| ANCIENT MEATH. THE PRINCIPAL
FAMILIES IN THE KINGDOM OF MEATH IN THE COUNTY MEATH, O'Dugan in
his Topography says :
"Let us travel around Fodhla
(Ireland),
Let men proceed to proclaim these tidings;
From the lands where we now are,
The five provinces we shall investigate.
We give the pre-eminence to Tara,
Before all the melodious mirthful Gael,
To all its chieftains and its tribes,
And to its just and rightful laws.
The princes of Tara I here record:
The Royal O'Hart, and likewise O'Regan;
The host who purchased the harbours
Were the O'Kellys and O'Connollys."
THE "harbours" here mentioned were those
of the river Shannon, bordering on the ancient Kingdom of
Meath. The Kingdom of Meath included Bregia and Teffia.
The chiefs and clans of the Kingdom of Meath, and the
territories they possessed, are as follows:
- O'Melaghlin, kings of Meath. Of this family
Murcha was the king of Meath at the time of the
Anglo-Norman invasion; whose Kingdom was granted
by King Henry the Second to Hugh de Lacey.
- O'h-Airt or O'Hart were princes of Tara; and
when, on the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland,
they were dispossessed of their territories in
Bregia or the eastern portion of the Kingdom of
Meath, they were lords in Teffia *
or the western portion of that ancient Kingdom.
Connellan styles O'Regan, O'Kelly, and
O'Connolly, princes of Tara; and O'Donovan states
that they were of the four families who, by
pre-eminence, were known as the "Four
Tribes of Tara" #. The princes of
Tara were also styled princes of Bregia
##, a territory which extended between
the Liffey and Boyne, from Dublin to Drogheda,
thence to Kells; and contained the districts
about Tara, Trim, Navan, Athboy, Dunboyne,
Maynooth, Lucan, etc.; the territory comprising
these districts and that part of the present
county Dublin, north of the river Liffey, was
known as "O'Hart's Country:" O'Kelly of
Bregia were chiefs of Tuath Leighe, parts of the
baronies of West Narragh and Kilkea, in the
county Kildare; they had also the district about
Naas, and had their chief residence and castle at
Rathascul or the Moat of Ascul, near Athy: the
territory comprising these districts was known as
"O'Kelly's Country." These O'Kellys are
distinct from the O'Kellys of Clan Colla, who
were princes of Hy-Maine, a territory in Galway
and Roscommon. O'Regan were chiefs of Hy-Riagain,
now the barony of Tinnehinch in the Queen's
County.
- (* Teffia:
Another great division of ancient Meath
was called Teabhtha, Latinized
"Teffia", which comprised the
present county Westmeath, with parts of
Longford and the King's County; and was
the territory of Main, son of Niall of
the Nine Hostages. It was divided into
North and South Teffia. North Teffia or
Cairbre Gabhra (or Gaura) was that
portion of Annaly or the county Longford,
about Granard; and South Teffia comprised
the remaining portions of Annaly and
Westmeath. ) (# The Four Tribes
of Tara: "The Four Tribes
of Tara", according to the Battle of
'Magh- Rath' [Moria], where those tribes
are mentioned, were the families of
O'h-Airt [O'Hart]; O'Ceallaigh [O'Kelly],
of Breagh or Bregia; O'Conghaile
(considered to be O'Connolly); and
O'Riagain [O'Regan]." ) --Book
of Rights.
- ## Bregia: The great plain of
Meath, which included the greater part of
the present counties of Meath and Dublin,
was known by the name Magh Breagh (magh
breagh: Irish, the "magnificent
plain") signifying the Plain of
Magnificence. It was Latinized
"Bregia" and by O'Connor called
Campus Brigantium or the "Plain of
the Brigantes," from its being
possessed by the Brigantes or
Clan-na-Breoghan, as the descendants of
Breoghan (No. 34, page 50), were called.
That plain, situated in the eastern part
of the ancient kingdom of Meath,
comprised five triocha-cheds or baronies,
and included Fingal, a territory lying
along the coast between Dublin and
Drogheda. This territory was so called
because of a colony of Norwegians, who
settled there in the tenth century, and
who were called by the Irish Fionn
Ghaill, or "Fair-haired
Foreigners:" hence the term
"Fingal," which was applied to
the Norwegians; while Dubh Ghaill or
"Black Foreigners" was the term
applied to the Danes. According to
Connellan's Four Masters, Bregia, which
was a portion of the territory possessed
by the princes of Tara, presents vast
plains of unbounded fertility: containing
about half a million of acres of the
finest lands in Ireland.
