151-406: The Kingdom of West Breifne (Irish: Breifne Ua Ruairc ) or Breifne O'Rourke was a historic kingdom of Ireland that existed from 1256 to 1605, located in the area that is now County Leitrim . It took its present boundaries in 1583 when West Breifne was shired and renamed Leitrim, after the village of Leitrim , which was an O'Rourke stronghold. The kingdom came into existence after a battle between
302-623: A crown administration in the new County Leitrim . Instead of submitting to the presidency's authority, he sought what effectively amounted to full autonomy from the Kingdom of Ireland in Dublin. However, in the wake of the Spanish landings in Ireland, and due to West Breifne's strategic location between Connacht and Ulster and its pre-existing reputation as a rebellious kingdom, Lord Deputy William Fitzwilliam – who
453-706: A defence of Catholicism. O’Neill, O’Donnell and O’Rourke would all pledge their allegiance to the Spanish king in 1595. O’Rourke promised to be " a most faithful and obedient servant " of Philip II. Were it not for England's desperation to see peace return to Ireland following the war, this would have surely seen them executed for treason. McGuaran travelled to Rome and was made Archbishop of Armagh , Primate of All Ireland in July 1587 before returning to Ireland by 1592. Sir George Bingham, brother of Richard and High Sheriff of Sligo based in Ballymote , and Brian Óg O’Rourke carried out
604-514: A detailed account of the events and was hosted in Ó Ruairc's castle at Lough Gill . His aid to the Spanish would later be used against him in his trial for high treason. In peace talks in 1589, following West Breifne's brief war against the Presidency in April of that year, Ó Ruairc did accept the terms of a crown tribute, but resisted the new composition terms of 1585 and refused to allow the formation of
755-524: A few months into his reign and another of Ualgarg Mór's sons, Tadhg na gCaor, was made king. Under Tadhg na gCaor's leadership, Clan Muircheartaigh were finally driven out of Breifne in 1370 with the help of the O'Reilly, O'Farrell, Mac Raghnaill and Maguires. They sought refuge in MacWilliam Burke and never returned to West Breifne. Tadhg na gCaor and his followers settled in Cenel Luacháin, an area in
906-462: A population of 35,199 according to the 2022 census . The county encompasses the historic Gaelic territory of West Breffny ( Bréifne ) corresponding to the northern part of the county, and Muintir Eolais or Conmaicne Réin , corresponding to the southern part. Leitrim is the 26th in size of the 32 counties by area (21st of the 26 counties of the Republic) and the smallest by population. It
1057-459: A result of this killing, Domnall was deposed as king by the major clans of West Breifne, including Tellach-Dunchada, who executed Domnall's brother Cathal in retaliation. After Domnall was deposed, Art O'Ruairc was supported by the major clans as the effective ruler of the entire kingdom, but in 1259, he was taken prisoner by Connacht. Connacht continued to vie for control of Breifne and supported Art bec, Amlaib's brother, as king in 1260. Evidently,
1208-586: A rift emerged between the two as Aedh O'Conor killed Art bec, his own candidate for the kingship, that same year and met with Domnall. After peace between the two kingdoms was agreed, kingship was returned to Domnall. However, this peace was to be short-lived, in 1260 the Tellach-Dunchada killed Domnall and in 1261 Art O'Ruairc escaped from imprisonment and was made king by the chieftains of Breifne upon his return. An attempt by Connacht to depose Art O'Ruairc and regain control of Breifne in 1261 failed when their army
1359-471: A series of conflicts that lasted from 1257 to 1266 whereby Aedh O’Conor attempted to control the politics of West Breifne by instating and supporting his favoured candidates as kings, driving a wedge between the O’Rourkes, with devastating consequences for the unity and stability of the kingdom. Amlaib was chosen to succeed Sitric, however the kingdom was in disarray and, like his predecessor, his authority as king
1510-516: A series of fortifications along the River Foyle , cutting access between Tyrone and Tyrconnell. In the context of West Breifne they plotted to exploit the tension between Tadhg and Brian Óg O’Rourke. In January 1601 Tadhg O’Rourke was given 800 men by O’Donnell to revive the rebellion in Munster, his campaign there was a disaster and he returned to Ulster in the summer having lost 500 men. Upon his return it
1661-518: A short time before being killed in battle against the Normans near Granard and was succeeded by his son, Amlaib who reigned until 1307, when he was killed in battle against the MacSamhradhain of Tullyhaw. Domnall Carrach, Conchobar buide's brother, was inaugurated in 1307 and although he only ruled for four years until his death in 1311, his reign, but particularly that of his son Ualgarg Mór , marked
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#17330860525371812-448: A staging ground by O’Donnell to attack Annaly , Longford and Cavan . In June 1595 Sligo Castle fell to O’Donnell and Sir George Bingham was killed. By 1596 West Breifne was part of what Richard Bingham termed " O’Donnell's Commonwealth " which, along with Tyrconnell itself, now included present-day counties Leitrim, Sligo, Mayo and Northern Roscommon – all territories that were firmly under Bingham's control just 3 years prior. Bingham
1963-591: A state of semi-autonomy, as both its king and the English regularly signed agreements and failed to live up to those agreements. Brian na Múrtha was particularly weary of the implementation of English Law over Brehon Law in West Breifne as this would disqualify his favoured son, Brian Óg na Samhtach, an illegitimate child by Annably O’Crean, wife of a Sligo merchant, from inheriting his title. Under English Law, it would pass to his eldest legitimate son, Tadhg O’Rourke, who
2114-664: A third of the population by 1655. One of the last battles fought in pre-20th century Ireland occurred in Connacht, the Battle of Aughrim on 12 July 1691. Connacht was mainly at peace between 1691 and 1798. In 1798 Connacht was a major backdrop to the Irish Rebellion of 1798 when French forces under General Jean Humbert of the French Republic landed in Killala, County Mayo to link up with
2265-536: A united front against the Normans in the future. At these talks, which the O'Rourke lords of Breifne were excluded from, it was agreed that the king of Connacht was the rightful ruler of all of Breifne " from Kells to Drumcliff ". Consequently, Aedh O'Conor saw Breifne as an integral part of Connacht rather than an independent kingdom and, as heir to the kingship, was determined to rein in its leaders. This put Aedh in direct confrontation with Conchobar O'Ruairc, king of West Breifne, who rebelled against him. According to
2416-555: Is 39.8% (more than 202,000 persons). There are Gaeltacht areas in Counties Galway and Mayo . The province of Connacht has no official function for local government purposes, but it is an officially recognised subdivision of the Irish state. It is listed on ISO-3166-2 as one of the four provinces of Ireland and "IE-C" is attributed to Connacht as its country sub-division code. Along with counties from other provinces, Connacht lies in
2567-585: Is also a municipal district: Ballinamore (6 councillors), Carrick-on-Shannon (6 councillors), and Manorhamilton (6 councillors). Leitrim County Council has two representatives on the Northern and Western Regional Assembly . The following were elected at the 2019 Leitrim County Council election : Leitrim is part of the Dáil constituency of Sligo–Leitrim . This constituency existed from 1948 to 2007, and previously from 1923 to 1937 as Leitrim–Sligo. From 1937 to 1948,
2718-621: Is demonstrated in the noun moccu in names such as Muirchu moccu Machtheni , which indicated a person was of the Machtheni people. As evidenced by kings such as Mac Cairthinn mac Coelboth (died 446) and Ailill Molt (died c. 482), even by the 5th century the gens was giving way to kinship all over Ireland, as both men were identified as of the Uí Enechglaiss and Uí Fiachrach dynasties, not of tribes. By 700, moccu had been entirely replaced by mac and hua (later Mac and Ó ). During
2869-616: Is in County Galway. The Aran Islands , featuring prehistoric forts such as Dún Aonghasa , have been a regular tourist destination since the 19th century. Inland areas such as east Galway, Roscommon and Sligo have enjoyed greater historical population density due to better agricultural land and infrastructure. Rivers and lakes include the River Moy , River Corrib , the Shannon , Lough Mask , Lough Melvin , Lough Allen and Lough Gill . Up to
