Documents from the Thomond Papers at Petworth House Archive1 ...

Archivium Hibernicum
and billeting. 74 The Thomond branch of the Uí Mhaoilchonaire at Ardkyle
were descended from the two sons of Torna Óg Ó Maolchonaire, Seán and
Muiris, who flourished in the sixteenth century 75 making their presence
in Co. Clare new in comparison to other families of native learning long
settled in the county: Mhic Bhruaideadha, Mhic Chraith, Uí Íceadha,
Uí Nialláin, Uí Dhuibhdábhoireann, Mhic Chruitín, Uí Dhálaigh and Mhic
Fhlannchadha.
The Uí Mhaoilchonaire of Ardkyle are credited with penning several
manuscripts in the sixteenth century and members of the family served
as legal notaries. 76 We find Ilund O Molchonre of Ardkyll as a juror on the
1586 inquisition into the lands of John McNamara held at Galway. 77 Ilund,
the son of Seán who held Rossmanagher tower-house in Feenagh parish in
1570, 78 is known for his collaborative work with the Uí Dhuibhdábhoireann
family in c. 1569 on the law manuscript now known as Egerton 88 and
also in copying the Táin Bó Cúailnge saga at the Uí Mhaoilchonaire school
of history and poetry at Ardkyle. 79 Gilla na Naomh Ó hUidhrín’s poem
Tuilleadh feasa ar Éirinn Óigh (‘Further knowledge on young Ireland’) and
the now lost Leabhar Oiris whose exemplar was copied by the poet Dáibhí
Ó Bruadair from a copy of the original written in 1611, were both produced
at the Uí Mhaoilchonaire Ardkyle school. 80 Domhnall Ó Maolchonaire
composed the poem Créad fá seachnaim síol Aodha? (‘Why do I avoid the
descendents of Aodh?’) for Seán Mac Conmara, probably on the latter’s
inauguration of the lordship in c. 1571. 81
74 On the lands of west Clann Chuiléin, including Ardkyle, see Luke McInerney, ‘The West
Clann Chuiléin Lordship in 1586: Evidence from a Forgotten Inquisition’, pp 33–62, pp 40–
41, p. 43.
75 Paul Walsh, Irish Men of Learning, (Dublin, 1947), pp 34–48.
76 Various members of the Uí Mhaoilchonaire at Ardkyle are noted as witnesses to deeds in
Irish. See James Hardiman (ed.), ‘Ancient Irish Deeds and Writings Chiefly relating to
Landed Property from the Twelfth to Seventeenth Century: With Translation, Notes and a
Preliminary Essay’, pp 1–95. A land deed dated 1573 and written ‘on the green of Bunratty’
by Tornae (Torna) Ó Maolchonarie is of particular significance as the deed refers to the
Rodan family (‘muintir Rodain’) as stewards of the Earl of Thomond and to references to
local toponymy (Aylebeg in north-west Bunratty parish, the old orchard, etc), and the list of
witnesses including Siacus Ó Conallain, vicar of Bunratty. Ibid., pp 71–72.
77 R.W. Twigge, ‘Materials’, (BL, Twigge Collection, Add Ms 39260), pp 180–186, p.180.
78 Martin Breen, ‘A 1570 List of Castles in County Clare’, p.132.
79 Brian Ó Dálaigh, ‘The Uí Mhaoilchonaire of Thomond’ in Studia Hibernica, xxxv (2009/2010),
pp 45–68, p. 52.
80 Ibid., p. 51 and Kenneth W. Nicholls, ‘The Irish Genealogies: Their Value and Defects’ in The
Irish Genealogist, v, 2 (1975), pp 256–261, p. 258. R.W Twigge quotes the colophon of the RIA
Ms 23 L.37 as stating, ‘This genealogy was copied by Daibhi O’Bruadar in the year 1671, the
8th March, from the Historical Book of Clann Uí Mhaoilchonaire which they compiled 60
years before that period i.e. in the year 1611 and was rewritten in Cork by John Stack [Seaghan
Stac], in the year of Salvation 1708’. See R.W Twigge, ‘Materials’, (BL, Twigge Collection, Add
Ms 39264), p. 16.
81 See RIA Ms 784 (q.v. Ms 23.G.9). For other manuscript versions see Russell Library
Maynooth Ms M107. For a translation of the poem and historical context see Luke McInerney,
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