OSSORY,*
OFFALEY, LEIX, or, Kilkenny, King's, and Queen's Counties
* Ossory, Offaley, and Leix: An
account of the ancient history and inhabitants of what
constituted ancient Leinster of the territories comprised
in Kilkenny, King's and Queen's Counties, with their
chiefs and clans, and the possessions of each in ancient
and modern times.
The territories of Ossory, Offaley, and
Leix, are connected with many of the earliest events
recorded in Irish history: according to our ancient
annalists a great battle was fought between the Nemedians
and Fomorians at Sliabh Bladhma, now the
"Slievebloom" mountains, on the borders of the
King's and Queen's Counties. Heremon and Heber Fionn,
sons of Milesius, having contended for the sovereignty of
Ireland, fought a great battle at Geisiol, now
"Geashill," in the King's County; in which the
forces of Heber were defeated, and he himself slain; by
which Heremon became the first sole Milesian Monarch of
Ireland. Heremon had his chief residence and fortress at
Airgiodros, near the river Feoir, now the
"Nore"; and this royal residence was also
called Rath Beathach, and is now known as
"Rathbeagh," near Freshford, in the county
Kilkenny. Heremon died at Rathbeagh, and was buried in a
sepulchral mound which still remains. It appears that
other kings of Ireland in eariy times also resided there;
for it is recorded that Ruraighe Mór, who was the 86th
Monarch of Ireland, died at Airgiodros. Conmaol or
Connalius (No. 38. page 63), son of Heber Fionn, was the
first Monarch of Ireland of the race of Heber; he fought
many great battles for the crown with the race of
Heremon, particulariy a great battle at Geashill, where
Palpa, a son of Heremon, was slain.
In the latter end of the first century,
the people of Munster made war on Cucorb, King of
Leinster, and conquered that province as far as the hill
of Maistean, now Mullaghmast, in the county Kildare; but
Cucorb having appointed as commander-in-chief of his
forces, Lugaid Laighis, a famous warrior, who was
grandson to the renowned hero Conall Cearnach or Conall
the Victorious, chief of the Red Branch Knights of
Ulster, both armies fought two terrific battles, about
A.D. 90: one at Athrodan, now Athy, in Kildare, and the
other at Cainthine on Magh Riada, now the plain or heath
of Maryborough, in the Queen's County; in which the men
of Leinster were victorious, having routed the Munster
troops from the hill of Maistean across the river Bearbha
(now the "Barrow"), and pursued the remnant of
their forces as far as Slieve Dala mountain or Ballach
Mór, in Ossory, near Borris in Ossory, on the borders of
Tipperary and Queen's County. Being thus reinstated in
his Kingdom of Leinster, chiefly through the valour of
Lugaid Laighis, Cucorb conferred on him a territory,
which he named Laoighise or the "Seven districts of
Laighis:" a name anglicised "Leise" or
"Leix," and still retained in the name
"Abbeyleix." This territory was possessed by
Lugaid Laighis and his posterity, who were styled princes
of Leix; and his descendants, on the introduction of
surnames, took the name O'Mordha or O'Morra (anglicised
"O'Moore"), and for many centuries held their
rank as princes of Leix. The territory of Leix, under the
O'Moores, comprised the present baronies of Maryboro,
Cullinagh, Ballyadams, Stradbally, and part of
Portnehinch, In the Queen's County; together with Athy,
and the adjoining country in Kildare, now the baronies of
Narraph and Rheban. The other parts of the Queen's
County, formed parts of other principalities; the barony
of Upper Ossory belonged to Ossory; Tinehinch to Offaley;
part of Portnehinch to O'Dempsey of Clan Maliere; and the
barony of Slievemargy was part of Hy-Kinselagh.
THE following accounts of the Irish
chiefs and clans of Ossory, Offaley, and Leix, have been
collected from the Topographies of O'Heeran, O'Dugan,
O'Brien, O'Halloran, and others:
Mac Giolla Padruig #
or MacGillpatrick, anglicised
"Fitzpatrick," princes of Ossory. From
the reign of Henry the Eighth down to that of
George the Second, the Fitzpatricks were created
barons of Castletown, barons of Gowran, and earls
of Upper Ossory. ( # Giolla Padruig: Some
of the descendants Of this Giolla Padruig (or
Padraig) have anglicised their name Stapleton. )
O'Cearbhaill or O'Carroll, and
O'Donchadha or O'Donoghoe, chiefs of the barony
of Gowran and Sliogh Liag, which is probably the
barony of "Shillelogher," both in
Kilkenny. These O'Carrolls, it is thought, were a
branch of the O'Carrolls, princes of Ely; and the
O'Donoghoes, a branch of the O'Donoghoes, princes
of Cashel.