3020-501: Is one of the four provinces of Ireland , in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms ( Uí Fiachrach , Uí Briúin , Uí Maine , Conmhaícne , and Delbhna ). Between the reigns of Conchobar mac Taidg Mór (died 882) and his descendant, Aedh mac Ruaidri Ó Conchobair (reigned 1228–33), it became a kingdom under the rule of the Uí Briúin Aí dynasty, whose ruling sept adopted
3171-509: Is relatively flat in the southeast, each separated from the other by Lough Allen in the middle of the county. Leitrim has the shortest length of coastline of any Irish county that touches the sea. At Tullaghan , the coastline is only 4.7 kilometres (2.9 mi) long. The Shannon is linked to the Erne via the Shannon–Erne Waterway . Notable lakes include: In ancient times Leitrim formed
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#17330860525373322-499: Is ruggedly inhospitable and not conducive for agriculture. It contains the main mountainous areas in Connacht, including the Twelve Bens , Maumturks , Mweelrea, Croagh Patrick , Nephin Beg , Ox Mountains , and Dartry Mountains . Killary Harbour , one of Ireland's fjords (the others being Carlingford Lough and Lough Swilly ), is located at the foot of Mweelrea. Connemara National Park
3473-688: Is the largest Irish-speaking region in Ireland, taking in Cois Fharraige , parts of Connemara , Conamara Theas , the Aran Islands , Dúithche Sheoigeach (Joyce Country) and the Galway City Gaeltacht . Irish-speaking areas in County Mayo can be found in Iorras , Acaill and Tourmakeady . According to the 2016 census, Irish is spoken outside of the education system on a daily basis by 9,455 people in
3624-559: Is the smallest of Connacht's five counties in both size and population. Leitrim is bordered by the counties of Donegal to the north, Fermanagh to the north-east, Cavan to the east, Longford to the south, Roscommon to the south-west and Sligo to the west. Fermanagh is in Northern Ireland while all the other neighbouring counties are within the Republic of Ireland . Leitrim has a hilly and mountainous landscape in its northwest and
3775-420: Is the smallest of the four Irish provinces both in terms of size and population. Galway is the only official city in the province. [REDACTED] Sligo [REDACTED] Ballina The highest point of Connacht is Mweelrea (814 m), in County Mayo. The largest island in Connacht (and Ireland) is Achill . The biggest lake is Lough Corrib . Much of the west coast (e.g. Connemara and Erris )
3926-628: The Connaught Telegraph (founded 1830) retains the anglicised spelling in its name, whereas the Connacht Tribune (founded 1909) uses the Gaelic. Connacht Rugby who represent the region and are based in Galway , use the Gaelic spelling also. The province is divided into five traditional counties , the fewest of any province. These are: Galway , Leitrim , Mayo , Roscommon and Sligo . Connacht
4077-512: The Annals of Connacht , the two men " had been good comrades till now ". To assert West Breifne's independence, Conchobar made peace with the de Burghs without the permission of the king of Connacht, prompting Aedh O'Conor to launch raids on West Breifne. In 1257, after a brief war, Conchobar submitted to O'Conor and signed a peace treaty offering O'Conor any lands of his choice in Breifne. O'Conor obtained
4228-562: The C to Ch . The usual English spelling in Ireland since the Gaelic revival is Connacht , the spelling of the disused Irish singular. The official English spelling during English and British rule was the anglicisation Connaught , pronounced / ˈ k ɒ n ɔː t / or / ˈ k ɒ n ə t / . This was used for the Connaught Rangers , an Irish regiment in the British Army ; in
4379-479: The Iron Mountains , they twice divided the kingdom along east–west lines. The third branch, the O'Rourkes of Carha , based in the northwest, emerged in the mid-15th century with the crowning of King Donnchadh, great-grandson of Ualgarg mór. The kingship of West Breifne during this volatile period largely depended upon the often capricious support of the other clans within the kingdom and the surrounding area, notably
4530-510: The Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 , County Leitrim was divided into the rural districts of Ballyshannon No. 3 (later renamed Kinlough), Bawnboy No. 2 (later renamed Ballinamore), Carrick-on-Shannon No. 1, Manorhamilton and Mohill. The rural districts were abolished in 1925. As of the 2016 census: Leitrim County Council is the local authority for the county. The county is divided into three local electoral areas , each of which
4681-643: The Midlands–North-West constituency for elections to the European Parliament . The name comes from the medieval ruling dynasty, the Connacht , later Connachta , whose name means "descendants of Conn", from the mythical king Conn of the Hundred Battles . The name of the province in the Irish language is Connachta . Originally Connacht was a singular collective noun , but it came to be used only in
West Breifne - Misplaced Pages Continue
4832-454: The Norman invasion , prompted the O'Reilly in the east of the kingdom to launch a campaign against the ruling O'Rourke dynasty. By the late 1230s the O'Reilly had usurped control of Breifne, Cathal O'Reilly ruled as king from the east of the kingdom and Cúchonnacht O'Reilly, Connacht's foremost general and close ally of King Felim O'Conor , had militarily taken control of western Breifne and expelled
4983-503: The River Shannon and Sliabh an Iarainn . Uniquely among Irish counties, there is no way to cross from the north of the county to the south (or vice versa) by road without leaving its boundaries. North Leitrim is slightly larger than the south, comprising 51% of County Leitrim's land area. However, South Leitrim, with towns such as Carrick-on-Shannon, Ballinamore and Drumshambo, is significantly more populous, containing approximately 65% of
5134-461: The River Shannon for twelve days by O'Rourke's entrenched forces. Eventually, an English garrison broke through their defences and fortified themselves in northern Leitrim at a church in Black Pig's Dyke . O'Rourke and forces loyal to him were holed up in their keeps as the countryside of West Breifne was ravaged by attacks. On 25 April 1603, Mountjoy reported that Brian Óg had been toppled, forced into
5285-465: The Second Battle of Athenry that year. Following Fedlim's death at Athenry, Connacht descended into chaos as numerous contenders for its kingship emerged. In 1318 Ualgarg Mór forged an alliance with Maelruanaid Mac Diarmata, King of Moylurg , to support Fedlim's son Toirdelbach as king of Connacht. This was in competition to Domnall O'Conor of Clan Muircheartaigh Uí Conchobhair , who were at war with
5436-500: The Treaty of Mellifont through legal means. County Leitrim County Leitrim ( / ˈ l iː t r əm / LEE -trəm ; Irish : Contae Liatroma ) is a county in Ireland . It is in the province of Connacht and is part of the Northern and Western Region . It is named after the village of Leitrim . Leitrim County Council is the local authority for the county, which had
5587-631: The Turoe stone and the Castlestrange stone , whatever their purpose, denote the ambition and achievement of those societies, and their contact with the La Tène culture of mainland Europe. In the early historic era (c. A.D. 300 – c. A.D. 600), Ol nEchmacht was not a united kingdom but a region. It comprised dozens of major and minor túath ; rulers of larger túatha ( Maigh Seóla , Uí Maine , Aidhne and Máenmaige ) were accorded high-king status, while peoples such as
5738-695: The United Irishmen . Together, the French army and United Irishmen rebels defeated a force of Crown troops at the Races of Castlebar before proclaiming the Irish Republic , which later became better known as the "Republic of Connacht" as its area of effective control never extended beyond the province. The Republic, and the Rebellion itself, was effectively crushed at the Battle of Ballinamuck . A population explosion in
5889-483: The usurper Flaithbertaigh Ua Flaithbertaigh gained the kingship in 1092 by the expedient of blinding King Ruaidrí na Saide Buide . After 1102 the Ua Ruairc's and Ua Flaithbertaigh's were suborned and confined to their own kingdoms of Bréifne and Iar Connacht . From then until the death of the last king in 1474, the kingship was held exclusively by the Ó Conchobair's. The single most substantial sub-kingdom in Connacht
