Conor O'Brien () of Leameneagh (1617–1651) was a

Royalist A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of gove ...

Commander in

County Clare County Clare () is a Counties of Ireland, county in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster in the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern part of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Clare County Council ...

during the

Irish Confederate Wars The Irish Confederate Wars, took place from 1641 to 1653. It was the Irish theatre of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, a series of civil wars in Kingdom of Ireland, Ireland, Kingdom of England, England and Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland, all then ...

Life

He was the son of Sir Donough O'Brien (1595-1637) and his wife Honora Wingfield, and was the head of the Leameneagh branch of the O'Briens with estates centred around Leameneagh and Dromoland. At the outbreak of the

Irish Rebellion of 1641 The Irish Rebellion of 1641 was an uprising in Kingdom of Ireland, Ireland, initiated on 23 October 1641 by Catholic gentry and military officers. Their demands included an end to anti-Catholic discrimination, greater Irish self-governance, and ...

, his relative

Murrough O'Brien, 1st Earl of Inchiquin Murrough MacDermod O'Brien, 1st Earl of Inchiquin (September 1614 – 9 September 1673), was an Irish nobleman and soldier, who came from one of the most powerful families in Munster. Known as ''Murchadh na dTóiteán'' ("Murrough the Burner"), ...

deputised him to advance the Royalist cause in

and to maintain order amongst the discontented factions, while he himself was engaged in the south of the kingdom in co-operating with his father-in-law, Sir William St Leger, to oppose the Confederate armies. Previous to the surrender of Limerick, Lord Muskerry had collected about five thousand men in the counties of Cork and Kerry, which, with a force of three thousand more in the county of Clare, were destined for the relief of that city. The former were defeated and dispersed by Lord Broghil at the

Battle of Knocknaclashy The battle of Knocknaclashy (also known as Knockbrack), took place in County Cork, Ireland in 1651. In it, an Irish Confederate force led by Viscount Muskerry was defeated by an English Parliamentarian force under Lord Broghill. It was the ...

and

Edmund Ludlow Edmund Ludlow (c. 1617–1692) was an English parliamentarian, best known for his involvement in the execution of Charles I, and for his ''Memoirs'', which were published posthumously in a rewritten form and which have become a major source ...

was ordered to the pass of Inchicronan to check the advance of the latter. At this place the Irish offered a determined resistance. His residence,

Leamaneh Castle Leamaneh Castle is a ruined castle located in the townland of Leamaneh North, parish of Kilnaboy, between the villages of Corofin and Kilfenora at the border of the region known as the Burren in County Clare, Ireland. It consists of a 15th-ce ...

was besieged and he was killed at the head of his men by Ludlow's cavalry near Inchicronan a few miles away from the castle, being shot from his horse, and his troops then retreating. His sword (which was used at the engagement with Ireton's forces) is preserved at Dromoland Castle, being in the family's possession for over 300 years. An unsubstantiated legend states that his body was brought back to the castle by Ludlow's soldiers and presented to his wife Maire Rua O'Brien who repudiated it, insisting she was not married, and married a Cromwellian soldier in order to maintain her family's estates.History of the O'Briens from Brian Boroimhe, AD. 1000 to AD. 1945, by Donough O'Brien, 1949, Batsford, page 213, page 211, page 259, page 205, https://archive.org/details/historyofobriens00obri/page/212/mode/2up, https://archive.org/details/historyofobriens00obri/page/210/mode/2up, https://archive.org/details/historyofobriens00obri/page/258/mode/2up, https://archive.org/details/historyofobriens00obri/page/204/mode/2up The castle was then occupied by Ludlow's troops.

Family

He married Máire Rua McMahon daughter of lord of East Corcabaskin or

Clonderalaw Clonderalaw () is an historical Barony (Ireland), barony in County Clare, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Baronies are geographical divisions of land that are in turn is divided into civil parishes in Ireland, civil parishes. Legal context Baro ...

, Sir Torlach Rua MacMahon and his wife Mary, the youngest daughter of

Connor O'Brien, 3rd Earl of Thomond Connor O'Brien, 3rd Earl of Thomond also spelt Conor and called Groibleach, or the "long-nailed", (; 1535–1581) contended with his uncle Domhnall mac Conchobair Ó Briain, Donnell for the Chieftainship of Clan O'Brien dynasty, O'Brien from 15 ...

and had eight children, three of which died in infancy, the surviving children were: * Donough, his eldest son, who was eventually re-invested in his father's estates. *Teige *Turlagh *Honora *Mary

References

{{Reflist O'Brien dynasty Military personnel from County Clare