O'Conchobhar or O'Connor, princes
of Hy-Failge or Offaley, had a fortress at the
green mound of Cruachan or Croghan, a beautiful
hill situated in the parish of Croghan, within a
few miles of Philipstown, on the borders of the
King's County and Westmeath. The O'Connors,
princes of Offaley, usually denominated
"O'Connors Failey," took their name
from Conchobhar, prince of Hy-Failge, who is
mentioned in the Annals of the Four Masters, at
A.D. 1014; and had their chief fortress at Dangan
(now called Philipstown, in the King's County),
and several castles in other parts of that county
and in Kildare. They maintained their
independence and large possessions down to the
reign of Elizabeth, after which their estates
were confiscated.
O'Mordha or O'Moore, princes of
Laoighis or Leix, were marshals and treasurers of
Leinster; and had their chief fortress at
Dunamase, a few miles from Maryboro, erected on a
rock situated on a hill; a place of almost
impregnable strength, of which some massive ruins
still remain. Like other independent princes, as
the O'Reillys of Brefney, the O'Tooles of
Wicklow, etc., the O'Moores coined their own
money; and it is stated in Sir Charles Coote's
"Survey of the Queen's County," that
some of the silver coins of the O'Moores were in
his time extant.
O'Diomosaigh or O'Dempsey, lords
of Clan Maoilughra or "Clanmaliere,"
were a branch of the race of Cahir Mór, and of
the same descent as the O'Connors Failey; and
were sometimes styled princes and lords of
Clanmaliere and Offaley. The O'Dempseys had their
chief castle at Geashill in the King's County,
and, among many others in that county, had one in
the barony of Offaley in Kildare, and one at
Ballybrittas, in the barony of Portnehinch, in
the Queen's County.
O'Duinn, O'Dunn, or O'Dunne,
chiefs of Hy-Riagain [O'Regan], now the barony of
Tinehinch in the Queen's County. Some of the
O'Dunns have changed the name to Doyne.
O'Riagain or O'Regan were, it
appears, the ancient chiefs of Hy-Riagain, and
who gave its name to that territory; which is
still retained in the name of the parish of
"Oregon" or Rosenallis, in the barony
of Tinehinch. Of the ancient clan of the O'Regans
was Maurice Regan, secretary to Dermod
MacMorrough, king of Leinster; and who wrote an
account of the Anglo-Norman invasion under
Strongbow and his followers, which is published
in Harris's "Hibernica."
O'Brogharain (anglicised Broghan,
and Brougham) are given by O'Dugan as chiefs of
the same territory as O'Dunn and O'Dempsey.
O'Haongusa or O'Hennesy, chiefs
of Clar Colgan; and O'Haimirgin, chiefs of Tuath
Geisille: the districts of these two chiefs
appear from O'Dugan to have been situated about
Geashill and Croghan, in the baronies of Geashill
and Philipstown, in the King's County. Another
O'Hennessy is mentioned by O'Dugan as chief of
Galinga Beag [Beg], now the parish of Gallen, in
the barony of Garrycastle.
O'Maolchein (anglicised
Whitehead), chiefs of Tuath Damhuighe, signifying
the Land of the Oxen, or of the two plains: a
district which appears to have adjoined, that of
O'Hennesy.
O'Maolmuaidh or O'Molloy, princes
of Fear Ceall or the territory comprised in the
present baronies of Eglish or
"Fearcall," Ballycowan, and Ballyboy,
in the King's County; and formed originally a
part of the ancient kingdom of Meath. The
O'Molloys were of the southern Hy-Niall race or
Clan Colman.
The O'Carrolls, princes of Ely
O'Carroll, possessed, as already mentioned, the
barony of Lower Ormond in Tipperary, and those of
Clonlisk and Ballybritt in the King's County; and
had their chief castle at Birr or Parsonstown.
MacCochlain or Coghlan, princes
of Dealbhna Earthra [Delvin Ahra], or the present
barony of Garrycastle in the King's County; and
O'Maollughach, chiefs of the Brogha, a district
which appears to have adjoined MacCoghlan's
territory, and was probably part of the barony of
Garrycastle, in the King's County, and of
Clonlonan in Westmeath. The MacCoghlans were of
the race of the Dalcassians, same as the
O'Briens, kings of Munster.
O'Sionnaigh or Fox, a lord of
Teffia or Westmeath. O'Dugan in his Topography
gives O'Catharnaigh as head prince of Teffia:
hence the name Sionnaigh has been rendered
"Catharnaigh" [Kearney]. The chief
branch of this family took the name of Sionnach
O'Catharnaigh, and, the word "sionnach"
signifying a fox, the family name became
"Fox;" and the head chief was generally
designated An Sionnach or The Fox. They were of
the race of the southern Hy-Niall; and their
territory was called Muintir Tadhgain, which
contained parts of the baronies of Rathconrath
and Clonlonan in Westmeath, with part of the
barony of Kilcourcy in the King's County. In the
reign of Queen Elizabeth the Foxes got the title
of lords of Kilcourcy.