- O'Connolly, respectable families in Meath,
Dublin, and Kildare; were chiefs in the county
Kildare.
- O'Ruadhri or O'Rory, now Rogers, lord of Fionn
Fochla in Bregia.
- O'Fallamhain or Fallon, lord of
Crioch-na-gCeadach: so called from Olioll Cedach,
son of Cahir Mor, King of Leinster, and the 109th
Monarch of Ireland. The "Country of the
O'Fallons" was near Athlone in the county
Westmeath, but they were afterwards driven across
the Shannon into Roscommon.
- O'Coindeal-bhain (O'Kendellan, or O'Connellan),
princes of Ibh-Laoghaire or
"Ive-Leary," an extensive territory in
the present counties of Meath and Westmeath,
which was possessed by the descendants of Leary,
Monarch of Ireland, at the time of St. Patrick.
The parish of Castletown Kendellan in Westmeath
shows one part of this ancient territory, and the
townland of Kendellanstown, near Navan, shows
another part of it.
- O'Braoin or O'Breen, chief of Luighne, now the
pariah of "Leney," in the barony of
Corcaree, Westmeath.
- O'h-Aongusa or O'Hennessy, chief of Hy-Mac-Uais,
now the barony of "Moygoish," in
Westmeath. The Clan-Mac-Uais or MacEvoy,
sometimes called MacVeagh and MacVeigh, of the
race of Clan Colla, were the original chiefs of
this territory.
- O'h-Aodha (anglicised O'Hughes and O'Hayes),
chief of Odhbha (probably "Odra" or
"Oddor," in the barony of Skrine, near
Tara).
- O'Dubhain or Duane, chief of Cnodhbha, probably
"Knowth," near Slane.
- O'h-Ainbeath or O'Hanvey, chief of Fearbhile, now
the barony of "Farbill," in Westmeath.
- O'Cathasaigh or O'Casey, chief of Saithne, now
"Sonagh," in Westmeath, where one of
the castles of De Lacy stood, who conferred that
property on the Tuite family.
- O'Lochain or O'Loughan, chief of Gailenga, now
the parish of "Gallen" in the barony of
Garrycastle, King's County.
- O'Donchadha or O'Donoghoe, chief of Teallach
Modharain, probably now "Tullamore," in
the King's County.
- O'Hionradhain, chief of Corcaraidhe, now the
barony of "Corcaree" in Westmeath.
- O'Maolmuaidh or O'Mulloy, Prince of Ferceall,
comprising the present baronies of Ballycowen,
Ballyboy, and Eglish or "Fercall," in
the King's County.
- O'Dubhlaidhe or O'Dooley, chief of Fertullach,
the present barony of "Fertullagh," in
Westmeath.
- O'Fionnallain or O'Fenelan (of the race of Heber,
and tribe of the Dalcassians), lord of Delbhna
Mór, now the barony of "Delvin," in
Westmeath.
- O'Maollugach, chief of Brogha, part of the now
baronies of Delvin and Farbill.
- MacCochlain or MacCoghlan (of the Dalcassians),
lord of Dealbhna-Eathra, now the barony of
Garrycastle in the King's County.
- O'Tolairg or O'Toler and O'Tyler, chief of
Cuircne (cuircne : Irish, "the progeny of
Cuirc", anglicised "Quirk"), now
the barony of Kilkenny West, in Westmeath.
- MacEoghagain or MacGeoghagan, Prince of Cineal
Fiacha, now the barony of Moycashel, with parts
of Rathconrath and Fertullagh. The MacGeoghagans
were one of the principal branches of the Clan
Colman, and were called Cineal Fiacha, from one
of the sons of Niall of the Nine Hostages.
- MacRuairc or MacRourke, chief of Aicme-Enda,
descended from Enna Finn, another son of Niall of
the Nine Hostages. This clan was located in the
district in which is situated the Hill of
Uisneach, in the barony of Rathconrath, in
Westmeath.
- O'Cairbre or O'Carbery, chief of Tuath Binn.
- O'Heogchadha (O'Heoghey, O'Hoey, O'Howe, etc.),
chief of Cineal Aengusa.
- O'Maelcolain or O'Mellon, chief of Delvin Beg or
Little Delvin adjoining the barony of Delvin.
O'Dugan, in the continuation of his Topography of
Meath, enumerates the different chiefs and their
territories in Teffia; among whom were the following :
- O'Catharnaigh or O'Kearney.
- O'Cuinn or O'Quinn.
- O'Confiacala or O'Convally.
