McNamara Reagh
Mike
Kilmurray, most of Tulla, part of Quin and Clooney now moved into east Clare
and annexed six out of ten distinct territories. These tribes were now
forced to abandon their lands or pay a tribute to the MacNamaras. The
History of the O'Gradys - Part 2. Thanks to the Norse for finding Iron in a
non-Iron geographical area of Ireland which was hard to find.
History of the O'Grady's from Cenfaela O'Grady, Chief of his name in 1185 to
the O'Gradys in the 14th century - Irelands leading ecclesiastical family.
This man was Chief of his name and Abbot of Tuamgraney from 1170 to 1184.
This is proof enough that Tuamgraney was part of the O'Grady territory long
before 1318. John O'Donovan the 19th century Irish scholar and historian
believed that the O'Gradys were originally located in the parish of
Kilnasoola now Newmarket-on-Fergus, and that they were transferred to the
district of Tuamgraney, Moynoe, Inniscealtra and Clonrush after 1318.
In the same year 1185, Rory O'Grady and Rory O'Conaing were slain by
foreigners in the slaughter of the Castle of Tipraid- Fachtna (Fachtna's
well), now Tubberaghny in Barony of Iverk, Co. Kilkenny.
Battle of Kilbarron 1259.
In 1248 the Normans made their first major attempt to conquer Thomond.
Robert De Muscegros was given a grant of land at Tradaree and he proceededb
to build castles at Bunratty and Clare. In 1259 Maurice Fitzgerald of
Desmond led an army across the Shannon at Castleconnell. The Dalcassian
tribes stopped their family feuds and united under Conor na Suidaine O'
Brien. The tribes of MacNamara, O'Brien, O'Grady, MacInerney, Moloney,
MacMahon, McGrath with help from O'Shaughnessy and O'Hynes from Gort,
gathered in the dense woods between Scariff and Feakle.
When the Normans with their heavy armour reached Coolreagh Bog, the Irish
attacked and killed over 700 of them. The soft bog of Coolreagh was no place
for heavily armoured men. The surviving Normans were pursued as far as
Castleconnell and the Dalcassians took the Castle and killed every man in
the garrison.
The Triumphs of Turlough.
The Normans came to Ireland in 1169, but they did not get a foothold in
Clare, until 1276, when Thomas De Clare, son of the Earl of Gloucester,
arrived in Bunratty. For the next forty-one years a virtual non-stop civil
war raged in what is now County Clare. It was primarily a conflict between
two related factions of the O'Briens for the title of "The O'Brien" - King
of Thomond. These two factions came to be known as Clann Brian Rua and Clan
Turlough Mór, with their respective supporters, whether Dalcassian Clans,
Anglo Normans or English. The history of the period was written as the,
"Caithréim Thóirdhealbhaigh" about 1459 by Shane Mac Rory McGrath and
translated first by Andrew Mac Curtin in 1721, and by Standish Hayes O'Grady
in 1925 as "The Triumphs of Turlough." It is very difficult to follow and
every adjective is exhausted when he is eulogizing Turlough O'Brien, his
family and supporters, particularly the MacNamaras of mid-Clare.
The tribes of East Clare known as the Uí Blod, supported Clann Brian Rua and
are treated as the enemy in this narrative. The O'Gradys were allies of the
MacNamaras in early skirmishes with the Uí Blod tribes but changed
allegiance when the MacNamaras slaughtered their children in 1278.(See
"Carnage of Clare").
Battle of Dughlen 1268 ( Dubh Grean in a 13th century poem)
In 1268 Conor Rua Ó'Brien, Lord of Thomond with assistance from O'Dea, O'
Quinn, O'Hehir and O'Grady invaded the Burren district to enforce his
authority over the O'Lochlans. At Dughlen (Gleannamanagh near Corcomroe
meaning the hill of slaughter), Conor was slain as was Aneslis Óg Ó'Grady.
