ANCIENT
ORMOND AND DESIES;
Or Tipperary and Waterford.
THE territories which formed ancient Ormond and Desies have been already
mentioned. As this territory is closely associated with the Anglo-Norman
invasion of Ireland, the following observations may not here be out of
place:
Waterford is celebrated as the chief landing-place of the Anglo-Norman
invaders, under Strongbow and his followers; and is also remarkable as the chief
place where several kings of England landed on their expedition to Ireland. In
May, A.D. 1169, Robert Fitzstephen, Maurice Fitzgerald, David Barry, Hervey de
Monte Marisco, Myler Fitzstephen, Maurice Prendergast, and other chiefs from
Wales (being the first of the Anglo-Normans who invaded Ireland) landed at the
bay of Bag-an-bun or Bannow, in the county Wexford, near the bay of Waterford;
where they were joined by their ally Dermod MacMurrough, King of Leinster. In
May, 1170, Raymond le Gros and other Anglo-Norman chiefs landed near the rock of
Dundonnel, about four miles from Waterford, near the river Suir. In August,
1170, Strongbow landed near Waterford, and was there married to Eva, daughter of
Dermod MacMurrough, who then conferred on his son-in-law the title of "heir
presumtive" to the kingdom of Leinster.
In A.D.
1171, King Henry the Second embarked at Milford Haven, landed at Croch, now
Crook, near Waterford, on the 18th of October; and was attended by Strongbow,
William FitzAdelm, Hugh de Lacy, Humphrey de Bohun, and other lords and barons.
The day after Henry's arrival, Dermot MacCarthy, king of Desmond, waited on him
at Waterford; delivered to him the keys of the city of Cork; and did him homage.
Henry, at the head of his army, marched to Lismore, and thence to Cashel; near
which, on the banks of the Suir, Donal O'Brien, King of Thomond, came to meet
him, delivered to him the keys of the city of Limerick, and did him homage as
Dermot MacCarthy had done. MacGillpatrick, Prince of Ossory; O'Felan, Prince of
Desies; and other chiefs, submitted soon after. From Cashel, Henry returned
through Tipperary to Waterford, and shortly afterwards proceeded to Dublin;
where he remained during the winter, and in a style of great magnificence
entertained the Irish kings and princes who had submitted to him. In February,
1172, Henry returned to Waterford, and held a council or parliament at Lismore;
and also convened a synod of bishops and clergy at Cashel. After remaining in
Ireland about six months, King Henry embarked at Wexford, on Easter Monday, the
17th of April, 1172; set sail for England, and arrived the same day at Port
Finnain in Wales.
In A.D. 1174, Raymond le Gros
landed at Waterford, with a large force from Wales, to relieve Strongbow, then
besieged by the Irish in that city; and succeeded in rescuing him. In A.D. 1175,
according to Lanigan, King Henry sent Nicholas, abbot of Malmesbury, and William
FitzAdelm to Ireland, with the Bull of Pope Adrian IV., and the brief of Pope
Alexander III., conferring on King Henry the Second, the kingdom of Ireland;
when a meeting of bishops was convened at Waterford, where these documents were
publicly read; it being the first time they were ever published. In A.D.
1185, Prince John, Earl of Morton, son of King Henry the Second, landed at
Waterford, accompanied by Ralph Glunville, Chief Justice of England, and by
Giraldus Cambrensis, his secretary and tutor. In A.D. 1210, King John landed at
Waterford, and soon after proceeded to Dublin, and from thence through various
parts of Meath and Ulster.
Waterford is also
celebrated as the place of landing and embarkation of other kings of England:
namely, of Richard the Second, in the years 1394 and 1399. On the 2nd of
September, A.D. 1689, King William the Third embarked at Waterford for England;
and, being again in Ireland, at the siege of Limerick, A.D. 1690, he came to
Waterford and embarked for England on the 5th of September. On the 2nd of July,
1690, King James the Second, after the battle of the Boyne, arrived at
Waterford, whence he set sail for France. Amongst the ancient notices of
Waterford. it may be mentioned that, A.D. 1497, in consequence of the loyalty of
the citizens of Waterford, against the mock princes and pretenders to the crown
of England-namely, Lambert, Simnel, and Perkins Warbeck, King Henry the Seventh
granted, with other honours, to the city the motto --"Intacta Maneet
Waterfordia": hence it is designated the "Urbs Intacta." In 1536, Henry the
Eighth sent by Sir William Wyse to the citizens of Waterford a gilt sword, to be
always borne before the Mayors, in remembrance of their renowned fidelity.