- O'Lachtnain or O'Loughnan, anglicised Loftus.
- O'Mureagain, (Murrin or Murrigan).
The O'Quinns were chiefs of Muintir Giolgain, and
had their chief castle at Rathcline, in Longford. The
other chiefs were:
- O'Flannagain or O'Flanagan, chief of Comar, which
O'Dugan places beside "O'Braoin's
Country."
- O'Braoin or O'Breen of Breaghmhuine, now the
barony of "Brawney" in Westmeath.
- MacConmeadha or Conmy, of Muintir Laodagain.
- MacAodha or MacHugh, of Muintir Tiamain.
- MacTaidhg or MacTague, of Muintir Siorthachain.
By some of the family the name has been
anglicised "Montague."
- MacAmhailgadh (anglicised respectively, MacAwley,
Macaulay, Magauley, and MacGawley), chief of
Calraidhe or Calrigia, a territory on the borders
of Westmeath and the King's County; comprising
(according to MacGeoghegan) the barony of
Kilcourcy, in the King's County.
- MacGarghamna (anglicised MacGorgan), of Muintir
Maoilsionna.
- O'Dalaigh or O'Daley, of Corca Adhaimh or
Corcadium, a territory in or contiguous to the
barony of Clonlonan, in Westmeath.
- O'Scolaidhe or O'Scully, of Dealbhna Iarthar or
West Delvin.
- O'Comhraidhe (anglicised O'Corry), of Hy-Mac-Uais
or Moygoish in Westmeath.
- O'Haodha or O'Hea, of Tir Teabtha Shoir or East
Teffia.
- O'Cearbhaill or O'Carroll, of Tara.
- O'Duin, O'Doyne, or O'Dunne, of the districts of
Tara.
- MacGiolla Seachlan O'Shauglin, of Deisceart
Breagh, now the parish of "Dysart" in
Westmeath.
- O'Ronain or O'Ronayne, of Cairbre Gaura or
northern Teffia.
- O'h-Aongusa or O'Hennessy, of Galinga
Beg,### now the parish of
"Gallen" in the King's County. ( ###
Galinga Beg: According to O'Donovan,
"Galinga Beg" included Glasnevin, near
Dublin, north of the river Liffey; but this
Galinga Beg could not be the same as the Galinga
Beg, in the King's County. )
The following chiefs and clans in Meath and
Westmeath have not been given, by O'Dugan:
- O'Sionnagh (anglicised Fox), of the southern
Hy-Niall, lords of Muintir Tadhgain in Teffia,
containing parts of the baronies of Rathconrath
and Clonlonan in Westmeath, with part of the
barony of Kilcourcy in the King's County. The
head of this family was distinguished by the
title of "The Fox," and obtained large
grants of land from Queen Elizabeth, with the
title of Lord of Kilcourcy.
- O'Malone, a branch of the O'Connors, Kings of
Connaught, who had large possessions in the
barony of Brawney, in Westmeath. In former times,
these chiefs had the title of "Barons of
Clan-Malone," and afterwards obtained that
of "Barons Sunderlin," of Lake
Sunderlin, in Westmeath.
- O'Fagan, a numerous clan in Meath and Westmeath,
of which there were many respectable families,
the head of which had the title of "Baron of
Feltrim," in Fingal. The following were also
clans of note in Westmeath, namely,
- O'Cobthaidh or O'Coffey.
- O'Higgin.
- And in Meath, O'Loingseach or O'Lynch.
- O'Murphy.
- O'Murray.
- O'Brogan, etc. The chiefs and clans of ancient
Meath were, with few exceptions, of the same race
as the southern Hy-Niall; in our days, there are
but few families of note, descendants of the
ancient chiefs and princes of Meath.
|
KING Henry
the Second, having granted to Hugh de Lacy,* for the
service of fifty Knights, the Kingdom of Meath, De Lacy
divided that ancient Kingdom amongst his various chiefs,
who were commonly denominated De Lacy's barons:
- Hugh Tyrrell obtained Castleknock, and his
descendants were for a long period, barons of
Castleknock.
- Gilbert de Angulo (or Nangle) obtained
Magherigallen, now the barony of
"Morgallion," in Meath.
- Jocelin, son of Gilbert Nangle, obtained Navan
and Ardbraccan. The Nangles were afterwards
barons of Navan; and many of them took the Irish
name of "MacCostello," and from them
the barony of Costello in Mayo derived its name.
- William de Missett obtained Luin; and his
descendants were barons of Lune, near Trim.
