Coordinates: 53°55′N 7°15′W

East Breifne
The Kingdom of East Breifne or Breifne O'Reilly (Old
Irish: Muintir-Maelmordha; Irish: Bréifne Uí Raghallaigh, Kingdom of East Breifne
IPA: [ˈbʲɾʲeːfʲnʲə iː ˈɾˠəil̪ˠiː]) was an historic kingdom of Bréifne Uí Raghallaigh
Ireland roughly corresponding to County Cavan that existed
from 1256 to 1607. It took its present boundaries in 1579 1256–1607
when East Breifne was renamed Cavan, after Cavan town,
and shired into Ulster. Originally part of the older Kingdom of
Breifne, East Breifne came into existence following a
protracted war between the ruling O'Rourke clan and the
ascendant O'Reillys which culminated in the division of the
kingdom in 1256. The Kingdom was ruled by the dynasty of
the Ó Raghallaigh (O'Reilly) and lasted until the early 17th Coat of arms
century. Motto: Fortitudine et prudentia
(English: With fortitude and prudence)
Origins and etymology
The area of modern-day east County Cavan has been
inhabited for over 5,000 years. The O'Reilly are descendant
from a kin-group known as Uí Briúin, who settled the east
Breifne area in the eighth century AD. At some point they
splintered off from the Uí Briúin sept and became known as
Muintir-Maelmordha, named after their chief Maelmordha
who lived in the 9th century.[1] They did not assume a
surname until the early 11th century when they became
known as O Raghallaigh, from the chieftain Raghallach. They
are believed to have arrived in what is now County Cavan in
the 10th century. Muintir-Maelmordha first appear in the Irish
annals as a clan ruling a small territory around Lough Ramor
called Machaire Gailenga in 1126, at which point they are a
vassal of the O'Rourkes.[2]
A map of 1450 Ireland shows Breifne
Kingdom of Breifne c. 1120–1256 O'Reilly
Capital Belturbet (1256
Machaire Gailenga was annexed after the O'Reilly were to late 13th
defeated by the O'Rourkes and became a constituent clan century)
within what was then known as the Kingdom of Bréifne and Cavan (c. 1300)
Conmaicne. King Tigernán Mór Ua Ruairc, who reigned from Common languages Irish
1124 to 1172, was conquering eastward and it was under English[n 1]
Tighernán Mór that the Kingdom of Breifne reached its
greatest expanse, extending from Hill of Ward and Kells, Religion Roman
County Meath to Drumcliff, County Sligo in the late 12th Catholic
century.[3] Tighernán Mór consolidated the eastern territories Government Elective
he had conquered through his marriage to Derbforgaill, monarchy
daughter of the King of Meath.[4] King
• 1256–1257 Conchobar Uí
There was great animosity between the subjugated O'Reillys
Raghallaigh
and their O'Rourke overlords. Tighernán Mór went to war
• 1603–1607 Maolmhordha
with King Diarmait Mac Murchada of Leinster in 1152 O'Reilly
following Mac Murchada's abduction of Queen Derbforgaill,
History
and his claim over land that was in Brefnian possession.[5]
Taking advantage of Breifne's preoccupation, chief Geofraidh • Split from Breifne 1256
O'Reilly launched an unsuccessful rebellion in 1154 and was • Shired 1579
banished from the kingdom following his defeat. In 1155 • Disestablished 1607
when Donnchad Ua Cerbaill king of Airgíalla was captured
and imprisoned by Tighernán Mór, Geofraidh O'Reilly and his Preceded Succeeded by
supporters ambushed the Brefnian guards and rescued Ua by
Cerbaill. O'Reilly was later captured and executed for this act Bréifne Kingdom of
of sedition.[6] Ireland

