Historical Background:

{ See Province of CONNAUGHT }

The list memorializes a local Kingdom present during the later Middle Ages.

CONNACHT (Connaught) The rugged and thinly populated west of Ireland.

• Cathal V -- ( 973-1010 ).
• Tadg III in Eich Gil -- ( 1010-1030 ).
• Art Uallach -- ( 1030-1046 ).
• Aedh IV in Gai Bernaig -- ( 1046-1067 ).
• Aedh V -- ( 1067-1087 ).
• Ruaidri na Saide Buide -- ( 1087-1092 ).
• Flaugherty -- ( 1092- ? d. 1098 ).
• Tadg IV -- ( 1092-1097 ).
• Donal III -- ( 1097-1102 ).
• Donal IV -- ( 1102-1106 ).
• Turlough I (High King) -- ( 1106-1156 ).
• Ruaidrí -- ( 1156-1186 d. 1198 ).
• Conchobar III Máenmaige -- ( 1186-1189 ).
• Cathal VI Crobderg -- ( 1189-1224 ).
• Turlough II -- ( 1225 d. 1234 ).
• Aedh VI -- ( 1224-1228 ).
• Turlough II (restored) -- ( 1228-1230 d. 1234 ).
• Aedh VII -- ( 1228-1230 ).
• Turlough II (re-restored) -- ( 1230-1234 ).
• vacant
• Brian I -- ( 1236-1237 ).
• vacant
• Turlough III -- ( 1249-1250 d. 1266 ).
• vacant
• Aedh VIII -- ( 1265-1274 ).
• Aedh IX -- ( 1274-1278 ).
• Aedh X Muimnech -- ( 1278-1293 ).
• Aedh XI -- ( 1293-1309 ).
• Aedh XII Bréifnech -- ( 1309-1332 ).
• vacant
• Aedh XIII -- ( 1342-1345 ).
• Aedh XIV -- ( 1345-1350 d. 1356 ).
• Aedh XV -- ( 1350-1351 d. 1368 ).
• Aedh XIV (restored) -- ( 1351-1353 d. 1356 ).
• Aedh XV (restored) -- ( 1353 d. 1368 ).
• Aedh XIV (re-restored) -- ( 1353-1356 ).
• Aedh XV (re-restored) -- ( 1356-1368 ).
• vacant
• Turlough IV the Red -- ( 1384-1425 ).
• vacant
• Tadg V -- ( 1439-1464 ), opposed by...
• Aedh XVI -- ( 1439-1461 ), and then...
• Feidlimid I Geangcach -- ( 1461-1474), and also...
• Brian II -- ( 1461-1462, d. 1487 ), as well as...
• Cathal VII the Red -- ( 1464-1465 ), as well as...
• Feidlimid II the Fair-haired -- ( 1465-1466 d. 1490 ).
• Brian II (restored) -- ( 1466-1487 ).
• Feidlimid II the Fair-haired (restored) -- ( 1488-1490 ).

CONNAUGHT (All) The Norman Lordships.

• De BURGH
  • Richard I the Great -- ( 1227-1243 ).
  • Richard II -- ( 1243-1248 ).

UPPER CONNAUGHT

• De BURGH
  • William I -- ( ? -1343 ).
  • Richard III the Young -- ( 1343-1387 ).
  • William II an Fhiona -- ( 1387-1423 ).
  • William III -- ( 1423-1430 ).
  • William IV the Red -- ( 1430-1485 ).
  • William V Fionn -- ( 1485-1509 ).
  • Richard IV the Young -- ( 1509-1519 ).
  • William VI the Young -- ( 1519-1520 ).
  • Richard V the Great -- ( 1520-1530 ).
  • John -- ( 1530-1536 ).
  • Richard VI Bacach -- ( 1536 ).

LOWER CONNAUGHT

• De BURGH
  • Edmund I the Scot -- ( 1332-1375 ).
  • Thomas I -- ( 1375-1402 ).
  • Walter -- ( 1402-1440 ).
  • Edmund II of the Beard -- ( 1440-1458 ).
  • Thomas II the Young -- ( 1458-1460 ).
  • Richard III -- ( 1460-1469 ).
  • Richard IV ó Cuairsge -- ( 1469-1473 ).
  • Theobald I. -- ( 1473-1503 ).
  • Richard V -- ( 1503-1509 ).
  • Edmund III -- ( 1509-1514 ).
  • Meiler -- ( 1514-1520 ).
  • Edmund IV -- ( 1520-1527 ).
  • John I an Tearmainn -- ( 1527-1537 ).
  • Theobald II -- ( 1537 ).
  • David -- ( 1537-1571 ).
  • John II -- ( 1571-1580 ).
  • Richard VI the Eagle -- ( 1580-1582 ).
  • Richard VII -- ( 1582-1586 ).
  • William the Blind Abbot -- ( 1586-1593 ).
  • Theobald III -- ( 1593-1600 ).
  • Richard VIII -- ( 1600 ).

