Connor O'Brien, 3rd Earl of Thomond
Connor O'Brien | |
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Donough, Daniel, & others | |
Father | Donogh, 2nd Earl of Thomond |
Mother | Helen Butler |
Connor O'Brien, 3rd Earl of Thomond also spelt Conor and called Groibleach, or the "long-nailed", (
Birth and origins
Connor was born in 1535, the eldest son of
His mother was the youngest daughter of Piers Butler, 8th Earl of Ormond. His mother's family, the Butlers, were an Old English dynasty that descended from Theobald Walter, who had been appointed Chief Butler of Ireland by King Henry II in 1177.[4]
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Succession dispute
O'Brien should have normally succeeded his father on his death on 1 April 1553 as the third earl of Thomond according to English
Obliged to surrender Clonroad Castle (near
Subsequently, Donnell petitioned for official recognition as chief of Thomond, and
Donnell took refuge with Maguire in Fermanagh, and Teige and Donough found a powerful protector in Gerald FitzGerald, 14th Earl of Desmond.
Marriages
First marriage
Thomond's first marriage was childless. His bride probably was Evelyn, also called Ellen, daughter of Donal MacCarthy and widow (his 4th wife) of James FitzGerald, 13th Earl of Desmond. His marriage was short: they married in 1559 but she died in 1560 and was buried in Muckross Abbey.[12] However, according to a minority view, she was Joan, daughter of Thomas, 16th Baron of Kerry.[13]
Second marriage and children
After the death of his first wife in 1560, Thomond married secondly Una, daughter of Turlough O'Brien-Arra in the barony of Owney and Arra, County Tipperary.[14]
Connor and Una had three sons:
- Donogh (died 1624), his successor, the 4th Earl of Thomond
- Teige, of Dromore Castle (died c. 1642), married 1st Siana, daughter of Teige McMorough; and 2ndly Joan, daughter of Sir Dermot Shaughnessy and widow of Sir William Bourke[15]
- Daniel (died 1663), created 1st Viscount Clare[16]
- Hugh[17]
—and three daughters:
- Mary, wife of Turlough Roe MacMahon of Corcovaskin[18]
- Margaret, second wife of James Butler, 2nd Lord Dunboyne[19]
- Honora, first wife of Thomas Fitzmaurice, 18th Lord Kerry[20]
Resumption of the succession dispute
Peace prevailed for a brief season, and Thomond won Sussex's approbation for his good execution of justice. But in 1559 his uncles Teige and Donough returned to Inchiquin, and not merely defied Thomond's efforts to oust them, but, with the assistance of the Earl of Desmond, actually inflicted a sharp defeat on him and his ally, the Earl of Clanricarde, at the
First Desmond Rebellion
The suspicion with which Thomond was regarded made him discontented, and on 8 July 1569 he entered into a league with the "archtraitor"
In Paris Thomond introduced himself on 18 July to Sir
Later life
Thomond returned to Ireland in December, and, having made public confession of his treason to Sir Henry Sidney, he was pardoned in April 1571. He surrendered his lands to the queen and obtained permission to go to England to solicit their restoration, but, owing to the rebellion of the Earl of Clanricarde's sons, his presence was required in Ireland. He won the approval of the lord deputy and council, and a warrant was apparently given in June 1573 for the restoration of his lands. In December 1575 he went to Cork to show his respect to the lord-deputy, Sir Henry Sidney, whom he attended to Limerick and Galway, whither the principal men of Thomond repaired to him. "And finding that the mutuall Hurtes and Revenges donne betwixt the Earle and Teige MacMurrough Avas one great Cawse of the Ruyne of the Country", Sidney "bounde theim by Bondes, in great sommes", to surrender their lands, and to submit to the appointment of Donnell, created Sir Donnell O'Brien, as sheriff of the newly constituted county of Clare. This arrangement, though acquiesced in, was naturally displeasing to Thomond, and he was reputed to have said that he repented ever "condescending to the queen's mercy".[24]
The arrangement did not put an end to the disputes between him and Teige, and in 1577 Sir William Drury was compelled to place the county under martial government. Thomond thereupon travelled to England, and on 7 October warrant was given a new patent containing the full effect of his former patent, with remainder to his son Donough, baron of Ibrickan. He returned to Ireland about Christmas; but before his arrival, according to the "Four Masters", "the marshal had imposed a severe burden on his people, so that they were obliged to become tributary to the sovereign, and pay a sum of ten pounds for every barony, and this was the first tribute ever paid by the Dal Cais". Thomond, however, seems to have lived on good terms with the new president of Connaught, Sir Nicholas Malby.