6040-626: The 1230s because of civil war within the royal dynasty, which enabled widespread Hiberno-Norman settlement under Richard Mór de Burgh, 1st Baron of Connaught , and his successors. The Norman colony in Connacht shrank from c. 1300 to c. 1360, with events such as the 1307 battle of Ahascragh (see Donnchad Muimnech Ó Cellaigh ), the 1316 Second Battle of Athenry and the murder in June 1333 of William Donn de Burgh, 3rd Earl of Ulster , all leading to Gaelic resurgence and colonial withdrawal to towns such as Ballinrobe , Loughrea , Athenry , and Galway . Well into
6191-423: The 13th century but were defeated at the Battle of Áth an Chip in 1270. Much of the county was confiscated from its owners in 1620 and given to Villiers and Hamilton . Their initial objective was to plant the county with English settlers. However, this proved unsuccessful. English Deputy Sir John Perrot had ordered the legal establishment of "Leitrim County" a half-century prior, in 1565. Perrott also demarcated
West Breifne - Misplaced Pages Continue
6342-560: The 14th and 15th centuries, named after the areas in which they were based. All three branches trace their lineage back to King Ualgarg mór (1316–1346). The O'Rourkes of Dromahair were the main line of kings. The term "O'Rourkes of Dromahair" only came into use after King Tigernán óg (1449–1468), and refers to those based in the capital Dromahair in the west of the kingdom. The O'Rourkes of Carrigallen were descendants from Tadhg na gCaor , Ualgarg mór's son, who reigned from 1352 to 1376. Due to their strategic location east of Lough Allen and
6493-530: The 1576 agreement, the king of West Breifne was to answer to the Presidency-appointed High Sheriff of Leitrim , was denied the authority to rule over the other clans and, most crucially, was not allowed to maintain gallowglass . Nicholas Malby , second Lord President of Connaught, and Brian na Múrtha had a strained relationship. Malby disparagingly referred to Brian na Múrtha as " a nobody....undeserving of his reputation " and remarked that he
6644-514: The 16th century, kingdoms such as Uí Maine and Tír Fhíacrach Múaidhe remained beyond English control, while many Norman families such as de Burgh, de Bermingham, de Exeter, de Staunton, became entirely Gaelicised . Only in the late 1500s, during the Tudor conquest of Ireland , was Connacht shired into its present counties . Connacht's population was 1,418,859 in 1841. Then came the Great Famine of
6795-431: The 1840s, which began a 120-year decline to under 400,000. The province has a population of just under 590,000 according to the preliminary results of the 2022 census . Anglicisation was less prominent in the west of Ireland, and Connacht today has the highest number of Irish language speakers among the four Irish provinces. Currently, the total percentage of people who consider themselves as Irish speakers in Connacht
6946-448: The 1841 census) were ravaged by the Great Famine and the population dropped to 112,000 by 1851. The population subsequently continued to decrease due to emigration. After many years, the wounds of such rapid population decline have finally started to heal. Agriculture improved over the last century. Leitrim now has the fastest growing population in Connacht. The Book of Fenagh is the most famous medieval manuscript originating here. In
7097-417: The 19th century the poet John McDonald (of Dromod) lived in the county, and William Butler Yeats spent the turn of the twentieth century fascinated with Lough Allen and much of Leitrim. Glencar Waterfall, 11 kilometres (7 mi) from Manorhamilton, inspired Yeats and is mentioned in his poem The Stolen Child . Geographically, the county is almost evenly divided along north–south lines by Lough Allen ,
7248-693: The All-Ireland since Galway in 2001 . Hurling in Connacht mostly played in County Galway. Galway is the only team in the province to compete in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship winning the Liam MacCarthy Cup five times. The Galway hurling team compete in the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship due to the lack of competition in the province. Connacht is represented by Connacht Rugby in
7399-709: The Corpus Missal , the High Cross of Tuam and the Cross of Cong were sponsored by him. Tairrdelbach annexed the Kingdom of Mide ; its rulers, the Clann Cholmáin , became his vassals. This brought two of Ireland's five main kingdoms under the direct control of Connacht. He also asserted control over Dublin , which was even then being recognised as a kind of national capital. His son, Ruaidrí, became king of Connacht "without any opposition" in 1156. One of his first acts as king
7550-522: The English forces in Ireland Charles Blount, 8th Baron Mountjoy , employed a scorched earth policy which hit the Irish civilian and military population hard. Clandeboye , the primary breadbasket of the Ulster allies, was invaded and had its crops burnt, livestock slaughtered and villages torched, leading to a famine in Ulster which took the lives of 60,000 people in 1602–03. Docwra meanwhile set up
7701-433: The English in 1542. Under the terms of this agreement, the O'Rourke king was to keep his authority and traditional rights over the other clans of West Breifne, the sitting O'Rourke king was also to be granted the peerage title " Viscount Dromahaire " and pay a tribute to the crown, however, the terms of this treaty were never realized as the English failed to uphold them. Lord Deputy John Perrot's unilateral declaration of
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#17330860525377852-556: The Gaeltacht, in Irish medium education or native Irish speakers who no longer live in Gaeltacht areas but still live in the province. Gaelic football and hurling dominate sport in Connacht with 212 Gaelic Athletic Association affiliated clubs in the province. Gaelic football is played throughout the province with the five counties annually competing in the Connacht Senior Football Championship to determine
8003-614: The Gailenga, Corco Moga and Senchineoil were lesser peoples given the status of Déisi . All were termed kingdoms, but according to a graded status, denoting each according the likes of lord, count, earl, king. Some of the more notable peoples or ethnic groups included the following: By the 5th century, the pre-historic nations such as the Auteini and Nagnatae – recorded by Ptolemy (c. AD 90 – c. 168) in Geography – gave way to dynasties. This
8154-571: The Galway County Gaeltacht areas. There are 202,667 Irish speakers in the province, over 84,000 in Galway and more than 55,000 in Mayo. There is also the 4,265 attending the 18 Gaelscoileanna (Irish language primary schools) and three Gaelcholáiste (Irish language secondary schools) outside the Gaeltacht across the province. Between 7% and 10% of the province are either native Irish speakers from
8305-492: The Irish ". Brian Óg na Samhtach O'Rourke, his son and chief lieutenant during the war against Connaught, was also in exile following Bingham's occupation of West Breifne. The other clans in the kingdom who had fought with Brian na Murtha unconditionally surrendered to Bingham in Athlone shortly after his exile, leaving Brian Óg with little support. Bingham described O’Rourke and his remaining followers as " 80 beggarly traitors ". He
8456-548: The Irish and estimated to be around 500, but possibly as high as 1,400 for the English. Clifford was left mortally wounded and Brian Óg ordered his head to be cut off and sent to O'Donnell, who in turn sent it to the besieged O'Conors in Sligo as a message that no English help was coming. O'Conor surrendered shortly afterwards. Clifford's body was honourably buried at the monastery in Lough Key and his " tragic death....was much lamented " by
8607-405: The Irish lords, as the man had " never told them a falsehood ". O’Rourke and O’Donnell were not on good terms at this time. Brian Óg's rival to the kingship, Tadhg, had married O’Donnell's sister Mary and was staying with her in Tyrconnell. Coeval correspondence between the English command mentions multiple disagreements between Brian Óg and Hugh Roe. Despite this tension, their alliance persisted for
8758-449: The MacSamhradhain, Mac Raghnaill and Tellach-Dunchada. The most significant of the rivalries was between the O'Rourkes of Dromahair, those based in the capital, and the O'Rourkes of Carrigallen. This rivalry would see the kingdom split between " East Breifne O'Rourke " (North Leitrim) and " West Breifne O'Rourke " (South Leitrim) at least twice. The first was from 1419 to 1424, following the death of King Aedh Buidhe. Aedh's brother, Tadhg,
