Thomond in the Early Annals

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

Munster in the Early Annals of Ireland

About the 13th century the Dalcassian territories within in the modern county of Clare were given as Ó mBloid, Ó gCaisin, Tradaree, Cenél Fearmaic, Uí Cormaic, East Corcabaiscinn, West Corcabaiscinn, Corcomroe, Burren, and Uí Breacain. Six of the ancient territories are today represented on the Clare County Council's Coat of Arms, that is - Corcumrua, Uí Caisin, Clann Cuilean, Corca Baiscinn, Uí Breacain, and Dal gCais, that compromise the present day county.

The Uí Bloid were a branch of the Uí Toirdealbhaigh whose territory originally lay around the deanery of Omulled in the east of County Clare. Besides the O’Shanahans and O’Duracks, the Uí Bloid comprised the chiefly families of O’Aherne and O’Kennedy. The Uí Cearnaigh, of which the O’Ahernes (O Eachtighearna) were the chief family, inhabited the territory around Six-mile-bridge until they were driven out about 1318 by the MacNamaras. Afterwards they are found chiefly in Limerick and Cork, but also in Waterford. The O’Kennedys (0 Cinnide) derive their descent from Cinneidigh, son of Donnchuan, brother of Brian Boru. They were originally seated at Glenomra, where their territory was coextensive with the present parish of Killokennedy, in the east of County Clare. On being driven from that territory by the O’Briens and MacNamaras, they afterwards settled in north-central Tipperary, in the baronies of Upper and Lower Ormond, where they became numerous and far more powerful than they had ever been before. From the twelfth to sixteenth centuries they ranked as Lords of Ormond, and were divided into three great branches, O Ginneide Fionn (The Fair O’Kennedy), O Cinneide Donn (The Brown O’Kennedy) and OGinneide Ruadh (The Red O’Kennedy). They are said by Keating to have considered themselves to be under the special protection of St. Ruadhan of Lorrha. A branch of the family settled in Antrim about 1600. The existence of the Glann Gearnaigh O’Kennedys of the Laiginian tribe of Uí Maine in Galway probably indicate the pre—Dalcassian origin of the collateral kinsmen of Brian Boru, and thus of the great Brian himself.

For 1311, A great army was led by William Burke into Munster, against De Clare, and a battle was fought, in which De Clare was defeated.
For 1311, A great war broke out in Thomond. Donough Mac Namara and his adherents (i.e. the inhabitants of the cantred of Hy-Caisin) gave battle to O'Brien and the men of Munster; but Mac Namara was defeated, and he himself and Donnell O'Grady, Lord of Kinel-Dungaile, were slain on the battle field; and both armies suffered immense slaughter.
For 1311, Donough O'Brien, King of Munster, and a materies for a monarch of Ireland for his hospitality and achievements, was treacherously slain by Murrough, son of Mahon O'Brien; and Murtough was elected in his place. Loughlin Reagh O'Dea was slain by Mahon, the son of Donnell Connaghtagh O'Brien.
For 1316, A very great army was mustered by Felim O'Conor and the chiefs of the province of Connaught. Among these chiefs were Donough O'Brien, with the chiefs of Munster, among many others. the Irish were defeated at Athenry and Felim was slain.
For 1317, Donough O'Brien, king of Munster, was slain.
For 1318, A great victory was gained over the English in Ely, by O'Carroll; and Adam Mares and many other Englishmen were slain.
For 1320, Mahon, son of Donnell Connaghtagh O'Brien, Tanist of Munster, was slain by the Clann-Cuilein.
For 1325, A victory was gained by the sons of Turlough O'Brien, over the sons of Brian Roe O'Brien; and Brian, the son of Mahon O'Brien, and many others, were slain.
For 1326, A victory was gained by Donnell Cairbreach Mac Carthy over Mac Thomas and the English of Munster. Many knights were slain.
For 1328, A great army was led by the Earl of Ulster, Turlough O'Conor, King of Connaught, and Murtough O'Brien, King of Munster, against Brian Bane O'Brien; but they were defeated by Brian Bane. Conor O'Brien, a good materies for a King of Ireland, by reason of his personal shape, wisdom, hospitality, and renown, was slain on this occasion, as were also eighty persons, including chieftains and plebeians.
For 1328, Another army was led by Murtough O'Brien and the Clann-Cuilein (the Mac Namaras) against Brian; but Murtough was defeated, and Conor O'Brien, Donnell of the Donnells, the son of Cumara Mac Namara, with many others, were slain.