Death and timeline
Thomond died early in 1581 aged 45 and was buried at Ennis Friary.[25] He was succeeded by his eldest son, Donough, baron of Ibrickan and 4th earl of Thomond.[26]
Timeline | ||
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Age | Date | Event |
0 | 1535 | Born[1] |
11 | 1547, 28 Jan | Accession of Henry VIII of England[27]
|
15 | 1550, 4 Aug | Anthony St Leger, appointed Lord Deputy of Ireland (2nd term)[28] |
17 | 1553, 1 Apr | Succeeds as 2nd earl, but his uncle Donnell usurps the earldom |
18 | 1553, 6 Jul | Accession of Edward VI of England[29]
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18 | 1553, 1 Sep | Anthony St Leger, appointed Lord Deputy of Ireland (3nd term)[30] |
20 | 1556, 27 Apr | Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, appointed Lord Deputy of Ireland[31]
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22–23 | 1558 | Uncles Donnell, Teige, and Donough declared traitors by Lord Deputy Radcliffe[10] |
23 | 1558, 17 Nov | Accession of Queen Elizabeth I, succeeding Queen Mary I[32]
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23–24 | 1559 | Married his 1st wife, Evelyn, widow of James FitzGerald, 13th Earl of Desmond[33] |
23–24 | 1559 | Lost the Battle of Spancel Hill against Donnell[34] |
29 | 1565, 8 Feb | Butlers over Gerald FitzGerald, 14th Earl of Desmond.[35]
|
30 | 1565, 13 Oct | Henry Sidney, appointed Lord Deputy of Ireland[36] |
45 | 1581, early in | Died aged 45 and was buried at Ennis Friary[25] |
Notes and references
Notes
Citations
- ^ a b Cunningham 2009, p. [1st paragraph, 1st sentence]. "O'Brien, Conor (1535–81), 3rd earl of Thomond, was the eldest of three sons of Donough O'Brien (c. 1515 – 1553), 2nd earl of Thomond, and Ellen (Helen; d. 2 July 1597), youngest daughter of Piers Butler, 8th earl of Ormond and 1st earl of Ossory."
- ^ Cokayne 1896, p. 391, note b. "They were descended from the celebrated Brien Boroihme, principal king of Ireland (1002–1004) through his grandson Turlogh ..."
- ^ Maginn 2004, p. 356, right column, line 21. "O'Brien, Conor, third earl of Thomond (c. 1535–1581), landowner and rebel, was the eldest son of Donough O'Brien, second earl of Thomond (c.1515–1553), and Helen, youngest daughter of Piers Butler, eighth earl of Ormond."
- ^ Debrett 1828, p. 640. "Theobald le Boteler on whom that office [Chief Butler of Ireland] was conferred by King Henry II., 1177 ..."
- ^ Burke 1883, pp. 405–406Genealogy of the earls of Thomond
- ^ Cokayne 1896, pp. 391–395Genealogy of the earls of Thomond
- ^ Burke 1883, p. 344Genealogy of the earls of Clancarty
- ^ Cokayne 1913, pp. 214–217Genealogy of the earls of Clancarty
- ^ Dunlop 1895, p. 309, left column, line 26. "... Conor retired to the castle of Doonmulvihill, on the borders of Galway, where he was besieged by Donnell, but relieved by his kinsman Thomas, tenth earl of Ormonde."
- ^ Teige and Donough, sons of Murrough, 1st Earl of Thomond, to be proclaimed traitors, and Conor to be reinstated in his possessions."
- ^ Brewer & Bullen 1867, p. 276. "Donnell O'Brien was proclaimed traitor in three sundry places in Limerick, by me Athloon."
- James FitzGerald, 14th Earl of Desmond; she died in 1560, and was buried in Muckross Abbey."
- ^ Cokayne 1896, p. 391, line 40. "He m. [married] firstly Joan, only da [daughter] of Thomas (Fitzmaurice) 16th Baron of Kerry and Lixnaw."
- ^ Cokayne 1896, p. 391, line 42. "He m. [married] secondly Una, or Ownye, da. [daughter] of Turlogh O'Brien, of Arragh, co. Tipperary."
- ^ Burke 1883, p. 406, left column, line 46. "II. Teige, of Dromore, who m. [married] 1st Siana, dau. [daughter] of Teige McMorough; and 2ndly Joan dau. of Sir Dermot Shaughnessy and relict of Sir William Bourke, Knt. By the latter he had issue, Dermod and Mortaugh, who both d.s.p. [died childless]"
- ^ Cokayne 1913, p. 251, line 29. "Daniel O'Brien, of Moyarta and of Carrigaholt, co. Clare, 3rd and ygst s. [youngest son] of Connor (O'Brien), 2nd Earl of Thomond [I. [Ireland] ], by his 2nd wife, Ownye, da. [daughter] of Turlogh Mac-i-Brien-Ara ..."