He was a son of Rory O'Grady, whose wife was a daughter of Conor Rua Ó'
Brien. She too was killed along with Seonin O'Brien, a son of Conor O'Brien.
They were buried in the Abbey of Corcomroe.
Battle of Moy Greasan 1277.
In 1274 Thomas De Clare arrived in Ireland having been appointed Sheriff of
Limerick. He married a daughter of Maurice Fitzmaurice who was then a
landowner in Connaught. In January 1276 he was granted
the whole of Thomond. Meanwhile another internal struggle for supremacy
amongst the O'Briens was taking place. Brian Rua O'Brien was challenged by
his nephew Turlough who was aided by the MacNamaras and O'Deas. Brian Rua
was forced to abandon his headquarters at Clonroad (Ennis) and take refuge
with the Uí mBlod chieftains in East Clare. They advised him to seek help
from De Clare. An agreement was made giving De Clare the land between
Limerick and Athsolas.
De Clare and O'Brien now attacked Clonroad but Turlough was in West Clare at
the time. They proceeded to lay waste all of south and mid Clare. De Clare
now began to build a Castle at Bunratty. Turlough O'Brien gathered his
forces aided by the MacNamaras and the O'Deas. The Connaught chieftains
Teigue O'Kelly, Melachlin O'Madden and William Burke also helped him.
Together they invaded O'Grady territory and laid waste Moynoe and
Tuamgraney.
Conor O'Brien and De Clare aided by the Uí mBlod met up with the enemy at
Moy Greasain. (This battlefield has not been identified). They were routed
and Patrick Fitzmaurice, De Clare,s brother in law, was slain. De Clare
subsequently murdered Brian Roe at Bunratty by pulling him apart with
horses. Incredibly a year later Brian Roe's son Donough was again united
with De Clare in trying to crush the power of Turlough.
The "Carnage of Clare" 1278
In this year the MacNamaras invaded Kilnoe and Killuran, now the parish of O
'Callaghan's Mills and subdued the Shanahans and O'Kennedy's. They then
invaded O'Grady Country and were assisted on the northern side by MacWilliam
Burke, Thomas Butler, Teigue O'Kelly and Owen O'Madden. The O'Gradys were
assisted by about 500 of the Clan Brian Rua and because of their inferior
numbers attacked at night. They were easily repulsed and put to flight. The
MacNamaras and their allies accidentally came across the spot were the O'
Grady's "noble herds were kept in a stockade". They stormed "the stone
boolies and did grievious killing..the victors lump together Kineldunal's
preys and 'having taken so many as they got of their men, their fair-haired
women, their little boys and other members of their families, of their
servants, kern, horseboys and herdsmen, they made of them one universal
litter of slaughter, a deed which will long live as the 'Carnage of Clare'.
Burning of Moynoe 1307.
In 1307, Sheeda MacNamara, returning from a cattle raid in Portumna, took
refuge at Moynoe. At that time there was a community of monks and lay people
resident there, who offered hospitality and refuge to those that sought it.
MacNamara's troops went so far as to stay in the great church itself and
considering that their wants were not being met with enough haste they
assaulted their hosts. The alarm was raised and O'Cormican's sons in Scariff
responded. O'Kinnergan who was a foster son of MacNamaras was slain and on
hearing this Sheeda MacNamara invaded Moynoe and set fire to every
habitation they came across. The venerable church, part of which still
stands was all that was spared.
Battle of Kilgory 1309
The destruction of Moynoe was a terrible insult to the Uí mBloid tribes of O
'Durack of Ogonnelloe, O'Shanahan of Kilnoe and Killuran, O'Ahern of
Cratloe, O'Gunning of Castleconnell, O'Kennedy of Killokennedy, O'Hogan of
Ara, and the O'Molonys, O'Lonergans and O'Flahertys. They sought revenge and
had some initial success but in 1309 they were routed at Kilgorey in O'
Callaghan's Mills. Peace terms were now drawn up. The MacNamaras were to
renounce forever O'Grady Country - 'Kineldunal of the red standards and good
swords,' but they refused and war continued.
