The Territories of the Ancient Irish Families in Cork and Kerry, the Ancient Desmond

From Irish Pedigrees; or the Origin and Stem of the Irish Nation, by John O'Hart, 5th Edition, 1892

(a) THE IRISH CHIEFS AND CLANS.

CORK (in Latin "Corcagia," and also "Coracium") got its name from Corc (No. 89, p. 69), a prince of the Eugenian race, who was King of Munster, in the fifth century; Kerry (in Latin "Kerrigia") got its name from Ciar, son of Fergus Mac Roy, by Meava or Maud, the celebrated Queen of Connaught, a short time before the Christian era. This Ciar, in the first century, got a large territory in Munster, called from him Ciar Rioghact, signifying Ciar's Kingdom: hence, the word "Ciaraidhe," anglicised "Kerry."

The Eugenians, we saw, ruled as kings over Desmond or South Munster, which comprised the whole of the present county Cork, and the greater part of Kerry, together with a portion of Waterford, and a small part of the south of Tipperary, bordering on Cork; while the Dalcassian kings ruled over Thomond. From each race was alternately elected a king of all Munster; and, in that kingdom, this mode of government continued from the third to the tenth century, when Brian Boru, of the Dalcassian race, became king of Munster. After that period the O'Briens alone were kings of Munster and kings of Thomond; and the MacCarthys, who were the head of the Eugenian race, were kings and princes of Desmond.

When, on the English invasion, King Henry the Second landed at Waterford, in October A.D. 1171, Dermot MacCarthy, king of Desmond, waited on him the day after his arrival, delivered to him the keys of the city of Cork, and did him homage.[1] A.D. 1177, Henry II. granted to Robert Fitzstephen and Milo de Cogan, for the service of sixty knights to himself and his son John and their heirs, the whole kingdom of Desmond, with the exception of the city of Cork and the adjoining cantreds, which belonged to the Ostmen or Danes of that city, and which Henry reserved to hold in his own hands. The MacCarthys maintained long contests for their independence, with the Fitzgeralds, earls of Desmond, the Butlers, earls of Ormond, and other Anglo-Norman and English settlers; and held their titles, as princes of Desmond, with considerable possessions, down to the reign of Elizabeth. They were divided into two great branches, the head of which was MacCarthy Mór: of whom Donal MacCarthy was, A.D. 1565, created earl of Glencare or Clancare, by Queen Elizabeth; the other branch, called MacCarthy Reagh, were styled princes of Carbery. Besides the earls of Clancare, the MacCarthys were also created at various periods barons of Valentia, earls of Clancarty, earls of Muskerry, and earls of Mount Cashel; and, had several strong castles in various parts of Cork and Kerry.

There are still in the counties of Cork and Kerry many highly respectable families of the MacCarthys; and several of the name have been distinguished commanders in the Irish Brigades in the service of France and Spain.

COUNTY CORK: The Irish Chiefs and Clans.

