Thomond in the Early Annals

[Munster - aka Mumhan, Mumu, Muinhneach, Mumhain]

Munster in the Early Annals of Ireland

Frequent references to "Tuadh Mumhan" in the Irish Annals beginning in the latter 11th century, but as a separate entity representing all of northern Munster an entry for the yeare 1118 seems to mark a milestone event. In that year, a treaty at Gleann Maidhir (Glanmire) divided the Kingdom of Munster into northern (Tuadh Mumhan) and southern (Des Mumhan) halves, a division apparently running near the border of modern counties Limerick and Cork.

With this 12th century division of Munster into two parts, Thomond included the area about the diocese of Killaloe, and additionally encompassed the traditional territorites of Úi Fidgeinti, Uí Chonaill Gabra, Eóghanacht Áine, Éile, Corco Mruadh, the tribes of Uaithne (later held by the Síl Cennétich, and much of Eóghanacht Caisel and Ciarraige Luachra.

For 1195, John De Courcy and the son of Hugo De Lacy marched with an army to conquer the English of Leinster and Munster.
For 1195, Cathal Crovderg O'Conor and Mac Costelloe, with some of the English and Irish of Meath, marched into Munster, and arrived at Imleach Iubhair (Emly) and Cashel. They burned four large castles and some small ones. Cathal Mac Dermot marched from Munster into Connaught, and passed victoriously through the province.
For 1196, Donnell, the son of Dermot Mac Carthy, defeated the English of Limerick and Munster in a battle, with dreadful slaughter, and drove them from Limerick. He also defeated them in two other battles in this year.
For 1200, Cathal Crovderg O'Conor went into Munster, to the son of Mac Carthy and William Burke to solicit their aid.
For 1203, A victory was gained by Donnell, the son of Mac Carthy, and the people of Desmond, over the English; in the conflict one hundred and sixty persons, or more, were slain.
For 1205, The son of Guill-bhealach O'Carroll, Lord of Ely, was slain by the English.
For 1205, Donnell O'Faelain (Phelan), Lord of the Desies of Munster died.
for 1205, Meyler, the son of Meyler, took possession of Limerick by force.
For 1207, A great war broke out among the English of Leinster; i.e. between Meyler, Geoffrey, Mares, and William Mareschal. Leinster and Munster suffered severely from them.
For 1207, Meyler Oge, Murtough O'Brien, and Turlough, the son of Roderic O'Conor, made a predatory incursion into Tir-Fachrach Aidhne, and plundered fifteen ballys (townlands).
For 1208, Murtough, the son of Donnell O'Brien, Lord of Thomond, was taken prisoner by the English of Limerick, in violation of the guarantee of three bishops, and by order of his own brother, Donough Cairbreach.
For 1224, Mahon, the son of Kehernagh O'Kerrin, Lord of Kerry of Lough-na-narney, died.
For 1224, A monastery was erected by Maurice Fitzgerald, from whom the Fitzgeralds of Kildare and Desmond are descended, at Youghal, in the diocese of Cloyne, in Munster, for Franciscan friary.
For 1229, The monastery of St. Francis, at Cork, was founded by Mac Carthy More (Dermot). Dermot Mac Carthy, Lord of Desmond, died the same year.

De Burgh's siege of 1230

Cathal Crobderg Ua Conchobair had owed his position as King of Connacht to King John, and the support of the latter's vassals in Ireland. In addition, he was able to obtain recognition of his son, Aedh mac Cathal Crobdearg Ua Conchobair as his heir.

In the yeare after Cathal's death in 1224, Aedh had to face a rebellion by Donn Oge Mageraghty of Síl Muirdeag, Aedh Ua Flaithbertaigh of Maigh Seola and an invasion by Ó Neill of Tir Eoghain from Ulster. Ó Neill and Aedh's rebellious vassals then crowned Turlough mac Ruaidri O Conchobair King of Connacht in opposition to Aedh, who was supported by only a few vassals such as MacDermott of Moylurg and O Flynn of the Cuirc remaining loyal. With the help of his Norman allies, Aedh was eventually able to suppress the rebellion, though "there was not a church or territory in Connaught at that time that had not been plundered and desolated." The war was made worse by "An oppressive malady raged in the province of Connaught at this time: it was a heavy burning sickness, which left the large towns desolate, without a single survivor."

One incident during the war had given Aedh cause for concern: his erstwhile allies, the Normans of Leinster and Munster, had invaded south Connacht "and slew all the people that they caught, and burned their dwellings and villages." Aedh was furious at this because it was not by his command, and because the Normans "were themselves excited by envy and rapacity, as soon as they had heard what good things the Lord Justice and his English followers had obtained in Connaught at that time." It was a sign of things to come.

Aedh mac Cathal was murdered by the Normans in 1228 and Aedh mac Ruaidri Ua Conchobair was chosen by the Normans and the chiefs of Connacht to take his place. Yet in 1230 Aedh and his vassals turned on the Normans, vowing "they would never own a lord who should bring them to make submission to the Galls. They made then great raids on the Galls, Aed son of Ruaidri and the men of West Connacht plundering the young son of William and Adam Duff, while Donn Oc and the sons of Magnus with the new levies of Sil Murray plundered Mac Gosdelb and Tir Maine as far as Athlone." It was in response to this that Richard Mor de Burgh led an army into Connacht "and desolated a large portion of that country." De Burgh brought with him Felim mac Cathal Crobderg Ua Conchobair whom he intended to make king in place of Aedh. They crossed the Shannon at Athlone and made straight for Gallimhe.

