CHAP. III.

FROM THE ANGLO-NORMAN INVASION TO THE YEAR 1484.

Arrival of Strong bow accompanied by William Fitz-Andelm de Burgo, ancestor of the family of Clanricarde-Landing of Henry II.—Submission and subsequent revolt of the Irish Princes-Unsuccessful attempt of Roderic O'Conor, the monarch, on Dublin-Treaty between him and Henry II.-First hostile incursion of the Invaders into Connaught, and their defeat-Grant of the Province to De BurgoDeposition and death of Roderic-Connor, his successor, defeats De Courcy-Cathal, who succeeds, joins with Meiler Fitz-Henry the Justiciary, and subdues De Burgo-Treaty between him and King John-Cathal dies, and Henry III. orders the Lord Justice to seize on all Connaught and deliver it to Richard De Burgo-Fedhlim, who succeeded Cathal, visits Henry in England, and obtains an order to be restored to his territory-The Castle of Galway fortified by O'Flaherty -Taken by De Burgo, who strengthens the Castle and protects and encourages the Town-Walls, great Gate, and Tower erected-Increase of Trade and CommerceChurch of St. Nicholas built-Dispute between the families of Blake and AthyDeath of William Earl of Ulster, and seizure of Galway by Mac William Eighter -Charters of Murage and of the Staple granted by Edward III.-Removal of the Staple-Merchants of Limerick jealous of the increasing trade and prosperity of Galway-Revolt and submission of the Town-Two Charters granted by Richard II. -Charter of Henry IV.-Mercantile Regulations-Establishment of a MintCharter of Edward IV. and Conflagration in the Town.

THE successful invasion of Ireland in the twelfth century, by a few enterprizing adventurers, is an event which has long astonished the world. The suddenness and insignificance of the expedition, the easy and unaccountable submission, almost without a struggle, of a numerous and warlike people to a foreign foe, and the vast importance of the acquisition to the crown and kingdom of England justly excited the admiration of mankind. The causes which led to this great and memorable revolution will be found fully detailed in the histories of the times; its effects, which still continue, and which will influence millions yet unborn, are too well ascertained to require any new description: and as neither properly come within the limits of a work of this nature the following pages will, therefore, be confined to the local and provincial transactions which afterwards took place, so far as they could be found to affect, or have any bearing on the history of Galway.

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In the year 1171, Richard Earl Strongbow landed near Waterford, accompanied by William Fitz-Andelm de Burgo, a principal leader in the army, who, after the success of the invaders, was appointed to the chief government of Ireland. Henry II. soon afterwards arrived with an army of 4000 men, and having received the submission of some of the petty princes of Leinster and Munster, and of several of the bishops and clergy, he returned to England. Immediately on his departure, the princes and chieftains who had so recently submitted to his authority, as if on reflection they felt ashamed of the pusillanimity with which they bowed their necks to the yoke of servitude, revolted and commenced hostilities. Roderic O'Conor, king of Connaught and monarch of Ireland, who tamely permitted the encroachments of the English, now, when it was too late, roused from his lethargy, crossed the Shannon with a considerable army, and proceeded towards Dublin, which he invested: but in consequence of the unhappy dissensions which prevailed among his troops, and which, amongst the Irish, were at all times the causes of their ruin, he was defeated, obliged to retreat, and sue for peace. He accordingly dispatched deputies to England, who met the king at Windsor, and there a peace was most solemnly concluded between the two monarchs. Roderic consented to do homage, and pay tribute to the king of England; whereupon he was to hold his kingdom of Connaught, with the title of king, under him, Rex sub eo, and that in as ample a manner as he had done before the coming of the English. Our historians are unanimous in declaring that there never was any treaty more scrupulously adhered to than this by Roderic, while few were ever more flagrantly violated than it afterwards was, by Henry.

In the year 1178, the English first set a hostile foot in Connaught. Murrough, one of Roderic's sons, having received, or probably pretending to have received, some supposed injury, privately dispatched messengers to Milo de Cogan, who then lay in Dublin inviting him to march into Connaught, with a sufficient force, and promising, that he would be ready to assist him: holding forth, at the same time, great prospects of plunder. Milo, who only wanted the invitation, immediately set out, with upwards of 500 men, and soon arrived in Connaught; but having there met with a reception far different from what he expected, he was obliged to make a shameful retreat, with considerable loss.

