O'Melaghlin of Meath

"The Vicissitudes of Familes"
Burke

"The mutability of fortune is in no instance more signally displayed than in the vicissitudes of the O'Melaghlins, native Kings of Meath. Descended from Conal Crimthine, one of the sons of the reknowned Irish monarch, Niall the Great, they assumed from Colman More, the grandson of Conall Crimthine, the soubriquet of the Clan-Colman, or Southern Hy-Nialls, as contradistinguished from the Northern Hy-Nialls, the O'Neills and O'Donnells, descendants of Owen and Conal Gulban, two other sons of that monarch. As the "Clan-Colman," or "Southern Hy-Nialls," they were known until the ninth century, when they assumed the surname of O Maolseachlainn, or O'Melaghlin, from Maolseachlainn, or Malachy, the then monarch of Ireland. These Northern and Southern Hy-Nialls exclusively occupied the throne of Ireland, from the fourth to the eleventh century; a period of time which no reigning dynasty can boast of,the Sovereign of Rome alone excepted. They had four royal palaces in Meath, Tara, "of the Kings," "Tailten, "of the Royal Games," Tachtga, and Usneach, of which Ossian sung. But Tara was the most magnificent, as well the palace of the reigning monarch, as the place of assembly of the great Fez, or native Irish Parliament. The ancient kingdom of Meath was no inconsiderable principality, for it comprised the present counties of Meath and Westmeath, with parts of Dublin, Kildare, King's County, the greater part of Longford, and small portibns of the ancient districts of Brefny and Orgiall on the borders of the present counties of Cavan and Louth.

The early annals of the O'Melaghlins are rich in incident. One of the episodes has been dramaised by Howard, of the Irish Exchequer, in a work of great merit, entitled "The Seige of Tamor," or Tara. During the wars of the Danes, Turgesius, a very celebrated Danish chief, had established his authority almost throughout the entire kingdom, and towards the close of the ninth century he became so powerful in Meath, as to have O'Melaghlin, the king of that territory, at his mercy, and to treat him in the light of a vassal. Conceiving a dishonourable passion for the daughter of the King, Turgesius offered insulting proposals to the father. The outraged parent stifled his indignation, for it was hopeless to resist, and had recourse to a device to save his daughter's honour, and at the same time rid his country of the Danish tyrant; a device, "resembling," as Moore, the Irish bard and historian, aptly observes, "in some of its particulars a strategem recorded by Plutarch in his life of Pelopidas." Malachy answered that he would send his daughter, the Princess of Meath, to the fortress of the Dane, the next night; but that, as she was young and timid, she should be accompanied by sixteen of her youthful maiden attendants, and that perhaps Turgesius might select one of them and spare the princess, the king's only child. At the time appointed, the Dane had a grand banquet, composed of sixteen of his principal offiercs, to whom, during the carouse, he suggested that each should insult one of the attendants of the Princess.

At length, a messenger having informed Turgesius that the Royal maiden and her female companions were outside the fortress, the guests, by his direction, retired, lest their presence might alarm the ladies. Splendidly attired in the costume of the day, the Princess and her companions entered the banquet-hall, and Turgesius had scarcely time to offer the first expression of his revolting love, when the robves of her companions were cast aside, and displayed sixteen youthful armed warriors, who seized, gagged and bound the Dane; and rushing into the adjoining apartment, dispatched his chiefs. The King of Meath himself, with a chosen body of troops, was close at hand, and rapidly possessed himself of the fortress, allowing the Danish troops no quarter. The fame of this gallant and rmarkable exploit gave courage to the Irish, and struck the invaders with dismay. On the following morning, Turgesius himself, loaded with chains, was cast into Lough Annew, in Meath.

