Henry VIII did more than introduce Protestantism to Ireland. He also set about firmly establishing British government in his new kingdom. One of the earliest official Irish documents of his reign, the 1515 'State of Ireland and plan for its Reformation' stated:
"there may be more than sixty countries, called regions in Ireland, inhabited with the King's enemies where reigneth chief captains wherein some call themselves Kings, some Princes, some Dukes, that liveth only by the sword and obey no other temporal person, but only to himself that is strong... also there be thirty great captains of the English folk that follow the same Irish order..."
In order to 'rectify' this state of affairs and extend his royal authority, the Irish parliament in 1541 enacted the Surrender and Regrant legislation, which had drastic consequences for the old Gaelic chieftains and their people. From 1541 onwards, all land in Ireland was deemed to be theoretically surrendered to the King, who regranted it to those who were prepared to recognise his supremacy. No longer would the custom of Brehon Law and the common ownership of property, which marked Gaelic society, determine land and property inheritance. This was the first major step in subverting Gaelic Ireland. Now the land, a Chief having surrendered it and having it regranted, would pass to the Chief's eldest son as his successor and not to his other sons or nephews who had traditional Gaelic claims to be considered as successors. In the following centuries, Irish peasants who, in Gaelic society, benefited from the common wealth of their tribe, were to suffer in poverty and starvation from the concentration of ownership into the hands of a few under the Tudors.
Maolronna O'Carroll, son of John, died in 1532 according to the Annals of the Four Masters. He was styled by Lord Surrey "the most esteemed captain of the land who has ever been one of the King's (Henry VIII) greatest enemies and done most to hurt the King's subjects" - Carew Mss 1525. This same man was also "The noblest and most illustrious Gaeidhel that was in Lieth Modha" -according to the Annals of Loch Có. He was a patron of Roscrea and a manuscript in the Bibliotheque Royale in Brussels tells us that circa 1490 Maolronna built the Franciscan Friary in the town. A slab formerly housed there commemorates the event with the following inscription (translated from the Latin): 'Pray for the soul of Mulrony son of Shaun O'Carroll who was lord of Ely and Prince of Ireland in 1523, who caused me to be made'.
Maolroona's daughter Mave married James 15th Earl of Desmond and was mother of Gerald 16th Earl. "Ingens rebillibus exemplar" she was attained and slain in 1583 for upholding the cause of Catholicity - vide Lodge. Grate, another daughter, married 1st Earl of Clonrichard and was mother of 2nd Earl - vide Carrew Mss 1544.
Maolroona's son Ferganaium (vir sine nominee) was slain in 1541 according to the Annals of the Four Masters. This son married the daughter of Garret Og FitzGerald 9th Earl of Kildare who was the King's Deputy in Ireland. He, having united the Irish (as had his father before him), was called to London to answer charges of treason three times and died under arrest in the Tower of London in 1534.
After the death of Maolroona his brother Donough of Modreeny and Buolebrack was appointed chief of Ely in 1536 (Annals of the Four Masters) and following his death his sons Calvach and Teige were appointed joint chiefs of Ely (Calender of Carew Mss - 2nd July 1541) by the clan according to the Brehon Law.
But Teige Caoc, the elder son of Fergananium, had other plans. Calvach and Teige were ousted by Sir William Odar, Teige Caoc's brother in 1544 and Calvach was slain. Then on surrendering the principality of Ely O'Carroll to King Edward VI in 1552 Teige Caoc was created Lord Baron of Ely.
In 1558 Teige (the remaining son of Donough) was confirmed as chief by the Lord Deputy and Council but, following the death of Teige Caoc, Queen Elizabeth in a letter dated 11th June 1567 stated: "Sir William Odar O'Carroll to be made Baron as his brother was and hold his lands in capite" - state papers.
Despite the machinations of the Tudors to alter the tide of events, the Chieftainship of the sept reverted to Teige's descendants and not those of Sir William. The title of Baron of Ely has never since been assumed by the family.
Teige married Sarah the daughter of Teige More O'Brien (Earl of Thomond and son of Connor O'Brien) and Alice, daughter of Maurice FitzGerald Earl of Desmond. Through this marriage the descendants of Teige O'Carroll trace to King Edward I of England (should they wish to!).