Today part of Ireland

Norman invasion

Tighernán Mór formed a coalition with the High King, Ruaidrí

Ua Conchobair, which ousted Mac Murchada in 1166. Mac
Murchada fled to England and sought help from Henry II to aid
him in reconquering his kingdom. This prompted the Norman
invasion of Ireland in 1169. With Norman aid Mac Murchada
retook Leinster, and set Kells, Breifne's easternmost outpost,
ablaze. In 1170 Breifne was invaded and in the following years
the kingdom was carved up by the Normans. O'Rourke power
was weakened whilst the O'Reilly submitted to Mac Murchada
and his Norman allies during the conquest. The initially Norman Cloughoughter
Castle was captured & completed by
Shortly after Mac Murchada's death in May 1171, most of the the O'Reillys in 1233
native Irish kingdoms waged war on his successor, Richard de
Clare or "Strongbow". However, the O'Reilly allied themselves
with the Normans as a way of breaking free of the O'Rourke. The division between the two clans is most
apparent during the Siege of Dublin, when the O'Rourke king is encamped outside the city with his Gaelic
allies, and the O'Reilly king is inside aligned with Strongbow and his council.

During parley in 1172 at Trim, Tighernán Mór was betrayed and killed by Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath,
throwing the O'Rourke dynasty into chaos. The instability and wars of succession between the various
branches of the O'Rourke sept weakened their hold over the territory of Breifne even further. With the help
of de Lacy, the O'Rourkes were driven back and expelled from O'Reilly land. Good relations between the
O'Reilly and the Normans persisted until the early 13th century when they were soured by Hugh's two
sons, Walter and William Gorm.[7]

The influence of the Normans in eastern Breifne was considerable and by 1211 they had established castles
in Belturbet and Kilmore. King John of England took possession of the Lordship of Meath from the de
Lacy family following Hugh's death, but it was returned to Hugh's son Walter de Lacy in 1215. Walter,
William Gorm, and their Anglo-Norman forces began expanding into Breifne in an attempt to increase their
influence to western Ulster. By 1220 de Lacy had taken control of most of the O'Reilly territory, including
the stony island at Lough Oughter, where William Gorm began construction of a castle. Cathal O'Connor,
King of Connacht, wrote to Henry III in 1224 informing him that the de Lacy family had not only seized
Breifne from the O'Rourkes, but the Earldom of Ulster as well. Seeing that Walter had clearly overstepped
his boundaries, Henry III sent an English force led by William Marshal to Ireland to put down de Lacy. The
O'Reillys assisted Marshal in his campaign against de Lacy and, following a short siege, retook the castle at
Lough Oughter, which they finished in 1233.[8]

During Marshal's punitive war in Ireland, chief Cathal O'Reilly, great-grandson of Geofraidh, exploited the
power vacuum left by de Lacy to secure control of Breifne from his enemies. In 1226 he captured and
demolished de Lacy's castle at Kilmore and raided into western Breifne, killing the O'Rourke king's son
Aodh at Lough Allen. Cathal had set into motion the events which over the following 30 years would
culminate in the dissolution of Breifne.

O'Reilly Rule 1230-1250

For his assistance in the campaign against de Lacy, Henry III issued
a royal grant to the King of Connacht giving him overlordship of
Breifne, a position which he delegated to his son Aedh. Naturally,
this position was challenged by the O'Rourkes, who themselves
were overlords of Breifne.[9] Keen to usurp the power of the
O'Rourkes, Aedh entered into an alliance with their most intractable
enemy, the O'Reillys. The O'Rourkes now had the O'Reillys
attacking from the east and Connacht attacking from the west.

Evidently alarmed by the prospect of a "lesser clan" rising up and

seizing control of the kingdom, Domnhall O'Donnell, King of
Tyrconnell, sailed south across Lough Erne and into Lough
Oughter, where he destroyed Cathal O'Reilly's home, abducting his
wife Cacht, and killing his favourite horse. Cathal survived and
was able to put the traumatic event behind him, even agreeing a Ireland in 1250 showing Gaelic Areas
peace with Tyrconnell shortly afterwards.[10] (Green) and Norman Areas (Blue).
Breifne is shown in yellow.
With Connacht's help, the O'Reillys had usurped control of Breifne
by the early 1230s. Cathal O'Reilly ruled as king from the east of
the kingdom and Cúchonnacht O'Reilly, Connacht's foremost general and close ally of King Felim
O'Conor, had militarily taken control of western Breifne and expelled the O'Rourke leaders. In 1233
William Gorm de Lacy, having received a royal pardon for his overseas service, attempted to retake Breifne
with a large force of English and Anglo-Irish soldiers. He was decisively defeated by Cathal and
Cúchonnacht at Moin Crandchain near the Meath border, and died from his wounds.[11]