O'Melaghlin then assumed the monarchy, and attacked the Danes in every direction; but succesive swarms having arrived by sea, the contest between them and the natives was fierce and protracted, and extended long afte the death of the gallant Malachy. Another Malachy, the descendant of O'Melaghlin, a brave and warlike prince, who reigned at the close of the tenth century, had a long and deadly struggle with the Danes; and when exhausted in his heroic efforts to free his country from those cruel and merciless foreigners, he was deposed by Brian Boru, King of Munster, ancestor of the O'Briens, who usurped the throne, and broke up the ancient dynasty. At Brian's death, however, at the battle of clontarf, in the year 1014, the aged monarch, King Malachy, assumed the sceptre, and followed up that memorable victory by pursuing the Danes to the very gates of Dublin, and assailing them on all points. After his death, in the year 1022, succesive princes of the rival houses of O'Brien and O'Conor of Connaught contested for the sovereignty; but ultimately a gallant prince of the Hy-Nialls, Murtough M'Neill [i.e. MacLaughlin], crushed their pretensions and restored the old royal race, which terminated at his decease in 1168, one year preceding the coming of the English, and with him fell the native
Irish monarchy; for Roderick O'Conor, King of Connaught, who assumed the sovereignty after King Murtough, and afterwrds surrendered it to the English, was but partially acknowledged by the states of the kingdom, and t hough popularly called the last King of Ireland, was not so in reality - the gallant Murtough MacNeill, the "Irish Hector," as he was called, having occupied that position.

Another episode in the history of the O'Melaghlins, Kings of Meath, which has formed many a fruitful theme for bard and senachie, was the elopement, in the middle of the twelfth century, of the Princess Devorgoil, wife of O'Rorke, Prince of Brefny, and daughter of O'Melaghlin, King of Meath, with Dermod MacMurrogh, King of Leinster. To this fase step of the frail, and, as she has been called, lovely Princess of Brefny, has been attributed the arrival of the Anglo-Normans in Ireland, upon the invitation of her guilty and banished lover, King Diarmid; but alas! rigid historic evidence has stripped this story of all its romance. Hanmer has shown that the fair and lovely Devorgoil - the "false young one" of Moore's melodies, in the famous song of "The Valley lay smiling before me" - was forty-four years of age, and exceedingly plain, when she went off with MacMurrough; and the vent took place fourteen years before the arrival of the English! The success of the Anglo-Norman arms in Ireland was more immediately felt by the native princes and chiefs inhabiting the districts adjoining Dublin. In 1172, Henry the Second despoiled Murchard O'Melaghlin of his kingdom of Meath, and granted it to Hugh De Lacy, who was appointed Lord Palatinate of the territory. De Lacy divided it amoung his various chiefs, who were commonly called "De Lacy's Barons;" these were: Tyrrell, Baron of Castleknock; Nangle, Baron of Navan; De Misset, Baron of Lune; Phepoe, Baron of Skrine; FitzThomas, Baron of Kell; Hussey, Baron of Galtrim; Fleming, Baron of Slane; Dullard, or Dollard, of Dullenvarty; Nugent, Baron of Delvin and Earl of Westmeath; Tuite, Baron of Moyashell; Robert De Lacy's descendants, Barons of Rathwire; De Constantine, Baron of Kilbixey; Petit, Baron of Mullingar;
FitzHenry of Magherneran, Rathkenin, and Ardnorcher. To some of thse there succeeded the De Genevilles, Lords of Meath; Mortimer, Earl of March; the Plunkets, of Danish descent, Earls of Fingall, Barons of Dunsany, and Earls of Louth; the Prestons, Viscounts Gormanstown and Tara; the Barnewalls, Barons of Trimbleston and Viscounts Kingsland; the Nettervilles, Barons of Dowth; the Bellews, Barons of Duleck; the Dareys of Platten, Barons of Navan; the Cusacks, Barons of Culmullen; and the FitzEustaces, Barons of Portlester. Some of these again were succeeded by the De Baths of Athearn, the Dowdalls of Athlumny, the Cruises, the Drakes of Drake Rath, and numerous others. Thus fell the O'Melaghlins as Kings of Meath, and with them their lords or tributary chiefs, the MacGeoghegans, O'Haras, O'Regans, O'Rorys (anglice Rogers), the MacUais (MacEvoys), O'Caseys, O'Hanrahans, and numerous others, whose lands passed into the hands of the invaders, and left their descendants to struggle for centuries after under adverse circumstances. They are now chiefly tillers of the soil of which thier fathers had been lords and chiefs.