TIPPERARY AND WATERFORD,
Or Ormond and
Desies
IN Desies or Waterford, the following
were the chiefs and clans.
1.
O'Felan, whose territory was, after the Anglo-Norman invasion, transferred to
the Le Poers, and other settlers; but there are still very respectable families
of the O'Felans (some of whom have changed the name to Phelan and Whelan) in the
counties of Waterford, Tipperary, Kilkenny, and Queen's County. The O'Felans
were princes of Desies, and territory comprising the greater part of the present
county of Waterford, with part of Tipperary, as already explained; and were
descended from the Desians of Meath, who were of the race of Heremon. Some of
the family in America spell the name "Whelen."
2. O'Bric, of the same descent as
O'Felan.
3. O'Brien, a branch of the O'Briens of Thomond.
4. O'Crotty, also a
branch of the O'Briens of Thomond.
5. The McGraths were old and respectable
families of Waterford; as were also those of O'Shee, O'Ronayne, O'Hely,
O'Callaghan, O'Coghlan, O'Meara, etc.
In Ormond or
the county Tipperary. the following have heen the chiefs and clans of note:
1.
O'Donoghoe (or O'Donohoe), of the Eugenian race, and of the same descent as the
MacCarthys, kings of Desmond. One of the O'Donoghoes is mentioned by the Four
Masters, at the year AD. 1038, as "king presumptive" of Cashel. The ancient
kings of Munster, of the Eugenian race, were inaugurated on the rock of Cashel;
and those of the Dalcassian race, or the O'Briens, kings of Thomond, had their
place of inauguration at Magh Adair, situated in the townland of Toonagh, parish
of Cloney, barony of Upper Tulla, in the county Clare.
2. O'Carroll, Prince of
Ely, ruled according to O'Heerin, over eight subordinate chiefs; and had their
castle at Birr, now Parsonstown, in the King's County. O'Carroll was the head of
the Clan Cian race, as the MacCarthys were of the Eugenians: and the O'Briens,
of the Dalcassians. The territory of "Ely" got its name from Eile, one of its
princes, in the fifth century; and from being possessed by the O'Carrolls, was
called "Ely O'Carroll;" which comprised the present barony of Lower Ormond, in
the county Tipperary, with the barony of Clonlisk and part of Ballybrit in the
King's County; extending to Slieve Bloom Mountains, on the borders of the
Queen's County. The part of Ely in the King's County belonged to the ancient
province of Munster.
3. O'Kennedy, chief of Gleann Omra; several of them are
mentioned by the Four Masters as lords of Ormond. The O'Kennedys (of Munster)
were of the Dalcassian race; and possessed the barony of Upper Ormond, in the
county Tipperary.
4. O'Hurley: a branch of this family (who were also of the
Dalcassian race) settled in Limerick, in the barony of Owneybeg, and in the
parish of Knocklong, in the barony of Coshlea, county Limerick, where the ruins
of their chief castle still remain. Other branches of the O'Hurleys were settled
in Galway, and had large possessions in the baronies of Kilconnell, Killian, and
Ballymore; of which family were Sir William and Sir John Hurley, baronets.
5.
O'Hern (Hearne, Heron, Ahearne, Ahern), chiefs of Hy-Cearnaidh.
6. O'Shanahan
(or O'Shannon), descended from Lorcan, a king of Munster, who was grandfather of
Brian Boru: hence, the O'Shanahans or Shannons are a branch of the Dalcassians,
who were also designated Clan Tail. The O'Shannons were chiefs of a territory
called Feadha Hy-Rongaile or the Woods of Hy-Rongaile comprising the country
about Eibhline; and, as Slieve Eibhline is stated in the old writers to be near
Cashel, this territory appears to have been situated either in the barony of
Middlethird or of Eliogarty.
