Clanricarde ( ), also known as Mac William Uachtar (Upper Mac William) or the Galway Burkes, were a fully
Gaelicised
Gaelicisation, or Gaelicization, is the act or process of making something Gaels, Gaelic or gaining characteristics of the ''Gaels'', a sub-branch of Celticisation. The Gaels are an ethno-linguistic group, traditionally viewed as having spread fro ...
branch of the
Hiberno-Norman
Norman Irish or Hiberno-Normans (; ) is a modern term for the descendants of Norman settlers who arrived during the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland in the 12th century. Most came from England and Wales. They are distinguished from the native ...
House of Burgh
The House of Burgh (; ; ), also known by the family names of Burke and Bourke (), is an Ireland, Irish family, descending from the Anglo-Normans, Anglo-Norman de Burgh dynasty, who played a prominent role in the Anglo-Norman invasion of Irel ...
who were important landowners in
Ireland
Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
from the 13th to the 20th centuries.
Territory

The territory, in what is now
County Galway
County Galway ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Northern and Western Region, taking up the south of the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht. The county population was 276,451 at the 20 ...
,
Ireland
Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
, stretched from the
barony of Clare in the north-west along the borders of
County Mayo
County Mayo (; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. In the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht, it is named after the village of Mayo, County Mayo, Mayo, now ge ...
, to the
River Shannon
The River Shannon ( or archaic ') is the major river on the island of Ireland, and at in length, is the longest river in the British Isles. It drains the Shannon River Basin, which has an area of , – approximately one fifth of the area of I ...
in the east. Territories Clannricarde claimed dominion over included
Uí Maine,
Kinela, de Bermingham's Country,
Síol Anmchadha
Síol Anmchadha () was a sub-kingdom or lordship of Uí Maine, and ruled by an offshoot of the Uí Maine called the Síol Anmchadha (''"the seed of Anmchadh"''), from whom the territory took its name. It was located in Connacht, Ireland.
Hist ...
and southern Sil Muirdeagh were at times at war. Those clans accepted the family’s claims on varying occasions as well, and many family members were ceremonially brought into the Irish heritage.
Title
The Clanricarde, was a Gaelic title meaning ''"Richard's family"'', or ''"(head of) Richard's family"''. The Richard in question was
Richard Mór de Burgh
Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Old Frankish and is a compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic language">Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and ...
, 1st Lord of Connacht (died 1243), son of
William de Burgh, whose great-great-grandson became the first Clanricarde in the 1330s. The title was first recorded in
1335, and had probably been being used informally for a few generations. However, with the advent of the
Burke Civil War (1333–1338) it came to denote the head of the Burkes of Upper or south Connacht based largely in what is now east and central County Galway. Simultaneously it was used to describe the lands held by the family.
The title Mac William Uachtar was also used as a synonym. It was a Gaelic title meaning "son of the upper William (de Burgh)". It was used to differentiate the Burkes of upper or south Connacht from their cousins, the Burkes of lower or north Connacht, who were known was the
Mac William Lower.
However, it was never used as popularly as the term Clanricarde and was in any case abandoned by the end of the 16th century.
[ ]
In 1543 the then Clanricarde was created
Earl of Clanricarde
Earl of Clanricarde ( ; ) is a title that has been created twice in the Peerage of Ireland, first in 1543 and again in 1800. The former creation became extinct in 1916 while the 1800 creation is extant and held by the Marquess of Sligo since 19 ...
by
Henry VIII
Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is known for his Wives of Henry VIII, six marriages and his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. ...
.
The Clanricardes or Mac William Uachtar 1333–1544
*
Ulick Burke of Annaghkeen or Sir Uilleag de Burgh, 1st Clanricarde or Mac William Uachtar (
1333–
1353)
*
Richard Óg Burke, 2nd Clanricarde or Mac William Uachtar (
1353–1387)
*
Ulick an Fhiona Burke, 3rd Clanricarde or Mac William Uachtar (1387–
1424)
*
William mac Ulick Burke, 4th Clanricarde or Mac William Uachtar (1424–
1430
1430 (Roman numerals, MCDXXX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.