Following the battle, eastern Breifne emerged relatively stable, but Cúchonnacht is mentioned numerous
times in the annals suppressing what was effectively a guerilla warfare campaign against his usurpation of
their rule by various O'Rourke nobles in western Breifne. In 1237 Richard Mór de Burgh ousted Felim
O'Conor who turned to Cúchonnacht for aid. Cúchonnacht was able to raise an army from the men of
western Breifne, illustrating that his grip on that half of the kingdom was relatively strong by this point.
Cúchonnacht and Felim had remarkable success against the Anglo-Norman forces despite the latter's
superior technology, such as chain armour.[12]

However, by 1239 and throughout the 1240s, the O'Reilly came into conflict with O'Conor. The king of
Connacht was severely diminished and ruled only the area of modern-day County Roscommon, most of the
province had fallen to de Burgh. The O'Reilly were now the most powerful players in the region and
Cúchonnacht attempted to cement his dominance. Given his actions, Cúchonnacht was perhaps more
powerful than Cathal at this point, despite the former holding no official office or title. The conflict between
the two kingdoms came to a head when the battered O'Conor sept attempted to reassert the primacy it once
had over Breifne.

In response to O'Conor's actions, the chiefs of the lesser clans of the area such as those at Moylurg and
Muintir Eolais, traditionally vassals of the O'Conors and the O'Rourkes, were removed and replaced with
puppet leaders by Cúchonnacht. He effectively ruled by decree and garnered a reputation as a tyrant. One
such instance that provoked outrage across the province was an unscrupulous deal in 1242 in which
Cúchonnacht supported the claim of Tadhg O'Conor, a rival claimant to Felim, on the condition that he, as
king of Connacht, renounce all claims to Breifne. By the Autumn of 1242, when it had become apparent
that Tadhg had garnered little support for his claim and was no longer of any use to Cúchonnacht, he was
seized and imprisoned. In the spring of 1243, Cúchonnacht ordered the young prince to be blinded and
castrated. This drove Felim to throw more support behind the O'Rourkes and their claim to Breifne.[13]

Secession of East Breifne

The 1240s saw widespread conflict between the native Irish and the
Normans, who were at this stage engaged in near constant war. De
Burgh's advance forced Felim O'Conor to flee to Tyrconnell in 1249.
There he met with King Brian Ua Néill of Tyrone and the deposed
Conchobar O'Rourke of Breifne, and they formed a coalition against
the Normans and their allies. While the O'Reilly joined Maurice
FitzGerald, Justiciar of Ireland in his abortive march into Ulster, Ua
Néill marched south and restored Felim O'Conor to his throne in
Connacht. Drumlane Abbey was razed by the
O'Rourkes in 1261. Sporadic
From 1250 onwards western Breifne was wrested back from fighting along the border continued
Cúchonnacht. In 1255 Breifne was raided three times by Ua Néill, long after the breakup.
and was invaded from the west by O'Conor and O'Rourke.
Connacht declared Conchobar O'Rourke as King of Breifne, and
gave Conchobar O'Reilly, Cathal's discontented son, the lesser position of Taoiseach. Cúchonnacht and his
forces had been pushed out of the west. In 1256 Walter de Burgh raided into Connacht to devastate the
country and relieve pressure on the O'Reillys who further north had ventured into western Breifne to retake
control of the territory.