Death of Donald O'Grady 1311.
In 1311, Donald, chief of his name and grandson of Aneslis Óg was slain in a
skirmish in Sliabh Aughty. The writer of the Triumphs of Turlough described
him as 'a man of comely presence and of good repute, gift giving chief of
Kineldunal.' We do not know precisely where this skirmish took place but
there is a standing stone at the edge of the Sliabh Aughtys, in the townland
of Sellernaun, and parish of Mountshannon still called the Chieftain's rock.
It is a wedge shaped stone about one metre high, 40 centimetres in width and
20 centimetres in depth.
O'Gradys slaughtered 1314.
In this year The O'Shanahans and O'Kennedys 'were reduced to peace'. Clan
Turlough with the MacNamaras, Teige O'Kelly and Owen O'Madden now turned on
the O'Gradys. Somewhere near Tuamgraney they came across the place where the
O'Gradys kept their 'noble herds' - ' a massive fighting stockade of felled
trees properly constructed'. They stormed the place and did grievous
killing, 'women and boys and whole families included'. 'There in abundance
they had young men lying on their faces, women in lamentation, kine that
bellowed deafeningly; and by this red raid Clancullen effectually relieved
Kineldunal of all care in respect to their cattle and young people'.
The Battle of Scariff 1315.
The Ordnance Survey maps have marked on them where the present Finsa factory
is, "site of battle 1315." The background to this is interesting.
In 1314, Robert Bruce, inflicted a major defeat on the English at Bannock
Burn. The following year he sent his brother Edward with an army to Ireland.
The Government called on Richard De Clare to proceed to Leinster with
whatever forces were at his command to drive out the invader. The Clann
Brian Rua (O'Brien) and the East Clare tribes assembled at 'the white ford
of Scariff' to await Richard De Clare coming from Bunratty.
The MacNamaras and the O'Briens (Clan Turlough) pursued De Clare. He formed
an encampment between Lough Bridget and Loughanilloon (lake of the King's
evil). This is a narrow passage on the Tulla to Scariff road. Tradition
speaks of an attack on him in which he drove many of the Irish into the
marshes near Loughanilloon.In this district is a hill called Kilconnell on
which there were triple entrenchments. Graves covered with rude slabs were
found here. In 1939 it retained the name Cladh na nGall - the fence of the
foreigner.
De Clare proceeded no further and left the O Grady's and east Clare tribes
waiting at Scariff where Clan Turlough and MacNamara attacked them. They
were no match for Turlough and fled in the direction of Moynoe, 'with the
result that there is no counting the slain, the horses and the cattle.' The
Clan Turlough made heaps of their heads, loads of their mail, heavy burdens
of their other strippings, faggots of their arms and to the top of Drumderg
carried all to show them to their chiefs.'
Had De Clare and the East Clare tribes met Edward Bruce it is very likely
that they would have invited him back to Thomond to overthrow their real
enemy Clann Turlough.
The Battle of Dysert O'Dea. 1318
In 1318 came the biggest defeat of all. In that year, the tribes of East
Clare and Clann Brian Rua with the support of the Normans under Richard De
Clare were utterly defeated at Dysert O'Dea. Richard De Clare and his son
were slain and this ended Norman power in Clare. It also marked the end of
the Uí mBlod as a powerful force in East Clare. The MacNamara Reagh, whose
previous area of control took in all of Kilmurray, most of Tulla, part of
Quin and Clooney now moved into east Clare and annexed six out of ten
distinct territories. These tribes were now forced to abandon their lands or
pay a tribute to the MacNamaras. The O'Gradys seemingly succeeded in holding
on to their lands without having to pay rental but their military power was
broken and their territory was assailed from all sides. The district between
Tuamgraney and Whitegate was known as a 'corner of contention'.
Genealogical chart of O'Grady in East Clare from 1311 to 1600.