8909-466: The Nine Years' War, where both England and the Irish lords had no intention of making peace but rather used the time to recover and regroup forces. In September Maguire restarted his campaign and raided Monaghan, but by February 1594 Hugh Maguire, Brian Óg's primary patron, had lost Enniskillen and was on the brink of defeat. The possibility of Maguire's collapse, leaving the English on his doorstep, prompted Hugh Roe O’Donnell to intervene and by June 1594
9060-423: The O'Reilly withdrew support for Art and his rebellion collapsed. West Breifne was more or less completely under the control of Tadhg by the end of 1420 and Art was in exile, however it would take until 1424 for Art to finally submit to Tadhg. The second split occurred after King Tadhg's death in 1435. King Tadhg was to be succeeded by his brother Donnchadh Bacagh. However, Art O'Rourke's brother, Lochlainn Ó Ruairc,
9211-483: The O'Rourke leaders. The turbulent decades that followed saw the O'Reilly switch allegiance to the Norman de Burghs and the O'Rourke were once again allied to Connacht. By 1250 the O'Reilly had been pushed back out of western Breifne as Connacht advanced into their eastern homeland. In 1256 the devastating Battle of Magh Slecht was fought between Connacht and the O'Rourke clan against the O'Reilly. Despite ending in an O'Rourke victory, they had lost complete control over
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#17330860525379362-438: The O'Rourke sept. He died of natural causes at an old age in his stronghold at Dromahair on St. Brigid's Day . Art, son of Tadhg na gCaor, and the head of the Carrigallen O'Rourkes raised an army to vie for kingship but it was eventually passed to Tigernán Mór's son Aodh buidhe. Aodh buidhe ruled from his father's castle for a year and half until his unexpected death in 1419 following an anomalously hot Autumn . His brother Tadhg
9513-399: The O'Rourkes of Carha as well as the people of Carbury and the Clann-Donough. In 1470, Domnall and O'Donnell led an army to "Cruachan", the traditional inauguration site of kings, in an attempt to inaugurate Domnall, however, they were stopped at Ballyconnell by the O'Reilly . This dispute caused infighting within West Breifne and left a deepened rivalry between the O'Rourkes of Dromahair and
9664-518: The O'Rourkes of Carha. The dispute ended in a victory for the O'Rourkes of Carha and their allies, who elected King Feidhlimidh mac Donnchadha in 1476. He ruled from his stronghold of Castle Carha for 24 contentious years. In 1488, Eóghan, son of Tigernán óg (1449–1468), killed King Feidhlimidh mac Donnchadha's son, also called Eoghan. Following the death of Feidhlimidh mac Donnchadha in 1500, Eóghan became king. After Eóghan's death in 1528, Feidhlimidh, another son of King Feidhlimidh mac Donnchadha, claimed
9815-400: The Queen when he allegedly dragged a portrait of her through the mud and then tore it apart, he responded that there was " a great difference between images of your Queen and those of saints ". He was hanged, drawn and quartered for high treason on 3 November 1591. News of Brian na Múrtha's death was met with shock back in Ireland, the annals describing it as " one of the mournful stories of
9966-467: The agreement, which collapsed following Malby's death in 1581. Ó Ruairc now viewed both the Lord President of Connaught and the Lord Deputy of Ireland as hostile and from 1578 onwards he ordered the systematic destruction of several castles across the kingdom, including those at Leitrim, Dromahair and Ducarrick out of fear that the English would occupy them. As part of the policy of surrender and regrant , Ó Ruairc surrendered his lordship on 2 June 1585 at
10117-489: The agreements made in the Treaty of Berwick . After much debate and controversy, Ó Ruairc was arrested in Glasgow on 3 April 1591 and delivered into English custody. He was kept at the Tower of London and was put on trial and asked to pledge to the crown, accepting all prior agreements, and to denounce his Catholic faith. In response, he refused to recognise the authority of the court or Elizabeth and did not plead mercy. On charges that he failed to show proper " reverence " to
10268-452: The alliance, had largely succeeded across the island and Brian Óg was forced to return to West Breifne and restate his authority as king by force. After ousting Tadhg, Brian Óg was called upon by Rory O'Donnell to assist him and provide him with soldiers in early 1602 but O'Rourke refused and remained in West Breifne to " protect his people ". The Alliance of Irish clans that was on the cusp of victory just one year earlier had disintegrated. By
10419-415: The annals as late "King of Connacht and of All Ireland, both the Irish and the English." Connacht was first raided by the Anglo-Normans in 1177 but not until 1237 did encastellation begin under Richard Mor de Burgh (c. 1194–1242). New towns were founded ( Athenry , Headford , Castlebar ) or former settlements expanded ( Sligo , Roscommon , Loughrea , Ballymote ). Both Gael and Gall acknowledged
10570-453: The annals, Aodh Gallda was murdered in Leitrim " by his own people ". The murder of Aodh Buidhe was carried out by the vassals of Tyrconnell in present-day County Sligo , as Lord Manus O'Donnell's daughter was Brian na Murtha's mother. Following Aodh Buidhe's death, Brian na Murtha was elected king (or lord) of West Breifne in 1566. The expansion of English power in Ireland arrived in West Breifne when Brian Ballach entered an agreement with
10721-401: The beginning of dynasty that would last for the rest of the kingdom's history. Ualgarg Mór reigned for thirty years from 1316 to 1346 and restored power and prestige to West Breifne and the Ó Ruairc dynasty, which had been in decline for over a century and was under attack from almost all sides. He was inaugurated in 1316 with the support of King Fedlim of Connacht and fought alongside Fedlim in
10872-425: The changing political landscape in Ireland, as English influence grew in the latter half of the 16th century and the clans united to fight against their encroachments. Following a period of relative calm, a brief power struggle between the sons of Brian Ballach ensued in the 1560s. Between 1564 and 1566 both Aodh Gallda and Aodh Buidhe were murdered by groups intent on getting Brian na Murtha crowned king. According to
11023-753: The county formed the Leitrim constituency. From 2007 until 2016, County Leitrim was divided between two constituencies: Roscommon–South Leitrim and Sligo–North Leitrim . This proved controversial, and at the 2007 general election there was no TD elected whose domicile was in the county. Sligo–Leitrim was recreated at the 2016 general election . 54°07′01″N 8°00′00″W / 54.117°N 8.000°W / 54.117; -8.000 Connacht Connacht or Connaught ( / ˈ k ɒ n ɔː t , ˈ k ɒ n ə ( x ) t / KON -awt, KON -ə(kh)t ; Irish : Connachta [ˈkʊn̪ˠəxt̪ˠə] or Cúige Chonnacht [ˌkuːɟə ˈxʊn̪ˠəxt̪ˠ] ),
11174-442: The county's population as of 2016. There are five historic baronies in the county. While baronies continue to be officially defined units, they are no longer used for many administrative purposes. Their official status is illustrated by Placenames Orders made since 2003, where official Irish names of baronies are listed under "Administrative units". They are Carrigallen , Drumahaire , Leitrim , Mohill and Rosclogher . Under
11325-572: The crown, circumventing the authority of the ruling O’Rourke dynasty – the same form of divide and rule that was first adopted by the English government in Ireland following their occupation of MacMahon territory in 1590. Each of these clans held only modest estates and could not properly threaten English authority or raise armies and amass wealth through taxation like the larger Gaelic kingdoms could. The O’Rourke's had been relegated to large landowners within County Leitrim, with no official authority over
11476-514: The current county borders around 1583. Long ago Ireland was covered in woodland, and five great forests are traditionally said to have stood in Leitrim, with a 19th-century county survey stating- "a hundred years ago almost the whole country was one continued, undivided forest, so that from Drumshanbo to Drumkeeran, a distance of nine or ten miles, one could travel the whole way from tree to tree by branches". Many of these great forests were denuded for
11627-468: The demise of the Connacht kingship. Under kings Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair (1088–1156) and his son Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair (c. 1120–1198), Connacht became one of the five dominant kingdoms on the island. Tairrdelbach and Ruaidrí became the first men from west of the Shannon to gain the title Ard-Rí na hÉireann ( High King of Ireland ). In the latter's case, he was recognised all over the island in 1166 as Rí Éireann , or King of Ireland . Tairrdelbach