The succeeding history of the O'Melaghlins would be but a repetition of the sad story of the old Milesian races, and need only be glanced at. Their fall, however, was not sudden, but gradual; they struggled bravely on, though unsuccessfully, against the common enemy, who dexterously set one chief of their house aginst another, and thus paved the way for the more easy subjugation of all. In the reign of Henry the Eighth they had still retained considerable power and preserved a large teritory. In the year 1544 we find Cedach O'Melaghlin inaugurated chief of the
Clan-Colman or South Hy-Niall race. But in 1548 Teige Roe O'Melaghlin brought Edmond Fahy, alias White, into Delvin against his enemies; but Fahy turned on O'Melaghlin, and in King Henry's name, to use the language of the Four Masters, "dispossessed and expelled himself and all his race from Delvin, and drove him from it, as the new swarm of bees drives away the old swarm." Henceforward the O'Melaghlins, Kings of Meath, chiefs of the grand old South Hy-Niall race, almost disappear in Irish hsitory, and present only occasionally a flitting gleam on the surface, as in the war of 1641, and then sink again into the darkness of obscurity.

Five branches of the Family

Ballinderry
Fearnocht
Castletown
Castlereagh
Mullingar

Ballinderry

"However, I ascertained satisfactorily that the line of Art of Ballinderry, chief of the name at the commencement of the last century, was extinct. According to the concurrent tradition of the country, he died, without issue, while resident with the family of Daly, or O'Daly, at Castle Daly, near Moat, and with which family he was in some way connected by an intermarriage. Indeed, according to a tradition which I noted, the ancestor of the Dalys obatined property in the county by marriage with an heiress named Grace, or Graine og ni Melaghlin, 'of Moat or some other castle.' This castle was most probably that of Killeliegh, now Castle Daly, which had belonged to the O'Melaghlins; and as the husband was said to have been a 'big trooper in Cromwell's army, but a gentleman,' he was probably the James Daly of Killcleagh who, according to an inscription on a tombstone at Clonmacnoise, 'dyed the 18th of January, A.D. 1679.' Art of Ballinderry was said to have been a person of weak mind.

Fearnocht

"Having settled this point, my inquiries were next directed to the Fearnocht barnch, of which Captain Murrough, or Margan, was the chief ta the close of the seventeenth century. This Murrough appears to have been regarded as the chief or leader of the Melaghlins during the rebellion of 1641, as I should suppose in consequence of the mentall imbecility of his kinsman, Art; for, in the catalogue given by De Burgo - Hib. Dom. Supplementum, p. 879 - of the nobles and gentlemen, who in 1646, associated with the clergy in repudiating the peace of Ormond, we find the name of D. Morganus O'Melaghlin, cum tota sua Familia. Of this Morgan and his posterity, as might be expected, the traditions were very vivid, and, in general, accurate. And, to my great regret, I soon learnt, from the concurrent testimony of various informants, that of his offspring in the male line there existed no representative. He left two sons and four daughters. The sons died without leaving issue, and the property of the father was gaveled amonst the four daughters. Of these daughters, all of whom married - the eldest, who was named Bridget, became the wife of John Tyreell Wat, Esq., and she, it appears, sold her inheritance, in 1748, to Mr. Robert Mulock, in whose posterity it still remains. By this marriage, John Tyrrell left a son, Wat, and this Wat left a son, John, and two daughters, namely, Bridget and Margaret. Of these daughters, Bridgetf became the wife of Mr. Molloy, by whom she had one son, who was living with his father and mother in Athlone at the time when I received this information, which was given to me by persons residing in the vicinity of Moate .... "

Selteneveeny Branch, Roscommon County

Burke's Landed Gentry of Ireland
Cornelius MacLoughlin of
Selteneveeny

An ancestor, Morogh Dubh O'Melaghlin, built a house of refuge on
a small island in Lough Meelagh, Kilronan. His father, Calvagh or
Charles, prince of Meath, died ca. 1599. A great-great-grandson of
Morogh, Thomas MacLoughlin, is listed at Selteneveeny, Roscommon.
This family was an offshoot of the O'Melaghlin of Ballinderry
branch of the O'Melaghlins.