Donald O'Grady died 1268
|
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Donald killed 1311
In Sliabh Aughty Mts. John, Archbishop
of Cashel 1332 - 1345
| |
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John, Archbishop
of Tuam 1365 - 1371
| | |
Hugh
went to Limerick. Miss O'Grady
Wife of William Boy O'Kelly John, Bishop
of Elphin 1405-1417
| |
| ?
|
John of Fossamore,
Scariff, Chief of his name.
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Sir Donogh O'Grady. Hugh had a son Henry.
An obvious defect with this pedigree is the fact that the Annals of the Four
Masters record the death in 1408 of Teige O'Grady, Chief of Kinel Dunghaile.
He was of the Killballyowen branch and married to a daughter of O'Hine, Lord
of Cahinelly Castle and had at least one son Matthew. Perhaps the O'Grady of
Killballyowen returned to County Clare at this time.
The O'Gradys in the 14th century - Irelands leading ecclesiastical family
From about 1100 to 1600, the O'Gradys, held a hereditary right to positions
of influence in the church and local economy. The abbots of Tuamgraney were
known as coarbs or followers of Cronán. Coarbs were primarily farmers of
monastic lands and were always members of the most powerful family in the
area. In Tuamgraney, the Coarb was nearly always an O'Grady and the monastic
land, which they farmed, was called "Termony Grada" in all the old English
records.
The Historic Church of Tuamgraney.
St. Cronan's Church, Tuamgraney can claim to be the oldest church in
continuous use in Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales. The year, 964 is a
historic date, for in that year the person responsible for building it died.
An entry in the Chronicon Scotorum reads, 'Cormac Ua Cillin of the Ui
Fiachrach Aidhne, Coarb of Ciaran and Coman, by whom the great Church of
Tuaim Greine and its Cloictech were constructed, an old man both wise and a
bishop rested in Christ.'
The title 'Coarb of Ciaran and Coman,'is possible an error and Coman should
read Colman, a saint of Kilmacduagh. Ciaran, of course is Clonmacnoise with
whom Tuamgraney had an honorary association with since 550 AD
The reference to the building of a Cloictech or Round Tower is the earliest
known record of the construction of such a building anywhere. This building
has disappeared without trace, though stones, presumably used in its
construction, may still be seen there.
The Danes destroyed the monastery in 886 and again in 949, when they carried
off great plunder. Work on the construction of the present Church commenced
immediately with the patronage of the tribes of Ui Dongaile from whom the O'
Gradys descend and the Ui Toirdealbhaigh from whom the O'Briens descend.
Rebachan, a member of this tribe was both King of Dal Cais and Abbot of
Tuamgraney when he died 934.He was chosen to be King of Thomond in 934
according to the Book of Ballymote. Brian Boru, (941-1014), the acknowledged
King of Munster in 980 and the undisputed High King of Ireland in 1002,
patronised the Church. The Annals of the Four Masters record that Brian Boru
repaired the steeple in 1012.
A eulogy of him in the 12th century, attributed to the Dalcassian, poet and
historian, MacLiag and entitled 'Wars of the Gael and Gaill' states: - 'By
him were erected the Church of Killaloe and the Church of Inniscaltra and
the bell-tower of Tuamgraney, and many other works in like manner. By him
were strengthened every dun and fortress and all the islands and famousm
round forts of Ireland.' This is a slight exaggeration but it shows the
regard in which Tuamgraney was held.
In 1084 O'Rourke of Breffni burnt the monastery. It was plundered again in
1164 and 1170. After this date the records become scarce
The termon of Tuamgraney not only included the parish but also lands in
Killokennedy (Broadford) and as far away as Inchicronan parish, (Crusheen).
