The chiefs and lords, in fact, enjoyed their freedom from control. During all this period they ruled Ireland unchecked by any central Government, and they did not desire to be
therwise.

Lords and chiefs, great and small, Irish and Norman, overned their clans or followers and fought their rivals without any preference. To a few of the great Norman lords, of course, the office of  theLord Deputy with the control of the Dublin officials was an asset which they were always ambitious to secure.

But, apart from its value as a personal chattel, they paid little respect to the position, and a Lord Deputy broke the laws against fosterage and Irish alliances and ” coyne and livery ” and private wars as easily as if he were not the King’s representative. 

During this period, then, English influence was at its lowest ebb.The country was independent, and the nation was unified in culture ; but the one had no centre, and the other no head— there was no national focus.

The conditions were remarkably like those after Clontarf or like those of the Italian States down to recent times. Certain definite groupings there were. O’Neill and O’Donnell, O’Brien and Mac Carthy were still the accepted leaders of many subordinate clans.

 Indeed, the continued recognition of the chief family, and of the ruling clan, is striking—in families and clans there were dissensions, but there was very little disloyalty. Those leaders, however, were surrounded by other clans, Gaelic and Norman, over whom they had no traditional claims.