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The MacCarthy Reagh (Irish: Mac Cárthaigh Riabhach) dynasty are a branch of the MacCarthy dynasty, Kings of Desmond, deriving from the Eóganacht Chaisil sept.

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Carbery in Tudor times

History

The Mac Cárthaigh Riabhach seated themselves as kings of Carbery in what is now southwestern County Cork including Rosscarbery in the 13th century.[1][2] Their primary allies in the initially small territory itself were O'Donovans,[1] and members of the Ui Chairpre; both were recent arrivals, gaining their lands from the O'Mahonys of Eóganacht Raithlind and the O'Driscolls of Corcu Loígde. The historical record for this period is very confused and a precise sequence of events cannot be reconstructed. A portion of Carbery was conquered around 1232 by Donal Gott MacCarthy, King of Desmond, from whom the dynasty descend.[3] His son Donal Maol Mac Carthaigh, was the first ruler of the new principality. Their descendants would expand their territories considerably and forge a small, wealthy kingdom distinct and independent from the larger Kingdom of Desmond, as well as largely independent from the Earldom of Desmond and from England, which would last into the early-mid 17th century.[4]

Fínghin Mac Carthaigh, the victor for Gaelic Desmond in the Battle of Callann and other campaigns, is considered to belong to the Mhic Carthaigh Riabhach, being a son of Donal Gott.[5] They were in frequent conflict with the line of the MacCarthy Mor, and the MacCarthys of Duhallow and Coshmaine, all of which were generally in conflict with the Fitzgeralds and FitzMaurices which comprised the lines of the Earl of Desmond and the Earl of Kildare, respectively.[6]

The dynasty became very successful during the 14th to 16th centuries, accumulating great wealth and possessing what was at times the most formidable, although not the largest army in the Desmond region. MacCarthy Reagh princes such as Florence MacCarthy were highly active in the politics and wars of Munster. A later branch from Bansha, County Tipperary, descendants of Donal of the Pipes, would relocate to Toulouse in France and be created the Counts MacCarthy Reagh of Toulouse (Comtes de Mac-Carthy Reagh).[7][8] The renowned Jesuit preacher Nicholas Tuite MacCarthy was from this line. From another branch of the dynasty descended several more lines of counts and viscounts in France.[9]

Florence MacCarthy was the compiler of Mac Carthaigh's Book,[10] and the Book of Lismore was commissioned by an earlier member of the dynasty.[11]

The controversial Blessed Thaddeus McCarthy is believed to have belonged to the MacCarthys Reagh.[12]

The line of the Mac Carthaigh Riabhach was not represented among the Gaelic nobility of Ireland granted courtesy recognition.[13]

Princes of Carbery

Claimants to the title of Prince of Carbery have included:[14]

  • Donal na Pipi, 17th Prince of Carbery – son of Cormac na Haoine, last Prince of Carbery
    • Cormac MacCarthy Reagh
      • Donal MacCarthy Reagh, "Comte de Carbery" & Lord of Kilbrittain m. Lady Ellen Roche of Fermoy
        • Col. Finghin MacCarthy Reagh, "le comte de MacCarthy-Reagh" (1625-1676) m. Mary
            • Cormac
              • Owen (1691-1775)
                • Cormac m. Catherine Bernard
                  • Francis Bernard MacCarthy Reagh, from whom the "Longfield MacCarthys" stem.
            • Dermot (1658-1728)
              • Donal I MacCarthy Reagh of Gorteenasowna (1690-1758) m. Katherine O'Driscoll
                • Donal II MacCarthy (1735-1814) m. Anna MacCarthy Reagh of Gortnascreeny
                  • Daniel Carty of Cashloura, from whom the McCarthys of Drinagh
                • Cormac McCarty Esq. (d. 1792)
                • Owen MacCarthy
                • Margaret m. Richard O'Neill of Kilmichael, Prince of Ulster (1743-1817)[15]
        • Cormac, Lord of Kilbrittain (d. 1667) m. Ellen McCarthy Mor
      • Owen (d. 1641)
      • Catherine
    • Owen, a quo the Springhouse sept
    • Donough, Proprietor of Kilbrittain
    • Finghin of Bandubh
    • Ellen
    • Julia
    • Teige, Chief of Kilgobane

MacCarthy Glas/Duna

As patrilineal descendants of the 4th Prince, but not the 5th Prince, the MacCarthys of Dunmanway, belonging to the MacCarthy Glas[16][17][18] and MacCarthy Duna[19][20] septs, are not technically MacCarthys Reagh. However, most historians and genealogists refer to all descendants of Donal Gott as MacCarthys Reagh, and it is the case that, should the "senior line", descendants of the 5th Prince, fail, then the MacCarthys of Dunmanway would become the "new" Princes of Carbery.

  • Teige-an-Fhorsa MacCarthy, Lord of Glean-na-Chroim
  • Teige-an-Duna MacCarthy, Lord of Glean-na-Chroim – ancestor of several surviving septs

See also

Notes

References

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