Page images
PDF
EPUB

Galway, merchants, obtained a monopoly of the sale of good and wholesome wines there, during the lives of Richard Blake and Peter French.-Same to Martin, Richard, James, and Peter Darcy of Athenry, to make and sell aqua-vitæ or usquebagh during their lives.-Id. On 1st May, 17°. Jac. I. James Viscount Doncaster and his deputies, licensed to keep taverns and sell wines, usquebagh, and aqua-vitæ in Ireland, for 22 years. For several similar grants, see the Patent Rolls of James I. passim. On 7th June 4°. Jac. I. Sir Henry Folliott obtained a monopoly of the whole fishing and taking of salmon, herrings, and all other kinds of fish, for 41 years, in the ports, bays, creeks, or floods of Ballyshanan, Bondrois, and Callebeg. This grant extended to the counties of Donegal, Fermanagh, Leitrim, and Sligo. Id. A treatise on Monopolies in Ireland would develope many curious historical facts.

[blocks in formation]

The genealogical account of "Bourke Viscount Mayo," given in Lodge's Peerage of Ireland, Ed. 1754, vol. ii. p. 313, is one of the most perfect pieces of family history contained in that work. Archdall, in his edition, A. D. 1789, has given the account entire, but divided into two portions. One will be found in his memoir of " Bourke earl of Mayo," vol. iii. p. 414; and the other in that of "Bourke viscount Mayo," vol. iv. p. 227. It may be observed that, although Archdall, in the latter account, has stated, that John the eighth (and last) Viscount Mayo died in 1767, "since when the title has lain dormant," p. 249; and in the former that, "John then earl of Mayo was, on 13th January, 1781, created viscount Mayo of Monycrower in the county of Mayo:" yet he afterwards mentions "Sir [ Bourke, Lord Viscount of Mayo and Baronet," as then (1789) living. That there were successive claimants for the title after the death of the eighth viscount, one of whom was living at that time, is certain, but want of means and other opposing circumstances have ever since prevented its establishment; and, it is stated, that the same causes operate against the right heir to the present day. Lodge also mentions that Sir Theobald Bourke, the third Viscount Mayo, "had a son Luke," who, according to the genealogist, "died young."—Vol. ii. p. 236, Ed. 1754. But this Luke was old enough to be a captain in the army, as the Editor has lately ascertained from his epitaph, yet remaining in an old chapel attached to a ruined abbey, within two miles of the ancient church of Ballynakill, in the parish of that name, barony of Leitrim, and county of Galway. "Here under is interred Captain Luke Bourke, son to the Right Honorable Theobald Lord Viscount of Mayo, and D. Elynor Fitzgerald daughter to Sir Luke Fitzgerald, of Tier... han, who died the 10th of March, 1684." This epitaph may be found useful, in case the title shall hereafter be claimed.

IRISH ARCH. SOC. 15.

2 I

O'Ferrall

O'Ferrall, in his MS. Book of Irish Pedigrees, preserved in the Office of Arms, Dublin, gives the following account of the founders of the different spreading branches of the "Bourkes of Mayo County."

“Sir William Burk, ancestor to the Viscounts Mayo, and the rest of the Burkes of that county.

"His 1st son, Edmond, called the Scott (Albanach) from his being in Scotland twenty-two years with his mother's relations. She was daughter to the King of Scotland.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

2nd son, Richard, was ancestor to the Burkes, called M Walter of Luach.

3rd son, John, ancestor to the Burkes, called Mac Seonin (Jennings).

4th, Philip, ancestor to the Burkes, called M Philbin, or Philip, Gibbons, &c. "John Miagh Burk (son of John the 3rd) was called Mac Seonin.

"Gibbon (eldest son of Philip the 4th) was ancestor to the Burks, called from him Mac Gibbon.

[ocr errors]

Philip (2nd son of Philip) a quo the surname of Philips of the lower Owles (Mac Philbin).

"Theobald (3rd son of Philip) a quo Sliocht Tebott, of Magh-Odhar, near Crogh

Patrick.

"Meyler (4th son of Philip) a quo Mac Meyler.

"Thomas, the son of Edmond the Scot, was called Me William Eighter.

"His (Thomas's) eldest son was Edmond na Feroige, also Me William Eighter. "Walter (2nd son of Thomas) was ancestor to the Burkes of Balenrobe, Loch Measg, Kinlogh.

Thomas (3rd son of Thomas), ancestor to the Burkes of Maine.

"John (4th son of Thomas), ancestor to the Burkes of Turlogh.

