from Michaelmas in the 8th year of Edward I. to Easter in the 10th year of that king, was only £21 5s. 2d.-soon afterwards the trade and commerce of the city fell rapidly, whilst Galway as rapidly advanced. On Pipe Roll no. 17, the nett produce of the customs of Limerick, appears to have amounted only to 1s. 6d. for a period when in Galway it reached, for the same time, £18 4s. 54d. We do not wonder that Mr. Hardiman, the historian of Galway, should boast of the comparatively flourishing condition of the city of the tribes; but Limerick was not destined to remain always in a secondary position. In after years not only was Galway left behind in the march of commercial enterprize, but it was thrown completely into the shade. At this period the citizens felt aggrieved in reference to the salmon and eel fisheries of the Shannon, and sent forward a petition to the king which was promptly responded to. The fisheries continued to be a source of very great interest; and several important matters relating to them appear on the records during the reign of Edward I. which show the attention which was paid by the crown to them at this period, and the regular accounts sent on of the revenues, as well as the payments made to the bishop. Robert de Saint Edmond obtained a grant of the weirs, &c., but after he had petitioned, his rent for them yearly was fixed at twenty marcs. The grant of Thomond by Edward I. to Thomas de Clare had its effect not only on Limerick, but on the province of Munster, and more so on the province of Connaught. This event took place in the year 1275; and to this day traces of it are found in every part of the great county to which de Clare gave his own name-a name which in after years became historical and cherished in the warm affections of the Irish people. Limerick continued to progress, though Galway possessed more facilities as a port, and though so far back as the year 1277, Dermod More O'Brien of Tromra, county Clare, received twelve tuns of wine yearly as a tribute from the merchants of Galway "in consideration of protecting the harbour and trade from all pirates and privateers, by maintaining a suitable maritime force for the purpose."

carucates of land and a half, in demesne, by the year, for £20 3s. 4d." He states that the land is worth £30 in common years, and that "those citizens can sufficiently render you rent without loss, and without the waste land;" "but know your lordship, that the citizens of this town hold very great place against the enemies of this march, and great damage have had by the Irish of that part, and by prices of your justiciaries before this time, whereby they are much grieved. Wherefore, Sire, it is advised to us, that it would be good, if it please you, that you would do them some favour." He advises the withdrawal of the acquittance of felony, "if a man of their franchise kills another within the city, and he can purge himself of the fact by forty men."

Pipe Roll, 1st Edward I. (1272), Maurice le Blund and Walter de Attar, render an amount of £73 6s. 8d. of the farm of the same city this year, and £220 of the same farm for three years preceding: and of £153 15s. 1d. of the arrears thereof for many years preceding; the sum £447 18. 9d. In this account compensation to the amount of £40 is given to the bishop of Limerick for the fishery, for the aforesaid time, that is to say by the year £10. Citizens after rendering several other accounts are brought in debt, £189 7s. 103d.

Pipe Roll, 5th Edward I. (1276-'7), states, that the citizens render an account of £104 8s. of the issues of the weir of Limerick for the whole second year of the reign of king Edward, and of £31 8s. 1d. of the same issues for the whole third year of the reign of the same king, as is contained in the rolls which the aforesaid citizens delivered to the exchequer, of the aforesaid issues; several other sums are stated in this weir, "which the citizens expended in emendations and other costs of the same weir," &c.

The 8th November, 1276-'77, 4th Edward I, a mandate is issued to "Robert de Ufford, justiciary of Ireland, and the barons of the Exchequer, Dublin, a mandate, setting forth the inquisition of Geoffry de Genyville, &c., exonerating the citizens by the advice of Thomas de Clare, and taking up the weir from them, provided that, upon the reception of that weir into our hand, the same weir be in the same good state, that it was upon the day when the same citizens received the weir."

* Hardiman's History of Galway, pp. 51 and 52.

The merchants of Limerick, on the contrary, up to the reign of James I. and most likely for sometime afterwards, were compelled to give tribute of wine and merchandise from their ships, not only to the O'Kehanes of Kilrush, and the O'Connors of Foynes, but to each possessor of a castle between the city and the sea; which is one cogent reason no doubt, why the trade and commerce of Limerick did not equal those of Galway. According to the Annals of Innisfallen, the possessions of de Clare and the English of Thomond extended from Tiobraid-no-Huinnsion to the confines of Bunratty, where de Clare built the castle which to this our own day is one of the largest ancient edifices in Ireland. This castle has stood the brunt of several sieges, and, as a strategetical position, it has nothing to equal it on the Shannon. Bunratty was extremely useful whilst it protected the shipping and trade of the city.