The O'Gradys put great value on this 'outside' farm and despite oppositionb
from the O'Quinns, they were fairly successful in holding it, as Papal
letters show. In 1426 it was vacant on the death of Nemeas O'Grady. Nicholas
Medonis alias O'Grady took possession without canonical title. Two Papal
mandates ordering him out were issued in 1428 but he refused to move. He
died in 1443 and was succeeded by Thadeus O'Hanrahan who had the backing of
the O'Grady's. In 1451, Henry O'Grady a clerk of Killaloe complained to
Rome, that Prior O'Hanrahan had committed perjury and other crimes, and had
dilapidated the goods of the priory. If these accusations were true,
Hanrahan would be removed and O'Grady installed. This manoeuvre failed. A
rent was payable to the Bishop of Killaloe out of these termon lands, but it
was difficult to collect, as a letter from the Treasurer of Killaloe, to
Pope Martin V. in 1429, clearly indicates. The O'Gradys had defaulted in the
rent and the Treasurer wrote, 'a district of lands called the comorbanship
of St. Cronanus de Tomegreyne in the diocese of Killaloe, wont to be held
from the church of Killaloe in fee, sometimes by laymen, sometimes by
ecclesiastics, under a yearly cess to the Bishop has, after the death of
Thomas O'Grady layman of the said diocese who held it in fee from the said
church, been lawfully granted to no one, but that Donatus O'Grady,
Benedictine monk, professed of St. Mary's, Vienna in the diocese of Passau,
who has abandoned his habit and order and returned to the World, engaging in
secular affairs, has unduly detained possession of the said district or
comorbanship for a number of years and has dilapidated and pledged and
otherwise alienated the greater part of the said lands and has not paid the
said cess, to the injury of the bishops .....' Judges were appointed to
investigate and if the treasurer were found to be correct he was to be
madecoarb of St. Cronán.
The O'Gradys distinguished themselves as an ecclesiastical family. Three
related O'Gradys became Archbishops in the 14th century and numerous others
held high office particularly as prebendaries of Tuamgraney. A prebend was
that portion of the estate of a monastery reserved as an allowance for an
ecclesiastic and was much sought after. Clerical marriages and succession
from father to son or near relative was an integral part of the system. The
papal records show that all these appointments required a papal
dispensation, as they were both illegitimate and the sons of men in holy
orders. Eoin or John O'Grady, who became Archbishop of Cashel in 1332, was
the father of Eoin O'Grady, who became Archbishop of Tuam in 1365 and died
1371. He was the father of John O'Grady who became Bishop of Elphin in 1405
and died in 1417
Loyalty to the Crown played a significant part in their advancement in the
Church. In 1332, John O'Grady was recommended to Pope John XXII. by King
Edward III, to be Archbishop of Cashel. He was 'a man of great wisdom and
industry and a liberal benefactor to the Church'. He died at Limerick 8 July
1345 and was buried in the Dominican Abbey there.
In 1342 John the Archbishop of Cashel petitioned the pope on behalf of
Master Nicholas O'Grady, who was the son of a sub-deacon, so as to be
ordained. In consideration of his progress and diligence as a canon law
graduate of the University of Oxford, it was granted. In 1355 he became
Archdeacon of Killaloe by royal appointment.
In 1366, John O'Grady, Archdeacon of Cashel, was elected Archbishop of Tuam.
He graduated at Oxford in canon law, and was consecrated at Avignon. He
attended the parliament in Kilkenny, which passed the infamous laws, which
became known as the Statutes of Kilkenny. These laws, forbade inter-
marriage, the assumption by Englishmen of Irish names, dress, manners,
language and customs, forbade the use of the Brehon Laws and finally no mere
Irishman shall be admitted to any ecclesiastical benefice. The Four Masters,
called him, ' the most distinguished man of his time for wisdom and
hospitality'. He died at Limerick 19 Sept. 1371 and was buried there.
In 1389, the Crown appointed Donald O'Grady, praecentor of Killaloe and
later chancellor.
