Above: Picture of the ruins in Athenry

Felim O’Connor had left De Burgh on the Bann in order to oppose the attempt of Rory O’Connor of the ” Clann Murtough ” {page 138) to supersede him. Rory had distinguished himself by capturing many Norman castles, and had been inaugurated King with the support of most of the chiefs of Connacht. Even Mulroney Mac Dermott, chief of Magh Luirg, who had placed Felim on the throne (page 138) went over to Rory for a time. He soon returned to Felim, however, and the two defeated and slew Rory. Felim and his lieutenant immediately declared against De Burgh and the Normans, and drove them out of Luighne (page 138). Declaring his intention of driving the Normans out of Connacht, Felim was joined by all the chiefs of Connacht, by O’Brien of Thomond, and by O Maolachlan and other chiefs of Meath. The defeated Red Earl was now old and without vigour. But his brother, William De Burgh, and Richard De Bermingham, gathered the Norman forces at Athenry.

Although, as has been seen, the chiefs of Munster had not supported Bruce, yet they had availed themselves of the opportunity his invasion gave them. A few months before the battle of Faughart the O’Briens, aided by Mac Carthy, had defeated another attempt of De Clare to secure a footing in Thomond. Led by Muirkertach—who in the previous year had opposed Bruce— they won a decisive victory at Dysert O’Dea (1318), and the English were completely cleared out of all Thomond west of the Shannon. Next they won back most of their former possessions to the east of that river. Muirkertach had a rival in Brian Ban O’Brien, who had even fought against him at Dysert O’Dea. The contest went on for some years, but eventually peace was made. Then the O’Briens crossed the Shannon, and drove the English out of Thomond, south of Lough Derg, and here Brian Ban settled, and established a new family known as the ” O’Briens of Ara.” He succeeded Muirkertach as King of Thomond, made a treaty with the De Burghs (who also had possessions here), and until his death, in 1350, kept Thomond free.
In the south-west, Desmond clans maintained their independence, but their ancient territories on the Suir and the Shannon were dominated by the Geraldines.
The disastrous battle of Athenry had left William De Burgh and Mulroney Mac Dermott the most important chiefs in Connacht. Bitter experience had not taught the O’Connors, and their feuds were again renewed, both De Burgh and Mac Dermott acting as rival King-makers. Eventually the latter succeeded in making Turlough O’Connor, the brother of Felim, King of Connacht (1324). Turlough was able and vigorous, and the quarrels of the De Burghs equalled any that had ever distracted the O’Connors. We find, therefore, that Turlough drives the last of the Norman settlers out of Luighne, and in Sligo establishes his former rival, who becomes ” O’Connor Sligo.”* The fall of the ” causeway ” to the Shannon was followed up by the capture of Athlone and the neighbouring castles, and Connacht was completely cut off from what was left of the English possessions (1342). The Normans who remained threw off, as will be seen, all connection with England, whose power beyond the Shannon was thus wiped out.

The most bitter quarrel of all, and one which had most important results, was that which ended in the assassination of the last De Burgh Earl of ” Ulster.” The ” Red Earl ” had died in 1326 in the monastery of Athaisil He had been succeeded by his grandson, the ” Brown Earl.” William De Burgh, the brother of the Red Earl and one of the victors at Athenry, had died in 1324.

Between William’s son, Walter, and the Brown Earl, some fighting took place, and eventually Walter De Burgh was treacherously captured, and starved to death in the Brown Earl’s castle of Greencastle in Inis Eoghain.

Walter’s brother-in-law, Sir Richard Mandeville, in revenge suddenly fell upon the Brown Earl, and murdered him near Carrickfergus (1333).