chief seat was at Clonahee, near
Strokestown, County Roscommon, where they had considerable land holdings in right of their
profession. A branch settled in Glare, and became famous for their learned teaching in
history, one of them being described as the "chief teacher in history of all the men
of Erin in his own time." The family also produced a number of eminent ecclesiastics.
The O’Beirnes (O Birn) first appear as stewards to their kinsmen
the Royal O’Connors, and later, after driving the O’Monaghans out of Tir Bhriuin
in north-central Roscommon (a rich territory lying between Elphin and Jamestown) about the
middle of the 13th century, they ruled that territory for over 300 years. The
O’Sheridans (O Sirideain) were an ecclesiastical family who were erenaghs (hereditary
abbots) of Granard in County Longford before becoming devoted followers of the
O’Reillys. Still later, in the seventeenth century, the family rose to eminence on
the literary fame of its members. One of them, Thomas Sheridan, was secretary of state
under James II.
The Clann Chathail , a branch of the Siol Muireadhaigh that gave two kings to Connacht
during the ninth century, included the families of O’Carry and O’Flanagan. The
O’Carrys (O Carthaigh) were a literary family of Roscommon, three of whom attained
the distinction "chief poet of Ireland," being described as such in the Annals
during the eleventh and twelfth centuries. The family later spread into Longford, Sligo
and Donegal. The O’Flanagans (O Flannagain) were the chief family of the Clann
Chathail, and long served as hereditary stewards to the kings of Connacht. They were
chiefs of a territory called after them Clann Chathail, which lay near Elphin in
northeastern Roscommon,
The Clann Mhaolruanaidh included the MacDermots (Mac Diarmada) and
their branch-families, the MacDonoghs and O’Crowleys. The MacDermots were the second
most powerful family of the Siol Muireadhaigh next to the O’Connors, and derived
their clan-name of Clann Mhaolruanaidh from Maolruanaidh, son of Tadhg O’Connor, king
of Connacht who died in 1097. From Diarmaid, the grandson of Maolruanaidh, who died in
1159, they took the family name of Mac Diarmada. About the middle of the fourteenth
century they divided into three branches, each with a chief of its own, namely: MacDermot
of Moylurg, overlord of the MacDermots, who had his fortress at the Rock of Laugh Key near
Boyle; MacDermotroe, or the Red MacDermot, who was chief of Tir-Thuthail (the parish of
Kilronan centered at Alderford) in County Galway, and MacDermot Gall, (the Anglicized
MacDermot) who early fell in with the English. The MacDermots of Moylurg retained their
rank as lords of the territory of Moylurg, now represented by the parishes of Frenchpark
and Boyle in northwest County Roscommon, down to the end of the sixteenth century, after
which time they continued to hold considerable property as princes of the adjoining Sligo
territory of Coolavin.
The MacDonaghs or MacDonoughs (Mac Donnchadha) are a branch of the
MacDermots of Moylurg, and were chiefs of Tirerrill and Corran in County |