In Cork, the following have been the Irish chiefs and clans:--1. O'Sullivan had the ancient territory of Beara, now the baronies of Beare and Bantry in the county Cork; and were called O'Sullivan Beara, and styled princes of Beara. Another branch of the family, called O'Sullivan Mor, were lords of Dunkerron, and possessed the barony of Dunkerron, in the county Kerry; and their chief seat was the castle of Dunkerron, near the river Kenmare. A third branch of the O'Sullivans were chiefs of Knockraffan, in Tipperary. The O'Sullivans are of the Eugenian race, of the same descent as the MacCarthys, princes of Desmond; and took their name from Suileabhan, one of their chiefs in the tenth century. In the reign of James the First, their extensive possessions were confiscated, in consequence of their adherence to the earls of Desmond and Tyrone in the Elizabethan wars; and the heads of the family retired to Spain, where many of them were distinguished officers in the Spanish service, and had the title of Counts of Bearhaven. 2. O'Driscoll, head of the Ithian race, chief or prince of Corcaluighe, called Cairbreacha, comprising the ancient extensive territory of Carbery, in the south-west of Cork. The O'Driscolls were lords of Beara, before the O'Sullivans in after times became possessors of that territory. 3. O'Keeffe, chief of Glen Avon and of Urluachra. Glen Avon is now called Glanworth, a place in the barony of Fermoy, county Cork. This family had afterwards a large territory in the barony of Duhallow, known as "Pobal O'Keeffe." In ancient times the O'Keeffes, the O'Dugans, and O'Cosgraves, were chiefs in Fearmuighe Feiné, now the barony of Fermoy; which was afterwards possessed by the family of Roche, viscounts of Fermoy, and called "Roche's Country." The O'Keeffes at one time were marshals and military leaders in Desmond, and were styled princes of Fermoy. 4. MacDonogh, chief of Duhalla, now the barony of Duhallow, in the county Cork. The MacDonoghs of Munster were a branch of the MacCarthys, and were styled princes of Duhallow; their chief residence was the magnificent castle of Kanturk. 5. O'Mahony, chief of Ivaugh, and Kinalmeaky. The O'Mahonys also possessed the territory of Cinal Aodha (now the barony of "Kinalea"), and a territory in Muskerry, south of the river Lee: both in the county Cork; and another territory called Tiobrad, in the county Kerry. They were sometimes styled princes; and possessed several castles, as those of Rosbrin, Ardintenant, Blackcastle, Ballydesmond, Dunbeacan, Dunmanus, Ringmahon, etc.--all along the sea-coast. 6. O'Callaghan, chief of Beara, and of Kinalea, in the county Cork. The chief of this family was transplanted into Clare by Cromwell, who gave him at Killarney considerable property, in lieu of his ancient estates. A branch of this family (who are of the Eugenian race) are now viscounts of Lismore. 7. O'Lehan (Lyne, or Lyons) was lord of Hy-Lehan and Hy-Namcha, afterwards called the barony of Barrymore, from the family of the Barrys, who became its possessors. Castle Lehan, now Castlelyons, was the chief seat of this family. 8. O'Flynn, chief of Arda (a territory in the barony of Carbery), and Hy-Baghamna, now the barony of "Ibane" and Barryroe, adjoining Carbery. The castle of Macroom was built by the O'Flynns. 9. MacAuliffe, chief of Glean Omra, in the barony of Duhallow, and a branch of the MacCarthys. Their chief seat was Castle MacAuliffe, near Newmarket. O'Tedgamna was another ancient chief of this territory. 10. O'Donnegan (or Dongan), chief of "Muscry of the three Plains," now the half barony of Orrery, in the county Cork. O'Cullenan was chief on the same territory, and was hereditary physician of Munster. 11. O'Hinmanen, chief of Tua-Saxon. 12. O'Mulbhehan, chief of Muscry Trehirne. 13. O'Breoghan (this name "Breoghan" is considered the root of Brown), O'Glaisin (Glashan, or Gleeson), O'Mictyre [2] and O'Keely were chiefs of Hy-Mac-Caille, now the barony of "Imokilly," in the county Cork. 14. O'Curry, chief of Ciarraidhe Cuire, now the barony of "Kerrycurrehy," in the county Cork. 15. O'Cowhey or O'Coffey, of Fuin Cleena, chief of Triocha Meona, now the barony of West Barryroe, in the county Cork. These once powerful chiefs had seven castles along the coast, in the barony of Ibawne and Barryroe. 16. O'Fihilly were also chiefs in West Barryroe. 17. O'Baire, anglicised O'Barry, chief of Muintir Baire, part of ancient Carbery in the county Cork; and also chief of Aron. This family was of the Ithian or Lugadian race. 18. O'Leary, chief of Hy-Laoghaire or "Iveleary," and Iveleary, or "O'Leary's Country," lay in Muskerry, in the county Cork, between Macroom and Inchageela. 19. O'Hea and O'Dea are mentioned among the families of Thomond; they were also chiefs of Carbery, county Cork. 20. O'Donovan, also mentioned in Thomond, settled in Cork, and were chiefs of Clan Cathail, in West Carbery. 21. O'Beice or Beeky, chief of Beanthraidhe, now the barony of Bantry. 22. O'Casey, chief of a territory near Mitchelstown, in the county Cork. 23. O'Healy or Hely, chief of Domhnach-Mór-O'Healy or Pobal O'Healy, a parish in the barony of Muskerry, county Cork. 24. O'Herlihy or Hurley is mentioned in the families of Ormond; they were also chiefs in the barony of Muskerry. 25. O'Nunan or Noonan, chief of Tullaleis and Castlelissen, now the parish of Tullilease, in the barony of Duhallow, county Cork. 26. O'Daly, bard to MacCarthy, O'Mahony, Carews, and other great families. The O'Dalys were eminent poets in Munster. 27. O'h-Aedhagan (anglicised "Mac Egan") was hereditary Brehon or judge in the counties of Cork and Kerry, under the MacCarthys, kings of Desmond. The MacEgans were also hereditary Brehons of Ormond. 28. MacSweeney, military commanders under the MacCarthys, who, in the thirteenth century, brought a body of them from Tirconnell or Donegal, where they were celebrated as chiefs under the O'Donnells; and hence the head of the clan was styled MacSuibhne-na-dTuadh or MacSweeney of the Battle Axes. In Munster, the MacSweeneys had the parish of Kilmurry, in the barony of Muskerry, and had their chief castle at Clodagh, near Macroom, and had also Castlemore in the parish of Movidy. 29. MacSheehy: This family was a warlike clan, brought from Connaught in the fifteenth century by the Fitzgeralds, Earls of Desmond, who appointed them their body-guards. Some of them changed the name to "Joy;" and of this family was the Irish judge, Baron Joy. They are considered to be originally the same as the Joyces of Connemara --a race of men of tall and manly stature. The MacSheehys and O'Hallinans were chiefs of Ballyhallinan, in the parish of Poblebrien, county Limerick; and the O'Hallorans were chiefs of Faith-Ui Hallurain, a district between Tulla and Clare, in the county Clare. 30. O'Kearney were chiefs of Hy-Floinn, near Kinsale, in the county Cork. 31. O'Riordan, a clan of note in Muskerry; and distinguished military chiefs in ancient times. 32. O'Crowley, chiefs of Kilshallow, west of Bandon, and originally a clan from Connaught. 33. O'Murphy (originally from Wexford), a clan in Muskerry. 34. O'Ahern, O'Ronanye, and O'Heyne (or Hynes), were old and respectable families in the county Cork.