MacAmhalgaidh (MacAuley,
Magauley, or MacGawley), chiefs of
Calraidhe-an-Chala or Calry of the Ports: a
territory which comprised the present parish of
Ballyloughloe, in the barony of Clonlonan in
Westmeath. The "ports" here alluded to
were those of the Shannon, to which this parish
extends.
O'Gormain (anglicised MacGorman,
O'Gorman, and Gorman), chiefs of Crioch mBairce,
now the barony of Slievemargue in the Queen's
County. The O'Gormans were of the race of Daire
Barach, son of Cahir Mór, Monarch of Ireland in
the second century; and some of them settled in
the county Clare, where they had large
possessions.
O'Dulbh or O'Duff, chiefs of
Hy-Criomthan: a district about Dun Masc or
"Dunamase," which comprised the greater
part of the two baronies of Maryboro in the
Queen's County.
MacFlodhbhuidhe, MacAodhbhuidhe
[mac-ee-boy], or "MacEvoy," chiefs of
Tuath-Fiodhbhuidhe: a district or territory which
appears to have been situated in the barony of
Stradbally, in the Queen's County. The MacEvoys
were of the Clan Colla of Ulster; and also
possessed a territory in Teffia, called Ui Mac
Uais (signifying the descendants of Kiug Colla
Uais), now the barony of "Moygoish" in
the county Westmeath. Some of this family have
anglicised the name "MacVeigh" and
"MacVeagh."
O'Ceallaigh or O'Kelly, chiefs of
Magh Druchtain and of Gailine: territories
situated in the baronies of Stradbally and
Ballyadams, in the Queen's County, along the
river Barrow.
O'Caollaidhe or Keely, chief of
Crioch O'Muighe, situated along the Barrow, now
probably the parish of "Tullowmoy," in
the barony of Ballyadams, Queen's County.
O'Leathlabhair (O'Lawlor, or
Lalor) took their name from
"Lethlobhar," No. 104 on the
"Lawlor" of Monaghan pedigree, who was
their ancestor. The Lawlors are therefore of the
Clan Colla; and in ancient times had extensive
possessions in Leix, chiefly in the barony of
Stradbally, Queen's County.
O'Dubhlaine (or Delany, Delaune,
Delane), chiefs of Tuath-an-Toraidh; and a clan
of note in the barony of Upper Ossory, Queen's
County, and also in Kilkenny.
O'Braonain or O'Brenan, chiefs of
Hy-Duach or Idoagh, now the barony of
Fassadining, in Kilkenny.
MacBraoin (Bruen or Breen), and
O'Broith (O'Brit or O'Berth), chiefs of
Magh-Seadna.
O'Caibhdeanaich, chiefs of Magh
Arbh [Moy Arve] and Clar Coill. The plain of Moy
Arve comprised the present barony of Cranagh, in
Kilkenny.
O'Gloiairn or MacGloiairn,
anglicised MacLairn or MacLaren, chiefs of
Cullain: the name of which territory is still
retained in that of the parish of
"Cullan," barony of Kells, county
Kilkenny.
O'Calloaidhe or Keely, chiefs of
Hy-Bearchon [Ibercon], an ancient barony
(according to Seward) now joined to that of Ida
in the county Kilkenny; and the name is partially
preserved in that of the parish of
"Rosbercon," in the barony of Ida.
O'Bruadair (O'Broderick or
O'Broder), chiefs of Hy-n-Eirc, now the barony of
"Iverk," in the county Kilkenny.
O'Shee of Kilkenny were some of
the O'Seaghdhas, chiefs in Munster.
O'Ryan and O'Felan were ancient
families of note in Kilkenny, as well as in
Carlow, Tipperary, and Waterford.
Tighe of Kilkenny were of the
ancient Irish clan of the O'Teiges, who were
chiefs of note in Wicklow and Wexford.
Flood of Kilkenny are of Irish
descent, though supposed to be of English origin;
as many of the ancient clans of the Maoltuiles
and of the MacThellighs (MacTullys or Tullys)
changed the name to "Flood"--thus
translating the name from the Irish
"Tuile," which signifies a flood.
MacCoscry or Cosgrave, ancient
clans in Wicklow and Queen's County, changed
their name to "Lestrange" or
"L'Estrange."
On the map of Ortelius, the
O'Mooneys are placed in the Queen's County; and
the O'Dowlings and O'Niochals or Nicholls are
mentioned by some writers as clans in the Queen's
County. O'Beehan or Behan were a clan in the
King's and Queen's Counties.
