Irish Chiefs and Clans of Hy-Kinselagh and Cualan
The following accounts of the chiefs and clans of Wexford, Wicklow, and Carlow, and the territories possessed by each, have been collected from the Topographies of O'Heerin, O'Dugan, O'Brien, O'Halloran, and other sources. It appears that O'Dugan collected part of the topography of Leinster; but it was chiefly compiled by O'Heerin, who says:
"Leath Mogha, the portion of Heber the Fair,
The two southern territories of Erin!
Thus the plain of Leinster is mine;
And each brave man to the Bay of Limerick."
1. O'Tuathail or O'Toole, chiefs of Hy-Murray, an extensive territory comprising the greater part of the baronies of Talbotstown and Shilelagh in the county Wicklow, and extending as far as Almain, now the Hill of Allen, in the county Kildare; thus containing a great portion of the baronies of Naas, Kilcullen, Kilkea and Moone, and Connell, in that county. The O'Tooles were princes of Imaile; of the same race as the MacMurroughs; and like them eligible to be kings of the province of Leinster. The celebrated St. Lawrence O'Toole was of this family.
2. O'Brain, O'Broin, or O'Byrne, were chiefs of Hy-Briuin Cualan (which comprised the greater part of the barony of Ballinacor, called "O'Byrne's Country"), and also the Ranelagh: hence the O'Byrnes were styled lords of Ranelagh.
3. O'Ceallaigh or O'Kelly, and O'Taidhg, chiefs of Hy-Maile [Imaile] and of Hy-Teigh. This ancient family of O'Teigh have anglicised the name "Tighe;" and the O'Kellys here mentioned were of the same race as the MacMurroghs, O'Tooles, O'Byrnes, etc. The territory of Hy-Teigh was also called Crioch Cualan or "Cualan's Country," which comprised the baronies of Rathdown, Newcastle, and Arklow.
4. MacGiollamocholmog, chiefs of Cualan.
5. O'Cosgraidh or O'Cosgrave, and O'Fiachraidh, other chiefs in Cualan.
6. O'Gaithin, and O'Dunlaing or Dowling (some of this family have anglicised the name "Laing"), chiefs of Siol Elaigh and the Lagan; this territory of Siol Elaigh is now the barony of "Shilelagh," in the south of the county Wicklow.
7. O'Murchada or O'Murphy, chiefs of Crioch O'Felme or Hy-Feidhlime [Hy-Felimy], and of the same race as the MacMurroughs, kings of Leinster. Hy-Felimy extended along the sea coast, and was commonly called the "Murrowes;" and comprised the barony of Ballagheen in the county Wexford.
8. O'Gairbidh or O'Garvey, other chiefs in Hy-Felimy.
9. O'Cosgraidh or O'Cosgrave, chiefs of Beantraidhe, now the barony of "Bantry," county Wexford.
10. O'Duibhgin, probably O'Dugan, chiefs in Shelbourne, a barony in Wexford.
11. O'Lorcain or O'Larkin, chiefs of Fothart, the territory of the Foharta, now the barony of "Forth," in the county Wexford; the O'Larkins had their fortress at Carn, now the headland called Carnsore Point.
12. O'h-Airtghoile (O'h-Airtghaol: Irish, the kindred of O'Hart), anglicised "Hartly" and "Hartilly," chiefs of Crioch-na-gCenel (the country of the clans) or Criochnageneal, a territory near "O'Larkin's Country," above mentioned.
13. O'Riaghain or O'Ryan. lord of Hy-Drona, a territory which comprised the present baronies of "Idrone," in the county Carlow. The O'Ryans were styled princes of Hy-Drona, and were the stock of the O'Ryans who had extensive possessions in Tipperary.
14. O'Nuallain, O'Nolan, or O'Nowlan, chiefs of Fotharta Feadha, now the barony of "Forth," in the county Carlow.
15. O'Kinsellagh, O'Cahill, O'Doyle, O'Bulger, and MacCoskley, were powerful clans and had large possessions in the counties of Wexford and Carlow. O'Brien or MacBrien, and O'Moore, were also respectable families in Wexford. O'Doran held the high office of hereditary Brehons of Leinster; and, being the judges of that province, had extensive possessions under its ancient kings. Donald Caomhanach [Cavanagh], a son of King Dermod MacMurrough, succeeded partly to the inheritance of the kingdom of Leinster; and from him some of his descendants took the name of Kavanagh or Cavanagh, or MacMurrough-Kavanagh.