COUNTY KERRY.

In Kerry, the following have been the Irish chiefs and clans: 1. O'Connor, king or prince of Kerry, was descended from Ciar, of the Irian race already mentioned; and took the name from Con, one of their chiefs, in the eleventh century, and from Ciar, their great ancestor; thus making the word "Conciar" "Conior," or Conchobhar, anglicised "Connor" (See No. 103, page 331). From a portion of the ancient inheritance of this family the present barony of Iraghticonnor takes its name. 2. O'Donoghoe was of the Eugenian race, and chief of Lough Lein; a branch of this family was the O'Donoghoe Mór, lord of Glenfesk or O'Donoghoe of the Glen. 3. O'Donnell (of the same race as O'Donoghoe), chief of Clan Shalvey (a quo Shelly); comprising the district called Iveleary, and a great portion of Muskerry. 4. O'Carroll, prince of Lough Lein. 5. O'Falvey, chief of Corca Duibhne (now the barony of "Corcaguiney"), and lord of Iveragh: both in the county Kerry. The O'Falveys were hereditary admirals of Desmond. 6. O'Shea, chief of Iveragh. 7. O'Connell, chief or Magh O g-Coinchinn, now the barony of "Magonihy," in Kerry. These O'Connells were a branch of the O'Connells of Thomond; descended from Conaire the Second, the 111th Monarch of Ireland. 8. O'Leyne or Lane, chief of Hy-Fearba; and O'Duividin, chief of Hy Flannain: districts in the county Kerry. 9. O'Neide, chief of Ciar Ciarraidhe or the Plain of Kerry. 10. O'Dunady, chief of Slieve Luachra, now Slievlogher, on the borders of Limerick and Kerry. 11. O'Muircheartaigh (Moriarty, or Murtagh), and O'Hinnesvan (or Hinson), chief of Aos Aisde of Orlar Eltaigh, a district which comprised the parish of Templenoe, in the barony of Dunkerron. 12. The MacGillicuddys (a branch of the O'Sullivans) were chiefs of a territory in the barony of Dunkerron: from this family the Mac Gillicuddy's Reeks in Kerry got their name: and some of this family anglicised the name "Archdeacon." 13. MacElligot (or Elligot), an ancient family in Kerry, from whom the parish of Ballymacelligott, in the barony of Troughenackmy, got its name. From MacElligott the name of "MacLeod" was said to be derived; but "MacLeod" is of Scotch origin. 14. MacFinneen, MacCrehan, O'Scanlan, and O'Harney (or Harnet), were also clans of note in Kerry.

(b) THE NEW SETTLERS IN CORK AND KERRY, OR DESMOND.

