XCVIII. The Barrys young, and Barrys old, And the plentiful3 Roches,2 that did not wrong, The Fitzgeralds of Leinster and Fitzgeralds of Munster, The Eustaces, Plunketts, and Powers. STANZA XCVIII. The Plunketts of Meath.-The family of Plunkett can, in common with other distinguished Irish families, point to a long and distinguished ancestral line, who have been true to the interests of Ireland. Their ancient possessions were principally situated in the County of Meath, at Clonabraney, which embraced large tracts of the rich lands adjoining. By intermarriage they came also to be possessed of the estate and fertile lands of Loughcrew, which for centuries before had been in the possession of another family of the same name, and other estates in the County of Cavan. The antiquity of this family is clearly proven from the tombstone which covers the family place of sepulture, on which we find the name of Oliver Plunkett engraven. This burying-place was erected by the family in 1132, and is still in their possession. The great grandfather of this Oliver Plunkett of Clonabraney, the first of the family referred to in existing family papers. Thomas Plunkett, who was the grandson of Oliver, was the last inheritor of Clonabraney. He married the only daughter of Dominick Plunkett, who had inherited the mansion-house and estates of Loughcrew, and had four sons and two daughters. The three younger of the sons emigrated after the civil wars, in which they had taken an active part, but being unsuccessful, lost all their property. Two entered the Austrian service, where they soon distinguished themselves by their military skill and valour, and were soon entrusted with some of the most responsible military positions. The third brother entered the Spanish service. They all died without issue. James, the eldest and sole heir, remained at home, in the hope of being able to recover the family estates of Clonabraney and Loughcrew, in the County of Meath, and Castlecor in Cavan. Antecedent to this Cromwell had confiscated the property and dispossessed Dominick Plunkett of Loughcrew, who was then in possession. Thus, by injustice and robbery, this property passed from the hands of its lawful owners. Dominick Plunkett, the last inheritor, was married to Mary O'Neil of the house of Tyrone. Her only daughter, Elizabeth, was the mother of James Plunkett, who had issue six sons and three daughters, of whom there is now surviving Patrick Plunkett of Taneymagaraugh, about G XCIX. An Bogósdeać mór eórnaċ déaseać, C. Brunaċ Turrca is Brúnaċ Féile, Searlogard, Crosógard, Cestiniz.e three miles north-west of Oldcastle, County Meath, a venerable hale old man of eighty-eight years of age, who has issue three sons and one daughter. We may here relate an incident not unfrequent in those starling and disastrous times. Thomas Plunkett of Clonabraney, who fought with King James at the Boyne, and afterwards at Aughrim, and kept his estates during all this time, was robbed of them the harvest after the battle of Aughrim. Having, on the evening of finishing his harvest, as was then usual, ordered his steward to bring all his workmen up to the Castle at six o'clock till he would give them some drink, the men were very much delighted at the invitation-put their harvest utensils, rakes, pitchforks, &c., on their shoulders and walked four men deep to the Castle-gate. In a few days afterwards an old pensioner then living in Crossakiel, went and swore that Mr. Plunkett was recruiting men for King James. This information, and his being a Catholic, at once disqualified him from holding possession of his estates any longer, and, consequently, he was obliged to surrender his property, or renounce his faith and religion; the latter he would not consent to do. This family we presume is, and can be traced as far back as any other family in Ireland. Few families indeed sacrificed more for their religion and their country. The following anecdote is an instance: John Plunkett lived in Rathmore. He was married to Mary Cruise. He had twelve sons and one daughter; Cromwell appeared to be alarmed at hearing of this John and his twelve sons. He sent for him, and stated he would be most anxious to be acquainted with his sons, and invited the said John and them to come to see him. So the innocent man and his twelve sons, all fine men, none of them under six feet high, came, with XCIX. The Bagot of large fine barley4 -fields, Rices, Trants, Moores, and Mees, C. Brown of Turc and Brown of the Feale, their father, riding on twelve grey horses; but how did Cromwell receive them? He had matters so arranged that the moment they appeared within a certain distance of him he had a cannon planted before them and shot the twelve on the spot. When the poor broken-hearted father reproached Cromwell for this murderous act, his answer was that they appeared too formidable to be allowed to live. They and their father are buried in the