“Emon na fesoige's eldest son, Ulick Burke, was ancestor of Lord Viscount Mayo, and the Burkes of Partry, Ballyvechan, &c. (Ballyvechan is in the mountains of Partry.) “Richard Burke, of Cuarsky (2nd son of Emon na fesoige), was ancestor to the Burkes of Tyrawly: some say he was the eldest son.

"From them also descended the families of Ballaghaddy (near Partry), Partry, Castlelecky, Ballyveghan, Castlebar, and Ballinrobe.

"Walter Fada Burke was ancestor of the Burkes of Partry.”

Compare the foregoing with Hib. Dominicana, pp. 318, 319.

It may be necessary here to observe that most of these Mayo families write their name Bourke. The Galway families, Burke.

NOTE

NOTE M. See page 40. "Order of Hermits of St. Augustine." The following deed of endowment of this foundation, A. D. 1517, is preserved in the Collegiate Library of Galway, before referred to.

"Sciant presentes et futuri, quod ego Ricardus Edmundi De Burgo dedi, concessi et hac presenti carta mea confirmavi Ricardo Nangle, sacre pagine professori, ordinis heremitarum Sancti Augustini, ac patri Donato O'Maille priori ejusdemque conventui monasterii nove ville Galvie, ejusdem ordinis Sancti Augustini, eorumque successoribus in dicto monasterio degentibus, de consensu et consilio Reverendissimi in Christo patris ac domini, domini Thome Dei gratia pro tunc archiepiscopi Tuamensis, in puram et perpetuam elemosinam, Ecclesiam meam parochialem de Roskam, Enachdunensis diocesis, cum cimiterio ex parte occidentali muri ejusdem ecclesie, cum quadam particula terre sita prope dictam partem occidentalem, vulgariter nuncupatam Tirnahalle, prout mete et bunde undique docent et proportant, viz. in latitudine usque ad magnos lapides occidentalis partis de Tyrnahalle, et in longitudine a mari superius usque ad murum prope silvam, cum alia magna sacerdotali terra vulgariter nuncupata Gort in tagart, prout mete et bunde undique docent et proportant, per longum et latum prout se extendunt; cum libertate pascuale octo vaccarum et sex caballorum, pro anima mea, parentum successorumque meorum: habendum et tenendum predictam ecclesiam cum suo cimiterio, Tyrnahalle et Gort in tagart, cum pascuali libertate predictarum octo vaccarum et sex caballorum, cum omnibus suis emolumentis, obvencionibus et pertinenciis prefatis, dictis priori conventuique prefati novi monasterii, suisque successoribus et assignatis suis, qui pro tempore fuerint, de me, heredibus et successoribus seu assignatis meis, imperpetuum; de capitalibus dominis feodi illius, per servicia ecclesiastica, et ordinis suffragia recompensando. Et ego vero prefatus Ricardus de Burgo, heredes, executores et successores seu assignati mei, predictam ecclesiam cum suo cimiterio, Tyrnahalle et Gort in tagart cum prefato libertate octo vaccarum et sex caballorum, omnibusque suis pertinenciis prefatis dictis priori et conventui, eorumque successoribus, qui pro tempore fuerint, contra omnes gentes warantizabimus et imperpetuum defendemus. In cujus rei testimonium, huic presenti carte mee, ob defectum sigilli proprii, sigillum domini Henrici Brangan, pro tunc Wardiani ecclesie collegiate ville Galvie, apponi feci. Hiis testibus presentibus, viz. Roberto fusco Lynche, Johanna Martyn ejusdem uxore, Jacobo White, Johanne Mc Kyachra et Memonia Myleyn, et multis aliis. Datum, Galvie, xvii°. die mensis Julii, anno regni Regis Henrici octavi nono, et Domini M.D.XVII.-Et nos Edmundus confirmamus manu propria. Et nos dominus Thomas Tuamensis Metropolitanus, hanc concessionem factam aprobamus, admittimus, et manu nostra propria confirmamus. Thomas Tuamen. M. "Et nos Edmundus confirmamus, manu propria."—Orig.

[blocks in formation]

NOTE N. See page 41, note b. "Sir Charles Coot."

By letters patent dated 13th May, 1645, Sir Charles Coote, knight and baronet, "in consideration of his courage, wisdom and circumspection," was appointed to the office of Lord President of the province of Connaught, "in as full and ample manner as Sir Charles Willmott, late Lord Viscount Willmott of Athlone, the Lord Viscount Ranelagh, or the late Earle of Clanricarde, had or enjoyed the same." To this appointment were annexed certain curious Instructions, which will be found enrolled on Cromwell's Roll," No. 1, preserved in the Rolls Office, Dublin.