11778-500: The duration of the war. By late 1600 the tide of war had turned against the Irish Alliance. The English stepped up their campaign, stationing 18,000 soldiers in Ireland on top of the thousands of Irish infantry already at their disposal, and had wrested more Irish lords from O’Neill and O’Donnell, most notably Niall Garbh , who betrayed the alliance and allowed the forces of Henry Docwra to land at Lough Foyle . The new commander of
11929-517: The early 18th century was curbed by the Irish Famine , which led to many deaths and some emigration. Its memory has been overshadowed by the Great Famine (Ireland) one hundred years later. Connacht was the worst hit area in Ireland during the Great Famine , in particular, counties Mayo and Roscommon. In the Census of 1841, the population of Connacht stood at 1,418,859, the highest ever recorded. By 1851,
12080-758: The early historic era, Connacht then included County Clare , and was known as Cóiced Ol nEchmacht . Later myths state the Fir Bolg ruled all Ireland before the Tuatha Dé Danann arrived. When the Fir Bolg were defeated, the Tuatha Dé Danann drove them to Connacht. Sites such as the Céide Fields , Knocknarea , Listoghil , Carrowkeel Megalithic Cemetery and Rathcroghan , all demonstrate intensive occupation of Connacht far back into prehistory. Enigmatic artefacts such as
12231-412: The eastern half of their kingdom and the immediate chaos that ensued within West Breifne following the war left them without the power to retake it. As a result, Breifne was left permanently divided into East Breifne (O'Reilly) and West Breifne (O'Rourke). After successfully repelling de Burgh and the O'Reilly, the kings of Connacht, Tír Eoghain and Tír Chonaill met at Caoluisce Castle to agree to form
12382-454: The end of June 1602, Mountjoy was writing triumphant letters to Treasurer George Carey from Tyrone's capital Dungannon . By January 1603 Brian Óg, in a turn of events for the once exiled lord, now harboured the ousted lords Maguire, O’Sullivan and Tyrrell within his kingdom. They wished to regroup and join up with the remaining forces of Hugh O’Neill but unbeknownst to them O’Neill had already left for Mellifont to surrender. West Breifne
12533-442: The event of a war. Lord Chancellor Adam Loftus had denied Clifford's request to provide O'Rourke with a garrison of 1,200 men. Secondly, in spite of the agreement that had been reached, O'Rourke wrote to Clifford stating he had discovered that Thomas Butler, Earl of Ormonde , had assured Mary Bourke (Tadhg's mother) that he would support Tadhg's claim as king of West Breifne. Clifford blamed both men for O'Rourke's defection back to
12684-528: The first acts of what was to become the Nine Years' War. George Bingham led an expedition into West Breifne and seized O’Rourke's milch cows in lieu of unpaid rent. O’Rourke responded by hiring an army of mercenaries from Tyrconnell, Tyrone and Fermanagh, and set out with 1,100 men to Sligo in May 1593 and " there was little of that country which he did not plunder " – razing 13 villages and ransacking Ballymote itself. This
12835-488: The forests like " a wood kerne ". West Breifne's resistance was ultimately broken and Brian Óg fled. The ousted Brian Óg again sought to strike a deal with the English allowing him to keep his lands but this was flatly refused. Finally, in September 1603, King James I granted Sir Tadhg O’Rourke " the country or lordship of Breny Ui Ruairc and Muinter Eoluis ". On 28 January 1604 Brian Óg died of fever in exile in Galway and
12986-573: The kingdom and his many children helped establish his line as the rulers of West Breifne for the rest of its history. He was succeeded by his brother Flaithbheartach who ruled for 3 years before being overthrown by Ualgarg Mór's son Aodh bán. Aodh bán killed Aedh mac Aedh Breifneach , chief of Clan Muircheartaigh and briefly the king of Connacht, in battle in 1350. Cathal, Aedh mac Aedh Breifneach 's brother, killed Aodh bán in 1352 and re-instated Flaithbheartach as king, Clan Muircheartaigh's influence in West Breifne had returned. However, Flaithbheartach died
13137-587: The late 16th century, when the Tudor conquest of Ireland (1534–1603) brought all under the direct rule of King James I of England . The counties were created from c. 1569 onwards. During the 17th century representatives from Connacht played leading roles in Confederate Ireland and during the Williamite War in Ireland . Its main town, Galway, endured several sieges (see Sieges of Galway ), while warfare, plague , famine and sectarian massacres killed about
13288-451: The legal establishment of County Leitrim in 1565 heralded the first breach of this treaty. After coming to power, Brian na Múrtha Ó Ruairc was knighted by the English in 1567, but came into conflict with them due to the pernicious expansion of their authorities in Ireland. In 1569 West Breifne was subsumed into the Presidency of Connaught , an English government jurisdiction. This governorate
13439-526: The making of charcoal for iron works around Sliabh an Iarainn . Working of the county's rich deposits of iron ore began in the 15th century and continued until the mid-18th century. Coal mining became prominent in the 19th century to the east of Lough Allen at Sliabh an Iarainn and also to the west in Arigna , on the Roscommon border. The last coal mine closed in July 1990 and there is now a visitor centre. Sandstone
13590-508: The mid-8th century, what is now County Clare was absorbed into Thomond by the Déisi Tuisceart . It has remained a part of the province of Munster ever since. The name Connacht arose from the most successful of these early dynasties, The Connachta . By 1050, they had extended their rule from Rathcroghan in north County Roscommon to large areas of what are now County Galway, County Mayo, County Sligo, and County Leitrim. The dynastic term
13741-416: The modern barony of Carrigallen that included some parishes in western County Cavan. He ruled from there until his death in 1376 and his younger brother Tigernán Mór succeeded him. Tadhg na gCaor's descendants became the O'Rourke's of Carrigallen. Tigernán Mór reigned for 42 years from his power base at Dromahair. The later years of his reign were marked by a deepening rift between the various branches of
13892-560: The most powerful in all of Ireland, were forming something of a makeshift defensive alliance at this time, laying the foundations for the Alliance of Irish Clans which fought in the Nine Years' War . They saw Lord Deputy Fitzwilliam's execution of Lord MacMahon and the division of his kingdom (modern-day County Monaghan ) into nine parts – amongst eight "loyal" clans and the Barony of Farney which
14043-406: The other clans and a vastly reduced tax base, land area and population. The kingdom was effectively over. In late 1605 Sir Tadhg O’Rourke suddenly fell terminally ill and died aged 28, rumours of his poisoning abound – especially given the extraordinary circumstances that would lead to the dispossession of his sons and the subsequent Plantations of Leitrim . Tadhg had two sons, Brian and Aedh. Brian
14194-553: The parliament in Dublin but was never re-granted lordship of County Leitrim, which took its present boundaries in 1583. He was a signatory of the Second Composition of Connaught in 1585, but resisted the appointment of a High Sheriff of Leitrim, and refused to pay rent on large tracts of land. He regarded his agreements with the presidency as non-binding and his relationship with England remained tense. As such, West Breifne existed in
14345-540: The plural Connachta , partly by analogy with plural names of other dynastic territories like Ulaid and Laigin , and partly because the Connachta split into different branches. Before the Connachta dynasty, the province ( cúige , "fifth") was known as Cóiced Ol nEchmacht . In Modern Irish, the province is usually called Cúige Chonnacht , "the Province of Connacht", where Chonnacht is plural genitive case with lenition of
14496-495: The population had fallen to 1,010,031 and would continue to decline until the late 20th century. Connacht–Ulster was one of Ireland's four regional constituencies for elections to the European Parliament until it was superseded in 2004 by the constituency of North-West . The Irish language is spoken in the Gaeltacht areas of Counties Mayo and Galway, the largest area being in the west of County Galway. The Galway Gaeltacht
