (Mac Mathghamhna) descend from Mahon, another son of
Murtagh Mor O’Brien, mentioned above, who lived from 1094 to 1119. Their patrimony
consisted of the territory comprising the present baronies of Moyarta and Clonderlaw in
the southwest of County Clare. The famous Marshall of France, Patrick MacMahon, later
president of the French Republic, was of these Clare MacMahons, being the grandson of John
MacMahon, himself a French marquis (d’Eguilly).
The Ui Bloid were a branch of the Ui Toirdealbhaigh whose territory
originally lay around the deanery of Omulled in the east of County Clare. Besides the
O’Shanahans and O’Duracks, the Ui Bloid comprised the chiefly families of
O’Aherne and O’Kennedy. The Ui Cearnaigh, of which the O’Ahernes (0
Eachtighearna) were the chief family, inhabited the territory around Six-mile-bridge until
they were driven out about 1318 by the MacNamaras. Afterwards they are found chiefly in
Limerick and Cork, but also in Waterford. The O’Kennedys (0 Cinnide) derive their
descent from Cinneidigh, son of Donnchuan, brother of Brian Boru (see under O’Brien
above). They were originally seated at Glenomra, where their territory was coextensive
with the present parish of Killokennedy, in the east of County Clare. On being driven from
that territory by the O’Briens and MacNamaras, they afterwards settled in
north-central Tipperary, in the baronies of Upper and Lower Ormond, where they became
numerous and far more powerful than they had ever been before. From the twelfth to
sixteenth centuries they ranked as Lords of Ormond, and were divided into three great
branches, 0 Ginneide Fionn (The Fair O’Kennedy), 0 Cinneide Donn (The Brown
O’Kennedy) and 0 Ginneide Ruadh (The Red O’Kennedy). They are said by Keating to
have considered themselves to be under the special protection of St. Ruadhan of Lorrha. A
branch of the family settled in Antrim about 1600. The existence of the Glann Gearnaigh
O’Kennedys of the Laiginian tribe of Ui Maine in Galway probably indicate the
pre—Dalcassian origin of the collateral kinsmen of Brian Boru (see Chapter IX), and
thus of the great Brian himself.
The MacGraths (Mag Raith) or MacGrays (Mac Raith) were hereditary poets
and chroniclers to their O’Brien kinsmen, and spread with them into Tipperary and
Waterford. They ran a bardic school at Cahir and the ruins of their castle in Waterford
are still to be seen.
The O’Fogartys (0 Fogartaigh) were a Dalcassian sept in County
Tipperary, and were formerly the chiefs of Eile Ui Fhogartaigh, now the barony of
Elyogarty in east-central Tipperary.
The O’Galvins, or Gallivans (0 Gealbhain) were a prominent
Dalcassian sept in the early fourteenth century, and representatives of the family have
remained in the original Clare
homeland, with branches also settling in Kerry and Roscommon.
The O’Gradys (0 Grada) were an important Dalcassian family in
County Clare. They were originally seated in the parish of Killonasoolagh, near the River
Fergus in South Clare, but after 1318 they obtained a wide territory around Tomgraney in
the north of that county, from their O’Brien kinsmen and patrons. This territory
embraced several parishes in Clare and Galway. In 1543, Donogh O’Grady, "captain
of his nation," was knighted by Henry VIII, and formally granted the lands of his
clan. After him, the heads of the O’Gradys served the English interests, and some
Anglicized their name as "Brady," though this was an alias and usually the form
"O’Grady" was resumed. A branch of the family settled in Gonnacht, while
the chief family settled in Limerick several centuries ago.
The O’Hanrahans or Harhans (0 hAnradhain) are a Dalcassian family
of County Clare. After rising to some importance in Limerick under the O’Briens, they
are chiefly associated with Clare and Limerick.
The O’Hickeys (0 hlcidhe) were a great medical family in Thomond,
and were hereditary physicians to their kinsmen the O’Brien rulers of Thomond. Their
original seat was at Ballyhickey in County Clare.
