Murrough mac Toirdelbach Ó Briain
Encyclopedia
Murrough mac Toirdelbach Ó Briain, Chief of the Name, the Clan Tiege of Aran, fl. 1575 - 1588.
. They were descended from Teige Ó Briain, great-grandson of Brian Boru
, from whom they took their name. The Ó Briain Kings of Thomond had exercised rule of the three Aran Islands
since before the Anglo-Irish
settled in Connacht
, and, in return for protection of their shipping to and from the town, The Tribes of Galway paid them an annual tribute of wine "in consideration of their protection and expenses in guarding the bay and harbour of Galway against pirates and coast plunderers."
. He had been appointed, the previous month, by a delegation of nine of the Clan Tiege to be " their attorney
for ransoming the isles of Aron from James Linche, and agreed that all such parts as he should so ransom
should belong to him, and his heirs for ever." James Lynch (fitz Ambrose)
(Mayor of Galway, 1590-91) was a Galway merchant
who, previously to July 1575, obtained a mortgage of all three islands from Ó Briain; and in case of the extinction
of the entire Clan Tiege, "should be their sole heir and possess Aron and their whole islands."
However, it was afterwards agreed that this clause
should be extended "to the whole commons and corporacion of Galway", provided that the Clan Tiege not alienate
any part of the lands elsewhere, without the Corporation's approval.
in the 1570s, seems to have eventually settled amicably. Further documentation, dated 30 March 1588, outlines the terms, which Hardiman gives as follows:
However, the petition seems to have been ignored, because by 1581 the family had been overthrown by Murrough na dTuadh Ó Flaithbheartaigh
, who had seizing control over the Aran since as early as 1569. This would have rendered the document of 1588 worthless.
of County Clare
to retake them. The Earl of Clanricarde
was apprised of the scheme. In a letter to the Earl of Thomond
he wrote:
This was the final recorded association of the clan with the islands.
James Hardiman
lastly states that a copy of Murrough's petition of 1588 was then (1820) held by John O'Brien of Clonthis, County Limerick
, "who is now the direct chief of that princely family."
Family background
Ó Briain was the senior member of the Mac Teige, or Clan Teige Ó Briain, of Inishmore, in Galway BayGalway Bay
Galway Bay is a large bay on the west coast of Ireland, between County Galway in the province of Connacht to the north and the Burren in County Clare in the province of Munster to the south. Galway city is located on the northeast side of the bay. It is about long and from to in breadth...
. They were descended from Teige Ó Briain, great-grandson of Brian Boru
Brian Boru
Brian Bóruma mac Cennétig, , , was an Irish king who ended the domination of the High Kingship of Ireland by the Uí Néill. Building on the achievements of his father, Cennétig mac Lorcain, and especially his elder brother, Mathgamain, Brian first made himself King of Munster, then subjugated...
, from whom they took their name. The Ó Briain Kings of Thomond had exercised rule of the three Aran Islands
Aran Islands
The Aran Islands or The Arans are a group of three islands located at the mouth of Galway Bay, on the west coast of Ireland. They constitute the barony of Aran in County Galway, Ireland...
since before the Anglo-Irish
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...
settled in Connacht
Connacht
Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...
, and, in return for protection of their shipping to and from the town, The Tribes of Galway paid them an annual tribute of wine "in consideration of their protection and expenses in guarding the bay and harbour of Galway against pirates and coast plunderers."
Mortgage dispute
On the 14 July 1575, Ó Briain arrived in Galway to make a complaint to the town corporationCorporation
A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...
. He had been appointed, the previous month, by a delegation of nine of the Clan Tiege to be " their attorney
Attorney at law
An attorney at law in the United States is a practitioner in a court of law who is legally qualified to prosecute and defend actions in such court on the retainer of clients. Alternative terms include counselor and lawyer...
for ransoming the isles of Aron from James Linche, and agreed that all such parts as he should so ransom
Ransom
Ransom is the practice of holding a prisoner or item to extort money or property to secure their release, or it can refer to the sum of money involved.In an early German law, a similar concept was called bad influence...
should belong to him, and his heirs for ever." James Lynch (fitz Ambrose)
James Lynch (fitz Ambrose)
James Lynch was Mayor of Galway from 1590 to 1591.Lynch was a member of The Tribes of Galway. He appears to have been the first merchant of Galway with an ownership claim to the Aran Islands, becoming involved with a dispute concerning the town's Corporation's customs to the then owners, the Clan...