FORMATION of COUNTY SLIGO

THE EARLY YEARS IN CONNAUGHT

• O'Maolcluiche or Mulclohy (cloch: Irish, "a stone"), chief of Cairbre, now the barony of Carbery, in the county Sligo. This name has been anglicised "Stone" and "Stoney."

• MacDiarmada or MacDermott, chief of Tir Oliolla, now the barony of Tirerill, in the county Sligo. The MacDermotts were also princes of Moylurg, in the county Roscommon, in South Connaught. They afterwards became princes of Coolavin, as successors to the O'Garas, lords of Coolavin; and to the present day, as the only family of the Milesian Clans who have preserved their ancient titles, retain the title of  "Prince of Coolavin." (See the "MacDermott" pedigree.)

• MacDonchaidh or MacDonogh, a branch of the MacDermotts, afterwards chiefs of Tirerill and of Corran, now the barony of "Corran" in Sligo. O'Donchathaigh is given by O'Dugan as a chief in Corran; this name has been anglicised O'Donogh.

• O'Dubhalen or O'Devlin, another chief in Corran.

• O'Headhra or O'Hara, chief of Luighne, now the barony of  "Lieney" in the county Sligo; but Lieney anciently comprised part of the baronies of Costello and Gallen in Mayo. The O'Haras were descended from Olioll Olum, King of Munster in the third century. In the reigns of Queen Anne and George the First, the O'Haras were created "Barons of Tirawley and Kilmain," in the county Mayo.

• O'Gadhra or O'Gara, given by O'Dugan as chief of Lieney, but in aftertimes Lord of Cuil-O'bh-fionn, now the barony of  "Coolavin," was of the same stock as the O'Haras and O'Briens, kings of Thomond.

• O'Ciernachain or Kernighan and O'Huathmharain (O'Horan or O'Haran), other chiefs in Lieney.

• O'Muiredhaigh or O'Murray, chief of Ceara, now the barony of "Carra," in the county Mayo; and also chief of the Lagan, a district in the northern part of the barony of Tirawley, in Mayo.

• O'Tighearnaigh or O'Tierney, a chief in Carra.

• O'Gormog (modernized O'Gorman), another chief in Carra.

• O'Maille or O'Malley, chief of Umhall, which O'Dugan states was divided into two territories. This territory, whose name is sometimes mentioned as Umalia and Hy-Malia, comprised the present baronies of Murrisk and "Burrishoole," in the county Mayo. The O'Malleys are of the same descent as the O'Connors, Kings of Connaught; and seem to have been great mariners. Of them O'Dugan says:-- "A good man yet there never was, Of the O'Malleys, who was not a mariner; Of every weather ye are prophets; A tribute of brotherly affection and of friendship." Of this family was the celebrated heroine Graine-Ni-Mhaille [Grana Wale] or Grace O'Malley, widow of O'Flaherty, wife of Rickard an Iarain Bourke, and daughter of the chief "O'Malley" (see the "Bourkes," Lords Viscounts Mayo, pedigree); who, in the reign of Elizabeth, commanded her fleet in person, performed many remarkable exploits against the English.

• O'Talcharaln, chief of Conmaicne Cuile, now the barony of Kilmain, co. Mayo.

The following chiefs and clans, not given in O'Dugan, have been collected from other sources:

• O'Caithniadh (or O'Catney), chief of Iorras, now the barony of "Erris," in Mayo.
• O'Ceallachain or O'Callaghan, chiefs in Erris; this family was not of the O'Callaghans of Munster.
• O'Caomhain (see the "Cowan" pedigree), a senior branch of the O'Dowd family, and chiefs of some districts on the borders of Sligo and Mayo, in the baronies of Tireragh, Corran, and Costello.
• O'Gaibhtheachain or O'Gaughan; and O'Maoilfhiona or O'Molina, chiefs of Calraighe Moy Heleog -- a district comprising the parish of "Crossmolina," in the barony of Tyrawley, and county Mayo.
• O'Gairmiallaigh or O'Garvaly, and O'Dorchaidhe or O'Dorchy, chiefs of Partraigh or Partry; an ancient territory at the Partry Mountains in Mayo, the situation of which the present parish of "Party" determines (see the "Darcy" pedigree).
• O'Lachtnain or Loughnan (by some of the family anglicised "Loftus"), chiefs of the territory called "The Two Bacs," now the parish of Backs, situated between Lough Conn and the river Moy, in Mayo.
• O'Maolfoghmair, anglicised "Milford" and O'Maolbrennain, anglicised "Mulrennin," chiefs of Hy-Eachach Muaidhe, a district extending along the western bank of the river "Moy," between Ballina and Killala.
• O'Mongan or O'Mangan, chiefs of Breach Magh -- a district in the parish of Kilmore Moy, on the eastern bank of the Moy, in the co. Sligo.
• O'Conniallain or O'Connellan, chief of Bun-ui-Conniallan, now "Bonny-connellan" -- a district in the barony of Gallen, county Mayo; and also of Cloon-connellan, in the barony of Kilmain.
• O'Ceirin or O'Kearns, chiefs of Ciarraighe Loch-na-Nairneadha territory in the barony of Costello, county Mayo, comprising the parishes of Aghamore, Bekan, and Knock.

