Rory O'Conor (abt. 1116 - 1198)

Born about 1116 in Connacht, Ireland

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 2 Dec 1198 at about age 82 in Connacht, Ireland

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Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair, King of Connaught, High King of Ireland

Rory O’Connor (Ruaidhrí Ó Conchobhair) succeeded his father Turlough O'Conor as the King of Connacht in 1156.

He succeeded Muirchertach mac Lochlainn as King of Ireland in 1166 and ruled Ireland until about 1193, until Ireland fell into a period of British Rule following the invasion of Henry II of England.

Rory O'Connor (Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair) sometimes known as Roderick O'Connor, was the only son of Turlough O'Connor and his third wife Cailech, though one of about twenty sons among the children of Turlough and other spouses. ^[1]

The annals and genealogies list thirteen children fathered by Ruaidrí. There may have been more.

Conchobar Ua Conchobair

Muirchertach Ua Conchobair

Aedh Muimhnech Ua Conchobai^[2]. Had a son, Conchobar, alive in 1236.

Domnall Mór Ua Conchobair. Had a son, Niall, killed 1242.

Aed mac Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair, died 1159.

The daughter of Ruaidhri Ua Conchobair, wife of [F]laithbertach Ua Maeldoraidh, was killed by the sons of Ua Cairella[i]n in 1176.

Rose Ní Conchobair, married Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath about 1180, and had descendants.

Conchobar Máenmaige Ua Conchobhair, died 1189.

Diarmait mac Ruaidrí Ó Conchobair, died 1221. Had sons Diarmait (fl. 1237), :Donnchad (fl. 1237), Muirchertach (k. 1237) and Cormac.

Muirghis Cananach Ua Conchobhair, died 1224.

Nuala Ní Conchobair, died 1226.

Aedh mac Ruaidri Ó Conchobair, died 1233.

Toirdhealbhach mac Ruaidhrí Ó Conchobhair, died 1239. Had sons Conchobar Buide and Brian.

M1211.8. Raghnailt and Caillech De, two daughters of Roderic O'Conor, died.

All of Ruaidrí's large male progeny faded into obscurity in the first half of the 13th century. The last to be mentioned in the Gaelic-Irish annals was his grandson, Niall son of Domnall Mór, who was killed in 1242.

KING OF CONNAUGHT : In 1136, Rory and his brother Aedh (Hugh) staged an unsuccessful challenge for kingship against their their brother Conchobar.

In 1143 he tried again, again unsuccessfully, and was arrested and imprisoned by Conchobar. He continued a campaign to strengthen O'Connor territory, surpassing the inroads of neighbours such as the Ua Briain's of Munster, so that the time of his father's death in 1156, it was obvious to all that he was best qualified of all his family to lead the O'Connors as King of Connaught. ^[3]

HIGH KING OF IRELAND : When Muirchertach Mac Lochlainn died 1166, Rory O'Connor was inaugurated King of Ireland in Dublin, first undisputed King of all Ireland. ^[4]

When Dermod Macmorough, King of Leinster, was forced to fly his country by the Kings of Connaught and Meath, he went in 1167 to the English King Henry II for help. Henry was at war in France at the time and didn't want to be distracted by somebody else's problems in Ireland, so suggested that one or two of his nobles might be interested in helping out in a private venture. Several did, including Richard de Clare Earl of Pembroke (often simply known as "Strongbow") who successfully established a firm foothold in Ireland. In 1172, King Henry ll seeing that Pembroke's venture was so successful, and the land of Ireland apparently desirable, obtained a decree from Pope Adrian lV giving him the moral authority to annex Ireland for the English Crown. King Henry went to Ireland and called a great council at Lismore, county Waterford, in which the rule of English law was imposed and the country divided among his followers.

In 1175 there was a treaty between King Henry ll and Roderick O'Connor, King of Connaught and Monarch of Ireland; Roderick and the Irish nobles believing that King Henry intended simply annex Ireland to England, leaving the Irish to rule themselves undisturbed. Rory agreed on terms of the Treaty of Windsor with King Henry II in 1175; becoming liegeman and tax collector for King Henry. ^{[5] [6]}

Roderick O'Connor finding that King Henry violated his promise not to dispossess any Irish from their lands, assembled an army to retake land that had been given to Hugh de Lacy.

Roderick O'Connor, the last of the native Irish Kings, retired from his throne and retired Cong Abbey which lies on the borders of county Galway and county Mayo.

Sources

1. ↑ (no:113) Roderick O'Connor son of Tirloch Mor was 183rd Monarch of Ireland Library Ireland : Irish Pedigrees by John O'Hart
2. ↑ Wikipedia - Aed mac Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair
3. ↑ Wikipedia : Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair
4. ↑ Wikipedia : Monarchy of Ireland
5. ↑ Library Ireland : Irish Pedigrees : English Invasion of Ireland
6. ↑ Celt : A Discovery of the true causes why Ireland was never entirely subdued by Sir John Davies

• http://www.libraryireland.com/Pedigrees1/irish-monarchs-line-heremon.php
• https://www.britannica.com/biography/Turloch-OConnor
• http://blog.expedia.ie/irish-kings-queens/timeline/rory-oconnor/
• Wikidata: Item Q1660081, en:Wikipedia