(Mayor of Galway, 1590-91) was a Galway merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
who, previously to July 1575, obtained a mortgage of all three islands from Ó Briain; and in case of the extinction
Extinction
In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
of the entire Clan Tiege, "should be their sole heir and possess Aron and their whole islands."
However, it was afterwards agreed that this clause
Clause
In grammar, a clause is the smallest grammatical unit that can express a complete proposition. In some languages it may be a pair or group of words that consists of a subject and a predicate, although in other languages in certain clauses the subject may not appear explicitly as a noun phrase,...
should be extended "to the whole commons and corporacion of Galway", provided that the Clan Tiege not alienate
Social alienation
The term social alienation has many discipline-specific uses; Roberts notes how even within the social sciences, it “is used to refer both to a personal psychological state and to a type of social relationship”...
any part of the lands elsewhere, without the Corporation's approval.
"Mem. the 14 of July, one Morchowe Mac Tirriligh Mac Donill, chief of his nacion, called Clanteige of Aron, appeared before the mayor, bailiffs and combrethern, claiminge to have the ancient custom of Connowe and Meales due to him and to his auncestors within the town, to say, for two days and two nights, and the mayor, &c., calling before them auncient old credibel persons, they declared upon their oaths that they never heard of their parence, or saw the said septSeptA sept is an English word for a division of a family, especially a division of a clan. The word might have its origin from Latin saeptum "enclosure, fold", or it can be an alteration of sect.The term is found in both Ireland and Scotland...
have no more within this town but only two meales. It was thereupon ordered that said sept shall have no more but that two, they being always bound to serve, attend and wait upon us and in our service, as their auncestors hath bene; also the said sept is bound to give the accustomed Meales and Connowe to all the comenc of Galway when they shall repaire to the isles of Aron; and the may, &c. did grant and promise to be aydors, helpers, mayntainers and assisters of said Clanteige against all persons that would lay siege, spoille or raise the said islands or castell of Aron, or otherwise wrong the said Morchowe or his sept.
Aftermath
The dispute, perhaps related to the severe unrest in ConnachtConnacht
Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...
in the 1570s, seems to have eventually settled amicably. Further documentation, dated 30 March 1588, outlines the terms, which Hardiman gives as follows:
"It was signed on 30th March, 1588, by John Blake, the mayor, and Walter Martin and Anthony Kirrivan, bailiffs, and countersiged by Anthony Dermot, notaryNotaryA notary is a lawyer or person with legal training who is licensed by the state to perform acts in legal affairs, in particular witnessing signatures on documents...
, whereby the testify to Queen Elizabeth in favor of Murrogh Mac Turlogh O'Brien, then living, that the Mac Tieges of Arran his ancestors, were, under her Majesty and her predecessors, the temporal captains or lords of the islands of Arran, and their territories and hereditaments elsewhere, under the name of Mac Tiege O'Brien of Arran, time out of man's memory; and that they had seen the said Murrogh Mac Turlogh, authorised by all his sept, as chief of that name, and in possession of the premises as his own lawful inheritance, as more at large, say they, doth appear in our books of records, wherein he continued, until of late he was, by the usurping power of the O'Flaherties, expulsed, from whom it is taken by some inquest found in her Majesty's favor. 'We say moreover', add they, 'that the sept of Mac Tiege O'Brien of Arran, since the foundation of this city and town, were aiding and assisting to ourselves and our predcessors against her Majesty's and her predecessors enemies, in all times and places whereunto they were called, as true, faithful and liege people to the crown of EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, to maintain, succour and assist the town."
However, the petition seems to have been ignored, because by 1581 the family had been overthrown by Murrough na dTuadh Ó Flaithbheartaigh
Murrough na dTuadh Ó Flaithbheartaigh
-Ancestry:Great-great-great-grandson of Brian na Noinseach, son of Donall na Comthach Ó Flaithbheartaigh . Appointed Chief of the Name by Elizabeth I. Included in the 1585 Composition of Connacht....
, who had seizing control over the Aran since as early as 1569. This would have rendered the document of 1588 worthless.