Events
January–March
* January 7 – Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, marries Isabella of Portugal, Duchess of Burgundy, Isabella of Po ...
)
*
Ulick Ruadh Burke, 5th Clanricarde or Mac William Uachtar (1430–
1485)
*
Ulick Fionn Burke, 6th Clanricarde or Mac William Uachtar (1485–
1509
Year 1509 (Roman numerals, MDIX) was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.
Events
January–March
* January 21 – The Kingdom of Portugal, Portuguese first arrive at the Seven Islands of Bombay and land at M ...
)
*
Richard Óge Burke, 7th Clanricarde or Mac William Uachtar (1509–
1519)
*
Ulick Óge Burke, 8th Clanricarde or Mac William Uachtar (1519–
1520)
*
Richard Mór Burke, 9th Clanricarde or Mac William Uachtar (1520–
1530)
*
John mac Richard Mór Burke, 10th Clanricarde or Mac William Uachtar (1530–
1536
Year 1536 ( MDXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.
Events
January–March
*January 6 – The Colegio de Santa Cruz de Tlatelolco, the oldest European school of higher learning in the Americas, is ...
)
*
Richard Bacach Burke
Richard Bacach Burke, 11th Clanricarde or Mac William Uachtar ( ; died 1538) was an Irish people, Irish Chief of the Name, chieftain and nobility, noble who was the ancestor of the Burkes of County Galway.
Background
Burke was a son of Ulick ...
, 11th Clanricarde or Mac William Uachtar (1536–
1538)
*
Ulick na gCeann Burke, 12th Clanricarde or Mac William Uachtar and 1st Earl of Clanricarde (1538–
1544
__NOTOC__
Events
January–March
* January 4 – In India, Maldeo Rathore, King of Marwar (now part of the state of Rajasthan) is tricked by counterintelligence spread by Mughal Empire, Mughal Emperor and Afghan Shah Sher Shah Su ...
)
*Sir Uilleag Burke, (disputed) 13th Clanricarde or Mac William Uachtar (1544–51)
Genealogy
* Walter de Burgh of
Burgh Castle
Burgh Castle is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.
Burgh Castle is located south-west of Great Yarmouth and east of Norwich. The parish was part of Suffolk until 1974.
History
Burgh Castle was likely the site of a ...
,
Norfolk
Norfolk ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in England, located in East Anglia and officially part of the East of England region. It borders Lincolnshire and The Wash to the north-west, the North Sea to the north and eas ...
m. Alice
**
William de Burgh (d. 1206) m. Daughter of
Domnall Mór Ó Briain,
King of Thomond
The kings of Thomond () ruled from the establishment of Thomond during the High Middle Ages, until the Early modern period. Thomond represented the legacy of Brian Bóruma and the High Kings of Ireland of his line who could not hold onto all of ...
***
Richard Mór /
Óge de Burgh, 1st Lord of Connaught m.
Egidia de Lacy, Lady of Connacht
**** Sir Richard de Burgh (d.1248), 2nd Lord of Connaught
****
Walter de Burgh, 1st Earl of Ulster (d. 1271)
*****
Richard Óg de Burgh, 2nd Earl of Ulster (1259–1326)
******
John de Burgh m.
Elizabeth de Clare
*******
William Donn de Burgh, 3rd Earl of Ulster (1312–33) m.
Maud of Lancaster
********
Elizabeth de Burgh, 4th Countess of Ulster (1332–63) m.
Lionel of Antwerp, 1st Duke of Clarence
Lionel of Antwerp, Duke of Clarence, (; 29 November 133817 October 1368), was an English prince, Earl of Ulster ''jure uxoris'' from 1347, Duke of Clarence from 1362, Guardian of England in 1345–46, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in 1361–66, Kni ...