For 1334, A great army, both of English and Irish, was led by the Connacians into Munster against Mac Namara; and they took hostages from him, and obtained sway over him.
For 1337, A peace was concluded between William, son of the Earl of Ulster, and Brian Bún (the Fair) O'Brien; and the lands which O'Brien had taken from the son of the Earl were given back to him at their former rent.
For 1340, The monastery of Oirbhealach at Carraig-an-chiuil, at the eastern end of Loch Lein, in the diocese of Ardfert, in Munster, was founded for Franciscan Friars by Mac Carthy More, Prince of Desmond (Donnell, the son of Teige); and the chiefs of the country selected burial places for themselves in this monastery. Among these were O'Sullivan More and the two O'Donohoes.
For 1343, Murtough O'Brien, Lord of Thomond, died; and Dermot O'Brien assumed the lordship, but he was banished from his chieftainship by Brian O'Brien; and the chieftains of Thomond then submitted to Brian.
For 1345, Manus O'Flynn Line i.e. of Moylinny, was slain by Donnell Donn and Brian Ó Neill.
For 1350, Brian, the son of Donnell, son of Brian Roe O'Brien, was treacherously slain by the sons of Lorcan Mac Lorcan. Turlough Oge O'Brien killed sixteen of the Clann-Keogh in revenge of this evil deed, and despoiled them, besides, of their lands and cattle.
for 1356, Donough Mac Namara, the best son of a chieftain in Leth-Mogha in his time, was slain by the O'Briens.
For 1359, Cormac Mac Carthy, Lord of Desmond, and Donnell, the son of Teige O'Mahony, died.
For 1359, Murrough Oge Mac Mahon, heir apparent to the lordship of Corco-Baskin. was slain by the O'Briens.

For 1361, Donough O'Loughlin, Lord of Corcomroe (Corco Mruad), died.
For 1362, Teige, son of Conor, son of Turlough O'Brien, was slain by the Clann-Coilen.
For 1364, Dermot O'Brien, Lord of Thomond, died.
For 1265, Felim an-einigh, son of Donnell O'Conor, Lord of Corcomroe, died.
For 1366, Cormac Don Mac Carthy, Lord of Carbery, and of Ivahagh of Munster, was treacherously slain by his relative, the son of Donnell na-n-Domhnall.
For 1366, Conor O'Conor, Lord of Ciarraighe-Luachra, was slain by the Branaghs.
For 1368, Dermot, the son of Cormac Donn Mac Carthy, was taken prisoner by Mac Carthy, of Carbery, and by him delivered up to the English, who afterwards put him to death.
for 1369, Mahon Moinmoy O'Brien, Lord of Thomond, the best and most illustrious of the Irish, died in his own fortress, after the victory of penance. Brian O'Brien assumed the lordship of Thomond after Mahon.
For 1369, A great defeat was given by Brian O'Brien, Lord of Thomond, to the English of Munster. Garrett, Earl of Desmond, and many of the chiefs of the English, were taken prisoners by him, and the remainder cut off with indescribable slaughter. Limerick was burned on this occasion by the Thomonians and the Clann-Culein, upon which the inhabitants of the town capitulated with O'Brien. Sheeda Cam Mac Namara, son of the daughter of O'Dwyre, assumed the wardenship of the town; but the English who were in the town acted treacherously towards him, and killed him. This was a lamentable treatment of the son of a chieftain.

Síl Cennétich - referred to here in conjunction with Ó Cinnéide (O'Kennedy) of Ormond, originally centered in the Glenomra valley near Killaloe, their lands at one time included much of the baronies of Upper and Lower Ormond in Co. Tipperary, formerly part of the more ancient territory of Muscraige Tíre. Even after the arrival of the powerful Butler (Earls of Ormond) in the 13th century, the Kennedys remained an influential family as Gaelic 'lords of Ormond' from the eleventh to the sixteenth centuries, as recorded in The Annals of The Four Masters. They are given as a Dalcassian sept, perhaps taking their name from Cinneide, son of Donnchuan, and a nephew of Brian Boru. O'Hart gives other familes descended from Donchuan as: Eustace, O'Regan (of Thomond), O'Kelleher, O'Beollan (or "Boland"), O'Casey, Power, and Twomey.

M948, An army was led by Conghalach into Munster; and he plundered West Munster, and slew the two sons of Ceinneidigh, son of Lorcan, namely, Echthighern and Donnchuan.
CS950, A raid by Congalach son of Mael Mithig into Mumu and he plundered west Mumu and killed two sons of Cendétigh, i.e. Echtigern and Donnacán.
M1054, Aedh, son of Ceinneidigh, son of Donnchuan, the love and glory of Dal-gCais, died.

