Brian Bán Mág Tighearnán (anglicized Brian Ban McKiernan) was head of the

McKiernan Clan The surname McKiernan (), is of Irish origin and is found predominantly in County Cavan where it originated. The Irish name is Mág Tighearnán meaning ''the Son of Tighearnán'' and the clan or sept takes its name from one Tighearnán who lived ...

Tullyhunco Tullyhunco () is a barony in County Cavan, Ireland. It comprises the civil parishes of Kildallan, Killeshandra and Scrabby. Location Tullyhunco is located in western County Cavan. It borders County Leitrim to the west and County Longford to ...

County Cavan County Cavan ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster and is part of the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town of Cavan and is based on the hi ...

, Ireland from 1588 until his death on 4 September 1622.

Ceann Fine

After the death of Fergal Mág Tighearnán the Third in 1588, Brian Mág Tighearnán became ''ceann fine'' ('head of the lineage') and resided in the castle of Croghan UaCúbhrán ('Croaghan of the Cups', now in the townland of Coolnashinny, beside the modern town of

Killeshandra Killeshandra or Killashandra () is a small town or village and civil parish in County Cavan, Ireland. It is located west of Cavan Town. Killeshandra town has a long record of participation in the National Tidy Towns competition and has won ...

. In 1595,

Hugh Roe O'Donnell Hugh Roe O'Donnell II (; 20 October 1572 – 30 August 1602), also known as Red Hugh O'Donnell, was an Irish Chief of the Name, clan chief and senior leader of the Irish confederacy during the Nine Years' War (Ireland), Nine Years' War. He was ...

, head of the O'Donnell dynasty, began a rebellion against the English. O'Donnell marched into

Connacht Connacht or Connaught ( ; or ), is the smallest of the four provinces of Ireland, situated in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, C ...

and destroyed many English settlements. On his way back, O'Donnell camped on the Mág Tighearnán lands in Tullyhunco. The ''

Annals of the Four Masters The ''Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland'' () or the ''Annals of the Four Masters'' () are chronicles of Middle Ages, medieval Irish history. The entries span from the Genesis flood narrative, Deluge, dated as 2,242 Anno Mundi, years after crea ...

'' for 1595 state: On 9 June 1602 Queen

Elizabeth I of England Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House of Tudor. Her eventful reign, and its effect on history ...

granted a pardon (fiant 6657) to ''Bryne Bane M'Kernan'' for fighting against the Queen's forces.

Plantation of Ulster

In the

Plantation of Ulster The Plantation of Ulster (; Ulster Scots dialects, Ulster Scots: ) was the organised Settler colonialism, colonisation (''Plantation (settlement or colony), plantation'') of Ulstera Provinces of Ireland, province of Irelandby people from Great ...

grant dated 4 June 1611, King

James VI and I James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and King of Ireland, Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 M ...

granted 400 acres 160 ha or 7 poles (a poll is local name for

townland A townland (; Ulster-Scots: ''toonlann'') is a traditional small land division used in Ireland and in the Western Isles of Scotland, typically covering . The townland system is of medieval Gaelic origin, predating the Norman invasion, and mo ...

) of land in Tullyhunco at an annual rent of £4 5''s''. 4''d.'', to ''Bryan McKearnan, gentleman'', comprising the modern-day townlands of Clontygrigny, Cornacrum, Cornahaia, Derrinlester, Dring,

Drumlarah Drumlarah (Irish derived place name, either Droim Leath Rátha meaning 'The Hill-Ridge of the Half-Fort' or Droim Láthrach meaning 'The Hill-Ridge of the House-Site' or Droim Lárach meaning 'The Hill-Ridge of the Mare'.) is a townland in the ci ...

, Ardlougher and Kiltynaskellan. Under the terms of the grant, Mág Tighearnán was obliged to build a house on this land. In a visitation by

George Carew, 1st Earl of Totnes George Carew, 1st Earl of Totnes (29 May 1555 – 27 March 1629), known as Sir George Carew between 1586 and 1605 and as The Lord Carew between 1605 and 1626, served under Elizabeth I during the Tudor conquest of Ireland and was appointed Pre ...

in autumn 1611, it was recorded, ''McKyernan removed to his proportion and is about building a house''. On 23 March 1615 Mág Tighearnán granted a lease on these lands to James Craig. On 1 May 1611 James Craig leased, ''1 poll of Toneloy and 4 polls of Croghan to Brieno bane McKernan''.

Death and family

On 14 March 1630 an Inquisition of King

Charles I of England Charles I (19 November 1600 – 30 January 1649) was King of Kingdom of England, England, Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland, and Kingdom of Ireland, Ireland from 27 March 1625 until Execution of Charles I, his execution in 1649. Charles was born ...

held in

Cavan Cavan ( ; ) is the county town of County Cavan in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The town lies in Ulster, near the border with County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland. The town is bypassed by the main N3 road (Ireland), N3 road that links Dublin ( ...

Town stated that ''Brian McKiernan'' died on 4 September 1622, and his lands comprising seven poles and three pottles in Clonkeen, Clontygrigny, Cornacrum, Derrinlester, Dring, Killygorman, Kiltynaskellan, and

Mullaghdoo, Cavan Mullaghdoo (Irish derived place name, Mullach Dubh meaning 'The Black Summit') is a townland in the civil parish of Kildallan, barony of Tullyhunco, County Cavan, Ireland. Geography Mullaghdoo is bounded on the west by Drumlarah and Drummany t ...

went to his nearest relatives. The most likely inheritors being Cahill, son of Owen McKiernan; Brian, son of Turlough McKiernan; and Farrell, son of Phelim McKiernan, all aged over 21 and married.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mág Tighearnan, Brian Bán 1622 deaths Irish lords People from County Cavan 16th-century Irish people 17th-century Irish people People of the Nine Years' War (Ireland)