1285. In this year Edward I. granted a charter to the citizens of Limerick, empowering the freemen of the Corporation to meet in their common court within the said city, and there make laws and regulations for their internal government. In the same year the English followers of de Clare were defeated by the chiefs of Thomond, headed by king Torlogh at Tardree; and in 1287, after suffering repeated reverses, the sustained a decisive defeat in 1287, on which occasion Thomas de Clare, Fitzmaurice, Sir Richard de Exeter, Sir Richard Taffe, and other distinguished persons, were left dead on the field, and an expedition, headed by Geoffrey de Mariscis was sent to Connaught to quell the disturbances there.2

Following out the fortunes of the O'Brien family to the period when Murrough, the son of Turlough, resigned the title of king of Thomond for an English Earldom, we shall adopt the account given by the author of the valuable Irish tract, from which we have already quoted.

"Tadhg O'Brien, the elder son of Connor, left two sons, Turloch and Donoch; and according to the law of succession among the clanns, Torloch, though still in his minority, should succeed to the chieftaincy and to the title of O'Brien. In this, however, he was wrongfully anticipated by his father's brother Brian Ruadh, who had himself proclaimed chief, and without any opposition. This Brian Ruadh continued to rule for nine years, until the young Torloch came to full age; when backed by his relatives the MacNamaras, and his fosterers the O'Deas, he marched with a great force against his uncle, who, sooner than risk a battle, fled with his immediate family and adherents, taking with him all his property, eastwards into North Tipperary, and left young Torloch in full possession of his ancestral rule and dignity.

"Brian Ruadh, however, could not quietly submit to his loss and disgrace, and, taking council with his adherents, they decided on his seeking the aid of the national enemy, to reinstate him in his lost chieftainship. For this purpose Brian Ruadh and his son Donoch proceeded to Cork, to Thomas de

1 The names usually met with in the records of these times, are Minutor, Clarke or Clericus, White, Arthur, Young or Juvenis, De Leyes, Crop; in page 23 of the Black Book of the Bishops of Limerick, Symon Herwarder is styled Mayor, and Maurice Blund and Walter of Adare, Provosts of Limerick, in 1230-again in page 34, Simon Hirwarder, and Richard de la Cowe and Hugh Ricolf; in page 60, Reginald de S. Jacobo is styled Seneschal of Limerick, 1230. These names do not appear in the Arthur MSS.

An account amounting to £60, appears furnished for bread and wine, &c., supplied to the expedition which was made by Geoffrey de Mariscis to Connaught.

In 1290, Tallow Candles were first used in Limerick instead of rushes, &c.

Clare, son of the Earl of Gloucester, then at the head of all the AngloNorman forces of Munster, and sought his assistance, offering him an ample remuneration for his services. They offered him all the land lying between the city of Limerick and the town of Ardsallas, in Clare. De Clare gladly accepted these terms, and both parties met by agreement in Limerick, from which they marched into Clare; where, before any successful opposition could be offered them, the Castle of Bunratty was built and fortified by the Norman leaders.

"A short time afterwards, however, in the year 1277, de Clare put the unfortunate Brian Ruadh to death, having had him drawn with horses and torn, notwithstanding that the fidelity of the matrimonial alliance had been ratified by the most solemn oaths on all the ancient relics of Munster; and it was then indeed that the great wars of Thomond commenced in earnest; for, notwithstanding the treacherous death of their father, the infatuated soul of Brian Ruadh still adhered to de Clare, and the warfare was kept up with varying success till the year 1318, when Robert de Clare and his son were at last killed, in the battle of Disert O'Dea. After this the party of Brian Ruadh were compelled to fly once more over the Shannon into Ara, in Tipperary, where their descendants have ever since remained under the clann designation of the O'Briens of Ara.

"The brave Dalcassians having thus rid themselves both of domestic and foreign usurpation, preserved their country, their independence, and their native laws and insitutions, down to the year 1542, when Murroch, the son of Turloch, made submission to Henry the Eighth, abandoned the ancient and glorious title of the O'Brien, and disgraced his lineage by accepting a patent of his territory from an English king, with the title of the Earl of Thomond." This however is anticipating. We now follow the order of

events.

In the year 1303, according to the Annals of the Four Masters, " a great army was led by the king of England into Scotland, and the (Red) Earl and many of the Irish and English went with a large fleet from Ireland to his assistance. On this occasion they took many cities and gained sway over Scotland."

In 1304 Torlough received the hostages of all the chiefs of North Munster, demolishing all the English castles as far as Youghal, and putting their garrisons to the sword.