The MacMahons (Mac Mathghamhna) descend from Mahon, another son of Murtagh Mor O’Brien, mentioned above, who lived from 1094 to 1119. Their patrimony consisted of the territory comprising the present baronies of Moyarta and Clonderlaw in the southwest of County Clare. The famous Marshall of France, Patrick MacMahon, later president of the French Republic, was of these Clare MacMahons, being the grandson of John MacMahon, himself a French marquis (d’Eguilly).

The MacDonnells (Mac Domnaill) descend from Domhnall, son of Murtagh Mor O’Brien, High-King of Ireland, who died in 1119. They were hereditary bards to their O’Brien kinsmen. A branch of these Thomond MacDonnells settled in Connacht.

AI1123, Donn Cuan Ua Cennétig rested.
M1159, Gillacaeimhghin Ua Ceinneidigh, lord of Ormond, died on his pilgrimage at Cill-Dalua.
M1164, Amhlaeibh, son of Gillacaeimhghin Ua Ceinneidigh, lord of Ormond, was blinded by Toirdhealbhach Ua Briain.
M1180, Donnell, the son of Teige O'Kennedy, Lord of Ormond, died.
U1181, Domnall Ua Ceinneidig, king of Ormond, was slain.
C1371, Brian O Cennetig, king of Ormond, was killed by the Galls.

For 1371, Brian O'Kennedy, Lord of Ormond, was treacherously slain by the English.
For 1373, John Mac Namara, Head Chieftain of Clann-Cuilein in Thomond, and Teige O'Duirnin, died.
For 1375, Brian O'Brian, Lord of Thomond, was banished by Turlough, son of Murtough O'Brien, and by the Clann-Rickard.
For 1377, An army was led by Richard Burke into Clann-Cuilein. The Clann-Cuilein assembled around Mac Namara (i.e. the son of O'Daly's daughter), gave battle to the Clann-Richard, and defeated them. Theobald, son of Ulick, head of the kerns, the three sons of O'Heyne, and many others of the chiefs of Clann- Rickard, were slain.
For 1379, Cumara Gearr i.e. the Mac Namara, was treacherously slain by his own kinsmen.
Fro 1380, Teige, son of Murtough O'Brien, was slain by Brian Sreamach O'Brien.
For 1381, Dermot Mac Carthy, heir to the lordship of Desmond, was slain by O'Mahony.
For 1381, Philip O'Kennedy, Lord of Ormond, and his wife, Aine, the daughter of Mac Namara, both died.
For 1382, A plundering army was led by Murrough O'Brien into Desmond, and totally devastated it.
For 1382, Murtough, the son of Mahon Moinmoy O'Brien, died in the prison of Trim.
For 1382, Donnell O'Brien; Turlough, the son of Dermot O'Brien; and Brian, the son of Dermot O'Brien, of the race of Brian Roe, died.
For 1383, Murrough na-Raithnighe O'Brien, More, the daughter of Murrough O'Madden, and wife of Mac William of Clanrickard (Richard); and Joanna, the daughter of the Earl of Ormond, and wife of Teige O'Carroll, Lord of Ely, died of it the plague. Murrough, son of Brian O'Kennedy; Donough an-Chuil Mac Mahon, Lord of Corco-Baiscin, died. Donough O'Conor, Lord of Kerry-Luachra, died.
For 1389, Melaghlin Cam O'Loughlin, Lord of Corcomroe, was treacherously slain by his own brother.
For 1391, Donnell Oge Mac Carthy, Lord of Desmond, died; and his son, Teige, assumed the lordship after him.
For 1394, Turlough, the son of Murrough na-Raithnighe O'Brien, of the race of Brian Roe, waged war with the people of the King of England in Munster and Leinster, and burned and plundered the county of Limerick.
For 1395, Niall Oge, the son of Niall, son of Hugh Ó Neill, and O'Brien, i.e. Brian, the son of Mahon, went into the King of England's houses. The King of England departed from Ireland in May, after a great number of the English and Irish chiefs of Ireland had gone into his house; and Mortimer was left by the King in Ireland as his representative.
M1396, O'Kennedy, Lord of Ormond, died.
For 1399, Brian O'Brien (i.e. the son of Mahon), Lord of Thomond, died.
For 1399, Hugh O'Donoghoe, Lord of Eoghanaght of Lough Leane, died.
For 1402, A war broke out between the Earl of Ormond and the Earl of Desmond; and the two Mac Williams went to assist the Earl of Ormond.
For 1404, Cormac Mac Dermot was slain upon an incursion into Clanrickard, in a conflict with the cavalry of Clanrickard and Thomond.
For 1404, The Earl of Ormond, head of the prowess of the English of Ireland, died.
C1398, Pilip son of Mathgamain Donn O Cennetig died.
C1404, Tomas O Cennetig, half-king of Ormond, was killed by Domnall son of Pilip O Cennetig.
C1404, Donnahad son of O Cennetig Donn died this yeare while held in captivity by his own brothers.
C1407, The son of Tadc son of Mathgamain Donn O Cennetig, lord of Upper Ormond, was killed by O Cerbaill.
M1423, O'Kennedy Finn, Lord of Ormond, died.
M1427, The son of Donnell, son of Mahon Don O'Kennedy, Lord of Upper Ormond, was slain, with one cast of a dart, by Walter Tobin.
M1441, O'Kennedy Roe, i.e. Rory, the son of Philip, Half-Lord of Ormond, died.
C1474, The son of O Cennetig's son, lord of Upper Ormond, died.