As already stated, King Henry the Second gave a grant of the kingdom of Desmond to Robert Fitzstephen and Milo de Cogan. With that Robert Fitzstephen came Maurice Fitzgerald and other Anglo-Norman chiefs, A.D. 1169, who assisted Strongbow in the invasion of Ireland. In 1173, Maurice Fitzgerald was appointed by Henry the Second chief governor of Ireland; and he and his descendants got large grants of land in Leinster and Munster, chiefly in the counties of Kildare, Wicklow, Wexford, Cork, and Kerry. He died, A.D. 1177, and was buried in the abbey of the Grey Friars at Wexford. A branch of the Fitzgeralds were, down to the reign of Elizabeth, earls of Desmond; and had immense possessions in the counties of Cork and Kerry. Another branch of them became barons of Offaly,[3] earls of Kildare, and dukes of Leinster. The Fitzgeralds trace their descent from the dukes of Tuscany: some of the family from Florence, settled in Normandy, and thence came to England with William the Conqueror. The Geraldines, having frequently joined the Irish against the English, were charged by English writers as having become Irish in language and manners: hence, the origin of the expression--"Ipsis Hibernis Hiberniores" or More Irish than the Irish themselves. The Fizgeralds, who were created earls of Desmond, became one of the most powerful families in Munster; and several of them were lords deputies of Ireland in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Gerald Fitzgerald, sixteenth earl of Desmond, was one of the greatest subjects in Europe; he held the rank of a "Prince Palatine," with all the authority of a provincial king. Having resisted the Reformation in the reign of Elizabeth, and waged war against the English government, the earl of Desmond's forces after long contests were defeated, and he himself was slain in a glen near Castle Island, in the county Kerry, on the 11th of November, A.D. 1583; his head was cut off and sent to England, by Thomas Butler, Earl of Ormond, as a present to Queen Elizabeth, who caused it to be fixed on London Bridge. James Fitzgerald (nephew of Gerald, Earl of Desmond) attempting to recover the estates and honours of his ancestors, took up arms and joined the standard of Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone. This James Fitzgerald was styled Earl of Desmond; but his title not being recognized, he was designated the sugan earl, which signifies the "earl of straw." His forces being at length defeated and himself taken prisoner, he was sent to England along with Florence MacCarthy, and imprisoned in the Tower of London, where he died, A.D. 1608; and thus terminated the once illustrious House of Desmond.

The vast estates of Gerald, Earl of Desmond, were confiscated in the reign of Elizabeth, and granted to various English settlers (called planters or undertakers), on conditions that no planter should convey any part of the lands to any of the "mere Irish:" and the English settlers were also prohibited to intermarry with the Irish, and none of the Irish were to be maintained in any family ! The following are the names of the new settlers in Ireland who obtained grants of the Desmond estates in Cork and Waterford, thus confiscated: Sir Walter Raleigh,[4] Arthur Robins, Fane Beecher, Hugh Worth, Arthur Hyde, Sir Warham St. Leger, Hugh Cuffe (in Irish "Durneen"), Sir Thomas Norris, Sir Arthur Hyde, Thomas Say, Sir Richard Beacon (in Irish "Beagan") and (the poet) Edmond Spencer. In the county Kerry, the following persons got grants of the Desmond estates: Sir William Herbert, Charles Herbert, Sir Valentine Brown (ancestor of the earls of Kenmare), Sir Edward Denny, and some grants to the families of Conway, Holly, and others. Of the families who got the Desmond estates in Limerick, an account has been given in the names of the new settlers in "Thomond."

The other principal families of the county Cork, were Cogan, Carew (or Carey), Condon (or Canton), De Courcy, Barry, Barnwall, Barrett, Roche, MacGibbon and Fitzgibbon (a branch of the Fitzgeralds); Fleming, Sarsfield, Nagle, Martell, Percival, Russel, Pigott, Prendergast, Lombard, Lavallan, Morgan, Cottor, Meagh (or May), Murrogh, Supple, Stackpole, White, Warren, Hodnet, Harding, Field, Beecher, Hyde, Jephson, Garrett, Kent, Delahide (or Delahoyd), De Spencer, Deane, Daunt, Vincent, Gardiner, Beamish, Courtenay, Cuffe, Gore, Hore, Newenham (or Newman), etc.

Coppinger, Gould, Galway, Skiddy, and Terry were, in former times, very numerous and powerful families in Cork.