In1405, Abhaistain or Augustine O'Grady, canon of the abbey of Inis-Aingin
in Lough Ree died and was interred in the cemetery of the church there. O'
Grady was the author of several works of merit, among which were 'The lives
of the Irish Saints' and 'The Annals of the Abbey of Cashel', which he
continued to his own time. Both of these works are extant. A portion of the
Annals of Tigernach is said to have been compiled by this distinguished
writer and in that compilation under the year 1405 we find the following
entry by an unknown scribe - "Augustine MacGradaigh, canon of the canons of
the island of the Saints, a sage during his life in divine and wordly
wisdom, in literature, in seanchus and in various other sciences and the
ollamh of eloquence in western Europe, the man who compiled this book and
many others both of lives of Saints and historical works died on the
Wednesday before the 1st November in his fifty sixth year on the sixth day
of the moon's age. The mercy of our saviour Jesus Christ come upon his
soul".
In 1485, Nicholas O'Grady Coarb of Tomgrany "a man of charity andhospitality
and the twelfth freeman of Limerick" died.
http://www.whitetowerwebdesign.com/OGradyHistory/Part2.htm
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"Mike" <McNama...@cogeco.ca> wrote in message
news:ln66c.7780$n37.7...@read2.cgocable.net...
> Reverend David of the Clan Gunn should shut the hell up and realize that
the
> most holy intrepetor of the bible belongs to Rome and thier Preists.
"Mike"
> <McNama...@cogeco.ca> wrote in message
> news:SRO5c.6710$R37...@read1.cgocable.net...
> > The Kilt could have easily been made by Neolithic, Bronze age or Iron
age
> > Irish and Scottish tribes about 500 B.C using wool made by sheep which
was
> > brought over by neolithic Irish and Scottish tribes into Ireland and
> > Scotland. All they had to do was thin it out by crossing the wool fibers
> > together. Stretch it out and add a tartan or checkered pattern to it by
> > dyeing it with colored stains made from colored flowers and other
similar
> > plants that had stains or colour. They then ironed it and folded it into
> > seams which laid over a hot fire which made a perfect kilt within 3
hours.
> > "David of the Clan Gunn" <silnt...@aol.comnospram> wrote in message
> > news:20040315140159...@mb-m15.aol.com...
> > > >The Kilt worn today by Scottish clans has thier roots by Neolithic
> Irish
> > > >tribes in France who spoke a very similar language to the mother
tongue
> > of
> > > >all Celts North of the Swiss alps. The only thing we Irish see today
> > wearing
> > > >a Kilt happens to be on the Irish Terrier dog when we take them out
> > > >wandering in the Cold months.
> > > >
> > > >So the Kilt was not as superior to the coat of arms which meant that
> the
> > > >Kilt was inferior to Norman invaders who invented coat of arms as to
> > Knight
> > > >Status.
> > > >
> > > >The Kilt was completly invented by Scottish and Irish neolithic
tribes
> > when
> > > >they could not afford a full suit of body armour like the knights of
> > > >Normans.
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > > Did somebody forget to had out the medication today? Ok, I am not
> trying
> > ot be
> > > rude but many of the things you say just do not make sense. You are
> > refering
> > > to a kilt as though it were armor. If it was invented (can you use
that
> > term
> > > when refering to clothing?) by neolithic whoever's, then why was it
> > forgotten
> > > for 10,000 (Neolithic period was pre-bronze age) years and suddenly
> > > re-discovered around the 15th century. Also, I don't see how you can
> say
> > the
> > > Normans invented the coat of arms OR how it relates in anyway to kilts
> > (even if
> > > there were kilts around in the 10th-11th century of Norman
invasion).OR
> > how it
> > > makes Scotts inferior to Norman invaders? As far as them being
invented
> > > because they could not afford a full suit of body armor, are you under
> the
> > > impression that kilts are made of chain mail? Wow, talk about SERIOUS
> > > chaffing.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > -Reverend David of the Clan Gunn
> > > (remove 'nospram' from my e-mail address to contact)
> >
> >
>
>