Risteárd de Tiúit (
anglicised as Richard Tuite) (ob. 1210) was an
Anglo-Norman nobleman and a member of
Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke
Richard de Clare (c. 1130 – 20 April 1176), the second Earl of Pembroke, also Lord of Leinster and Lord Chief Justice of Ireland, Justiciar of Ireland (sometimes known as Richard FitzGilbert), was an Anglo-Norman nobleman notable for his leadi ...
's Irish invasion force, and Lord Chief Justice of Ireland. His part in the
original invasion is acknowledged in
The Song of Dermot and the Earl
''The Song of Dermot and the Earl'' () is an anonymous Anglo-Normans, Anglo-Norman verse chronicle written in the early 13th century in England. It tells of the arrival of Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, Richard de Clare (Strongbow) in I ...
, which recorded his grant of land in the western part of
Meath (present-day
Westmeath
County Westmeath (; or simply ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region. It formed part of the historic Kingdom of ...
and
Longford) under the authority of
Hugh de Lacy in
Trim.
Introduction
He built one of the largest Motte and Bailey settlements in Ireland at
Granard Motte in 1199. His death, while Lord Chief Justice of Ireland, is recorded in Athlone by the Annals of the Four Masters under the year 1210 and his remains lie today in
Abbeylara's Cistercian abbey. He was granted the
feudal barony
A feudal baron is a vassal holding a heritable fief called a ''barony'', comprising a specific portion of land, granted by an overlord in return for allegiance and service. Following the end of European feudalism, feudal baronies have largely bee ...
of Moyashel.
Descendants
Risteárd de Tiúit had two sons who survived him, Risteárd 'Dubh' de Tiúit, the eldest son and heir to the title and lands, and Muiris.
Lodge's ''Peerage'' says that it was this Risteárd, Risteárd Dubh, who established the monastery at Granard about 1210 and at this time Risteárd Dubh already held the manors of Kilalton and Demar, and was
enfeoffed in that of Kilstir in Meath. Muiris became Lord of Jordanstown and had four sons who survived him, Tomás (Thomas), Piaras, Matthew and Ruairí (Roger). Sir Risteárd de Tiúit held lands at
Ballyloughloe
Ballyloughloe () is a civil parish in County Westmeath, Ireland. It is located about west–south–west of Mullingar.
Ballyloughloe is one of 4 civil parishes in the barony of Clonlonan in the province of Leinster. The civil parish covers . ...
in 1342, when he was arrested on suspicion of treason.
De Tiúit is also the ancestor of those who bear the de Tiúit/ Tuite surname. He is variously recorded as Tiúit, Diúit and Tuit. Numerous placenames in Meath (Tuiterath), Cavan (''Droim Thiúit''/ Drumyouth), Westmeath (Tuitestown in
Fore; Tuitestown in
Moyashel and Magheradernon, and Ballysallagh Tuite), Kilkenny (''Baile an Tiúigh Thoir''/ Tuitestown and ''Baile an Tiúigh Beag''/ Tuitestown Little) and elsewhere are named after him and his descendants. The surname may be from the Eure region of Normandy where the root, ''Tuit'' (generally spelt ''
Thuit'' as a single or first element), indicates a clearing in a wooded area and represents the local development of the Old Norse word ''thveit'' (also written ''þveit''), but sometimes from Old Danish ''thwēt'', brought by the
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a subregion#Europe, subregion of northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It can sometimes also ...
ns when they settled in Normandy
[Åse Kari H. Wagner, ''Les noms de lieux issus de l'implantation scandinave en Normandie : le cas des noms en -tuit'', in ''Les fondations scandinaves en occident et les débuts du duché de Normandie'', actes publiés sous la direction de Pierre Bauduin.] and is similar to English ''
Thwaite'' also from Old Norse or Old Danish.
See also
*
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 ...
*
Norman Ireland
*
Lord Chief Justice of Ireland
References
Further reading
*
*
External links
Annals of the Four MastersTuite Surname Distribution Today
from the Irish Times
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tiuit, Risteard de
Tiuit, Risteard de Tiuit, Baron
Tiuit, Risteard de Tiuit, Baron
Normans in Ireland
Norman warriors
Irish feudal barons