John de Bermingham
Encyclopedia
John de Bermingham, Anglo-Irish
lord, died 1547.
John succeeded upon the death of his father, Meiler. He was the ninth lord since the town's foundation in the late 1230s. During his lifetime, Athenry
began to decline in response to warfare from Clanricarde
to the south-east, the Ó Ceallaigh of Uí Maine to the east, and the Ó Conchobhairs and Mac Diarmadas of Síol Muiredaig and Moylurg
. Its trade had been secondary to Galway
, yet as late as 1540 the town was well-populated and featuring new buildings, indicating that John's era enjoyed some prosperity.
Contempary Irish annals
such as the Annals of Lough Ce
(and their successor, the Annals of the Four Masters
), only give allusive references to events in the area, and few directly concering de Bermingham himself.
A notable feature of his lordship is the North Gate of Athenry, which is believed to have been built in his time. It is now the only surviving town gate, though over two-thirds of the wall, enclosing at least one hundred and fifty acres, survive.
Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish was a term used primarily in the 19th and early 20th centuries to identify a privileged social class in Ireland, whose members were the descendants and successors of the Protestant Ascendancy, mostly belonging to the Church of Ireland, which was the established church of Ireland until...
lord, died 1547.
John succeeded upon the death of his father, Meiler. He was the ninth lord since the town's foundation in the late 1230s. During his lifetime, Athenry
Athenry
Athenry is a town in County Galway, Ireland. It lies east of Galway city, and one of the attractions of the town is its medieval castle. The town is also well-known by virtue of the song "The Fields of Athenry".-History:...
began to decline in response to warfare from Clanricarde
Clanricarde
Clanricarde was a term meaning both a territory and a title in Ireland between the 13th and early 20th centuries.-Territory:The territory, in what is now County Galway, Ireland, stretched from the barony of County Clare in the north-west along the borders of County Mayo, to the River Shannon in the...
to the south-east, the Ó Ceallaigh of Uí Maine to the east, and the Ó Conchobhairs and Mac Diarmadas of Síol Muiredaig and Moylurg
Moylurg
Magh Luirg or Magh Luirg an Dagda, Anglicised as Moylurg, was the name of a kingdom located in the north-east of Connacht, the western province of Ireland, from c.956-1585...
. Its trade had been secondary to Galway
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
, yet as late as 1540 the town was well-populated and featuring new buildings, indicating that John's era enjoyed some prosperity.
Contempary Irish annals
Irish annals
A number of Irish annals were compiled up to and shortly after the end of Gaelic Ireland in the 17th century.Annals were originally a means by which monks determined the yearly chronology of feast days...
such as the Annals of Lough Ce
Annals of Lough Cé
The Annals of Loch Cé cover events, mainly in Connacht and its neighbouring regions, from 1014 to 1590. It takes its name from Lough Cé in the kingdom of Moylurg - now north County Roscommon - which was the centre of power of the Clan MacDermot...
(and their successor, the Annals of the Four Masters
Annals of the Four Masters
The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland or the Annals of the Four Masters are a chronicle of medieval Irish history...
), only give allusive references to events in the area, and few directly concering de Bermingham himself.
A notable feature of his lordship is the North Gate of Athenry, which is believed to have been built in his time. It is now the only surviving town gate, though over two-thirds of the wall, enclosing at least one hundred and fifty acres, survive.