The two armies were meant to rendezvous at Lough Allen but the O'Reillys came under heavy attack and
were forced to retreat. They were pursued northwards to Magh Slécht, where the Battle of Magh Slecht
ensued. The O'Reilly and the O'Rourke suffered heavy losses, both Cúchonnacht and Cathal were slain in
the battle, as were 14 other O'Reilly nobles. Connacht and the O'Rourke emerged victorious and O'Reilly
power was shattered.[14]

Relations between the O'Conor and the O'Reilly were extremely hostile and, following his victory at Magh
Slecht, Aodh O'Conor, Prince of Connacht, was determined to continue to conquer into the east and bring
all of Breifne under Connacht's control. This was briefly achieved following the inauguration of Conchobar
O'Reilly, Aodh's ally, as head of the O'Reilly clan. However Conchobar died the following year and was
succeeded by Matha O'Reilly, who immediately broke ties with Connacht.[15]

Aodh's goal of re-establishing control of the east was never realized as political chaos, largely of Aodh's
making, erupted amongst the newly restored O'Rourke dynasty, which went on to have 7 kings in 3 years
(1257-1260). Any potential invasion of eastern Breifne was made even more unlikely when the O'Conors
and the O'Rourkes went to war in 1257. Rivals at home and conflict in West Breifne occupied much of
Aodh's time for the next decade or so. When he died in 1274 his successor had no interest in pursuing
conflict with the O'Reilly. Thus, the division remained permanent. Despite a nominal claim by the
O'Rourkes to the kingship of "all of Breifne", the kingdom had split into West Breifne and East Breifne.[16]

East Breifne 1256-1607

With the exception of a failed invasion by Aodh O'Conor in 1261, the early years of East Breifne were
relatively uneventful.[17] In contrast to the tumultuous decades of Cathal and Cúchonnacht, the kingdom
exerted very little influence outside of its own borders. Following two combined attacks on his residence by
the McKiernans of Teallach Dúnchadha and the MacGaurans of Teallach Eochaid in the late 13th century,
King Ferghal moved eastwards to Tullymongan Hill, where he built a castle. This remained the residence
of the O'Reilly king until the 17th century.[18]

14th Century

Under his successor, Giolla Iosa Ruaidh, a town grew around the
site and came to be known as "an Cabhán", in reference to its
topography as a hollow area between many drumlins. He also
founded the Franciscan friary where he retired to around the year
1327.[19] The eldest of his 13 sons, Maelseachleann, died in 1328
and was listed as king in his obituary. Giolla Iosa Ruaidh remained
in retirement and his second son Risdeard assumed kingship.
Decades of succession stability followed, when Risdeard died his
brother Cu Chonnacht became king. Cu Chonnacht retired in 1365
and passed the title to his brother Pilib.

Upon his accession, Pilib confronted the Bishop of Kilmore

Riocard O'Reilly, his brother Maelseachleann's son. Complaints
had been made to the archbishop about Riocard's behavior, which
included harsh treatment of clergy and a relationship with his first
cousin. Pilib took matters into his own hands and seized the King Giolla Iosa Ruaidh established
bishop's lands and revenue. Although the archbishop was against the town of Cavan and its Franciscan
Pilib's intrusions, he was far removed in Armagh and powerless to friary in the early 14th century
stop them.

Pilib was briefly overthrown in 1369 and imprisoned at Cloughoughter castle by his nephew Maghnus,
with the support of the Clan Muircheartaigh and the McKiernans. The Maguires, who Pilib was allied with
through marriage, along with the MacMahons, sailed south on the Erne and freed him. Maghnus and his
plotters were then imprisoned in that same castle.

14th century East Breifne also saw the arrival of prominent Anglo-Norman families such as Lynch and
Fitzsimons, as well as the Hiberno-Scottish mercenary clan MacCabe, who became gallowglass warriors
for the Maguires, MacMahons and O'Reillys. The Fitzsimons were an English merchant family that settled
in County Meath. Following a dispute with his family, one Richard FitzSimon journeyed to the Gaelic
territory to seek the patronage of King Tomas Mór, who granted him lands in return for his services as a
Secretan, a role that primarily consisted of letter writing due to FitzSimon's literary proficiency.[20]

Tomas Mór provided refuge and support to rivals of King Tiernan Mór O'Rourke of West Breifne in the
late 1370s and 1380s, prompting O'Rourke to invade East Breifne in 1390. Curiously, the Clan
Muircheartaigh, who had been expelled from Breifne twenty years earlier through a combined offensive by
both Tadhg na gCoar O'Rourke of West Breifne and Pilib O'Reilly of East Breifne, decided to fight
alongside the O'Reillys against the O'Rourkes. Tiernan Mor raided deep into East Breifne but was defeated
when his forces became bogged down and surrounded in early 1391, forcing him to surrender. On his way
to Drumlane to submit to Tomas Mór, the Clan Muircheartaigh attempted to assassinate Tiernan Mór,
possibly in an unsuccessful attempt to curry favour with the O’Reillys and return from exile.

