Mac Ruaidri, from RUAIDHRI Earl of Moray, was the father of Finlay, and grandfather of MacBeth. There are a number of Gaelic names throughout Ireland which do not belong to any Irish clans. Mac Ruaidhri was leader of the Irish and lord of Cruach Brandon (this place is a lofty mountain of Saint Brendan, a wonderful hermit, and nine cantreds around it). In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, as evidenced by the Tudor Fiants, by the census of 1659 and other records, the name MacRory was both numerous and ubiquitous; now it is rare. It can also be ascribed to the ephemeral nature, outside its own proper territory, to which reference will be made hereunder, of the surname MacRory, I.e Mac Ruaidhri, son of Rory. This like MacTeige and MacCormac, was, at least up to the middle of the seventeenth century, frequently used for one generation only. In Co. Clare, for example, many of the people who appear in the records as MacRory were O'Briens, MacNamaras and MacMahons. Later some resumed their real patronymic but a larger number became Rodgers, thus obscuring their Dalcassian origin.
The true Gaelic sept of MacRory belongs properly to Co. Tyrone. A branch of this was established in Co. Derry where they became erenaghs of Ballynascreen in the barony of Loughlinsholin.
In the days of Edward King of England and of Toirdhealbhach, King of Ireland, Gruffydd King of Gwynedd was born in Ireland in the city of Dublin, and he was reared in the commot of Columcille, a place whičh is called among the Irish "Swords" (this is three miles from the place where lived his mother and his foster-mother). His father was Cynan, King of Gwynedd, and his mother was Ragnaillt, daughter of Olaf, King of the city of Dublin and a fifth part of Ireland. Therefore this Gruffydd was a man most nobly born, of royal race and most eminent lineage, as testifies likewise the pedigree and descent of his family. Gruffydd's other brother was Aedh Mac Mathgamhain, of Ulster. King Gruffydd had two brothers of the same mother, Kings of Ulster, namely, Raghnall son of Mathgamhain, who by his valour gained two parts of Ireland in six weeks.
Of the noblemen of Anglesey there fell seventy-five men. Likewise King Gruffydd sat on his horse in his troop with his flashing sword mowing both traitors and enemies, like Agamemnon, King of Phrygia, of old in the fight of Troy. Then Tewdwr, a youth from Anglesey, archbetrayer of Gruffydd, approached with streaming sword and moved aside to come to his saddle-bow behind his saddle. When Gwyncu, a baron of Anglesey, beheld this he drew him unwilling from the battle to the ship that was in Abermenai. Thence they went to the island of Adron (this place was the island of Seals). Thence they journeyed to Wexford in Ireland. Thenceforward to this day this contest is called Bron yr Erw or Erw yr Alit.
From treachery the Roman senators with styles in the Roman Capitol slew Caesar, Emperor of Rome, after he had conquered the whole world and had pacified it by [his] battles. Also Arthur, King of the Kings of the Island of Britain, and an eminent renowned hero, wrought twelve notable battles against the Saxons and the Picts: in the first of them he was vanquished and a fugitive because of treachery in Caer Lwytcoed (this place was Dinas y Llwyn Llwyt): in the other contests he was victorious, and deservedly paid in kind his oppressors, the Saxons and the Picts, although he was an old man. After Gruffydd came to Ireland he complained grievously to the King and his chieftains against the traitors and his oppressors. Then the Danes, the men of his house and household waxed wrath because they did not obtain their customs [i.e., customary privilege to plunder] as had been promised them, and plundered the greater part of Anglesey in spite of him, and returned to their country with their ships full of men and spoil, and carried him with them against his will. On this occasion the treachery of the DaneS towards Gruffydd was not less than that of the Cymry.
Then arose much evil and tribulation in Gwynedd, and in the midst of this, after a short time, Hugh Earl of Chester and many other princes, that is to say, Robert of Rhuddlan, Warenne of Shrewsbury, alter Earl of Hereford, assembled the largest host in the world of horsemen and footmen, and took with them Gwrgan ap Seisyll and the men of Powys, and traversed the mountains until they came into Lleyn. Then the inhabitants of this country scattered portionless [and] needy into the world. Many of them went as exiles into other lands through long years, and scarcely any of them came to their own country. This was the first plague and rough advent of the Normans to the land of Gwynedd after coming to England.
Meanwhile after Gruffydd had been a yeare in Ireland as a guest of King Dermot and other noblemen, he eventually assembled a kingly fleet from Waterford which the King had given him full of Danes, Irishmen, and Britons, and after spreading sails at sea, and the wind being favourable behind them, and the sea tranquil, he came to Porthclais, hard by the Archbishopric of St. David?s. Then came Rhys, King of Deheubarth, and the bishops and teachers and all the clergy of the lord David togetherwith the Church of St. David?s to the harbour. First Rhys discoursed thus with the lord Gruffydd, ?Welcome Gruffydd, King of the Kings of Wales.
