The Territories of the Ancient Irish Families in Ancient Ormond and Desies, or Tipperary and Waterford

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

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 Fitzhenry, 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 presumptive" to the kingdom of Leinster.

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. 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. 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. 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. 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 Manet 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.

(a) THE IRISH CHIEFS AND CLANS OF 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 held an extensive 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 been 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 A.D. 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,[1] chief of Hy-Fathaidh, Hy-Niall, and Hy-Eochaidh-Finn. The O'Mearas had an entensive 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 Cinel 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,[2] 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'Cahil, 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. MacEgan, 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.

(b) THE NEW SETTLERS IN TIPPERARY AND WATERFORD, OR ORMOND AND DESIES.

A.D. 1177, Henry the Second gave a grant of Desies, or the entire county of Waterford, together with the city, to Robert Le Poer, who was his marshal. The Le Poers were at various periods from the thirteenth to the seventeenth century, created barons of Donisle, and of Curraghmore, viscounts of Desies, and earls of Tyrone; and many of them changed the name to "Power." The Fitzgeralds, earls of Desmond, had extensive possessions and numerous castles in the county Waterford, in the baronies of Coshmore and Coshbride; and had also the title of barons of Desies. In the reign of Henry the Sixth, A.D. 1447, Sir John Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, got grants in Waterford, together with the castle and land of Dungarvan, and the title of Earl of Waterford, and Viscount of Dungarvan. The family of Villiers, earls of Jersey in England, got, in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, large possessions in Waterford, by intermarriage with the Fitzgeralds of Dromana, a branch of the earls of Desmond; and were created earls of Grandison. The chief families who settled in Waterford were the following:--Aylward, Anthony, Allan, Alcock, Butler, Brown, Barker, Bolton, Bird, Barron, Burke, Bagg, Boat, Boyd, Creagh, Carr, Corr, Comerford, Croker, Cook, Christmas, D'Alton, Dobbyn, Disney, Drew, Ducket, Everard, Fitzgerald Green, Gamble, Gough, Grant, Hale, Jackson, King, Key, Lombard, Lea or Lee, Leonard, Mandeville, Morgan, Morris, Madan or Madden, and Mulgan or Mulligan, Newport, Nugent, Osborne, Odell, Power, Prendergast, Rochfort, Roche, Rice, Sherlock, Strong, Tobin, Usher, Wall, Walsh, Wadding, Wyse, Woodlock, White, etc. The early English families principally possessed the territoy called from them Gal-tir ("gal:" Irish, a foreigner; "tir," a country), now the barony of "Gaultiere," and signifying "the country of the foreigners." The Walshes (called, by the Irish, Brannaghs or Breathnachs, signifying Britons or Welshmen, as they originally came from Wales) are still very numerous in Ireland; and there are many respectable families of them in the counties of Waterford and Kilkenny.

Otho de Grandison, an Anglo-Norman lord, got a grant of Ormond; but the family of Butler became the chief possessors of Tipperary. The ancestors of the Butlers came from Normandy to England with William the Conqueror. Their original name was Fitz-Walter, from Walter one of their ancestors; and Theobald Fitz-Walter came to Ireland with Henry the Second, and had the office of Chief Butler of Ireland conferred on him: the duty attached to which was, to attend at the coronation of the kings of England, and present them with the first cup of wine. From the office of Butlership of Ireland, they took the name of "Butler." In the reign of Edward the Third, Tipperary was formed into the "County Palatinate of Ormond,"[3] under the Butlers; who thus became so powerful, that different branches of them furnished many of the most distinguished families in Ireland.

THE following have been the noble families in Tipperary and Waterford, from the reign of King John to the present time:

In Waterford, Le Poer, barons of Donile and of Curraghmore, viscounts of Desies, and earls of Tyrone. Beresford, by intermarriage with the Le Poers, became earls of Tyrone, marquises of Waterford, and barons of Desies. Fitzgerald, barons of Desies and earls of Desmond; Talbot, earls of Shrewsbury, in England, and earls of Waterford and Wexford, in Ireland; the family of Villiers, earls of Jersey in England, and earls of Grandison in Ireland; the Scottish family of Maule, earls of Panmure, have the titles of barons Maule and earls of Panmure in Waterford and Wexford; the family of Lumley, earls of Scarborough in England, are viscounts of Waterford; Boyle, earls of Cork, and viscounts of Dungarvan; O'Brien, earls of Clare, in the reign of James the Second, had also the title of viscounts of Lismore; O'Callaghan, viscounts of Lismore, but resident in Tipperary; St. Leger, barons of Kilmeden; Villier and Stuart, barons of Desies; and Keane, barons Keane of Cappoquin.

In Tipperary: The Dukes of Cambridge, in the Royal Family, have the title of earls of Tipperary. The Butlers were earls, marquises and dukes of Ormond, and also had the following titles in Tipperary:--Earls of Carrick, earls of Glengall, viscounts of Thurles, viscounts of Ikerrin, and barons of Cahir. The MacCarthys were earls of Mountcashel; afterwards the Davises, and, in modern times, the Moores, are earls of Mountcashel; the Buckleys, viscounts of Cashel; the Scotts, earls of Clonmel; the Hely-Hutchinsons, earls of Donoghmore; the Kings, earls of Kingston; the Yelvertons viscounts of Avonmore; the Maudes, viscounts Hawarden; the family of Fairfax, viscounts of Emly (that of Monsell is now baron of Emly); the Carletons, barons Carleton; the Pritties, barons of Dunally; the Bloomfields, barons Bloomfield; and the Mathews, earls of Landaff.

NOTES:--

[1] O'Meara: Of this family we find the following, in p. 36 of the 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--l. William, 2. Patrick, the sisters were--1. Ellin, 2. Elan.

[2] 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.

[3] County Palatinate of Ormond: A "palatinate" was the province of a palatine; and a "palatine" was one possessed of such royal privileges, as to rule in his palatinate almost as a king.

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