cannot be mitigated by faint
praise, for among other things he brought a degree of unity and common purpose to the Gael
never seen before or since. He came out of virtual obscurity to bring Ireland out of its
perpetual chaos just enough to guarantee its existence into the future. Such was his
greatness that neither his nobility nor the quality of the seed that produced him can ever
be called into question (as a tree bears fruit in kind, so a man’s parentage and
ancestry were of central social and political importance to the Gael, hence the family
names in "0" and "Mac" (see Chapter V). For those interested, the book
Lion of Ireland by Morgan Llywelyn gives his life story with remarkable accuracy and human
interest.
In any case, it was Brian who raised his clan, the Ui Toirdealbhaigh,
to preeminence among the Dalcassians, although there is evidence that the Ui
Toirdealbhaigh were originally from Connacht (see Chapter IX). He laid the foundation for
his progeny’s future greatness, just as the guerrilla tactics of the Ui
Tordealbhaigh, under Brian’s leadership, laid the foundation of Brian’s later
reputation and success as a "Viking-stopper." The O’Briens became not only
the ruling family in Thomond, but some of them were over-kings of Munster and some
High-Kings of Ireland as well. Their own possessions included the whole of County Clare,
and large parts of Tipperary, Limerick, and Waterford as well.
The O’Briens divided into several branches, the most important of
which were the O’Briens of Ara, in northwest Tipperary, the chief of which was known
as Mac I Bhriain Ara; those of Coonagh in the east of County Limerick; those of
Pobelbrien, now the barony of that name in County Limerick (their chief stronghold was
Carrigogonnell, on the Shannon); those of Aherlow, in Tipperary, and finally those of
Cumaragh, in County Water-ford, who had extensive possessions along the Cummeragh
Mountains, that is, the valley between Dungarvan and the Suir. Other families of the Ui
Toirdealbhaigh, whose original territory was in the east of County Clare, include the
MacConsidines, MacLysaghts, MacDonnells and MacMahons.
The MacConsidines (Mac Consaidin) are a branch of the O’Briens,
being descended from Domhnall Mor 0 Briain, King of Munster, who died in 1194.
The MacLysaghts (Mac GiolLa Iasachta) are also descended from Domhnall
Mor 0 Briain (Great Donal O’Brien), who lived from 1163 to 1194. They formed a
sub-sept of the O’Briens, being originally settled around Ennistymon, County Clare,
and spread afterwards throughout Clare and Limerick, with a branch also going to County
Cork.