For Gruffydd was a son of King Cynan, son of Iago, son of Idwal, son of Elissed, son of Meuryc, son of Anarawt, son of Rhodri, son of Etill daughter of Cynart of Castell Dindaethwy, son of Idwaire, son of Catwalader Vendigeit, son of Catwallawn, son of Catvan, son of lago, son of Beli, son of Run, son of Maelgwn, Son of Catwallawn Llauhir, son of Einnyawn Yrth, son of King Cuneda, son of Edern, son of Padern Peisrud son of Tagit, son of Iago, son of Guidauc, son of Kein, son of Gorgein, son of Doli, son of Gwrdoli, son of Dwuyn, son of Gorduwyn, son of Anwerit, son of Onuet, son of Diuwng, son of Brychwein, son of Ewein, son of Auallach, son of Aflech, son of Beli Mawr, etc.
Rodri Mawr son of Mervyn Vrych, son of Gwryat, son of Elidir, son of Sandef, son of Alcwn, son of Tegit, son of Gweir, son of Dwc, son of Llewarch Hen, son of Elidir Liedanwyn, son of Meirchyaun Gul, son of Gorwst Ledlum, son of Keneu, son of Coel Gotebauc, son of Tecvan Gloff, son of Deyeweint, son of Urban, son of Grad, son of Riuedel, son of Rideyrn, son of Enteyrn, son of Endygant, son of Endos, son of Endoleu, son of Avallach, son of Aflech, son of Beli Mawr, son of Manogan, son of Eneit, son of Kerwyt, son of Kryton son of Dyvynarth, son of Prydein, son of Aet Mawr, son of Antonius, son of Seiryoel, son of Gurust, son of Riwallaun, son of Regat daughter of Llyr, son of Rud, son of Bleidud, son of Lliwelyt, son of Brutus Ysgwyt Ir, son of Membyr, son of Madoc, son of Locrinus, son of Brut prince of Rome, son of Silvius, son of Ascanius, son of Aeneas Ysgwyt Wyn, son of Anchises, son of Capis, son of Assaracus, son of Trois son of Herctonius, son of Dardanus, son of Jupiter, son of Sadwrn, son of Celius, son of Cretus, son of Ciprius, son of Iauan, son of Japhet, son of Noah Hen, son of Lamech, son of Methusalem, son of Enoc, son of Jaret, son of Mahaleel, son of Cainan, son of Enos, son of Seth, son of Adam, son of God.
Meirion the Red, Gruffydd's baron, was stirred by an arrow of the devil and accused him before Hugh Earl of Chester, and betrayed him in this manner. He caused the two earls of the French, that is to say, Hugh who was mentioned above and Hugh Earl of Shrewsbury, the son of Roger of Montgomery, to come together, and with them an abundance of horsemen and footmen, to Cruc in Edeyrnyon. Gruffydd is betrayed to the Normans. Then after his capture, Earl Hugh came to his domain in great force and built castles and strong places after the manner of the French, and was lord over the land. A castle he built in Anglesey, and another in Arvon in the old city of the Emperor Constantine, son of Constans the Great. Another he made in Bangor and another in Meirionydd. For a young man of Edeyrnyon (Cenwrie Hir was his name) came to Chester, and a few companions with him, to buy necessities.
Gruffydd having grown strong, he took him by night as far as Anglesey, and there Sandef, son of Aere, supported him in hiding. Thence, after a few days, he embarked to seek to go to Ireland. Yet contrary winds bore him to Porth Hodni, in Deheubarth. Thence he journeyed by land, and nine chosen companions with him; and one of the nine was killed at once. The inhabitants of that land fought with hint thrice that day; and thrice he overcame them, he and his eight companions; and there one of the noblest youths that was sprung from that country was slain by him.
This journey, he came to Ardudwy, hesitating where he should go from the treachery of the French. When the sons of Collwyn, Eginir, Gellan, Merwyd, Ednyfed saw him, they pitied him, and ministered to him secretly desert caves. After the end of some months one and sixty men joined him, and they wandered from place to place in Gwynedd, doing damage ever to Earl Hugh, like King David, son of Jesse, of Bethlehem, in the land of Judea in the time of King Saul. When the French who were there in the castle saw he was thus in disorder, they and the inhabitants of the country pursued him in forest and in the open like hounds hunting and pursuing a wearied stag. When he knew he could not escape thus he went in the skiff of the churchmen of Aberdaron, and in this and by rowing he went to Ireland. Thence again at the end of the mnth he came back in the same skiff and reached the mouth of the same river whence he had set out. Thence he set out again to Ireland.