7. O'Duffy.
8. O'Dwyer, chief of Hy-Aimrit, was a
branch of the Heremonians; and possessed extensive territory in the present
baronies of Kilnamanach, county Tipperary. Some of the O'Dwyers were commanders
in the Irish Brigade in the Service of France. MacGeoghagan mentions General
O'Dwyer as governor of Belgrade; and there was an Admiral O'Dwyer in the Russian
service.
9. O'Dea, and O'Hoiliolla (or O'Hulla), are given by O'Heerin as chiefs
of Sliabh Ardach, now the barony of "Slieveardagh," in Tipperary.
10. O'Carthy,
chief of Muiscridh Iarthar Feimin --a territory which, according to O'Halloran,
was situated near Emly, in Tipperary.
11. O'Meara,* chief of Hy-Fathaidh,
Hy-Niall, and Hy-Eochaidh-Finn. The O'Mearas had an extensive territory in the
barony of Upper Ormond, county Tipperary; and the name of their chief residences
Tuaim-ui-Meara, is still retained in the town of "Toomavara," in that district.
The Hy-Nialls here mentioned were of the race of Eugenius of Munster.
12.
O'Meagher or Maher, chief of Crioch-ui-Cairin, or the land of Hy-Kerrin, now the
barony of "Ikerin," in the county Tipperary.
13. O'Flanagan, chiefs of Uachtar
Tire and of Cinel Agra. The district of Uachtar Tire (or the Upper Country) was
situated in the barony of Iffa and Offa, on the borders of Tipperary and
Waterford; and that of Oinel Agra, in Ely O'Carroll, in the King's County.
14.
O'Breslin, chief of Hy-Athy of Ely, which appears to have been a part of Ely
O'Carroll, situated near the Shannon; and these O'Breslins were probably a
branch of the O'Breslins of Donegal, who were Brehons or judges to the
O'Donnells, princes of Tirconnell, and to the MacGuires, princes of Fermanagh.
15. O'Keane, chief of Hy-Fodhladha, a district supposed to be on the borders of
Tipperary and Waterford.
16. O'Donegan (or O'Dongan) prince of Aradh, was of the
race of Heremon. The O'Donegans were styled princes of Muiscrith Tire, now Lower
Ormond, in Tipperary; and possessed Aradh Cliach, now the barony of Owney and
Arra, also in Tipperary.
17. O'Donnelly, or O'Dongally, and O'Fuirig (or
O'Furey), also chiefs of Muiscrith Tire.
18. O'Sullivan, chief of Eoganacht Mór
of Knock Raffan, already mentioned.
19. O'Fogarty, chiefs of South Ely, now the
barony of Eliogarty, in Tipperary, had their chief seats about Thurles; it was
called South Ely, to distinguish it from North Ely or Ely O'Carroll.
20.
O'Cullen, chief of Eoganacht of Arra; and O'Keely, chief of Aolmoy: these two
districts appear to have been in the barony of Owney and Arra, in Tipperary.
21.
O'Duinechair and O'Dinan, chiefs of Eoganacht Uaithne Ageamar [Owney Agamar].
This territory comprised part of the counties of Tipperary and Limerick, now the
baronies of Owney and Owneybeg.
22. The O'Ryans or O'Mulrians of Tipperary,
afterwards possessed Owney in Tipperary, and Owneybeg in Limerick. A branch of
the O'Ryans were princes of Hy-Drone, in Carlow.
23. O'Mearns, chief of
Eoganacht Ross Airgid.
24. MacKeogh or Kehoe, chief of Uaithne Tire, a territory
situated in ancient Owney, which comprised the present baronies of Owney and
Arra, in Tipperary; and Owneybeg, in Limerick. In that territory also dwelt the
O'Linskeys or Lynches, who are described as "men of lands," dwelling in the
neighbourhood of the Danes, who possessed Limerick.
25. O'Heffernan and
O'Callanan were chiefs of Owney Cliach,# a territory situated in the barony of
Owney and Arra, county Tipperary; these O'Heffernans were a branch of the
O'Heffernans of Clare, whose name is mentioned under "Thomond."
