O'Rourke (No.1) family genealogy

Princes of West Brefney

Arms: Or, two lions pass. in pale sa. Crest: Out of an ancient Irish crown or, an arm in armour erect, grasping a sword ppr. pommel and hilt gold. Motto: Buagh (meaning "Victory"); Another: Serviendo guberno.

FEARGNA, a younger brother of Eochaidh who is No. 92 on the "O'Connor" (Kings of Connaught) pedigree, was the ancestor of O'Roairc; anglicised O'Rourke, O'Rorke, O'Ruarc, Rourke, Rooke, and Rorke.

92. Feargna: son of Fergus. Had two sons—1. Hugh Fionn; 2. Brunan, by some incorrectly written "Brennan."

93. Hugh Fionn: son of Feargna.

94. Scanlan: his son.

95. Crimhthann: his son.

96. Felim: his son.

97. Blamhach: his son.

98. Baothan: his son.

99. Donchadh: his son.

100. Dubhdara: his son.

101. Cobthach (by some called Carnachan): his son.

102. Aodh (or Hugh): his son. Had a younger brother named Maolmordha (or Myles), who was the ancestor of O'Reilly, lords and princes of East Brefney, now the county Cavan.

103. Tighearnan (or Tiernan): son of Hugh. Was prince or lord of West Brefney; which contained the three lower baronies of the county of Leitrim. Had twelve sons.

104. Roarc ("ro:" Irish, very; "arc," swift, small): his twelfth and youngest son; a quo O'Roairc, by some written O'Ruairc; died AD. 893.

105. Art (or Arthur): his son.

106. Feargal Sean ("sean;" Irish, old): his son; the 39th Christian King of Connaught; died 954.

107. Hugh: his son. Had a brother named Art Coileach ("coil-each:" Irish, a cock), a quo O'Coileaigh, anglicised Colly.

108. Arthur the Righteous, King of Connaught: son of Hugh; slain 1046.

109. Hugh: his son; slain 1077.

110. Niall (or Neil): his son.

111. Uailarg: his son. Had two sons—1. Tiernan; 2. Donal, who was the ancestor of another Mac Tighearnain family, of Brefney.

112. Tiernan: eldest son of Uailarg ("uail:" Irish, a wailing, Lat. "ulu-latio," and "arg," Irish, milk.) This Tiernan married Dearvorgal [1]; daughter of Murcha, the last king of Meath: that Dearvorgal, whose abduction by Dermod MacMurrogh, King of Leinster, was the ostensible occasion of the invasion of Ireland by King Henry the Second of England.

113. Donal: his son; was the last Prince [2] of West Brefney.

114. Feargal; his son; lord of West Brefney.

115. Donal (2): his son; lord of West Brefney; had five brothers, the fifth of whom, Congal, was the ancestor of MacNeill and McNeill, modernized Neilson, and Nelson.

116. Arthur: son of Donal; had two brothers—1. Hugh; 2. Lochlann.

117. Amhailgadh [awly], lord of West Brefney: son of Arthur.

118. Donal (3): his son; had three brothers—1. Tiernan; 2. Connor; 3. Rory.

119. Uailarg Mór: son of Donal; had five brothers.

120. Tiernan Mór: his son.

121. Teige na Goir ("goir:" Irish, to call; Lat. "gar-uo," to prate or prattle; Syriac, "kar-o," to name; Gr. "ger-uo," and "gar-uo," to prate): his son; lord of West Brefney: a quo MacGoir [3]; had eight brothers, one of whom was Tiernan, from whom descended the O'Rourkes of Dromahaire, county Leitrim.

122. Tiernan Oge, lord of West Brefney: his son; had two younger brothers.

123. Donogh: his son.

124. Owen, lord of West Brefney: his son.

125. Brian Ballach: his son; lord of West Brefney: died in 1562.

126. Brian-na-Mota: his son; warred with Queen Elizabeth, and was beheaded in England; Indenture between him and Sir H. Sidney, in 1578; and between him and Sir John Perrott, in 1585; had a younger brother named Owen.

127. Teige an-Fhiona: his son; had a brother named Brian Oge.

128. Brian (3): son of Teige an-Fhiona.

129. Brian (4): his son.

130. John: his son.

131. Thomas: his son.

132. Edmond Roche O'Rourke: his son; living in Nancy, in France, A.D. 1777.

Notes

[1] Dearvorgal: This is the unhappy lady to whom, in "The Song of O'Ruarc, Prince of Brefni," Moore alludes in his Irish Melodies.

[2] Prince of West Brefney: The O'Rourkes were inaugurated as princes of Brefney at a place called Cruachan O'Cuprain, supposed to be Croaghan, near Killeshandra.

[3] MacGoir: It is considered that Gore, Parrot, and Pratt, are anglicised forms of this sirname.

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