for 1407, A battle was gained by the English over the Irish of Munster, in which O'Carroll, Lord of Ely, general patron of the literati of Ireland, was killed.
For 1408, Teige O'Grady, Chief of Kinel-Dunghaile, died.
For 1409, A great war broke out between O'Brien and his sons and the sons of Brian O'Brien. They came to an engagement, and O'Brien was defeated; and the son of the Earl of Kildare, who happened to be along with him, was taken prisoner, as was also Dermot O'Brien; and O'Brien was banished from the province of Munster by the sons of Brian O'Brien.
For 1410, O'Brien returned to Thomond, after having made peace with his kinsmen, the sons of Brian O'Brien.
For 1411, Donnell, the son of Conor O'Brien, Tanist of Thomond, was slain by Barry More.
For 1411, Thomas, the son of John, Earl of Desmond, was banished from Ireland by James, the son of Garrett.
For 1414, The Earl of Desmond came to Ireland, bringing with him many of the Saxons, to devastate Munster.

For 1432, A great war broke out between O'Carroll, Lord of Ely, and the Earl of Ormond; and the Earl marched at the head of a great army into Ely, ravaged the country, and demolished O'Carroll's two castles.
For 1438, O'Brien, i.e. Teige, the son of Brian O'Brien, was deposed by his brother Mahon, who was thereupon styled the O'Brien.
For 1442, Mac Carthy Reagh, Lord of Ivahagh in Munster, died. O'Driscoll More (Mac Con), Lord of Corca-Laoighe, died.
cont.

To Elizabeth's plantation policy, after the Desmond rebellion, Bandon owes its origin. In the Bandon area the O'Mahonys, who supported this rebellion, were uprooted from their castle at Castle Mahon (later Castle Bernard). Their lands in the Bandon area in the barony of Kinalmeaky were confiscated. This land was given to the English undertaker Phane Beecher. Around this time the town was being developed to the east of the castle. In 1604 Phane Becher's son leased all this land to Captain William Newce and John Archdeacon. Newce's land was to the north of the river. All the streets faced their backs to the river itself. Several bridges, over a period of time, were built crossing the river and the town became known as Bandon-Bridge or in Irish Droichead Na Banndan.

In 1613 and 1619 the First Earl of Cork, Richard Boyle, purchased the former owner's interest in the town of Bandon and by 1625 Boyle was the sole owner of the town on both sides of the river. He never lived in Bandon but in Youghal. In 1613 James 1 granted a charter to Bandon and a Council was set up consisting of a Provost and eleven Burgesses. Two members from Bandon attended the Irish Parliament in 1613. Boyle set about to develop his new town and induced several Puritan families from England, mainly Somerset, to Bandon. He built new houses and set about building the town walls and gates. The walls began in 1613 and were completed by 1625. Very few traces of the walls can be seen to day, as the original walls did not last long. The river Bandon and its tributary the Bridewell provided power for the mills. Boyle developed all his new lands in Ireland by promoting agriculture, mining and milling. There were many trades in Bandon and a lot of these were based on the rich fertile agriculture lands along the river valley.

In 1622 there were about 250 houses in Bandon. Boyle. As Bandon developed on both sides of the river it had two of every thing such as market houses, churches etc. The north side of Bandon was in Kilbrogan parish and the south side in Ballymodan parish. In 1748 when Charlotte Boyle married William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire, part of the town became the property of the Duke of Devonshire. Their residence in Ireland is Lismore Castle, Co. Waterford. The Bernard family who later became the Earls of Bandon occupied Castle Mahon and renamed it Castle Bernard. It was burnt during the War of Independence in 1921.