14647-702: The power of the Síol Muiredhaigh south into Uí Maine , west into Iar Connacht , and north into Uí Fiachrach Muaidhe and Bréifne . By the reign of Áed in Gai Bernaig (1046–1067), Connacht's kings ruled much what is now the province. Yet the Ó Conchobair's contended for control with their cousins, the Ua Ruairc of Uí Briúin Bréifne . Four Ua Ruairc's achieved rule of the kingdom – Fergal Ua Ruairc (956–967), Art Uallach Ua Ruairc (1030–1046), Áed Ua Ruairc (1067–1087), and Domnall Ua Ruairc (1098–1102). In addition,
14798-650: The presidency to halt their excursions into West Breifne, which had become commonplace by this stage, and to end Bingham's incessant harassment of his countrymen. During the Anglo-Spanish War (1585–1604), Brian na Múrtha assisted at least eighty survivors of the Spanish Armada shipwreck off the County Sligo coast to depart the country in the winter of 1588. Among the survivors was Captain Francisco de Cuellar , who kept
14949-505: The provincial champion. Galway are the most successful side in Connacht with 48 Connacht titles and 9 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship . Mayo have been the dominant force in the province in recent years winning a five-in-a-row of Connacht titles from 2011 to 2015, and have regularly reached the semi-finals and finals of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship . No football team from Connacht has won
15100-450: The rebels. Brian Óg's fears proved correct as by early 1599, the rebel Irish lords were in complete control of Ulster and Connacht and raiding as far south as historic Thomond , before occupying Munster and most of Leinster the following year. The war was also placing a huge financial burden on England and by the war's end the English exchequer was near bankruptcy, having spent almost £2 million. West Breifne's most famous contribution of
15251-483: The ruling O'Rourke clan and the ascendant O'Reillys caused the breakup of the older Kingdom of Breifne and led to the formation of East Breifne and West Breifne. The kingdom was ruled by the O'Rourke clan and lasted until the early 17th century, when their lands were confiscated by England . In 1172, Tighearnán Ua Ruairc , the longtime Lord of Breifne and Conmaice , was betrayed and killed at Tlachtgha during negotiations with Hugh de Lacy , Lord of Meath. Tighearnán
15402-448: The stationing of English soldiers in his territory under his control to protect him from O’Neill and O’Donnell, a pardon for him and all his followers, a guarantee that he could not be charged or arrested by anyone, except on the orders of the Queen herself, and assurance that he would be given a pension to live on should O’Donnell or O’Neill seize his lands in retaliation. For his part, O’Rourke
15553-583: The stone castle on Cherry Island in Garadice Lough and put a garrison into it. Later that year, Conchobar violated the terms of the treaty and forced O'Conor's garrison out of the castle before razing it. Due to this act of betrayal, Aedh O'Conor elected Sitric O'Ruairc to replace Conchobar as king of West Breifne, however, Sitric was soon killed by Domnall, Conchobar's son, to avenge his father's dispossession. This led to Domnall's arrest and imprisonment and Aedh O'Conor resumed raids on West Breifne. This sparked
15704-476: The succession of kings in the 1530s. Following the defeat of Lochlainn Ó Ruairc of Carrigallen in 1458 and the dissolution of his kingdom, the Carrigallen O’Rourkes ceased to rule over Breifne ever again. The O’Rourkes of Carha were wholly crushed by Dromahair in 1536 when Brian Ballach consolidated power over the entire kingdom. These regional conflicts over succession never re-emerged following this due to
15855-1099: The supreme lordship of the Earl of Ulster ; after the murder of the last earl in 1333, the Anglo-Irish split into different factions, the most powerful emerging as Bourke of Mac William Eighter in north Connacht, and Burke of Clanricarde in the south. They were regularly in and out of alliance with equally powerful Gaelic lords and kings such as Ó Conchobair of Síol Muireadaigh , Ó Cellaigh of Uí Maine and Mac Diarmata of Moylurg , in addition to extraprovincial powers such as Ó Briain of Thomond , FitzGerald of Kildare , Ó Domhnaill of Tír Chonaill . Lesser lords of both ethnicities included Mac Donnchadha , Mac Goisdelbh , Mac Bhaldrin, Mac Siurtain , Ó hEaghra , Ó Flaithbeheraigh , Ó Dubhda , Ó Seachnasaigh , Ó Manacháin , Seoighe , Ó Máille , Ó Ruairc , Ó Madadháin , Bairéad , Ó Máel Ruanaid , Ó hEidhin , Ó Finnaghtaigh , Ó Fallmhain , Breathneach , Mac Airechtaig , Ó Neachtain , Ó hAllmhuráin , Ó Fathaigh . The town of Galway
16006-443: The surname Ua Conchobair. At its greatest extent, it incorporated the often independent Kingdom of Breifne , as well as vassalage from the lordships of western Mide and west Leinster . Two of its greatest kings, Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair (1088–1156) and his son Ruaidri Ua Conchobair (c. 1115–1198) greatly expanded the kingdom's dominance, so much so that both became High King of Ireland . The Kingdom of Connacht collapsed in
16157-422: The throne and ruled from Castle Carha, in contention with Brian Ballach, son of Eóghan. In 1536 Brian Ballach laid siege to Caste Carha and demolished it, re-establishing Dromahair's dominion over the entire kingdom. Feidhlimidh was deposed and died that same year as a prisoner of Brian Ballach. The rivalry between these branches ultimately ended in victory for the O’Rourkes of Dromahair and a return to stability in
16308-504: The tide of war had turned again, they had retaken Enniskillen and soundly defeated the English army at Bel-Atha-na-mBriosgaidh , forcing them to retreat over the Arney River back into Cavan. Brian Óg himself spent 1594 in West Breifne and the northwest of Ireland, writing letters to other lords trying to convince them to join the war against England. By 1595 O’Donnell was firmly in control of West Breifne. O’Rourke, although allied to him,
16459-732: The title of Queen Victoria's son Arthur, Duke of Connaught ; and the Connaught Hotel , London, named after the Duke in 1917. Usage of the Connaught spelling is now in decline. State bodies use Connacht , for example in Central Statistics Office census reports since 1926, and the name of the Connacht–Ulster European Parliament constituency of 1979–2004, although Connaught occurs in some statutes. Among newspapers,
16610-480: The ultimate goal of re-establishing themselves as kings of Connacht, but for decades attempted to exercise control over all of Breifne (East and West) and were met with fierce resistance. After decades of conflict, Ualgarg Mór drove Clan Muircheartaigh out of Breifne in 1343. While in Calry, County Sligo in 1346, a battle unexpectedly erupted during which Ualgarg Mór was killed by Maelruanaid Mac Donnchada . His dominance over
16761-454: The volatility of the region. This allowed Brian Óg to return to the kingdom and stake his claim as king. Edmund McGuaran, a prominent Bishop from Tullyhaw in Breifne territory was instrumental in the formation of the Irish alliance. He spent much of the 1580s in Madrid , persuading King Philip II of Spain to support the Gaelic kingdoms militarily, framing the conflict between them and England as
16912-428: The war came at The Battle of Curlew Pass . A substantial English force some 2,000-2,500 strong led by Sir Conyers Clifford was travelling north only to find that O’Rourke and 400 of his men had barricaded the pass and were guarding it on either side. O’Rourke’s forces, along with those of Hugh O’Donnell, who did not take part in the battle, decisively defeated the English who were forced to retreat. Losses were minimal for
17063-473: The war in the last four years. The agreement was not to last and West Breifne switched allegiance back to the Irish Alliance shortly before the expiration of the ceasefire on 7 June 1598. This betrayal of the English was a pragmatic choice as O'Rourke felt Clifford could not deliver on his promises. Firstly, he feared their weakness in the face of Tyrone and Tyrconnell, the latter of which was hosting his brother Tadhg and would surely make him king over Brian Óg in
17214-469: The western half of the Kingdom of Breifne . This region was long influenced by the O'Rourke family of Dromahair , whose heraldic lion occupies the official county shield to this day. Close ties initially existed with the O'Reilly clan in the eastern half of the kingdom, however, a split occurred in the 13th century and the kingdom was divided into East Breifne , now County Cavan , and West Breifne , now County Leitrim. The Normans invaded south Leitrim in