    The other clans in Mayo and Sligo were:

O'Bannen, O'Brogan, Mac Conbain, O'Bean (ban: Irish, white), some of whom have anglicised the name "White" and "Whyte;"; O'Beolan or O'Boland; O'Beirne, some of whom have anglicised their name "Barnes;" O'Flatelly, O'Crean, O'Carey, O'Conachtain or O'Conaty of Cabrach or Cabra in Tireragh; O'Flanelly, O'Coolaghan, O'Burns, O'Hughes; O'Huada or Heady, O'Fuada or Fodey (fuadach: Irish, an elopement), and O'Tapa or Tappy (tapadh: Irish, haste) -- these three last sirnames have been anglicised "Swift;" O'Loingsy or O'Lynch; O'Maolmoicheirghe (mock: Irish, early), anglicised "Early" and "Eardly;" O'Mulrooney or Rooney, O'Moran, O'Muldoon, O'Meehan, O'Caffrey or Caffrey, O'Finnegan, O'Morrisey, O'Morris or O'Morrison; MacGeraghty, anglicised "Garrett;" O'Spillane, O'Donnell, and MacSweeney.

In Sligo, the Anglo-Normans under the Bourkes and the Fitzgeralds (earls of Kildare) made some settlements, and had frequent contests with the O'Connors; and with the O'Donnells (princes of Tirconnell), who had extended their power over a great part of Sligo.

    IN the 12th century John de Courcy made some attempts with his Anglo-Norman forces towards the conquest of Connaught, but did not succeed to any extent. The De Burgos or Bourkes, in the reign of King John, obtained grants in various parts of Connaught; and, for a long period, carried on fierce contests with the O'Connors, kings of Connaught, and various chiefs. They made considerable conquests in the country, and were styled lords of Connaught; but it appears that in the fourteenth century, several chiefs of the Bourkes renounced their allegiance to the English Government, and some of them took the sirname of "MacWilliam;" and, adopting the Irish language and dress, identified themselves with the ancient Irish in customs and manners. One of them took the name of Mac William Oughter or Mac William the Upper, who was located in Galway, the upper part of Connaught; and another, Mac William Eighter, or Mac William the Lower, who was located in Mayo, or the lower part. Some branches of the Bourkes took the sirnames of MacDavid, MacPhilbin, MacGibbon, from their respective ancestors. (See the "Bourke" pedigree.) From Richard or Rickard de Burgo, a great portion of the county Galway got the name of Glanrickard, which, according to Ware, comprised the baronies of Clare, Dunkellin, Loughrea, Kiltartan, Athenry, and Leitrim. The De Burgos became the most powerful family in Connaught, and were its chief governors under the kings of England. They were styled lords of Connaught, and also became earls of Ulster; but, on the death of William de Burgo, earl of Ulster, in the fourteenth century, and the marriage of his daughter Elizabeth, to Lionel, Duke of Clarence, son of King Edward the Third, his titles passed into the Royal Family of England. Ulick Burke, the progenitor of the marquises of Clanrickard, had great possessions in Galway and Roscommon; and Sir Edmund Bourke, called "Albanach," had large possessions in Mayo, and was ancestor of the earls of Mayo. Mayo: The other families who settled in Mayo, were the following: De Angulo or Nangle, who took the Irish surname "MacCostello," and from whom the barony of "Costello" derived its name. De Exter, who took the name of "MacJordan," and were styled lords of Athleathan, in the barony of Gallen. Barrett, some of whom took the surname of "MacWatten;" and "MacAndrew." Staunton, in Carra some of whom took the name of "MacAveely." Lawless, Cusack, Lynot, Prendergast, and Fitzmaurice; Bermingham, who changed their name to "MacFeorais;" Blake, Dillon, Bingham, etc. The MacPhilips are placed on the map of Ortelius in the barony of Costello; their principal seat is at Cloonmore, and they are a branch of the Bourkes who took the name of "MacPhilip."  

MAJOR LANDHOLDERS IN SLIGO

     THE following have been denoted as MAJOR LANDHOLDERS in Sligo since the reign of King James the First.

• O' Taaffe, barons of Ballymote, and viscounts of Corran.

• Coote, barons of Collooney.

• Scudamore, viscounts of Sligo.

• And Browne, marquises of Sligo.