References:

County Westmeath Census of 1659

Barony of Clonlonan

Principle Irish Names: McLaughlin 10

King's County Census of 1659

Barony of Garriecastle

titulado: Terence Melaghline, gent.
townland: Gallen

Roscommon County Census of 1659

Barony of Ballentabber

Principle Irish Names: O'Melaghlin 11

titulado: Neile O'Melaghlin, gent.
townland: Cloonbellagh

1609 Pardon Lists
Patent Rolls of King James I

LXXVI-10 Lisagh O'Molaghlin of Tinaminck, gent.
King's County

Persons Transplanted in Ireland
O'Hart "Landed Gentry"

Westmeath County

Charles Mellaghlin, of Killrowe

State Papers 1600

"Here is one Iriel Omalaughlin, chief of his name, now taken in,
who desireth to receive his country as Maguire doth, and therefore
(if your Lordships so like of it), it were good the Queen's warrant
were for those two in particular, and generally for others of the
Irishy, that should seek to have a state of their countries from
her Majesty in this manner, with such reservations and provisions
as we should think meet for her Majesty's service, and to tie them
faster to their loyalty. O'Malaughlin's country is in the furthest
parts of Westmeath, towrads Athlone, which, being brought back
again to obedience, will be a good mean to secure all the tract
between Mullingar and Athlone.

Pedigree (O'Hart)

O Maoilseachlainn (O'Melaghlin)
Kings of Meath
Now MacLoughlin

87 Niall 'of the Nine Hostages' +405
88. Conal Cremthainn
89. Fearghus Cearbhaill
90. Diarmond
91. Colman Mor
92. Suibhne
93. Airmedeach Caech
94. Diermod Dian
95. Murchadh Midheach
96. Domhnall High King +763
97. Donnchadh High King +797
98. Maolruanaidh +843
99. Maoilseachlainn (Malachy I) High King +862
100. Flann Sinna 'of the Shannon' High King +914
101. Donnchadh High King
102. Domhnall +952
103. Maoilseachlainn (Malachy II) Mor High King +1022
104. Domhnall
105. Conchobar +1073
106. Domhnall +1094
107. Murchadh
108. Maoilseachlainn +1155
109. Art +1184
110. Cormac +1239
111. Art na Caislen +1283
112. Niall
113. Cormac ballach +1362
114. Cormac
115. Conn +1431
116. Art +1468
117. Conn Mor O'Melaghlin

88. Conall Cremthainn, first Christian king of Meath, ancestor
of O'Melachlin, Kings of Meath and Monarchs
of Ireland.

89. Fearghus Cearbhaill, his son.

90. Diarmod, his son, the 5th Christian king of Meath and the
133rd Monarch of Ireland, was slain at the
battle of Rath-begg, by Hugh dubh
MacTiergney, king of the Dal Araidhe, A.D.
558. He had an older brother Maine was was
king of Meath, next before him.

91. Colman Mor, his son, succeeded his father in the kingship
of Meath for four years, at the end whereof
he was slain by his younger brother, Lochan
Diomhain, ancestor to the Dillons of
Cuircneach, in the county of Westmeath, for
refusing to give him a proporion of his
father's estate. He had another brother
Aodh Slaine, the 141st Monarch of Ireland,
slain at Loch-Sewcly, A.D. 600.

92. Suibhne, his son, the 8th Christian king of Meath, 18 years,
had a brother Aonghus, ancestor to
O'Callaghan.

93. Conall, the 11th Christian king of Meath, 8 years.

94. Airmedeach caech, his son, the 12th Christian king of Meath,
16 years.

95. Diermod Dian, his son, the 13th king of Meath, 36 years.

96. Murchadh Midheach, the 14th king of Meath, 20 years.

97. Domhnall, his son, the 19th king of Meath, for 46 years,
whereof he reigned as Monarch of Ireland for
20 years; died a.D. 758.