Seoan O'Reilly was made king in 1392. In autumn of 1394 Richard II of England arrived in Ireland with a
force of 8,000 at the behest of the Anglo-Irish lords in and around the Pale, who were in danger of being
overrun by the Irish clans of Leinster.[21] The invasion proved to be one of Richard II's few successes and
many Irish chieftains submitted to the English king. A future king of East Breifne, Sean's brother Giolla
Iosa, met with Richard and promised to remain a faithful subject and refrain from attacking England's other
subjects in Ireland. King Seoan himself did not submit to the English king but made a separate agreement
with Roger Mortimer, Earl of March and Ulster, to improve relations.[22]

15th century

Following Seoan's death in 1400, his brother and chosen successor Giolla Iosa died just one month into his
reign. Giolla Iosa's unexpected death so shortly after his inauguration left a power vacuum which
Maelmordha, son of King Cu Chonnacht (1349-1365), exploited to proclaim himself king with the support
of the clans of East Breifne. This was in competition to Eoghan na Feosaige, Seoan's son, who was
supported by the English government in Dublin and the Anglo-Normans in Meath. Eoghan na Feosaige
reaffirmed his acknowledgement that he and his kingdom were lieges to England and vowed to observe
and fulfill all agreements made between them and his late father. This ploy to get the English to support his
claim alienated him from his kinsmen.[23]

The English invaded the territory in an attempt to install Eoghan na Feosaige as king but were repelled, as
were the O’Rourkes of West Breifne who simultaneously attacked the east in order to capitalize on the
situation. In 1403 the victorious Maelmordha was made king and ordered the assassination of one of
Tighernan Mór O’Rourke's sons in retaliation for their opportunistic invasion. Eoghan na Feosaige was also
banished from the kingdom that year.

The O’Reilly sept and their allies continued to exclude Eoghan na Fesoagie from the kingship and elected
Risdeard, son of King Tomas (1384-1392), as king following Mealmordha's death in 1411. After seven
relatively uneventful years as king, Risdeard drowned along with his son and several others while sailing
on Lough Sheelin, only his wife Finnuala survived and swam to safety. With few suitable heirs available
the O'Reilly nobles recalled Eoghan na Feosaige, who finally assumed the kingship in 1418.[24]

Clan Mahon Rebellion 1427-1430

Eoghan na Feosaige's inauguration coincided with a war of

succession that broke out in neighboring West Breifne where one
of the O’Rourke claimants, Tadhg, had provocatively declared
himself "king of all Breifne"[25] In response to this claim, Eoghan
weighed in on the politics of the west and backed the claim of his
rival Art O’Rourke, who reigned from the territory of Carrigallen
on the border with East Breifne. Eoghan stationed soldiers in
Carrigallen to defend and support Art in 1419. However, like the The conflict turned decisively in
O’Rourkes, the O’Reilly were also a deeply divided sept and a Eoghan na Feosaige's favour following
war of succession was about to unfold in East Breifne itself, Tyrone's entry in late 1429
forcing Eoghan to withdraw his soldiers just months later.
The war's origins can be traced back to a disagreement between Sean and Fearghal O’Reilly. Both men
were sons of King Tomas Mór (1385-1392) and were the chiefs of a branch of the O’Reilly sept known as
Clan Mahon. Sean and his allies supported Eoghan na Feosaige as king, while Fearghal and his supporters
argued that Fearghal was the rightful ruler of East Breifne. Fearghal continued to push his claim and garner
support for a number of years. He eventually killed his brother Sean to solidify his position as the chief of
Clan Mahon before launching a full-scale rebellion against Eoghan na Feosaige in 1427.

