Cormac Laidir MacCarthy, 9th Lord of Muskerry (1411–1494), was an Irish chieftain. He founded
Kilcrea Friary
Kilcrea Friary () is a ruined medieval abbey located near Ovens, County Cork, Ireland. Both the friary and Kilcrea Castle, located in ruin to the west, were built by Observant Franciscans in the mid 15th century under the invitation of Cormac ...
and built
Kilcrea Castle
Kilcrea Castle is a ruined 15th-century towerhouse and bawn located near the Kilcrea Friary, west of Cork City, Ireland. The tower house and friary were both built by Cormac Laidir MacCarthy, 9th Lord of Muskerry.
Location
Killcrea Castle s ...
.
Birth and origins
Cormac was born in 1411, the eldest son of
Teige MacCarthy. His father was the 6th
Lord of Muskerry. His father's family were the
MacCarthys of Muskerry
The MacCarthy dynasty of Muskerry is a tacksman branch of the MacCarthy Mor dynasty, the Kings of Desmond.
Origins and advancement
The MacCarthy of Muskerry are a cadet branch of the MacCarthy Mor ...
, a
Gaelic Irish
The Gaels ( ; ga, Na Gaeil ; gd, Na Gàidheil ; gv, Ny Gaeil ) are an ethnolinguistic group native to Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man in the British Isles. They are associated with the Gaelic languages: a branch of the Celtic languag ...
dynasty that had branched from the
MacCarthy-Mor line in the 14th century when a younger son received
Muskerry
Muskerry ( ga, Múscraí) is a central region of County Cork, Ireland which incorporates the baronies of Muskerry Westappanage
An appanage, or apanage (; french: apanage ), is the grant of an estate, title, office or other thing of value to a younger child of a sovereign, who would otherwise have no inheritance under the system of primogeniture. It was common in much o ...
. Nothing seems to be known about his mother, not even her name.
He had a younger brother Dermod, ancestor of the MacCarthys of
Drishane, and a sister Ellen, married first
Donal MacCarthy Reagh
Donal MacCarthy Reagh ( ga, Domhnall Mac Carthaigh Riabhach) (1450/1460–1531) was the 12th Prince of Carbery from 1505 to his death in 1531. He belonged to the MacCarthy Reagh dynasty,Carbery Carbery or Carbury may refer to:
;People:
* Brian Carbury (1918–1961), New Zealand fighter ace
* Douglas Carbery (1894–1959), British soldier and airman
* Ethna Carbery (1864–1902), Irish writer
* James Joseph Carbery (1823–1887), Irish ...
, and then secondly Eoghan of Rathduane.
Marriage and children
Muskerry married Mary, daughter of
Edmond FitzThomas Fitzmaurice, 9th Baron Kerry (died 1498), who is also called Baron
Lixnaw
Lixnaw () is a village in North County Kerry, Ireland. It is located near the River Brick SW of Listowel and NE of Tralee.
History
Lixnaw was once the seat of the Fitzmaurice family, the Earls of Kerry. In 1320 Nicolas, the third baron o ...
instead of Baron Kerry.
Cormac and Mary had at least one son:
*
Cormac Oge (died 1635), his successor,
—and two daughters (birth order unknown):
*Sheila or Julia, married
Thomas FitzGerald, 11th Earl of Desmond as his 1st wife
*Ellen, married
Donal MacCarthy Reagh
Donal MacCarthy Reagh ( ga, Domhnall Mac Carthaigh Riabhach) (1450/1460–1531) was the 12th Prince of Carbery from 1505 to his death in 1531. He belonged to the MacCarthy Reagh dynasty,tanistry
Tanistry is a Gaelic system for passing on titles and lands. In this system the Tanist ( ga, Tánaiste; gd, Tànaiste; gv, Tanishtey) is the office of heir-apparent, or second-in-command, among the (royal) Gaelic patrilineal dynasties of Ir ...
.
MacCarthy improved
Blarney Castle
Blarney Castle ( ga, Caisleán na Blarnan) is a medieval stronghold in Blarney, near Cork, Ireland. Though earlier fortifications were built on the same spot, the current keep was built by the MacCarthy of Muskerry dynasty, a cadet branch of th ...
by enlarging its keep. A Latin inscription on the machicolation of the added part reads "Cormac Macarthy fortis me fieri facit AD 1446", which translates into "Cormac MacCarthy the stout had me built anno domini 1446". He might also have built
Carrignamuck Tower House
Carrignamuck Tower House, located in Carrignamuck townland, is a 15th century tower house located north of Coachford village and north-west of Dripsey village. It is also sometimes known as 'Dripsey Castle', a name latterly attributed to the 1 ...
unless that was his son. According to the legend Maccarthy discovered and enshrined the
Blarney Stone
The Blarney Stone ( ga, Cloch na Blarnan) is a block of Carboniferous limestone built into the battlements of Blarney Castle, Blarney, about from Cork (city), Cork, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. According to legend, kissing the stone endows th ...
.
In 1465 he founded and built
Kilcrea Friary
Kilcrea Friary () is a ruined medieval abbey located near Ovens, County Cork, Ireland. Both the friary and Kilcrea Castle, located in ruin to the west, were built by Observant Franciscans in the mid 15th century under the invitation of Cormac ...
and built nearby
Kilcrea Castle
Kilcrea Castle is a ruined 15th-century towerhouse and bawn located near the Kilcrea Friary, west of Cork City, Ireland. The tower house and friary were both built by Cormac Laidir MacCarthy, 9th Lord of Muskerry.
Location
Killcrea Castle s ...
.
Death
Muskerry died in 1494 having been killed by his brother Owen and was buried in the chancel of the church of the Kilcrea Friary. No epitaph is found there now, but earlier observers have recorded the following Latin inscription:
Hic Jacet Cormacus fil. Thadei, fil. Cormaci, fil. Dermatu magni Mc Carthy Dnus de Musgraigh Flayn ac istius conventus primus fondator, an Dom. 1494
which translates as: Here lies Cormac, son of Thadeus, son of Cormac, son of Dermot the elder, Prince of Muskerry, the initial founder of this friary, anno domini 1494. Interestingly the Latin text uses the Irish word "Flayn", "Prince", in addition to Dominus as his title.
Notes and references
Notes
Citations
Sources
*
* – to 1603
*
*
* – Earls (for Earl of Kerry)
*
* – "The bald", earl of Desmond
* – 1373 to 1500
* – Irish stem
*
*
*
MacCarthy dynasty
{{Ireland-bio-stub