17365-477: The western shores of Tyrconnell for a year. He travelled to Scotland in February 1591 bearing gifts (including four Irish Wolfhounds ), in anticipation of a meeting with King James VI , seeking to raise an army of mercenaries and retake his kingdom. In consultation with the English ambassador, King James VI denied him an audience and was pressured by Queen Elizabeth I to arrest him and deliver him to England, citing
17516-464: The Ó Ruaircs and were occupying large parts of West Breifne. Clan Muircheartaigh arrived in West Breifne in the 1280s and by the time of Ualgarg Mór had assimilated into the kingdom. Their chief Aedh Breifnach, as his name would suggest, was born and raised in Breifne and they had found staunch allies in Clan Mac Tiernan of Teallach Dunchadha. They operated from their power base in West Breifne with
17667-492: Was Uí Maine , which at its maximum extent enclosed central and south County Roscommon, central, east-central and south County Galway, along with the territory of Lusmagh in Munster . Their rulers bore the family name Ó Ceallaigh ; its spelling sometimes varying slightly from scribe to scribe. Though the Ó Ceallaigh's were never elevated to the provincial kingship, Uí Maine existed as a semi-independent kingdom both before and after
17818-401: Was " the proudest man this day living on the earth ". Upon receiving reports that West Breifne was harbouring coyners and mercenaries, Malby ordered one of his officers to attack the kingdom in April 1578. They captured Leitrim castle, looted it and killed its occupants. This was the first time Tudor soldiers attacked West Breifne and was more about sending a message to Ó Ruairc that his kingdom
17969-471: Was a result of Clifford's conciliatory approach to the Irish lords, favouring negotiation over conflict. In a letter to William Cecil , Chief Advisor of Queen Elizabeth, Clifford declared that all of Connacht was pacified, save Brian Óg O’Rourke, who Clifford was trying to win over to the English side. The war had quieted down because of a truce signed between the English and rebel Irish lords in October 1597 that
18120-455: Was already aggressively trying to curb the powers of the Gaelic leadership, even those who had sworn loyalty to the crown – commanded Bingham to invade West Breifne. Bingham and his ally Donogh O'Brien, 4th Earl of Thomond , invaded the territory in January 1590 and had forced Ó Ruairc to flee by March. He was given refuge by Eoghan Óg, Chief of Mac Suibhne na d’Tuath , and stayed in his castle on
18271-478: Was also quarried in the Glenfarne region. Writing in 1791, the geographer Beaufort suggested the county housing population encompassed 10,026 homes with "upwards of 50,000 inhabitants", the primary agriculture being cattle production, and the growth of flax sustaining the linen industry. Leitrim was first hit by the recession caused by the mechanisation of linen weaving in the 1830s and its 155,000 residents (as of
18422-662: Was announced that the brothers had reconciled. However, Brian Óg was to travel south with O’Donnell in December to take part in the ill-fated Battle of Kinsale and while Brian Óg was away, Tadhg had defected to the English and claimed the kingship of West Breifne for himself with the support of his mother's family the Burkes of Clanricarde. Hugh Roe left Ireland for Spain following his defeat at Kinsale, leaving Rory O'Donnell, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell in charge of Tyrconnell. The English plan of bringing Irish lordships onto their side, thus dividing
18573-403: Was arresting three of his twenty-two brothers, "Brian Breifneach, Brian Luighneach, and Muircheartach Muimhneach" to prevent them from usurping him. He blinded Brian Breifneach as an extra precaution. Ruaidrí was compelled to recognise Muirchertach Mac Lochlainn as Ard-Rí, though he went to war with him in 1159. Mac Lochlainn's murder in 1166 left Ruaidrí the unopposed ruler of all Ireland. He
18724-626: Was beheaded, and his head and body were conveyed to the Anglo-Normans in Dublin, where it was put on display. The assassination of Tighernán caused a war of succession in Breifne and for the next hundred years there would be no long-standing King of Breifne, as rival branches of the O'Rourke clan fought for the kingship. This time of turbulence in the kingdom caused a great rift between the various branches of clan O'Rourke, with regular fighting between rival members. The instability and weakness of Breifne, which had already lost much of its territory during
18875-423: Was betrayed and murdered by his own men with the assistance of Matha O'Reilly, king of East Breifne, who had also risen up in rebellion against Aedh O'Conor. After his father's death, Domnall was released from prison and instated as king of West Breifne. However, shortly after his appointment as king, Domnall killed Magrath Mac Tiernan , chieftain of Tellach-Dunchada, which was a clan that held land within Breifne. As
19026-674: Was buried in the Friary of Ross Errilly . After defeat in the Nine Years' War, the total implementation of English Law across Ireland was inevitable and the Gaelic political order collapsed. Many O'Rourke nobles left for mainland Europe and the clans throughout Ireland went into a steady decline culminating in The Flight of the Earls in 1607. The clans within West Breifne were granted land and assurances of their rights to pass on that land to their eldest son under English law in exchange for pledging loyalty to
19177-450: Was chosen to succeed him, but Art proclaimed himself king and was elected by his supporters. The stage had been set for the wars of succession which were to characterise the politics of West Breifne for the next century. For much of its history, West Breifne saw disputes over kingship, with persistent battles between rival factions. As a result of factions consolidating power in their home regions, three distinct branches of royalty emerged in
19328-573: Was chosen to succeed his brother as King, however in southern Leitrim, Art O'Rourke, son of King Tadhg na gCaor (1352–1376), was elected king with the support of the Tellach Dunchada, the Mac Raghnaill. At his inauguration, Tadhg had declared himself " king of all Breifne " and as a result, Eoghan O'Reilly, king of East Breifne, threw his support behind Art O'Rourke and moved soldiers into Carrigallen. Beset with problems back home just months later,
19479-466: Was completely dependent upon him. The kingdom was devastated after over a decade of intermittent war and O’Rourke was unable to raise soldiers himself and was given little of the spoils of war that O’Donnell and O’Neill had reaped. Many of the clans of West Breifne who had sworn loyalty to the English allied themselves with O’Donnell. The kingdom was frequently used as the route through which the Irish forces would travel to raid Connaught, before being used as
19630-672: Was crowned in 1166 at Dublin , "took the kingship of Ireland ...[and was] inaugurated king as honourably as any king of the Gaeidhil was ever inaugurated;" He was the first and last native ruler who was recognised by the Gaelic-Irish as full King of Ireland . However, his expulsion of Dermot MacMurrough later that year brought about the Norman invasion of Ireland in 1169. Ruaidrí's inept response to events led to rebellion by his sons in 1177, and his deposition by Conchobar Maenmaige Ua Conchobair in 1183. Ruaidrí died at Cong in 1198, noted as
19781-571: Was declared "King of East Breifne O'Rourke" and the kingdom was again divided. Donnchadh Bacagh died in 1445 and his nephew Donnchadh, the first of the Carha line, was elected to take his place and ruled until his death in 1449. He was succeeded by his cousin Tigernan óg. The two kingdoms were at war until 1458 when East Breifne O'Rourke was invaded by the Maguires of Fermanagh , Lochlainn Ó Ruairc, now 80 years old,
19932-479: Was defeated and the kingship of East Breifne O'Rourke was dissolved. Tigernán óg became king of a united West Breifne. Following the death of King Tigernán óg in 1468, kingship was again in dispute, this time between Domnall, Tigernán óg's brother, and Donnchadh losc, Tigernán óg's uncle. Domnall was supported by the O'Rourkes of Dromahair and Ruadh O'Donnell , the Lord of Tír Chonaill . Donnchadh losc received support from
20083-444: Was defeated at Drumlahan by the O'Reilly and forced to retreat. The conflict between Connacht and West Breifne ended in 1266, when Aedh O'Conor, now King of Connacht, launched a successful invasion of the kingdom and deposed Art O'Ruairc, instating Conchobar buide, son of King Amlaíb (1257–1258), as the new king. Aedh O'Conor also took hostages from all the major clans of the kingdom. The O'Rourke rebellion against Connacht's dominance