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The daughter of Dermod MacMurrough, King of Leinster,
having been married to Richard de Clare, earl of
Pembroke, commonly called Stronghow, the kingdom of
Leinster was conferred on Strongbow by King Dermod; and
William Marshall, earl of Pembroke, having married
Isabella, daughter of Strongbow, by his wife Eva, the
inheritance of the kingdom of Leinster passed to the
family of the Marshalls, earls of Pembroke, and was
possessed by the five sons of William Marshall, who
became in succession earls of Pembroke and lords of
Leinster; and on the extinction of the male line of the
Marshalls, the counties of Leinster were divided amongst
the five daughters of the said William Marshall, earl of
Pembroke; and their descendants in the thirteenth and
fourteenth centuries (see Hanmer's "Chronicle,"
Baron Finglas's "Breviate of Ireland," and
Harris's "Hibernica"): Joanna, the eldest
daughter of the said William Marshall, had, on the
partition of Leinster, Wexford allotted to her as her
portion; and being married to Warren de Montchensey, an
English baron, he, in right of his wife, became lord of
Wexford, which afterwards passed by intermarriage to the
De Valences, earls of Pembroke, and lords of Wexford;
and, in succession, to the family of Hastings, earls of
Abergavenny; and to the Talbots, earls of Shrewsbury,
Waterford, and Wexford. Matilda or Maud, another daughter
of William Marshall, earl of Pembroke, had the county
Carlow allotted to her; and she married Hugh Bigod, earl
of Norfolk: this family became lords of Carlow, which
title, together with the county Carlow, afterwards passed
in succession, by intermarriages, to the Mowbrays and
Howards, earls of Norfolk. Sibilla, another of the
daughters, got the county Kildare, and was married to
William Ferrars, earl of Ferrers and Derby, who became
lord of Kildare; a title which passed, by intermarriage
to the De Veseys. The family of the Fitzgeralds
afterwards became earls of Kildare. Isabel, another
daughter of William Marshall, earl of Pembroke, had for
her portion the county Kilkenny, and was married to
Gilbert de Clare, earl of Gloucester and Hereford; and,
leaving no issue, the county Kilkenny, after his decease,
fell to his three sisters, and passed by intermarriage
chiefly to the family of De Spencers, barons De Spencer,
in England, and afterwards became possessed mostly by the
Butlers, earls of Ormond. Eva, the fifth daughter of
William Marshall, had, as her portion, Leix and the manor
of Dunamase or "O'Moore's Country," comprising
the greater part of the present Queen's County; and
having married William de Bruse, lord of Gower and
Brecknock in Wales, he became, in right of his wife, lord
of Leix; and one of his daughters being married to Roger
Mortimer, lord of Wigmore in Wales, Leix passed to the
family of Mortimer, who were earls of March in England.
The King's County, as already stated, was formed out of
parts of Offaley, Ely O'Carroll, and the kingdom of
Meath; and in the grant of Meath given by King Henry the
Second to Hugh de Lacy, a great part of the present
King's County was possessed by De Lacy, who built in that
county the castle of Durrow, where he was slain by one of
the Irish galloglasses, as mentioned in the Annals of the
Four Masters, at A.D. 1186. The Fitzgeralds, earls of
Kildare and barons of Offaley, became possessed of a
great part of the King's County; and the family of De
Hose or Hussey had part of Ely O'Carroll, and the country
about Birr.
In LEIX (Queen's) County, the following were the
chief families of English descent ( after Leix had been
formed into a county ):
- the following seven families were the
chief English settlers in the reigns of
Queen Mary and Elizabeth, and were
called the seven tribes; namely: Cosby,
Barrington, Bowen, Rush, Hartpole, Hetherington,
and Hovendon;
- and in the reign of Charles the First,
Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, having got
extensive grants of land in the Queen's County,
his lands were formed into the "Manor of
Villiers," and passed to the present dukes
of Buckingham;
- and after the Cromwellian wars and the
Revolution, the families of Parnell,
Pole, Pigot,* Prior, Coote, Cowley, Dawson,
Despard, Vegey, Staples, Brown, Johnson, Trench,
Weldon, And Walpole, got extensive possessions.
- (* Pigot: According to some
authorities, it was in the reign of Queen
Elizabeth that the "Pigott"
family came to the Queen's County.)
THE following have been denoted
as MAJOR LANDHOLDERS in Leix (Queens) since the reign of
King James the First:
- Marshall, earls of Pembroke; De Bruce and
Mortimer, as above mentioned, were lords of Leix;
- Fitzpatrick, barons of Castletown, barons of
Gowran, and earls of Upper Ossory;
- Butler, barons of Cloughgrennan;
- Coote, earls of Mountrath;
- Molyneaux, viscounts of Maryborough and earls of
Sefton, in England;
- Dawson, earls of Portarlington;
- De Vesey, barons of Knapton and viscounts De
Vesey or De Vesci.
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