- Adam Feipo or Phepoe obtained Skrine or Skryne,
Santreff or Santry, and Clontorth (which means
either Clonturk or Clontarf). This family had the
title of barons of Skrine, which title afterwards
passed to the family of Marward.
- Gilbert FItzThomas obtained the territories about
Kenlis; and his descendants were barons of
"Kells."
- Hugh de Hose obtained Dees or the barony of
"Deece," in Meath.
- Hussey, barons of Galtrim.
- Richard and Thomas Fleming obtained Crandon and
other districts. The Flemings became barons of
Slane; and a branch of the family, viscounts of
Longford.
- Adam Dullard or Dollard obtained Dullenevarty.
- Gilbert de Nugent obtained Delvin; and his
descendants were barons of Delvin, and earls of
Westmeath.
- Richard Tuite obtained large grants in Westmeath
and Longford; his descendants received the title
of barons of Moyashell, in Westmeath.
- Robert de Lacy received Rathwire in Westmeath, of
which his descendants were barons.
- Jeoffrey de Constantine received Kilbixey, in
Westmeath, of which his descendants were barons.
- William Petit received Castlebreck and
Magheritherinan, now the barony of
"Magheradernon" in Westmeath. The
Petits became barons of Mullingar.
- Myler Fitzhenry obtained Magherneran, Rathkenin,
and Athinorker, now "Ardnorcher."
- Richard de Lachapelle, brother of Gilbert Nugent,
obtained "much land."
* Hugh de Lacy: The De Lacys came from Normandy
with William the Conqueror, and were earls of Lincoln in
England. Hugh de Lacy came to Ireland with King Henry the
Second, A.D. 1171, and obtained from that monarch a grant
of the whole kingdom of Meath, as already mentioned. He
was lord palatine of Meath, and many years chief governor
of Ireland. He erected numerous castles, particularly in
Meath and Westmeath, as those of Trim, Kells, Ardnorcher,
Durrow, etc., and endowed some monasteries. He is thus
described in Holingshed:-- "His eyes were dark and
deep-set, his neck short, his stature small, his body
hairy, not fleshy, but sinewy, strong and compact; a very
good soldier, but rather harsh and hasty." It
appears from Hanmer and others, that he was an able and
politic man in state affairs, but very ambitious and
covetous of wealth and great possessions; he is also
represented as a famous horseman. De Lacy's second wife
was a daughter of King Roderick O'Connor; and his
descendants, the De Lacys, were lords of Meath, and earls
of Ulster, and founded many powerful families in Meath,
Westmeath, and Louth, and also in Limerick, some of whom
were distinguished marshals In the service of Austria and
Russia. The castle of Dearmagh or "Durrow," In
the King's County, was erected by De Lacy on the site of
a famous monastery of St. Columkille, which he had thrown
down; and his death was attributed by the uneducated
Irish to that circumstance as a judgment from Heaven. The
man who killed De Lacy fled to his accomplices in the
wood of Clair or "Clara;" but it appears from
MacGeoghegan and others, that the Irish attacked and put
to the sword the English retinue at the castle of Durrow,
and that having got De Lacy's body into their possession,
they concealed It nearly ten years, when, A.D. 1195, it
was interred with great pomp in the abbey of Bective, in
Meath; Mathew O'Heney, Archbishop of Cashel, and John
Comyn, Archbishop of Dublin, attending at the ceremony. --
CONNELLAN.
THE following have been denoted as MAJOR
LANDHOLDERS in Westmeath since the reign of King James
the First:
- The Dillons were originally of Irish descent, and
of the race of Heremon. Their ancestor (see the
"Dillon" pedigree) was descended from a
branch of the southern Hy-Niall, in Meath; went
to France, in the seventh century; and, being a
famous warrior, became Duke of Aquitaine. One of
his descendants came to Ireland with King John,
and got large grants of land in Westmeath and
Annaly; his descendants were lords of Drumrany,
in the barony of Kilkenny West; and having
founded many great families in Meath and
Connaught, became earls of Roscommon, viscounts
Dillon in Mayo, barons of Clonbrock, and barons
of Kilkenny West; and several of them were counts
and generals in the French and Austrian Service.
- Dalton, and Delamere obtained large possessions
in Westmeath and Annaly. The chief seat of the
Daltons was at Mount Dalton, in the barony of
Rathconrath, of which they were lords; and some
of them were distinguished in the service of
foreign states.
- Dease, in Meath, and Westmeath. In more modern
times the following families had titles in
Westmeath:
- Rochford, earls of Belvidere.
- De Ginkell, earls of Athlone.
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