'This nobleman, was the great ancestor of the powerful family of De Burgo and the Earls of Clanricarde, of whom frequent mention will be made throughout this work. Of his numerous and opulent posterity by two wives, the first the daughter of the king of England, and the second the daughter of Daniel more O'Brien, the last king of Cashel, Gratianus Lucius speaks as followsCujus propago adeo longe lateque per hiberniam diffusa est, ut in singulis Insulæ regionibus latifundia plurima, et summam plerumque dominationem retulerit; hono

rariis titulis et summa rerum administratione potita.Cambrensis Eversus pa. 53.

* John de Cogan, a descendant of this Milo's, about the year 1290, built the Franciscan Friary at Clare-yndowl now Clare Galway. It is a beautiful and curious piece of gothic architecture, and is still in considerable preservation; particularly the high tower, which is raised on arches. The castle was afterwards erected by one of the family of the De Burgos.

The traitor Murrough, was deservedly sentenced to lose his eyes, and suffer perpetual imprisonment; but having been soon afterwards liberated, he became the guilty cause of the most lamentable dissensions.

William Fitz-Andelm de Burgo, who, during his government of Ireland, formed the plan of obtaining a grant of the entire province of Connaught, (where, he hoped, in consequence of its distracted state, to be able to establish himself,) was no sooner recalled, than he confidently applied to Henry on the subject; of course representing Roderic as only waiting for an opportunity to retrieve his ruined affairs. The king, who ought to have recoiled with indignation from such a request, on the contrary, in open violation of the treaty which he had so recently entered into, (and which, it could not even be alleged was infringed on in any one article by Roderic,) in the year 1179, made the desired grant to William Fitz-Andelm and his heirs; and although the grantee never, during his life, gained any benefit by the concession, the country, notwithstanding, became thenceforward, the melancholy theatre of war and confusion.

Soon after this grant was obtained, Hugo de Lacy, one of the boldest of the adventurers, entered Connaught for the purpose of plundering, but being resolutely opposed, he saved himself and his men by a precipitate flight. The province is described as particularly disturbed in 1181, and these disturbances seem to have continued for the five succeeding years. In 1186, the rebellious sons of the unfortunate Roderic were the first to dethrone their unhappy father; they abstained, it is true, from the heinous crime of parricide, but they obliged him (perhaps to prevent it,) to fly and take refuge in the venerable abbey of Cong, in the present County of Mayo, where he found an asylum for the remainder of his life. Connor, one of his sons, placed himself on the throne, and soon signalized himself by routing, with great slaughter, John de Courcy, who, in 1186, taking advantage of the existing broils, made an incursion into Connaught. Connor did not long enjoy his usurped dignity, he was killed by one of his brothers, who, in return was slain by his nephew, one of Connor's sons, whereupon Cathal, or Charles, surnamed Crovdearg, or the bloody handed, succeeded, and, soon after his succession, gained a victory over De Courcy, whom he defeated with the loss of 200 foot and 30 horse; in commemoration of which, he founded the abbey of Collis Victoria, now called Knockmoy in the County of Galway.

Roderic O'Conor, the last of the Irish monarchs, died in Cong, where he had lived in retirement for the last twelve years of his life. Immediately on his death, William Fitz-Andelm made every preparation to assert his claim to Connaught, and with an intention of making Cathal Carragh O'Conor, who had views on the throne, subservient to his designs, he joined with him, routed Crovdearg, and the confederate troops of Ulster and Meath, and established Carragh: but not finding him so obedient to his wishes as he had expected, he soon after

declared against him, and joining with Crovdearg, they defeated Carragh, who was slain in the field, and his death led to the restoration of his more fortunate rival. The power and fame of De Burgo now became so extensive, that he openly declared himself independent of the crown of England; made Limerick the seat of his power, determined on war and peace at pleasure, and was both feared and hated as well by the English as by the Irish chieftains. Cathal Crovdearg, who experienced his changeable disposition, was obliged again to have recourse to arms for his protection; and joining with Meiler Fitz-Henry, the Justiciary, they marched towards Limerick, where they soon forced that powerful chief to surrender and return to his allegiance. He appears to have remained quiet the remainder of his life. In the year 1200 he founded the famous abbey of Athassell in the county of Tipperary; and having died in 1204, he was there interred, leaving Richard, Lord of Connaught, his heir and successor. It is observed by our historians, that the foregoing expedition of Cathal and the Justiciary, was the first instance in which an Englishman was ever seen at the head of the native troops of Ireland.

