Kingdom of Thomond - Rise of the Earls
Written by Ben Kesp
The Kingdom of Munster was an Irish kingdom on the south west corner of Ireland and existed from as early as 1st century BC to the year 1118. The Rock of Cashel in County Tipperary became a powerful seat of power and the kingdom had to defend itself from Viking raids from the 9th century, who established the cities of Limerick, Waterford and Cork. A powerful clan rose up called the Dál gCais and from it, a powerful leader would emerge called Brian Boru. He was a visionary, who for a brief period united the kingdoms of Ireland under one unitary state and turned the ceremonial role of Ireland’s High Kingship into what he believed it should have been.
Following over one thousand years, the Kingdom of Munster would be partitioned in 1118, under the “Treaty of Glanmire”, when Tadhg Mac Cárthaigh, who rose to power in the southwest part of the Kingdom, divided the Kingdom of Munster in two. Thomond ruled by the O’Brien family and Desmond ruled by the Mac Cárthaigh. These two kingdoms withstood the Norman invasion, however in the 16th century, were brought under the English Crown.
Rise of the Earls of Thomond
The O’Brien family belong to a noble house of Munster, founded by King Brian Boru of the Dál gCais. Brian’s descendants, carried the name of O’Brien and continued to rule Munster until the 12th century. Following the split of the ancient Kingdom of Munster, the O’Brien kingdom shrunk to the Kingdom of Thomond, present day Clare, Limerick and parts of Tipperary.
The new Kingdom of Thomond also had an English influence when Robert De Muscegros built Bunratty Castle on land granted to him by King Henry III of England. The lands were later taken back by Henry III who granted them to Thomas De Clare, a descendent of Strongbow or Richard De Clare and Lord of the Kingdom of Leinster – of the first Norman Conquest. The de Clare were also associated with Clare Castle (Clarecastle), which also resulted in the county of Clare being named after it. The O’Brien family continued by putting pressure on the English by burning Clare Castle and by 1475 had taken up ownership of Bunratty Castle.
The last O’Brien to rule in Thomond was Murrough O’Brien, who surrendered his sovereignty, to King Henry VIII and became Earl of Thomond. The O’Brien family, under King Henry VIII’s “Surrender & Regrant” scheme, were granted the title of Earls of Thomond. The family ruled north Munster and lived in great luxury, with castles, adorned with splendid gardens. Bunratty Castle, one of their stronghold castles, was surrendered following the arrival of the Cromwellian forces, but the O’Brien family would not abandon Co. Clare and would later build a new luxury residence that became known as Dromoland Castle.
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| Kingdom of Thomond |
The Kingdom of Munster was an Irish kingdom on the south west corner of Ireland and existed from as early as 1st century BC to the year 1118. The Rock of Cashel in County Tipperary became a powerful seat of power and the kingdom had to defend itself from Viking raids from the 9th century, who established the cities of Limerick, Waterford and Cork. A powerful clan rose up called the Dál gCais and from it, a powerful leader would emerge called Brian Boru. He was a visionary, who for a brief period united the kingdoms of Ireland under one unitary state and turned the ceremonial role of Ireland’s High Kingship into what he believed it should have been.
Following over one thousand years, the Kingdom of Munster would be partitioned in 1118, under the “Treaty of Glanmire”, when Tadhg Mac Cárthaigh, who rose to power in the southwest part of the Kingdom, divided the Kingdom of Munster in two. Thomond ruled by the O’Brien family and Desmond ruled by the Mac Cárthaigh. These two kingdoms withstood the Norman invasion, however in the 16th century, were brought under the English Crown.
Rise of the Earls of Thomond
The O’Brien family belong to a noble house of Munster, founded by King Brian Boru of the Dál gCais. Brian’s descendants, carried the name of O’Brien and continued to rule Munster until the 12th century. Following the split of the ancient Kingdom of Munster, the O’Brien kingdom shrunk to the Kingdom of Thomond, present day Clare, Limerick and parts of Tipperary.
The new Kingdom of Thomond also had an English influence when Robert De Muscegros built Bunratty Castle on land granted to him by King Henry III of England. The lands were later taken back by Henry III who granted them to Thomas De Clare, a descendent of Strongbow or Richard De Clare and Lord of the Kingdom of Leinster – of the first Norman Conquest. The de Clare were also associated with Clare Castle (Clarecastle), which also resulted in the county of Clare being named after it. The O’Brien family continued by putting pressure on the English by burning Clare Castle and by 1475 had taken up ownership of Bunratty Castle.
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| Bunratty Castle - Source: Limerick.ie |
The last O’Brien to rule in Thomond was Murrough O’Brien, who surrendered his sovereignty, to King Henry VIII and became Earl of Thomond. The O’Brien family, under King Henry VIII’s “Surrender & Regrant” scheme, were granted the title of Earls of Thomond. The family ruled north Munster and lived in great luxury, with castles, adorned with splendid gardens. Bunratty Castle, one of their stronghold castles, was surrendered following the arrival of the Cromwellian forces, but the O’Brien family would not abandon Co. Clare and would later build a new luxury residence that became known as Dromoland Castle.
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| Dromoland Castle - Source: Business Post |
- Murrough O’Brien, the last King of Thomond and became the 1st Earl of Thomond (1543 – 1551) and the 1st Baron of Inchiquin (1543 – 1551)
- Daniel O’Brien became the 1st Viscount Clare (1662 – 1663)
- Murrough O’Brien, 5th Earl of Inchiquin, 10th Baron of Inchiquin (1777 – 1808), became the 1st Marquess of Thomond (1800 – 1808)
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