26. MacLenehan
(Irish MacLongachain), chief of Crota Cliach, and Hy-Coonagh. This territory was
situated partly in the barony of Owney and Arra, in Tipperary, and partly in the
barony of Coonagh, county Limerick. The O'Dwyers, already mentioned as chiefs of
Kilnamanagh, in Tipperary, were also located in this territory.
27. O'Lonergan,
ancient chiefs and proprietors of Cahir, and the adjoining districts in
Tipperary, till the fourteenth century, when they were dispossessed by the
Butlers, earls of Ormond.
28. Mac-I-Brien or MacBrien, a branch of the O'Briens
of Thomond, had large possessions in the barony of Owney and Arra, in Tipperary,
and in the barony of Coonagh, county Limerick; and were styled lords of Arra and
Coonagh. 29. MacCorcoran, chief of Clan Rooney, "of the flowery avenues."
30.
O'Hogan, chief of Crioch Cian, about Lower Ormond, in Tipperary.
31.
MacGillfoyle or Gilfoyle, chief of Clan Quinlevan. The MacGillfoyles appear to
have been located on the borders of Tipperary and King's County; and some of the
O'Quinlevans have changed the name to "Quinlan." 32.
O'Bannan or Bannin, chief
of Hy-Dechi, a territory situated in the north of Tipperary.
33. O'Ailche, chief
of Tuatha Faralt.
34. O'Cahill, chief of Corca Tine, situated on the borders of
Tipperary and Kilkenny.
35. O'Dinnerty and O'Amry, clans located on the borders
of Tipperary and Kilkenny.
36. O'Spillane, chief of Hy-Luighdeach, situated on
the borders of Tipperary and Kilkenny.
37. MacEagan, in the barony of Arra, were
hereditary Brehons; and O'Cullenan or MacCullinan, hereditary physicians in
Ormond.
38. O'Scully, O'Hanrahan, O'Lanigan, and MacGrath, were also clans of
note in Tipperary; and O'Honeen, who changed their name to "Green," and "Hoyne,"
were numerous in Tipperary and Clare.
Ormond and Desies were formed into the
counties of Tipperary and Waterford, A.D. 1210, in the reign of King John.
Waterford was called by the ancient Irish Cuan-na-Grian, signifying the "Harbour
of the Sun," and afterwards, Glean-na-nGleodh or the "Valley of Lamentations,"
from a great battle fought there between the Irish and the Danes in the tenth
century. By the Danes it was called Vader Fiord ("vader:" Danish, to wade;
"fiord," a ford or haven), signifying the fordable part of the haven: hence,
"Waterford" is so called.
Tipperary is, in Irish, Tobardarainn, signifying the
"Well of Arainn;" and so called from the adjoining territory of Arainn. In
Tipperary are valuable coal and iron mines, and extensive slate quarries. Affane
in Waterford was famous for cherries; first planted there by Sir Walter Raleigh,
who brought them from the Canary Islands.
* O'Meara: Of this family we find the following, in p.36 of tbe Vol. F.
3.27, in the MSS. Library of Trinity College, Dublin: 1. Donell O'Meara. 2.
William of Lismiskey, Co. Tipperary: his son and heir. 3. Teige of Lismisky: his
son m. Honora, dau. of Robert Grace of Corktown, Co. Kilkenny. 4. Daniel
O'Meara: his son: had two brothers and two sisters: the brothers were--1.
William, 2. Patrick, the sisters were--1. Ellin, 2. Elan.
# Cliach: Some authorities say that the present barony of "Owneybeg," in
the county Limerick, was the territory of (Uaithne Cliach or) Owney Cliach, of
which O'Heffernan and O'Hallinan were chiefs.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
*
"Irish Pedigrees", by John O'Hart, two vols., Fifth edition, published
in 1892 in Dublin,
re-printed
by the Genealogical Publishing Co. in Baltimore in 1976. Library of Congress,
United
States; CS483.05 1976 929'1'09415 76-12097.
A CDROM disk of these two vols. can be obtained from;
www.ajmorris.com/roots