O'Flaherty clan
The O'Flaherty clan ( Irish Ó Flaithbertaigh ) is an important Gaelic family clan from Connacht in Ireland , who originally called themselves Muintir Mhurchadha .
English of Norman descent occupied the eastern territories of the O'Flaherty clan in western Ireland in 1232. Richard de Burgh (before 1194–1243 - also Burke) fortified the area on which the city of Galway emerged as a border fortress . He settled families there who ran the fortunes of Galway, which was granted city charter in 1396 and were later called the Tribes of Galway . The rest of Connacht remained Ireland's last independent territory for about 70 years. While Ulster , Leinster and Munster were conquered by the Anglo- Normans , the clans of the O'Connor, MacDermott, MacGeraghty and O'Flaherty were left alone on Galway Bay .
The clan history
The name of O'Flaherty comes from Murchada, Flaithbhertaig Mac Ermin (Flaherty, the son of Evin) a prince of Connacht . The first O'Flaherty on record appears in the annals in 1034 - Muireadhach Ua Flaithbheartach, Lord of Ui-Briuin-Seola, a descendant of Muinter Murchada and the O'Brien clan, named after the High King Brian Boru . The O'Flaherty were an independent subclan of the O'Connor who formed the kings of Connacht. The seat of the O'Flaherty was initially Eanach-dúin ( Annaghdown ), on the east bank of Lough Corrib , where they were the first Irish clan to build a tower house (also known as the Norman donjon ). In the square stood a monastery that is said to have founded St. Brendan , who died here in 577. The place was a diocese for a short time in the 12th century . From 1092 "Flaherty O'Flaherty" ruled the Kingdom of Connacht for a short time. He deposed King "Roderick O'Connor" and blinded him. After a short time he handed over the rule to "Aodh O'Connor". He was killed in 1098 by "Laughlin MacLaughlin".
On Galway Bay , the O'Flaherty served the O'Connors as naval forces during the 11th and 12th centuries. Between 1201 and 1235, the clan, led by Aodh O'Flaherty, suffered several defeats against the Normans . However, Connemara, Gnobeg, Gnomore, and half of the Barony of Ross (Joyce County) kept them for the next 450 years. The Corrib and the lakes Lough Corrib and Lough Mask became the border between the Normans and the clan areas held by the O'Flaherty and O'Malley.
The Norman period
In the 14th century, the clan regained strength and temporarily threatened the city of Galway. According to a persistent rumor, the citizens placed the prayer on the city wall: “From the Ferocious O Flaherty's O Lord deliver us”; From the wild O Flaherty's protect us O Lord. Hugh O'Flaherty renovated Annaghdown Church around 1400. The O'Flaherty's had sat at Aughnanure Castle since around 1500 . In 1546 Donal O'Flaherty married the 16-year-old Gráinne Ní Mháille, called Granuaile, ( English Grace O'Malley ), the daughter of the clan chief Owen O'Malley (Black Oak). The great Irish clans of Connacht were related to one another. But Donal, who was a contender for clan leadership, dies early and Grace goes back to her family in Mayo . The west coast of Connemara was ruled by the pirates Donal O'Flaherty (Donal of the Wars), his wife Grace O'Malley and later Murrough Na Doe O'Flaherty (Murrough of the Axes). Grace O'Malley's son Murrough Na Maor led the O'Flaherty clan in the early 17th century.
In those centuries, the O'Flaherty learned from the Normans and built castles, churches and cities, and got rich through trade and piracy. In 1582 they captured the Aran Islands from the O'Briens. The O'Flaherty must be credited with maintaining the Gaelic Celtic heritage. When clan chief Murrough Na Doe O'Flaherty died in 1596, the Brehon Laws were still the foundation of justice.
The end of clan rule
In 1642 the notorious "massacre at the bridge at Shrule " took place, where about 30 - 65 (the information varies) English Protestants were murdered. Some were saved by the monks of Ross Errilly Monastery . While the killers remained unknown, it was alleged that the Protestants were struck by the anger of O'Flaherty. Eammon O'Flaherty, a colonel in the Irish army, was blamed for the events and executed by the victorious English army in 1653. Most historians consider this to be propaganda made by the British Puritans to mobilize their armies and also occupy the still free part of Ireland.
Roderick O'Flaherty was an Irish historian in the 17th century. His book Ogygia (Antiquities) became the source of Irish historiography. His goods were confiscated in 1653. He died impoverished in 1718. On the occasion of the Great Famine in 1840, many O'Flaherty left Ireland for the New World. Liam O'Flaherty (1896-1984) was an important Irish writer. Hugh O'Flaherty (1898–1963) was a priest of the Roman Catholic Church and a resistance fighter in occupied Italy during World War II . Bridie O'Flaherty and her daughter Terry O'Flaherty served as mayors of Galway in the late 20th and early 21st centuries .
See also
literature
- Michael C. O'Laughlin: The book of Irish families, great & small. 1992, ISBN 978-0-940134-09-6