- ^ Burke 1883, p. 406, left column, line 53. "IV. Hugh, whose grandson, Conor, d.v.p. [predeceased his father]."
- ^ Burke 1883, p. 406, left column, line 54. "I. Mary, m. to Turlaugh Roe MacMahon, Lord of East Carhavaskin"
- ^ Burke 1883, p. 406, left column, line 56. "II. Margaret, m. to James Butler, Lord Baron of Dunboyne."
- ^ Burke 1883, p. 406, left column, line 57. "III. Honora, m. to Thomas Fitzmaurice, Lord Baron of Kerry and Lixnaw."
- ^ Dunlop 1895, p. 309, right column, line 7. "... described it as utterly impoverished owing to the Earl of Thomond's ' insufficiency to govern.'"
- ^ Dunlop 1895, p. 309, right column, line 24. "... he [Thomond] fled in the beginning of June to France."
- ^ Dunlop 1895, p. 309, right column, line 45. "... make endless promises before he [Thomond] would consent to take his departure."
- ^ Dunlop 1895, p. 310, left column, line 11. "... and he was reputed to have said that he repented ever condescending to the queen's mercy'"
- ^ a b Cunningham 2009, last paragraph. "He died ... at the age of forty-five, early in 1581, and was buried at the Franciscan friary at Ennis"
- ^ Dunlop 1895, p. 310, left column, line 31. "He died, apparently, in January 1581, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Donough, baron of Ibrickan and 4th earl of Thomond."
- ^ Fryde et al. 1986, p. 43, line 15. "Edward VI ... acc. 28 Jan. 1547;"
- ^ Fryde et al. 1986, p. 168, line 4. "1550, 4 Aug. / 10 Sep. / Anthony St Leger, L.D. [Lord Deputy]"
- ^ Fryde et al. 1986, p. 43, line 27. "Mary I … acc. 6 Jul. 1553;"
- ^ Fryde et al. 1986, p. 168, line 8. "1553, 1 Sept. / 19 Nov. / Anthony St Leger, L.D. [Lord Deputy]"
- ^ Fryde et al. 1986, p. 168, line 11. "1556, 27 Apr. / 26 May / Thomas Radcliffe, Lord FitzWalter, (e. of Sussex 1557), L.D. [Lord Deputy]"
- ^ Fryde et al. 1986, p. 43, line 41. "Elizabeth I … acc. 17 Nov. 1558;"
- ^ Cunningham 2009, last paragraph, 1st sentence. "Conor O'Brien married firstly, in 1559, Eveleen, widow of James Fitzgerald (qv), 13th earl of Desmond, daughter of Donal MacCarthy, but she died the following year."
- ^ Brady 2002, p. 99. "In 1559 they [Donnell] defeated the earl and his ally Clanrickard heavily at Spancel Hill."
- ^ McGurk 2004, p. 809, left column. "On 8 February 1565 the two rival armies met at the ford of Affane on the Blackwater in co. Waterford."
- ^ Fryde et al. 1986, p. 168, line 19. "1565, 13 Oct. / 20 Jan. 1566 / Henry Sidney, L.D. [Lord Deputy]"
Sources
- Brady, Ciaran (2002) [1st pub. 1996]. The Chief Governors: The Rise and Fall of Reform Government in Tudor Ireland 1536–1588. Cambridge: ISBN 0-521-46176-6.
- OCLC 906123913.
- OCLC 499232768. – (for Thomond)
- OCLC 1180891114. – S to T (for Thomond)
- OCLC 228661424. – Canonteign to Cutts (for Clancarty & Clare)
- Cunningham, Bernadette (October 2009). "O'Brien, Conor". Dictionary of Irish Biography. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
- OCLC 54499602. – Scotland and Ireland
- OCLC 8544105.
- Fryde, E. B.; Greenway, D. E.; Porter, S.; Roy, I., eds. (1986). Handbook of British Chronology. Royal Historical Society Guides and Handbooks, No. 2 (3rd ed.). London: Offices of the Royal Historical Society. ISBN 0-86193-106-8. – (for timeline)
- Maginn, Christopher (2004). "O'Brien, Conor, third earl of Thomond (1635?–1581)". In ISBN 0-19-861391-1.
- McGurk, J. J. N. (2004). "FitzGerald, Gerald fitz James, fourteenth earl of Desmond (c. 1533–1583)". In ISBN 0-19-861369-5.
Further reading
- OCLC 264906028. – Earls