Fate of the Ó Briains of Aran
By 1641 the islands had reverted to the ownership of Sir Roebuck Lynch of Galway, the heir of James. However, Murrough's descendants plotted with Boetius ClancyBoetius Clancy
Boetius Clancy or MacClancy was a 16th century Irish landowner, MP and High Sheriff.He was born in Co Clare, the son of Hugh Clancy, and was the great-grandson of Murtagh MacClancy of Cnoc-Finn . He was well educated and fluent in Latin and English...
of County Clare
County Clare
-History:There was a Neolithic civilisation in the Clare area — the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen; single-chamber megalithic tombs, usually consisting of three or more upright stones...
to retake them. The Earl of Clanricarde
Ulick Burke, 1st Marquess of Clanricarde
Ulick Burke, 1st Marquess of Clanricarde , was an Irish nobleman and figure in English Civil War....
was apprised of the scheme. In a letter to the Earl of Thomond
Barnabas O'Brien, 6th Earl of Thomond
Barnabas O'Brien, 6th Earl of Thomond , son of Donogh O'Brien, 4th Earl of Thomond; succeeded his brother, 1639; lord-lieutenant of Clare, 1640–1: his rents seized, 1644; admitted a parliamentary garrison to Bunratty Castle and went to England: joined Charles I; successfully petitioned parliament...
he wrote:
"Amongst all (places) I find none more necessary to be preserved than the Isles of Arran. These are now in the possession and inheritance of Sir Roebuck Lynch, son to Sir Henry. I am now informed that Boetius Clancy the younger and the Clan-Teige of Thomond under pretence of some antiquated claim intend to invade it, and request that you take steps to prevent it."
This was the final recorded association of the clan with the islands.
James Hardiman
James Hardiman
James Hardiman , also known as Séamus Ó hArgadáin, was a librarian at Queen's College, Galway. The university library now bears his name...
lastly states that a copy of Murrough's petition of 1588 was then (1820) held by John O'Brien of Clonthis, County Limerick
County Limerick
It is thought that humans had established themselves in the Lough Gur area of the county as early as 3000 BC, while megalithic remains found at Duntryleague date back further to 3500 BC...
, "who is now the direct chief of that princely family."
See also
- Diarmaid Mór Ó Briain of Tromra, fl. 13th/14th century
- Mahon mac Turlough Mantach Ó BriainMahon mac Turlough Mantach Ó BriainMahon mac Turlough Mantach Ó Briain, Chief of the Name of the Clan Teige Ó Briain of Aran, died 1565.-Family background:Ó Briain was the senior member of the Mac Taidhg, or Clann Taidhg Ó Briain, of Inishmore in Galway Bay. They were descended from Tadhg Ó Briain, great-grandson of Brian Boru ,...
, Chief of the Name, died 1545 - Alonzo BoscoAlonzo BoscoDon Alonzo Bosco was a 16th century Barbary corsair or Spanish pirate who, according to folk tradition on Inishbofin, Galway, settled on the island in the 16th century and built a castle where a Cromwellian-era ruined castle now stands. From there, he raided the mainland and passing ships.He became...
of Omey IslandOmey IslandOmey Island is a tidal island situated near Claddaghduff on the western edge of Connemara in County Galway, Ireland. From the mainland the island is inconspicuous and almost hidden. It is possible to drive or walk across a large sandy strand to the island by following the arrowed signs...
, pirate, fl. mid-16th century - Gráinne Ní Mháille, pirate, c. 1530-c.1603
- William Óge MartynWilliam Oge Martyn-Early life:Also known as William Óge Martyn fitz Thomas, was a son of Thomas Óge Martyn and Evelina Lynch of Galway. Bailiff of Galway in 1566 to 1567, he was kidnapped by the Earl of Thomond in January 1570 but was free in time to participate at the battle of Shrule in April of the same year...
, High SheriffHigh SheriffA high sheriff is, or was, a law enforcement officer in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.In England and Wales, the office is unpaid and partly ceremonial, appointed by the Crown through a warrant from the Privy Council. In Cornwall, the High Sheriff is appointed by the Duke of...
and Mayor of GalwayMayor of GalwayThe office of Mayor of Galway is an honorific title used by the of Galway City Council. The Council has jurisdiction throughout its administrative area which is the city of Galway – the largest city in the province of Connacht, in the Republic of Ireland. The office was originally established by a...
, fl. 1566-1592