98. Donchadh, his son, succeeded his brother Muirchertach, whom
he slew, the 22nd king of Meath, for 30
years, whereof he reigned as Moanrch of
Ireland, the 163rd, for 27 years, and died a
great penitent in a religious order, A.D.
790.

99. Maolruanaidh, his son, the 27th king of Meath, for 10 years;
had three older brothers, viz., Domhnall,
the 23rd king, slain in battle by the Danes,
whose son Muirdoch was the 24th king;
Ailill, the 25th king; and Longaonarus, the
26th king and the 165th Monarch of Ireland,
who after 14 year's reign, died a great
penitent, A.D. 831.

100. Maoilseachlainn Mor (or Malachy), the 29th king of Meath,
for 17 years, for 15 whereof he governed
Ireland, the 167th Monarch, in which time he
expelled the Danes out of his kingdom,
having by a bold strategem surprised and
taken prisoner their king or general,
Turgesius, with most of his chief
commanders, of whom her murdered all except
Turgesius, whom he kept alive for some time
at Cno-Innis, a little island upon
Loch-Aninn in the county of Westmeath, where
he was drowned either by the Monarch's
command or more kiely, endearvoring to make
his escape. He had a elder brother Flaith,
the 28th king of Meath. The Monarch himself
was slain in the battle of Farow in the
county of Westmeath, A.D. 860.

101. Flann Sinna, his son, the 32nd king of Meath and the 169th
Monarch of Ireland, for 38 years. Soon
after his father's death, the Danes
returning into Ireland in great swarms and
becoming very formidalbe, this king quelled
them in many battles and encounters; in his
time also the king of Munster with a great
army invaded Leinster and did much mischief
until the Monarch came to aid Cearbhaill,
son of Muirgan, king of Leinster, and in a
great battle fought at Magh-nally, Cormac
the holy and famous king and bishop of
Munster, with seven petty kings of the south
of Ireland, was slain and their army totally
routed and destroyed in the pursuit. This
battle was fought, A.D. 905, and in the year
914, Flann died a natural death at Tailten
and was succeeded in the kingdom of Meath by
his younger brother, Longaonarus, who
reigned three years.

102. Donchadh, son of Flann, the 35th king of Meath and the 171st
Monarch of Ireland, for 25 years, and died
A.D. 942. He had an elder brother,
Domhnall, the 34th king of Meath, slain by
him. He was married to Sara, daughter of
Donoch, king of Ossary, a most fortunate and
curteous king.

103. Domhnall, his son, the 40th king of Meath, for four years,
married Dunleith, daughter of Muirdoch, son
of Niall Glundubh, the 170th Monarch of
Ireland, and by her had issue.

104. Maoilseachlainn (or Malachy), the 2nd, the 45th king of
Meath and the 174th Monarch of Ireland.
After 23 year's reign, was forced from the
Monarchy to make room for Brian Boromha,
king of Munster, who after 12 year's reign,
was slain in the great battle of Clontarf
aginst the Danes, A.D. 1014. This said
Maoilseachlainn resumed the throne and
killed and destroyed such of the Danes as
fled from the battle, and settled the
kingdom, building, re-edifying and repairing
many churches, monasteries and colleges
formerly burnt and destroyed by the Danes.
He built St. Mary's Abbey in Dublin, and
settled sufficient maintenance as well upon
collegs and public schools, for the
encouragment of learning and learned men,
and maintained 300 scholars out of his own
private revenue. Having spent 9 years of
his second reign in the well-ruling and
governing of his country in these pious and
charitable employments, he withdrew himself
from all worldly cares and trouble and
retired into the little island of Cno-Innis
on Loch-Aninn (where Turgesius the Danish
tyrant was prisoner), containing not above a
fourth part of an acre of ground, where this
great and pious Monarch built a little cell
for himself and his chaplain, and a small
chapel or oratory, and therein contined and
ended his days penitently and holy, A.D.
1023. (Others say 1034). From him his
posterity took the surname of O'Melachlin.