20234-754: Was from then on applied to the overall geographic area containing those counties, and has remained so ever since. The most successful sept of the Connachta were the Ó Conchobair of Síol Muireadaigh . They derived their surname from Conchobar mac Taidg Mór (c. 800 – 882), from whom all subsequent Ó Conchobair Kings of Connacht descended. Conchobar was a nominal vassal of Máel Sechnaill mac Máele Ruanaid , High King of Ireland (died 862). He married Máel Sechnaill's daughter, Ailbe, and had sons Áed mac Conchobair (died 888), Tadg mac Conchobair (died 900) and Cathal mac Conchobair (died 925), all of whom subsequently reigned. Conchobar and his sons' descendants expanded
20385-538: Was given to the Earl of Essex – and now the deputy's occupation of West Breifne, as a step too far. The expansionist forces of Fitzwilliam now extended the entire southern border of their kingdoms from Leitrim to Louth – the Tudor Conquest had reached Ulster . Throughout 1591 and 1592, Fitzwilliam and Bingham had drawn up plans for the full annexation of West Breifne into the control of the Kingdom of Ireland , but were forced to abandon these plans and withdraw due to
20536-407: Was granted full authority to make peace with O’Rourke " as soon as possible " and " assure him his lands ". In February 1598, O’Rourke, accompanied by thirty West Breifne nobles, travelled to Boyle and submitted to Clifford, handing over the letters he had received from Philip II of Spain as a sign of his allegiance. O’Rourke's fourteen demands, all of which were granted by Queen Elizabeth, included
20687-440: Was highly innovative, building the first stone castles in Ireland, and more controversially, introducing the policy of primogeniture to a hostile Gaelic polity. Castles were built in the 1120s at Galway (where he based his fleet ), Dunmore , Sligo and Ballinasloe , where he dug a new six-mile canal to divert the river Suck around the castle of Dun Ló. Churches, monasteries and dioceses were re-founded or created, works such as
20838-653: Was however, supported by the O’Donnells and Maguires in neighbouring Tyrconnell, where he was living in exile and, with the tacit support of Tyrconnell, carrying out guerilla attacks on West Breifne from 1590 to 1592. On 3 April 1592, he wrote to the Privy Council of Ireland unsuccessfully pleading with them to pardon him of any wrongdoing during the war in 1589, stating " I did nothing but what my father advised or commanded me to do ". The Gaelic lords of Ulster; Hugh O’Donnell , Hugh Maguire and later Hugh O’Neill , arguably
20989-422: Was nominal. His rule marks the first appearance in the annals of the king ruling " from the mountain westward " i.e. west of Slieve Anieran on the eastern shore of Lough Allen – a situation that was to be repeated in the 15th century. Art O’Ruairc, son of Cathal Riabach (King of Breifne, 1231–1236), ruled the east in opposition to Amlaib and Connacht. In 1258, with the war against Connacht still ongoing, Conchobar
21140-407: Was not impervious to English power than about tackling coyners. Following the attack, Ó Ruairc sent his son Brian Óg na Samhtach to Dublin to complain on his behalf to Lord Deputy Henry Sidney of harassment by Malby and the Presidency. With Ó Ruairc humbled, Malby agreed to return Leitrim castle to him. In turn, lands within Connaught were attacked by Ó Ruairc in 1580, illustrating the weakness of
21291-442: Was not recognised by the kings and chiefs of Connacht and the first Lord President of Connaught, Sir Edward Fitton , wielded virtually no power over the area. Gradually, many of the Irish kings began to tentatively work with the English (often through coercion), including Brian na Múrtha, who agreed to submit to the first composition of Connacht in 1576. These later submissions bore no resemblance to those agreed by Brian Ballach. Under
21442-443: Was now the only Irish kingdom that had not yet surrendered. Brian Óg continued the revolt knowing that his legitimate, well-connected, loyalist half-brother Tadhg would receive his lands were he to surrender now, but the odds were stacked impossibly against him. At the end of March 1603, the invasion of West Breifne began. A force of 3,000 men led by Tadhg, the now-loyalist Rory O’Donnell and Henry Folliott , were prevented from crossing
21593-447: Was only 8 years old in 1585 and living with his mother Mary Bourke, sister of the Earl of Clanricarde and Brian na Murtha's estranged lawful wife. The already bad relations between Brian na Múrtha and the presidency worsened during the rule of Lord President Sir Richard Bingham . Bingham and Ó Ruairc harboured a deep resentment of one another. Ó Ruairc, who Bingham referred to as a " proud beggar " commanded his forces to attack those of
21744-409: Was quickly followed by another excursion into Connaught, this time by Hugh Maguire who routed Sir Richard Bingham's forces near Tulsk , County Roscommon . In the wake of these two consecutive defeats in May and June, Fitzwilliam offered Maguire and O’Rourke a white peace if Maguire disbanded the army he had assembled. His acceptance of this became the first of a number of ceasefires that characterized
21895-511: Was relieved of his command and replaced by Sir Conyers Clifford in 1597, by which time O’Donnell had completely pushed the English out of Connacht. Despite early setbacks, by October 1597 the English were back in control of Connacht, due to the changing allegiance of the O’Conors of Sligo and the Burkes of Galway who turned on O’Donnell's allied lords in Connacht and forced them to retreat. This success
22046-620: Was set to expire in June 1598. In November 1597 Brian Óg, in a letter to Clifford, wrote that he would capitulate if the English were willing to guarantee the return of all of his father's lands and recognize him, and not his half-brother Tadhg , as the legitimate heir under English Law and compromise on reduced taxes on those lands. Up until now, any English assurances to O’Rourke were meaningless, as he knew they had no power to protect him from O’Donnell were he to switch allegiance. Upon receiving this offer Clifford immediately wrote to Cecil asking him to grant all of these requests. In December, Clifford
22197-400: Was tasked with delivering pledges of loyalty to the crown from all the major clans of West Breifne within twenty days. The treaty was an immense victory for O’Rourke. In contrast to the situation 3 years earlier, the once desolate kingdom of West Breifne was now more prosperous than anywhere in Connacht, having recovered from the devastation wrought by Bingham and had been relatively untouched by
22348-519: Was the only significant urban area in the province. Its inhabitants governed themselves under charter of the king of England. Its merchant families, The Tribes of Galway , traded not only with the lordships around them and in Ireland , but with England , France, and Spain. Its mayor enjoyed supreme power but only for the length of his office, rarely more than a year. Galway's inhabitants were of mixed descent, its families bearing surnames of Gaelic, French, English, Welsh, Norman and other origins. Connacht
22499-442: Was the site of two of the bloodiest battles in Irish history, the Second Battle of Athenry (1316) and the Battle of Knockdoe (1504). The casualties of both battles were measured in several thousand, unusually high for Irish warfare. A third battle at Aughrim in 1691 resulted in an estimated 10,000 deaths. All of Connacht's lordships remained in states of full or semi-independence from other Gaelic-Irish and Anglo-Irish rulers until
22650-407: Was to inherit his father's title and lands but as he was only 6 years old at the time, his father's cousin, Richard Burke, 4th Earl of Clanricarde , was given wardship of the boys on 11 February 1606. Brian and his brother Aedh were to fall victim to the plotting of Attorney-General for Ireland John Davies , who set about undoing the " distasteful settlements " reached with the native Irish lords in
22801-453: Was ultimately a failure, but the O'Reilly of East Breifne had succeeded in theirs and Connacht never regained control of the east. Conchobar buide reigned with the support of the king of Connacht until his death in 1273. He was succeeded by Tigernan, grandson of Ualgarg Ó Ruairc (King of Breifne, 1210–1231), who died just one year after his inauguration. Following Tigernan's death, Art O'Ruairc would again become king in 1275 and reigned only for
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