The death of William Fitz-Andelm did not retrieve the affairs of Cathal, but rather opened upon him more dangerous foes; to avoid whom, he wisely determined to enter into a treaty with king John, and if possible to depend upon him for safety and protection. Accordingly in the year 1206, he surrendered two parts of Connaught, and agreed to pay one hundred marks yearly for the third part, which he was to hold in vassalage; but notwithstanding this treaty, it appears that this proverbially perfidious English monarch, on 12th September 1215, granted to Richard de Burgo, the entire of Connaught, which was stated to have been held by his father, at the yearly rent of three hundred marks. This grant was confirmed in 1218, by Henry III. who, for the fine of a thousand marks, granted "the whole kingdom of Connaught" to Richard de Burgo and his heirs; but in this concession it was provided that it should not take effect until after the death of Cathal, who still maintained some shadow of rule and dignity, which he preserved until 1223, when he died. Tirlough, his brother, succeeded, but he was soon after expelled by Geoffry de Maurisco, the Justiciary, and Hugh, a son of Cathal, was established; who, soon after endeavouring to

The following communication was made by John to Meiler Fitz-Henry on this occasion.-" Rex Meilero filio Henrici Justiciario Hiberniæ, Sciatis quod Deremuit exposuit nobis ex parte Regis Connacie, quod idem Rex exigit tenere de nobis, terciam partem terre de Connoc pro C Marcis per annum, sibi et heredibus suis, nomine Baronie, et pro duabus partibus ejusdem terre, reddet nobis annuatim, debitum tributum, scilicet CCC Marcas. Et preterea concedet nobis, duos cantredos cum nativis corundem cantredorum, de predictis duabus partibus ad firmandum in eis, vel ad faciendum inde voluntatem nostram; et ideo vobis mandamus, quod si hoc videretis

esse nostrum melius, id fieri faciatis, quia ad hoc bene assentimus, si vos videretis expedire, veruntamen curam et operam adhibeatis diligentem, si poteritis opponere incrementum de dono propter hoc concedendum, quia sicut audivimus, ipse CCCC marcas, propter hoc dabit, ad minus, de gersum, et efficiatis eciam quod donat de vaccis et aliis rebus, per annum ad sustinendum castra nostra, que illuc firmavimus. Teste me ipso, apud Brehull, 20 die Decembris; per ipsum Regem.-Rot. Cl. 7 Joh. Tur. Lond. For a subsequent dispatch from the King to the Justiciary, containing a recital of the answer of the latter to the above, see Leland's Hist. Vol. I. p. 175.

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render himself independant, was assassinated by order of Geoffry, and Tirlough was once more restored.

Such was the gloomy picture of affairs in Connaught, and the melancholy state to which its native princes were reduced, when a mandate, dated 12th June, 1225, arrived from England, directing William Earl Marshall, the Lord Justice, to seize on the whole country of Connaught, (stated to have been forfeited by O'Conor,) and to deliver it to Richard de Burgo, at the yearly rent of three hundred marks, for the first five years, and after that period, of five hundred marks, for ever: excepting however five choice cantreds of lands near Athlone, which were supposed to have been reserved for the use of that garrison. This unprincipled grant was obtained through the influence of the famous Hubert de Burgo, Justiciary of England, in favour of his kinsman, it was finally confirmed at Westminster, 21st December, 1226, and in the year following Richard de Burgo was appointed to the government of Ireland.

The new governor with a view of promoting his views, and advancing his interest in Connaught, stirred up the usual cause of dissension in this unhappy province. He deposed Tirlough from the sovereignty, and established Fedhlim O'Conor, another son of Cathal, who afterwards proved himself the bravest and most politic of Roderic's descendants, and the only one who for any time retained the of power. This prince, after acquiring his independance, resolutely appearance resisted De Burgo's claims on his territory, and fortunately for him, his adversary's great friend, the Justiciary of England, having, at the very time, fallen into disgrace, the former was removed from the government here; and the Irish prince profiting by the temporary embarrassment of his rival, considerably augmented his power. But still apprehensive that he could not long support himself in Connaught by his own exertions, he suddenly passed over to England, attended by the Lord Justice, and there laid a long detail of his grievances and complaints against De Burgo before the monarch. Henry received his royal visitor in a manner worthy of his rank and dignity, and seemed so fully persuaded of the justice of his cause that he commanded the Lord Justice and nobility of Ireland to afford him every assistance, and use all their efforts to establish him in his territory.

About this time the town and castle of Galway (which the reader was necessarily obliged so long to lose sight of,) became of importance to the parties contending for the sovereignty of Connaught. After the invasion, in 1170, the castle was strongly fortified, and the town was put into a state of defence." It then consisted of a small community, composed of a few families of fishermen

"As many readers may be curious to know the particular situation of this ancient edifice, it has been ascertained that it stood in that part of the Town, called in the old map, the red Earl's lane, or Boaher an-Iarlagh, near

the late county Court-house. For centuries after the above period it was known by the name of the red Earl's castle, but it has been long since entirely demolished.