*********
Philippa Plantagenet, 5th Countess of Ulster (1355–82) m.
Edmund Mortimer, 3rd Earl of March
*********
Roger Mortimer, 4th Earl of March, 6th Earl of Ulster (1374–98)
**********
Edmund Mortimer, 5th Earl of March, 7th Earl of Ulster (1391–1425)
**********
Anne Mortimer (1388–1411) m.
Richard of Conisburgh, 3rd Earl of Cambridge
***********
Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York
Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York (21 September 1411 – 30 December 1460), also named Richard Plantagenet, was a leading English magnate and claimant to the throne during the Wars of the Roses. He was a member of the ruling House of Plantag ...
, 8th Earl of Ulster (1411–60)
************
Edward IV
Edward IV (28 April 1442 – 9 April 1483) was King of England from 4 March 1461 to 3 October 1470, then again from 11 April 1471 until his death in 1483. He was a central figure in the Wars of the Roses, a series of civil wars in England ...
(Edward, 4th Duke of York, 9th Earl of Ulster)
*************
House of York
The House of York was a cadet branch of the English royal House of Plantagenet. Three of its members became kings of England in the late 15th century. The House of York descended in the male line from Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York ...
(Kings and Queens of England and Ireland)
******
Edmond de Burgh
******* Sir Richard Burke
******** Walter Burke (d. 1432)
********* Burkes of Castleconnell and Brittas (Clanwilliam)
******** Uileag Carragh Burke
********* Burkes of Cois tSiúire (Clanwilliam)
******* Sir David Burke,
******** Burkes of Muskerryquirk (Clanwilliam)
******
Elizabeth, Queen of Scotland m.
Robert I of Scotland
Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (), was King of Scots from 1306 until his death in 1329. Robert led Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland during the First War of Scottish Independence against Kingdom of Eng ...
***** Theobald de Burgh
***** William de Burgh
***** Thomas de Burgh
***** Egidia de Burgh
****
William Óg de Burgh (d. 1270)
*****
William Liath de Burgh (d. 1324)
****** Sir
Walter Liath de Burgh, d. 1332
****** Sir
Edmond Albanach de Burgh (d. 1375), 1st
Mac William Íochtar (Lower Mac William), (Mayo)
*******
Mac William Íochtars,
Viscounts Mayo and
Earls of Mayo
Earl of the County of Mayo, usually known simply as Earl of Mayo (), is a title in the Peerage of Ireland created, in 1785, for John Bourke, 1st Earl of Mayo, John Bourke, 1st Viscount Mayo (of the second creation). For many years he served as "F ...
******
John de Burgh (1350–98), Chancellor of the University of Cambridge
****** Richard an Fhorbhair de Burgh
******* Sir
Ulick de Burgh (d. 1343/53), 1st Mac William Uachtar (Upper Mac William) or Clanricarde (Galway)
********
Richard Óg Burke (d. 1387)
*********
Ulick an Fhiona Burke
********** Clanricardes,
Earls of Marquesses of Clanricarde
******* Raymond de Burgh
******* Walter Óge de Burgh
****** Raymund de Burgh
****** Ulick de Burgh of Umhall
**** Alice de Burgh
****
Margery de Burgh
**** Matilda de Burgh
**** Daughter de Burgh
***
Hubert de Burgh, Bishop of Limerick (d. 1250)
*** William de Burgh, Sheriff of Connacht
**
Hubert de Burgh, 1st Earl of Kent
Hubert de Burgh, Earl of Kent ( , ; – before 5 May 1243) was an English nobleman who served as Justiciar, Chief Justiciar of England (1215–1232) and Chief governor of Ireland, Justiciar of Ireland (1232) during the reigns of King John, K ...
(d. 1243) m.