In the year 1306 Donough succeeded his father Torlough, and had scarcely been inaugurated when a confederacy was formed against him by the descendants of Brian Roe, who were supported by Richard de Clare and the Dalcassian families who then occupied the Hy-Mbloid territory in the east of the county Clare, co-extensive with the present Deanery of Omullod in the diocese of Killaloe. The most distinguished of these families were the O'Conaings, O'Kennedys, O'Ceadfeas, O'Shannahans (or Shannons), O'Hogans, O'Eactherns (Aherns), O'Mailduins, O'Duracthies, O'Lonargains, O'Conguilles, and O'Kearnies, from which latter family the river flowing through Sixmile

1 The same event which is recorded as having occurred in 1299 by the Annalists of Ulster, led in some measure to the expedition of Bruce, whose arrival at Limerick we shall presently have occasion to mention. It had also an important effect on the condition of Ireland by encouraging a licentious spirit of insurrection, and giving free course to the turbulence of both the English and Irish inhabitants. Hence several feuds broke out with new violence during the absence of these powerful lords, and petty wars were carried on to the utter desolation of the finest and most valuable of the English settlements.

Bridge has derived its second name, the original being Raite, from which is derived Bunratty. The O'Gradies were also supporters of Brian Roe, and had been defeated at the battle of Clare Abbey in 1276, when commanded by Mahon, the grandson of Donald Connachtahc. On the other side, Donogh was supported by his relatives, the Macconmaras, the commanders

1 A large collection of notes in reference to the O'Grady family is in the possession of Miss Julia O'Grady, Castle Park, near Limerick. They held a territory in the county of Clare, called Kirell-Dongail, extending around Tomgraney. And in later days they constantly held the chief ecclesiastical dignities in the Cathedral of Killaloe. It is stated that the Bradys of Raheen, Co. Clare, and Brady, the first Protestant Bishop of Meath, were of the senior branch of the O'Gradys, who changed their name when becoming Protestants. The evidence is to be found in a work lately published by Mr. Brady, a son or brother of the Lord Chancellor Brady, containing extracts from the Chapter Books of Cloyne, Ross, Cork, &c. &c. The Kilballyowen branch, of whom a pedigree is in Burke's Landed Gentry, have been settled in Limerick, at Knockany and Kilballyowen, from an early date. Any belonged to the O'Kerwicks; Thomas de Clare held it in 15 Edw. II.; and the O'Gradys held it about A.D. 1400, building Ballycahane Castle in 1496 (D'Alton), and Rockbarton Castle, at Askeaton, soon after. A portion of the County Limerick estates, however, belonged to the celebrated Pierce Lacy, of Bruff; Kilballyowen, Kilcullane, and other lands, being then O'Grady property. So we find these lands confirmed to Donough O'Grady in 1611 (Rot. Pat. Hib. 8 Jas. I.), and Pierce Lacy's estate confirmed to Sir Thomas Standish three years later (Rot. Pat. Hib. 11 Jas. I.) Sir Thomas Standish had a large estate, which eventually passed through his daughters; a small portion to the O'Gradys (Dermod O'Grady having married Faith Standish; see the will of Sir T. Standish, dated 1635), but the larger part to the Hartstonges, now represented by the Earl of Limerick. The Annals of the Four Masters describe John O'Grady, Archbishop of Tuam, who died in 1371, as the “leading man for wisdom and hospitality in his time." From these Annals we can trace the chieftainship of the senior branch of the O'Gradys as follows:

1268. Donell, chief of his name, died.

1311. Donell, chief of his name, died.

1408. Teige, chief of his name, died.

1485. Nicholas, Abbot of Tomgraney, died.

15-.? Donough, son of Nicholas, died.

1559. Donoughoge, son of Donough, and grandson of Nicholas, Archdeacon of Killaloe, died. The Annals do not tell us, but we know by other records, (Patent Rolls, 9th July, 1553) that he was the chief of the O'Gradys, and had a confirmation of the estates from the Crown, with the honor of Knighthood by Patent. 1582, Donough, son of the above Donough, "a man of great power," died. He was Dean, probably of Killaloe, as the dignities in that Cathedral were kept in the same families for generations. The last notice I find of the O'Grady family in the county of Clare, and one which shows that the Limerick branch acted in concert with their kinsmen in that county, is in the very curious journal of the siege of Ballyally Castle, near Ennis, printed in 1841 for the Camden Society. This castle was held by the widow of Maurice Cuffe (an Englishman, and a merchant in Ennis), assisted by her sons, one of whom was ancestor of the Earl of Desart. On the 10th January, 1642, Hugh O'Grady, of Stradnegalow, raised his clan, and began hostilities against the English settlers in the county of Clare, and on the 4th February they, with Connor O'Brien of Lemeneigh, Sir Donell O'Brien, and a few others of that name, (but without the approval of the Earl of Thomond,) and aided by the Mac Namaras, O'Loghlens of Burren, O'Hogans, O'Shaughnessys, and others, made an attack on Ballyally castle. "Captain Henry Gradey, of Cnockaney, in the County of Limerick," was one of those so engaged and being one of the chief leaders in the undertaking, he was deputed (being then styled in the Narrative "Captain Henry O'Gradey,") to summon the castle-" and being demanded by some that were upon the battlement warding, what athorety hee had to demand it, or right or claime he could laie to it. Whereupon hee anshwerd that hee had commission from his majesty to banesh all the Protestants of the kingdom of Ireland. Heere upon without furthar exeamenation, there was a bullet sent from the castell by one of the wardars to exeamen his cumishon, which went through his thigh, but he made shift to rumble to the bushes and there fell downe, but only laye by it sixteene wickes, in which time, unhapely, it was cured." This shot was fired, it appears, by "Andrew Chapling, minstar;" perhaps some Protestant clergyman of the district.

