Archive for June, 2008

The attempt to govern Ireland without Kildare was a failure.When he had been dismissed from office, the Geraldine had withdrawn his protection from the Pale, with the result that the Irish continually raided the settlers in Meath.   Kildare’s brother had attacked the English at Carlow, and when the Earl was  arrested his sons attacked those in Kildare.  

Sir James Butler attacked the rival Butlers, harassed the friends of the Geraldines and exacted ” coyne and livery.”  

The greatest of the general collections is the ” Leabhar Breac,” or ” Speckled Book of Duniry,” written about the year 1400 by a member of the great literary family of the Mac Egans, who long maintained a famous school at Duniry on the west bank of the Shannon.

 It is a compilation from various ancient books, and O’Curry says : ” The contents are all, with one exception, of a religious character, and all, or nearly all, in the purest style of Gaelic.” The ” Book of Ballymote,” compiled about the year 1390 for Mac Donough of Tir Oiliolla, contains genealogies and extracts from many old books, and also the Ogham alphabet.

Silken Thomas Fitz-Gerald, Vice-Deputy

Henry, highly incensed, ordered Kildare to come at once to London to answer these charges, but gave him permission to himself nominate a substitute to fulfil hi» duties during his absence. Kildare’s choice fell on his eldest son, Thomas, a dashing, valiant youth, not yet twenty-one years of age, so famed for the splendour of his dress that  he  had   gained  the  name of ” Silken Thomas.”

 The post which he was to hold would have tried the capacity and prudence of a far more experienced man. Not only were his enemies on the Council many and powerful, but he became the centre, probably without his own knowledge, of intrigues extending beyond Ireland or even England.