The O’Mearas or Maras (0 Meadhra) were a Dalcassian family in
Tipperary. They were chiefs of a district called Rosarguid, in the barony of Upper Or.
mond, in north-central Tipperary, and their chief, The O’Meara, had his seat at
Toomyvara (Tuaim Ui Mheadhra). The O’Mearas retained a considerable property down to
the revolution of 1690.
The O’Molonys (0 Maoldhomhnaigh) are a Dalcassian family who were
formerly chiefs in the barony of Tulla in the east of County Clare.
The O’Moroneys (0 Murruanaidh) are another family of the
Dalcassians still numerous in Thomond.
The Cineal mBaoith were one of the original Dalcassian clans from the
time of Brian Boru. Their representatives in historical times were the O’Hartagans
and the O’Lonergans. The O’Hartagans (hArtagain) are a Dalcassian sept of
Limerick, and are descended from Dunlaing O’Hartigan, one of the heroes of the battle
of Glontarf, who fought against the Vikings in 1014 (see under O’Brien, above). The
O’Lonergans (0 Longargain) are a Dalcassian sept that was originally settled in
County Clare in the earlier Middle Ages, but after 1318 they settled in Tipperary after
being driven from their original patrimony by the O’Briens and MacNamaras. The family
produced a number of great ecclesiastics during the Middle Ages.
The Clann Dealbhaoith anciently inhabited the Barony of Bunratty, in
the south of County Clare. The main stem of the clan was the ancient family of
O’Neill of Thomond, but this family is now represented by its two modern branches,
O’Nihills of Limerick (from the Norse form of O’Neill) and the Creaghs of
Bunratty. The Greaghs (Craobhach) derive their cognomen of
Creagh from one of their ancestors who
carried a green branch in a battle against the Limerick Vikings (called Danes though of
Norwegian origin). They subsequently became a respectable merchant family in Limerick, and
later also in Cork, while keeping up their connection with Clare as well. The family
provided several distinguished churchmen in the fifteenth century.
The Muintear Ifearnain or O’Quins (0 Cuinn) descend from Conn,
Lord of Muinntear Ifearnain, who flourished in the latter part of the tenth century. They
were originally seated at Inchiquin, and their territory, which was designated Muinntear
Ifearnain from their clan name, comprised the country around Corofin, in County
Clare.
The MacNamaras (Mac Conmara) were the chief family of the Ui Caisin or
Clann Chuileain. They were, next to the O’Briens, the most powerful of the Dalcassian
families, and were hereditary marshalls (military commanders) to the O’Brien kings of
Thomond. It was their privilege to inaugurate the O’Brien. Their original territory
was called Ui Caisin, which corresponded to the present deanery of Ogashin, including nine
parishes, in the east of County Clare. In later times, however, they ruled over a greatly
enlarged territory which comprised the whole of Upper and Lower Tulla, the entire eastern
quarter of County Clare. This territory was known, from their other clan name, as Clann
Chuileain. In the sixteenth century a branch of the family settled in County Down.
The Maclnerneys (Mac an Airchinnigh)
are of the same stock as the MacNamaras, and formerly held considerable property around
Ballycally, in the parish of Kilconry and Barony of Bunratty (South Clare), which they
lost in the Cromwellian confiscations. The family is now numerous in Clare and Limerick.
Their name denotes descent from an erenagh, or hereditary ecclesiastic (Chapter II).
The O’Deas (0 Deaghaidh) were the chief family of the Ui Fearmaic,
being the lords of the territory of that name in northwest County Clare, which comprised
the greater part of the present Barony of Inchiquin. They had their chief strongholds at
Tullyodea and Dyserttola; a branch where chiefs of Slewardagh in East Tipperary.
The O’Griffeys (0 Griebhta) were the chief family of the Cineal
Guallachta in the southeast of what is now the barony of Inchiquin (the northwest quarter
of County Clare, just east of the coastal baronies of Corcomroe and the Burten). They
followed the O’Deas, and had their castle at Ballygriffy in the parish of Dysert,
near Ennis. The name is usually Anglicized as Griffin.
next page
|