During the 1580's and 1590's many attempts were staged by various Irish factions to overthrow British rule. These were all met with cruel reprisals. Sir Walter Raleigh in 1583 sent the head of the 14th Earl of Desmond to Queen Elizabeth as a 'goodly gift'. Raleigh's half brother Sir Humphrey Gilbert: "I slew all those from time to time that did belong to, feed, accompany or maintain any outlaws or traitors; putting man, woman and child to the sword". Sir Peter Carew a Devonshire knight described the capture of an Irish camp: "Found none but hurt and sick men whose pains and lives they soon terminated". Sir William Pelham marched from Dublin to Limerick in 1580 "consuming with fire all habitations and executing the people, wherever we found them". Real and enduring hatred of British rule stemmed from these times.
In the early seventeenth century the British governments' plantation of Ulster and the resultant eviction of the native Irish (or the grudgingly given recognition in 1628 that they needed some of the Irish to do their work and they would allow them to stay for double rents) together with their savage wars and rigours confirmed from the Irish point of view that Albion was indeed perfidious. The concentrated attack on Gaelic culture and law was seen as fundamentally incomprehensible, with only racist terms going some way to explain the slaughter of women and children and the theft of land and property.
The following text was copied from the calendar: Patent and Close Rolls, Chancery, Ireland, of the Reign of king Charles I, Volume I, page 163 (in keeping of the Records Officer, Four Courts, Dublin):
"The King to Lord Falkland and the Chancellor:
Right trusty and well beloved councillor we greet you well. For as much as our trusty and well beloved subject John Carroll Esquire hath humbly submitted to the plantation of the County of Ely O'Carroll in the Kings County in that our Realm of Ireland in the time of our late dear father of blessed memory is of good merit and well affected in Religion we graciously are pleased.
We do hereby require and authorise you to make an effectual grant in due form of law with the advice of learned Counsel there by letters under the great seal of that, our Realm of Ireland, from us our heirs and successors, unto the said John Carroll his heirs and assigns, in consideration of his faithful service unto us and our Crown of all such castles, manors, lands tenements, courts, markets, fairs, liberties, privileges, benefits, hereditments whatsoever mentioned in the Fiant made in that, our Realm for a patent to be passed unto the said John Carroll and his heirs in our late dear father's time to be holden of us, our heirs and successors by and under rents, tenures, services and conditions and covenants as in the Fiant are expressed excepting that it shall be lawful for John Carroll to purchase land for him and his heirs of his kindred and others in the County not exceeding in the whole above 2000 acres and also that John Carroll and his heirs be exempt from sowing to hemp.
Likewise we are garciously pleased by the letters patent to be made by virtue hereof to grant unto John Carroll £15-8s-2d English money rents of Fercall in lieu of Chiefries and he shall have such recompense as you think fit for the Castle of Ballandaragh unless it appears to you that he has had satisfaction already.
We do hereby require you to take order that our Receiver General and vice-Treasurer shall give allowance to John Carroll of the £40, due by him, for the causes aforesaid and the recomendation of the Commissioners of our Kingdom shall not be made a precedent for others.
Westminster 23rd day of September 1626."
CHARTS SHOWING THE DESCENT OF THE BARONS AND CHIEFS OF ELY
Maolroona (d 1532)
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Ferganaium (sl 1541)
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Teige Caoc Sir William Odar
Lord Baron of Ely (1552) Lord Baron of Ely (1567)
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Teige Sir Charles (sl 1600) Sir Maolroona (knighted 1603)
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Maolroona Roderick
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John (Col of State Papers 1612-13) Charles
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John (P&C Rolls 1627)
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Charles
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Charles of Annapolis
PEDIGREE AS GIVEN BY BETHAM
Donough of Modreeny & Buolebrack, Chief of Ely (1536)
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Calvach (sl 1544) Teige, Chief of Ely = Sarah O'Brien
(1558)
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Kian
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Donough
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Daniel
CHART SHOWING THE DESCENT FROM EDWARD I OF ENGLAND TO THE DESCENDANTS OF TEIGE O'CARROLL
Edward I, King of England (1272-1307)
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Elizabeth = Humphrey Bohun, Earl of Hereford and Essex
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Elanor = James, Earl of Ormond
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James, 2nd Earl of Ormond
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Elanor = Gerald 4th Earl of Desmond
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James, 7th Earl of Desmond
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Thomas, 8th Earl of Desmond
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Maurice 10th Earl of Desmond
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Alice = Connor O'Brien, King of Thormond
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Teige More O'Brien
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Sarah = Teige O'Carroll
Any errors, additions, suggestions or queries please do contact me (see below).