105. Domnall, his son, the 47th king of Meath. Had three
brothers, Connor, Murtach and Flann. Flann,
who had one son Moroch, king of Meath, the
father of two daughters only, viz., Tailte,
who was the wife of Domnall O'Ferrall, king
of Conmaicne, and kDevorgill, wife of
Tighernan O'Rourke, king of Breffny, and the
unhappy occasion of the English Invasion of
this kingdom and the subjection thereof to
the Crown of England ever since.
For she being a beautiful woman
(whether by her own consent or by force is
uncertain), was stolen away from her husband
by Diermot MacMorogh, king of Leinster,
whereof O'Rourke having complained to Rory
O'Connor, king of Connacht, and then Monarch
of Ireland, he to revenge the affront and to
punish the author of so outrageous a fact,
marched with a great army into Leinster and
neccessitated the said Diermot, not able to
withstand so powerful an army, to fly into
England, where he obtained liberty from King
Henry the 2nd, for such of his subjects as
pleased to come with and assist him in the
recovery of his kingdom of Leinster.
Whereupon Richard surnamed Strongbow,
FitzStephen, FitzGerald and others acepted
Diermot's invitation and large promises,
which they improved to like advantage for
themselves and their posterity as the Saxon
some time before did in England upon their
invasion thither by the Britons.

106. Conchobar O'Melachlin, his son, the 48th king of Meath,
after 15 years reign was slain by his own
brother, A.D. 1073.

107. Domnall O'Melachlin, his son.

108. Moroch O'Melachlin, his son.

109. Maoilseachlainn O'Melachlin, his son.

110. Art O'Melachlin, his son.

111. Cormac O'Melachlin, his son.

112. Art O'Melachlin, his son.

113. Niall O'Melachlin, his son.

114. Cormac O'Melachlin, his son.

115. Cormac oge O'Melachlin, his son.

116. Conn Mor O'Melachlin, his son, by Giles, his wife, daughter
of O'Kelly, had four sons, Felim Creachnach,
Niall, Art, and Cathal.

O'Dugan's Topographical Poems

Let us not make mention of Meath alone,
O'Maeileachlainn,⁶ it is not unjust,
The fierce tribe in remunerating the septs,
Chief kings of noble Erin.

O'Donovan's Notes

6. O'Maeileachlainn, anglicised O'Melaghlin, and now corrupted to Mac Loughlin. This family, which was the head of the south Hy-Niall race, derived its name and lineage from Maelseachlainn, or Malachy II., monarch of Ireland, who died in the year 1022. The name Maelseachlainn signifies servant of Seachlann, or St. Secundinus, who was nephew of St. Patrick, and patron saint of this great family. The present head of this family is unknown. The late Con Mac Loughlin, of Dublin, was of the race, but his pedigree was never made out. His relatives are still extant, near Mullingar, in the county of Westmeath.

MacLysasght "Surnames of Ireland

O'Melaghlin - O Maoilshechlainn (devotee of St. Seachlain, i.e., St. Secundinus). the name of one of the royal houses of Ireland now almost entirely superseded by the form MacLoughlin.

The O'Clery Book of Genealogies

Genelach .H. Mail Echlainn Ri Midhe

780. Art m Cuinn m Corpmaic m Cobmaic ballaigh m Airt m Corbmaic m airt m Mail seclainn m Murchada m Domhnaill, m concobair m Floinn m Domhnaill m Mail seclainn moir m Domnaill m Donnchada m Flainn t-sinna m Mail seclainn m Mail ruanaidh.

781. Concobar m Mail seclainn m Concobair m Domhnaill m Mail sechlainn.

782. .Uii. mic Flainn m Mail seclainn m Mail ruaniad .i. Donnchad, Aenghus, Aedh, Conchobar, Domnall, Mael ruanaidh, Cerball.