Ireland History – Northern Irish History Belfast Dublin

The New Earldroms were Kildare, Desmond, Ormonde. It was just when the last of the early Lordships disappeared that there rose into clear prominence three familks which from that time became the conspicuous leaders of the Irish of Norman descent. They were not late arrivals ; their founders had been amongst the earliest settlers, but [...]

While the Talbots and Butlers were thus rivals for official power, the Geraldines of both Desmond and Kildare were excluded from the favour of the House of Lancaster. Eventually, however, the struggle forced Ormonde to cultivate the friendship of one of his traditional rivals. James, Seventh Earl of Desmond, had succeeded to the Earldom by [...]