church-yard of Newtown, Trim, in the County Meath. There is a tombstone erected over the father's grave. He was a branch of the Clonabraney family; and the Archbishop of Armagh, who was hanged and beheaded in 1681, belonged to a branch of the Loughcrew family. The Earl of Fingall, though he struggled with the Liberator for Emancipation, yet in that it would appear he was selfish. For since he got leave to take his place in England's Senate, he has not aided Ireland in her struggles for redress. Of his branch of the Plunketts much cannot be said in praise. He could, if he would, give effective aid from his position and great influence in England. As an Irishman of ancient lineage, his Lordship ought to be with his countrymen. For in the day of trial he may want them, if such would ever return, and it may. b The Roches and the other families would gladly be granted a niche in our gallery could that, by possibility, be done. Dr. O'Connell, our author, confers a marked compliment on the illustrious Roaches by saying, "they never acted wrong," and that "they were most generous." The Earl of Kildare, ancestor of the present Duke of Leinster, and the Gerald of Croome, County Limerick.-See note on verse lxxxviii. d The Powers. We would, if space permitted, feel pleasure in placing before our readers interesting facts relative to such members of this ancient sept as remained true to creed and the old land. For this adhesion CI. As sjad do díbir prjoṁ fuil Eiṁir,a CII. 'Siad do dibir ('s é do ċeas me), to Catholicity most of them forfeited, but some of them in course of time had acquired honour and rank by toil and industry, the most "honourable path to glory." Of these we deem it our duty to refer to that veteran patriot Sir John Power, of Roebuck and Leeson-street, Dublin. Industry has invested him with what injustice had taken from his ancestors. His country and Catholicity has never in vain sought his aid, nor that of his worthy son James Power, Esq., D.L. May penal laws never again rob them nor their offspring. These families claim descent from Donough O'Brien. STANZA C. a These were the ancestors of the Earl of Kenmare, one of whom married the heiress of their relative Browne, of Hospital, county Limerick, whose great estate was thus added to their own-all forming a princely territory. Volumes were insufficient to convey an adequate idea of the excellent deeds of this noble family in private life. To them many Milesian families of Kerry are indebted for their preservation in the penal and persecuting times now past. M'Carthys, O'Connors, O'Sullivans, O'Mahonys were enabled to uphold station and respectability, by receiving large farms at low or nominal rents from the Brownes, whose tenants some of them continue down to the present day. b Great barony of Condon. • See Historical Notes on end of this verse. STANZA CI. a St. Fiech spells this word in the same way. b The O'Briens, who continued Catholics, the Mac Namaras of Cratloe, &c., and the Mac Mahons of Corco-Basgine, West Clare; some of the latter lived on the south of the Shannon. The annexed, taken from a copy of "The Dirge," made by Philip Fitz CI. It was they who banished the first (best) blood of Heber, The seed of grand3 O'Brien of leaping horses (Limerick), Mac Namaras, of fair Cratloe, Lords of Corca-Basginé and Cliona. CII. It was they who banished—it is it that tortures me (alas !) The remains of the primitive piety3 of Ireland (And) The prime of the Gael,—my worldly woe (alas!) Mac Carthy Môr and his offspring together. gibbon, a classical teacher of Kilkenny, in 1780, we here insert. This is thought to be one of the oldest (if not the oldest) of the copies. It is important, as its mention of King William shows, that the poem was not completed until after the battle of the Boyne, and that was just after the date alluded to, when referring to Bishop Mollony's letter in our Preface we stated the diocess of Ardfert and Aghadoe was vacant. This must have been the period of Dr. O'Connell's appointment to Ardfert as bishop, and of Dr. O'Leyne's, as Vicar-apostolic to Aghadoe, Dr. Moriarty being Bishop O'Connell's successor. The terrible state of affairs threw everything into confusion as regarded Catholic interests. What was the final fate of Bishop O'Connell has not been ascertained, whether he was murdered, like his holy grand-uncle, or that he died. His composition is, at least, an evidence that he could not be considered what Whigs and Whig Catholics call an intemperate prelate. That he was a bishop, in 1704, is established by the Liberator's testimony, given in the Preface. Taréis buad sagsanaib air ríž Séamas, Possession of the towns and lands alike." STANZA CII. This was the Mac Carthy More. b The Mac Carthy More, rightful King of Desmond, was confined in London Tower 1601 as was the Earl of Desmond, the latter died in 1601 and was buried in its chapel. We mean "rightful," comparatively with England. |