*** John de Burgh
*** Hubert de Burgh
*** Hubert de Burgh
****
Barons Burgh Barons may refer to:
*Baron (plural), a rank of nobility
*Barons (surname), a Latvian surname
*Barons, Alberta, Canada
* ''Barons'' (TV series), a 2022 Australian drama series
* ''The Barons'', a 2009 Belgian film
Sports
* Birmingham Barons, a Min ...
**
Geoffrey de Burgh, Bishop of Ely (d. 1228)
** Thomas de Burgh
* Richard an Fhorbhair de Burgh (d.1343)
** Sir
William (Ulick) de Burgh (d. 1343/53), 1st Mac William Uachtar (Upper Mac William) or Clanricarde (Galway)
***
Richard Óg Burke (d. 1387), 2nd Clanricarde
****
Ulick an Fhiona Burke (d. 1424), 3rd Clanricarde
*****
Ulick Ruadh Burke (d. 1485), 5th Clanricarde
****** Edmund Burke (d. 1466)
******* Ricard of Roscam (d. 1517)
********
John mac Richard Mór Burke (d. 1536), 10th Clanricarde
******
Ulick Fionn Burke (d.1509), 6th Clanricarde
*******
Ulick Óge Burke (d. 1520), 8th Clanricarde
*******
Richard Mór Burke (d. 1530), 9th Clanricarde
********
Ulick na gCeann Burke (d. 1544), 12th Clanricarde, 1st
Earl of Clanricarde
Earl of Clanricarde ( ; ) is a title that has been created twice in the Peerage of Ireland, first in 1543 and again in 1800. The former creation became extinct in 1916 while the 1800 creation is extant and held by the Marquess of Sligo since 19 ...
(1543)
*******
Richard Bacach Burke
Richard Bacach Burke, 11th Clanricarde or Mac William Uachtar ( ; died 1538) was an Irish people, Irish Chief of the Name, chieftain and nobility, noble who was the ancestor of the Burkes of County Galway.
Background
Burke was a son of Ulick ...
(d. 1538), 11th Clanricarde
******
Richard Óge Burke (d. 1519), 7th Clanricarde
******* Sir Uilleag Burke (d. 1551), 13th Clanricarde
****
William mac Ulick Burke (d. 1430), 4th Clanricarde
*** Edmund de Burgh (d. 1410)
See also
*
House of Burgh
The House of Burgh (; ; ), also known by the family names of Burke and Bourke (), is an Ireland, Irish family, descending from the Anglo-Normans, Anglo-Norman de Burgh dynasty, who played a prominent role in the Anglo-Norman invasion of Irel ...
, an
Anglo-Norman and
Hiberno-Norman
Norman Irish or Hiberno-Normans (; ) is a modern term for the descendants of Norman settlers who arrived during the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland in the 12th century. Most came from England and Wales. They are distinguished from the native ...
dynasty founded in 1193
*
Mac William Íochtar, Bourkes of Mayo (Lower Connaught)
*
Burke Civil War
*
Earl of Clanricarde
Earl of Clanricarde ( ; ) is a title that has been created twice in the Peerage of Ireland, first in 1543 and again in 1800. The former creation became extinct in 1916 while the 1800 creation is extant and held by the Marquess of Sligo since 19 ...
References
Citations
Bibliography
*
*
** ''Earls of Ulster and Lords of Connacht, 1205-1460 (de Burgh, de Lacy and Mortimer)'', p. 170;
** ''Mac William Burkes: Mac William Iochtar (de Burgh), Lords of Lower Connacht and Viscounts of Mayo, 1332-1649'', p. 171;
** ''Burke of Clanricard: Mac William Uachtar (de Burgh), Lords of Upper Connacht and Earls of Clanricard, 1332-1722'', p. 172.
External links
Burke's East Galway: The Culture, History and Genealogy of the Families of East Galway
{{Portal bar , England , Ireland , Biography
Anglo-Norman Irish dynasties
House of Burgh