The O'Gradys were not intimidated by it. Having no cannon, they first made two "sows," a small one to clear the way, and a large one to follow; the latter being 35 feet long, 9 feet broad, and mounted on four wheels. It was double planked; nailed with nails to the value of £5, which had been collected to build the house of correction in Ennis, and covered with two rows of hides, and two rows of sheep skins, which made it bullet proof. They likewise made a leathern gun five feet long and 5 inches in diameter, with which they tried to batter the castle, but "shee only gave a great report, having 3lbs. of powthar in har, but lett fly backwarde, the bullet

of the great sept of Glancuilen, so called from Cuilen, the seventh in descent from Caissen, from whom this powerful race was also called Hy-Caessen, which Caissen was the second son of Cas, eighth in descent from Olliol Olum, king of Munster, in A.D. 234. This sept included the following families, Clan Macconmara, Clan-an-Oirchinneagh (MacInnerhenies) Clan a Ghiollamhavil, Clan-an-Chlaraugh, Clan Mmheanmain, O'Maeldowny, O'Halloran, O'Slattery, O'Hossin, O'Hartigan, O'Haly, O'Cindergain, O'Maly, O'Meehan, and O'Liddy. Donogh was also supported by the two very powerful families of O'Quinn' and O'Dea, the chieftains of Cinel Fearmaic, now the barony of Inchiquin.

In 1309 these families met to decide the sovereignty of Thomond by the arbitrament of the sword, and a battle ensued in which Dermod, the grandson of Brien Roe, was defeated, and his brother Connor slain.2

The next year the territory of the O'Gradies (the Cinel Dongaile) was invaded and devastated by Dermod, by whom they were compelled to join him. The English as well as the Irish were now pitted in hostile camps, in consequence of the feuds existing between the Geraldines and De Burghos, the latter of whom supported Donogh, while the Geraldines joined their connexions, the De Clares, in sustaining the claims of Dermod.

4

The first entry in the Annals of the Four Masters for 1310, states that "Conor O'Brien the best roydamna (heir presumptive, literally, 'makings of a king,') was treacherously slain by the black English." In the year 1311, was fought the battle of Bunratty, in which 630 gallowglasses of Donogh's army were killed, and De Burgho taken prisoner. The besiegers were commanded by the Red Earl of Ulster. Clonroad Castle was burned to the ground; Donogh himself was treacherously slain by a relative, and his successor Dermod died in the same year in which he was chosen. These events are somewhat differently recorded by the Annalists of Clonmacnoise, who state that he was deposed and succeeded by Murtagh son of Turlogh. On the death of Dermod, his kinsmen Donogh and Brian Bane, grandsons of Brian Roe, once more took the field with the families of the Hy-Mbloyd. They were defeated at the battle of Tully O'Dea, and obliged to fly to Bunratty to seek the assistance of De Clare, which was granted. In the year 1313 Donough, supported by the English, vanquished his enemies, drove Murtagh O'Brien and his brother into Connaught, and was himself formally inaugurated King of Thomond. The next year, however, a new division of territory took place by a decision of the States of Thomond, who awarded the eastern portion to Murtagh with the addition of Clonroad and Hy Cormac, the present barony of Islands. Murtagh O'Brien, encouraged by the in

remaining within." And as the sows also turned out useless to the besiegers, being taken in a successful sally on the 27th of Feburary, they raised the siege.

The O'Gradys and O'Shaughnessys afterwards attacked Inchicronan castle, of which they eventually obtained possession. But we find no mention of the O'Gradys of Knockany as concerned in further actions at this period.

1 The O'Quins are at present represented by the Earl of Dunraven. The O'Deas who gave their name to the parish of Dysart O'Dea, were connected by fosterage with the O'Briens, between whom and them a strong tie of affection subsisted to a very late period.

2 Annals of the Four Masters.

3 This expression puzzled Dr. O'Donovan who thinks it means the English lately came over. It is most likely, however, that it is a term of reproach which was richly merited by these ruthless and perfidious and turbulent invaders, the theatre of whose quarrels was now transferred to the kingdom of Thomond.

Annals of the Four Masters.

Annals of the Four Masters.