Some of the family "De Courcy" took the Irish name MacPatrick; some of the "De Barrys," that of MacDavid; the "De la Rupe," that of Roche, who became viscounts of Fermoy; some of the family of "Hodnet" took the name MacSherry, etc.

In Kerry, the following have been the chief Anglo-Norman and English families:--Fitzmaurice, earls of Kerry, descended from Raymond le Gros, a celebrated warrior who came over with Strongbow. Raymond having formed an alliance with Dermot MacCarthy, King of Desmond, got large grants of land in Kerry, in the territory called Lixnaw. The other principal families were those of Herbert, Brown, Stack, Blennerhasset, Crosbie, Denny, Gunn, Godfrey, Morris, Rice, Spring, etc.

IN the county Cork the following have been the noble families, since the reign of King John: De Courcy, barons of Kinsale and Ringrone; Fitzgerald, earls of Desmond, barons of Decies, and seneschals of Imokilly; Fielding, earls of Denbigh in England, has the title of earls of Desmond. Of the Royal Family, the dukes of Clarence were earls of Munster. The Carews were marquises of Cork; MacCarthy, earls of Clancare, earls of Clancarthy, earls of Muskerry, and earls of Mountcashel; Barry, barons of Olethann, viscounts of Buttevant, and earls of Barrymore; Roche, barons of Castlelough, and viscounts of Fermoy; Boyle, barons of Youghal, Bandon, Broghill, and Castlemartyr, viscounts of Dungarvan and Kinnalmeaky, earls of Cork, Orrery, and Shannon, and earls of Burlington in England; Percival, barons of Duhallow, Kanturk and Ardee, and earls of Egmont; St. Leger, viscounts of Doneraile; Touchet, earls of Castlehaven; Bernard, earls of Bandon; White, viscounts of Berehaven, and earls of Bantry; Berkley and Chetwynd, viscounts of Berehaven; Broderick, viscounts Midleton; Moore, earls of Charleville; and Moore, earls of Mountcashel; King, earls of Kingston; O'Callaghan, viscounts of Lismore in Water ford, are originally from Cork; Evans, barons of Carbery; Deane, barons of Muskerry; Tonson, barons of Riversdale; and the family of Cavendish, barons of Waterpark.

In the county Kerry the following have been the noble families since the reign of King John:--Fitzmaurice, barons of Lixnaw; and O'Dorney, viscounts of Clanmaurice, and earls of Kerry; Petty, or Fitzmaurice-Petty, barons of Dunkerron, viscounts Clanmaurice, earls of Kerry, earls of Shelbourne, and marquises of Lansdowne in England; Fitzgerald, knights of Kerry; Brown, earls of Kenmare, and viscounts of Castlerosse; Herbert, barons of Castleisland; Child, viscounts of Castlemaine, and earls of Tilney in England; Monson and Palmer, viscounts of Castlemaine; Power, viscounts of Valencia; Crosbie, viscounts of Brandon, and earls of Glandore; Wynn, barons Hedley; De Moleyns, barons of Ventry; Hare, barons of Ennismore, and earls of Listowell; and Spring-Rice, barons Monteagle of Brandon.

Down to the last century, the mountains of Cork and Kerry were covered with ancient forests of oak, ash, pine, alder, birch, hazel, and yews of immense size; and afforded retreats to wolves and numerous herds of red deer. It is needless to speak of the majestic mountains and magnificent lakes of Kerry, celebrated as they are for their surpassing beauty and sublime scenery.

NOTES:--

[1] Homage: See "The Clan of MacCaura," by Denis Florence MacCarthy, in p. 107, ante.

[2] O'Mictyre: This sirname ("mactire:" Irish, a wolf) has been anglicised Wolfe.

[3] Offaly: The ancient territory of Offaly comprised a great part of the King's County, with part of the Queen's County and Kildare.

[4] Sir Walter Raleigh: To Sir Walter Raleigh we are are indebted for the introduction into Great Britain and Ireland (consequent upon his voyage in A.D. 1585 to colonize Virginia, in North America) of the potato plant, and the use of tobacco; the former of which has since become an almost universal article of diet, and the latter a most productive source of revenue. Sir Walter Raleigh it was who first planted potatoes in Ireland, in a field near Youghal, about A.D. 1610. In his time, too, the publication of newspapers in England is said to have originated. Copies of the "English Mercurie," relating to the threatened descent of the Spanish Armada, are still preserved in the British Museum.

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