The Dún at Gallimhe was being held and defended by Aedh Ua Flaithbertaig, who still held for Aedh mac Ruaidri (Ua Flaithbertaigh had being exiled into Iar Connacht by Aedh mac Cathal for his rebellion). Apparently de Burgh was just reaching the Dún (and a highly apprehensive Ua Flaithbertaigh) "when Aed mac Ruaidri came to his help with the Connachtmen, including the sons of Muirchertach O Conchobair." At some point in the fighting Aedh seems to have lost, or ceded possession of, the Dún, because the Annals of Connacht states that "They were on the western bank of the Galway River and the Galls on the eastern." However, this does not seem to have being a decisive factor for de Burgh; as much as a week passed with "much fighting ... between them every day, and in this condition the Galls remained, obtaining neither pledge nor hostage nor submissions from the Connachtmen." Dissatisfied with the inconclusiveness of the conflict, de Burgh cut his losses and left in the direction of Cong "to pursue the cattle and folk which had fled into the mountains and recesses of the countryside and the sea-islands." But as subsequent events would show, the strategic position of Dún Béal Gallimhe had made an impression upon de Burgh, and he would be back.

For 1239, Murtough, the son of Donnell O'Brien, died.
For 1240, The Monastery of Timoleague, in Carbery, in Munster, in the diocese of Ross, was founded for Franciscan Friars, by Mac Carthy Reagh (1442), Lord of Carbery, and his own tomb was erected in the choir of the Friars. In this monastery also Barry More, O'Mahony of Carbery, and the Baron Courcy, are interred.
For 1242, Donough Cairbreach O'Brien, Lord of the Dalcassians, tower of the splendour and greatness of the south of Ireland, and his son Turlough, died. Connor O'Brien assumed the lordship of Thomond.
For 1247, The monastery of Ennis, in Thomond, in the diocese of Killaloe, was founded by O'Brien, and in this monastery is the burial-place of the race of Brian.
For 1249, Fineen Mac Carthy made a great war on the English of Desmond, and inflicted many evils upon them.
For 1250, Fineen Mac Carthy was slain by the English of Desmond.

For 1251, A monastery was founded at Kilnamullagh, in the diocese of Cork, by Barry, who chose a burial place for his family in it.
For 1257, A great war between Conor O'Brien and the English of Munster; and the English were slaughtered by him. Teige O'Brien also committed great depredations upon them.
For 1258, A great war broke out between the English and Conor O'Brien, during which were burned Ardrahen, Kilcolgan, and many street-towns, and much corn.

For 1260, An army was led by Mac Maurice into Thomond, to attack Conor O'Brien. O'Brien, attended by the chiefs of his people, met him at Coill-Bearain; and the English were defeated at once, with the loss of David Prendergast, a most puissant knight; the Failgeach; the parson of Ardrahin, Thomas Barrott; and others not mentioned.
For 1261, A great war was waged, and many injuries were inflicted, by Fineen Mac Carthy, son of Donnell Mac Carthy, and his brothers, on the English.
For 1261, A great army was marched by the Clann-Gerald (Geraldines) into Desmond, to attack Mac Carthy, i.e. Fineen. Mac Carthy attacked and defeated them; and in this contest were slain eight barons and five knights, besides others of the English nobles, as also John Fitz Thomas and Barry More. Countless numbers of the English common soldiers were also killed in the aforesaid battle. Fineen Mac Carthy was afterwards killed by the English, and the lordship of Desmond was assumed by his brother, the Aithcleireach Mac Carthy. Brian Roe O'Brien burned and demolished Caislein Uí Chonaing (Castle Connell), and killed all that were in it.
For 1262, An army was led by Mac William Burke and the English of Ireland into Desmond, against Mac Carthy, and arrived at Mangartagh, of Lough Leane. Here Gerald Roche, who was said to be the third best knight of his time in Ireland, was slain by Mac Carthy. This was a triumph without joy to Desmond, for Cormac, son of Donnell God (the Stammering) Mac Carthy, was slain in this battle. Indeed, both the English and the Irish suffered great losses about the Mangartagh mountain on that day.
For 1263, A great depredation was committed by Hugh, son of Felim, [son of Cathal Crovderg O'Conor] on the English of Sliabh Lugha, and in Ciarraighe: great numbers of the English were killed by him, and he carried off many cows from them.
For 1268, Conor Roe O'Brien, Lord of Thomond, Seoinin, his son, his daughter, his daughter's son, i.e. the son of Rory O'Grady, Duvloughlin O'Loughlin, Thomas O'Beollan, and a number of others, were slain by Dermot, the son of Murtough O'Brien, for which he himself was afterwards killed; and Brian, the son of Conor O'Brien, then assumed the lordship of Thomond.
For 1270, Brian Roe O'Brien turned against the English, and committed great depredations upon them; and the castle of Clar-Atha-da-charadh was taken by him.
For 1273, A great army was led by Mac Maurice Fitzgerald into Thomond, where he took hostages, and obtained sway over O'Brien.
for 1277, Brian Roe O'Brien, Lord of Thomond, was treacherously taken by the son of the Earl of Clare, and afterwards drawn between horses, and this after both had entered into gossipred with each other, and taken vows by bells and relics to retain mutual friendship.
for 1284, Donough O'Brien, Lord of Thomond, was slain by Turlough O'Brien.
For 1300, Felim Mac Carthy, heir-apparent to the lordship of Desmond, died.
For 1302, Donnell Roe Mac Carthy, Lord of Desmond, died.
For 1303, Donnell Oge Mac Carthy, Lord of Desmond, died.
For 1306, Turlough O'Brien, Lord of Thomond, a man the most illustrious, most pious, most humanely charitable, most prosperous, and most expert at arms, that was in Ireland in his time, died; and his son Donough was elected in his place.