NOTE O. See page 42, note ©.

66

The following "State letter" affords ample testimony that there were active traitors, within the walls of this devoted town, during the siege:

"GENT.

"Dublin Castle, 20", May 1656.

"The Council having, of late, received large testimony of the singular good services performed by Mr. Dominick Bodkin, Mr. Nicholas Oge French, and Richard Kirvan (inhabitants of the towne of Galway) for and in behaulfe of the English interest during the late Rebellion, not a little conducinge (as we are informed) to the advantage of the state, though (tis probable) they had, by such their ample testifieing of their affeccions to the English, prejudiced their private interests, and contracted a malice (from those of their own naccon, among whom they are now to live) which may prove dangerous to them. Their lordships have therefore thought fitt, hereby to recommend the consideration of their meritts unto you, that finding the same to bee as hath been alledged, you may in your proceedings (in the determining of their respective qualifications and claymes) afforde them what convenient dispatch you may, with such just and reasonable favour, as may be conceived meete and agreeable to your instructions for a reward and encouragement of well doing. Yours THO. HERBERT. To the Commissioners for adjusting the claymes of the Irish, at Athlone."-Original Privy Council Book, A. D. 1656.

These men were, accordingly, well recompensed for their "singular good services." Thomas Lynch Fitz-Ambrose, Matthew Browne, and Lieutenant Charles Browne, also received ample rewards.-Hist. Galway, Append. VII.; and one Julian Browne, who performed the part of Rahab on the occasion, also received her reward.

66

NOTE P. See page 43, note d. Lough Lurgan, the Bay of Galway."

In our author's Ogyg. p. 164, an old Irish poem is quoted for the "three most ancient lakes of Ireland;" one being Lough Lurgan, the present bay of Galway. This

poem

66

poem, which begins, "Coaṁ azair sruż ar sluag," Adam, father, stream of our hosts," has by some been attributed to Engus Ceile De, who flourished about A. D. 800; and by others to Angus Roe O'Daly, who died in A. D. 1350. See O'Reilly's Irish Writers, p. 97. But our author in the passage referred to says, that in place of Lough Lurgan, another antiquary has Lough Lumny, a lake in Desmond (for which see Keating's Hist., lib. i.); and adds "iste lacus longo post tempore legitur prorupisse," for which he refers to the Book of Lecan, fo. 284. He then hazards a conjecture respecting Lough Lurgan, viz. that, perhaps, it was formerly separated, by land, from the sea," "qui quondam fortasse firmâ terrâ a salo discretus, donec," &c., until the Western Ocean overcame the barrier, of which the three islands of Aran seem to be the remnant. This conjecture was probable, and the situation and appearance of those islands, with respect to the main land, would seem to support it, but no such circumstance is recorded; notwithstanding which, the writer, in Hist. Galway, pp. 4, 319, has incautiously asserted, that the separation alluded to had been actually mentioned by our ancient annalists. But he has since ascertained that such is not the fact; and therefore, whether Lough Lurgan, or the bay of Galway, had at any period of time been separated from the ocean, must ever remain matter of conjecture, for history is entirely silent on the subject.

The mountains of Burren, in the north of the County of Clare, shelter this bay on the south, as far as Black Head, called in Irish Ceann bópne, i. e. the head of Burren. Towards the east of Burren, near an arm of the bay, and south of Galway town, are the ruins of Corcumroe abbey (Corcumdhruadh), for which see Archdall's . Monasticon, p. 44. It was so called, because, when built, A. D. 1194, the territory of Corcumroe comprehended the present barony of Burren. It was also called the "Abbey of Burren." See the Annals of Innisfallen, at A. D. 1267, which state, that Connor na Sudaine O'Brien, Prince of Thomond, was interred in the "Abbey of the East of Burren." Also in Cathreim Toirdhealbhaigh, or the “Wars of Thomond," compiled A. D. 1318, it is stated, that he was interred in the "Monastery of East Burren,” and that the monks raised a monument over his remains "Agus do h-adlacad a mainisder óirtir Boirne go h-uasol onórać é, ag na manċuib, agus do żózbador a lia ós a luide.” Dutton, in his Statist. Survey of the County of Clare, p. 325, note, states that "Some giddy young gentlemen amused themselves with mutilating some part of this ancient monument." Several acts of a similar nature have been recorded, during the last three centuries, in Ireland.

Near this is the island of Muckinish, Muicinis, containing the ruins of two old castles, which formerly belonged to the O'Loughlins, chieftains of Burren. One of these castles, called Shan-Muckinish or Ballynacregga, has been lately repaired, and is now

« PreviousContinue »