Stradbally () is a barony in County Laois (formerly called ''Queen's County'' or ''County Leix''),

Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 Counties of Ireland, counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern ...

Etymology

Stradbally barony is named after the town of

Stradbally Stradbally () is a town in County Laois, Ireland, located in the midlands of Ireland along the N80 road, a National Secondary Route, about from Portlaoise. It is a townland, a civil parish and historic barony. It is known for its "Steam Ra ...

(literally meaning "one-street town").

Geography

Stradbally is located in eastern County Laois, bounded to the south by Luggacurren, to the east by the

River Barrow The Barrow ( ga, An Bhearú) is a river in Ireland. It is one of The Three Sisters; the other two being the River Suir and the River Nore. The Barrow is the longest of the three rivers, and at 192 km (120 mi), the second-longest ...

and to the west by Dunamase.

History

Stradbally barony was anciently known as ''Magh Druchtain'' ("plain of sweetness") and was ruled by a sept of the

Ó Ceallaigh O'Kelly ( ga, i=no, Ó Ceallaigh, approximately ) is the name of a number of distinct septs in Ireland. Most prominent of these is the O'Kelly sept of the Uí Maine. Another sept is that of the kingdom of Brega, descended from the Uí Néill. A ...

. It was also called Farran-O'Kelly ("men of O'Kelly"). According to the

Annals of the Four Masters The ''Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland'' ( ga, Annála Ríoghachta Éireann) or the ''Annals of the Four Masters'' (''Annála na gCeithre Máistrí'') are chronicles of medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or mediev ...

, in 1394,

James Butler, 3rd Earl of Ormond James Butler, 3rd Earl of Ormond (c. 1359 – 7 September 1405), was a noble in the Peerage of Ireland. He acceded to the title in 1382, and built Gowran Castle three years later in 1385 close to the centre of Gowran, making it his usual residenc ...

"mustered a force, and marched into

Leinster Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of Ir ...

to spoil it; and he burned and spoiled Gailine, and the territory of O'Kelly of Magh Druchtain, and then returned home." It is referred to in the topographical poem '' Tuilleadh feasa ar Éirinn óigh'' (

Giolla na Naomh Ó hUidhrín Giolla na Naomh O hUidhrin, Irish historian and poet, died 1420. O hUidhrin is known as the author of '' Tuilleadh feasa ar Éirinn óigh'', a topographical poem of a kind with Seán Mór Ó Dubhagáin's '' Triallam timcheall na Fodla'', of whi ...

, d. 1420): ''Ós Muigh Drúchtain an dúin ghil'' ''Ó Ceallaigh an chláir éignigh'' ''as samhail mín an mhuighe'' ''re Tír ttaraidh tTarrnguire.'' ("Over Magh-Druchtain of the fair fortress is

of the

salmon Salmon () is the common name In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of ...

-full river, Similar is the smooth surface of the plain to the fruitful land of promise.") Ballyduff was the seat of the Cenél Crimthann, a branch of the Ó hIndreadhain (O'Hourihan). After the Laois-Offaly Plantation, Stradbally came to

Francis Cosby Francis Cosby (1510–1580) was an English soldier and settler in Ireland. He has been implicated in the Massacre of Mullaghmast. Life He was the second son of John Cosby of Great Leake, Nottingham. He settled in Ireland in the reign of Henry VII ...

and was for centuries owned by the Cosby family, including

William Cosby Brigadier-General William Cosby (1690–1736) was an Irish soldier who served as the British colonial governor of New York from 1732 to 1736. During his short term, Cosby was portrayed as one of the most oppressive governors in the Thirteen Col ...

and Dudley Cosby, 1st Baron Sydney.

List of settlements

Below is a list of settlements in Stradbally barony: *

References

{{County Laois Baronies of County Laois