Charles O'Kelly (1621–1695) was an Irish soldier and writer.
O'Kelly was born at Screen or Clonlyon,
Aughrim, County Galway
Aughrim () is a small village in County Galway, Ireland. It is located between the towns of Loughrea and Ballinasloe, along the old N6 national primary road (now listed as the R446 regional road) that used to be the main road between Galway and ...
, son of John O'Kelly and Isma Hill, daughter of Sir William of Ballybeg,
County Carlow
County Carlow ( ; ga, Contae Cheatharlach) is a county located in the South-East Region of Ireland, within the province of Leinster. Carlow is the second smallest and the third least populous of Ireland's 32 traditional counties. Carlow Cou ...
. He was educated at
St. Omer. He first saw action in
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
in 1642.
He inherited Aughrim in 1674, and was elected
member of parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
(MP) for
Roscommon County
Roscommon County ( ') is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 23,459. The county seat is Roscommon. The county was founded in 1840 and organized in 1875.
History
The county was formed by ...
in 1689. He again fought, this time as a
colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
, in the
Williamite War in Ireland
The Williamite War in Ireland (1688–1691; ga, Cogadh an Dá Rí, "war of the two kings"), was a conflict between Jacobite supporters of deposed monarch James II and Williamite supporters of his successor, William III. It is also called th ...
, serving at Aughrim and
Limerick
Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...
. He later authored ''Macariae Excidium, or the Destruction of Cyprus, containing the Last Warr and Conquest of that Kingdom'', which contains the only account of the battle of Aughrim by a native of the area.
See also
*
Feardorcha Ó Cellaigh
Feardorcha Ó Cellaigh, 79th and last king of Uí Maine, 43rd Chief of the Name, fl. 1584-after 1611.
Family background
Ó Cellaigh was a native of Aughrim, County Galway. His father, Cellach Ó Cellaigh married Julia Ní Cellaigh, daughter of ...
, fl. 1584 – after 1611
*
Tadhg Mór Ua Cellaigh
Tadhg Mór Ua Cellaigh, 36th King of Uí Maine and 1st Chief of the Name.
Background
Ua Cellaigh was the first King of Uí Maine to bear the surname Ua Cellaigh, derived from his grandfather, Ceallach mac Finnachta, who was in turn a sixth-gene ...
, fl. 986–1014
Bibliography
* ''Macariae Excidium, or the Destruction of Cyprus, containing the Last Warr and Conquest of that Kingdom'', 1692
* ''Macariae Excidium'', ed. by Count Plunkett and Rev. Edmund Hogan, SJ, called The Jacobite War &c.
his edn. substitutes real historical names, Tyrconnell, etc.(Sealy, Bryers, & Walker 1894; 2nd ed. also 1894), 12o, paper.
References
* ''Galway Authors'', Helen Mahar, 1976
External links
* http://places.galwaylibrary.ie/history/chapter35.html
{{DEFAULTSORT:OKelly, Charles
1621 births
1695 deaths
Irish writers
People from County Galway
Irish soldiers in the army of James II of England
Irish MPs 1689
Members of the Parliament of Ireland (pre-1801) for County Roscommon constituencies