Fearghal had assembled a seemingly insurmountable force that included the MacCabes, a military clan from
within East Breifne, King Tadhg O’Rourke of West Breifne, who had emerged victorious from the war of
succession, as well as Richard Talbot the Lord Chancellor of Ireland. With a hostile O'Rourke in the west
and Talbot marching up from the south, Eoghan found himself not only fighting rebellion internally, but on
two separate fronts as well. Eoghan's forces were thoroughly routed by the rebels, who almost achieved
victory in 1429 when Fearghal and Talbot captured and razed Cavan town. In what would become a
watershed moment in East Breifne's history that would see it firmly align itself with Ulster and drift away
from the sphere of Connacht, Eoghan na Feosaige departed the kingdom that year and turned out of
desperation to Eoghan O’Neill, King of Tyrone, for help.

Alliance with Tyrone

O’Neill, eager to expand his kingdom's influence, happily obliged

and entered the war along with his allied kingdoms Airgíalla and
FirManach. The forces of O’Neill and his allies marched south
and met with those of Fearghal, Talbot, O’Rourke and MacCabe
at Achadh-cille-moire. The battle ended in a crushing defeat for
Fearghal and his rebel forces and O’Neill continued his march
into Leinster, joined by Eoghan na Feosaige, inflicting defeats on
the Anglo-Normans of "South Meath" and the Plunketts and
Herberts of "Westmeath" in 1430.[26]
Fore Abbey was plundered in 1430 for
Eoghan na Feosaige had defeated the rebellion against him and claiming ownership of parishes in East
defended his title, but at a cost. Tyrone had a policy of offering Brefnian territory
military or financial aid to other ruling families in exchange for
subservience and recognition of the O’Neill's overlordship of their
kingdoms. Following Eoghan na Feosaige's allegiance to O’Neill, the O’Reillys appear multiple times in
the annals partaking in Tyrone's various wars across Ulster, illustrating East Breifne's position as a vassal
state of Tyrone.

Eoghan na Feosaige died in 1449 and was buried in the monastery in Cavan. With the long disaffected
claimant Fearghal still living, another dispute over the kingship was inevitable. Unlike in neighbouring
West Breifne, where wars of succession were largely internal affairs decided by the clans of the kingdom,
in East Breifne they were characterized by the prevalence of external forces and once again, Fearghal had
the backing of some impressive allies. The English government in Dublin, headed by Richard Plantagenet
the Duke of York, who had been appointed the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in 1447, renewed their backing
of Fearghal. He also received the support of Eoghan na Feosaige's brother Domnall and James Butler, 4th
Earl of Ormond.

Sean an Einigh, Eoghan na Feosaige's son, received the support of Tyrone, and with it the support of the
other magnates of Ulster. What could’ve spiraled into a protracted war of succession was avoided when
Domnall dropped his support for Fearghal and backed his nephew Sean an Einigh in 1450. The heavily
indebted Duke of York commanded a force of no more than 600 men and was forced to return to England
in late 1449. This left Fearghal without the support of the lord lieutenant and no local support within East
Breifne, up against the formidable forces of Ulster. Fearghal's second attempt to claim the kingship had
floundered, and with Butler's death in 1452 the Clan Mahon O’Reilly were left without allies. Their sept
never again gained kingship of East Breifne.[27]

16th Century

Rift with Tyrone

Due to East Breifne's location, the O’Reillys historically held a unique position as mediators between the
English and Anglo-Irish of Leinster and the Gaelic lords of Ulster. With the ever-present threat of further
English expansion and its western rivals persisting with their centuries-old claim over the kingdom, political
stability and the ability to balance strong alliances and play both sides were vital for the country's survival.

East Breifne's nearly 100-year alliance with Tyrone collapsed in the

1530s with the latter's affiliation with the Geraldine League.[28]
The league was an alliance that brought Conn O’Neill of Tyrone
together with the Anglo-Irish FitzGeralds of Kildare, traditional
enemies of the O'Reillys.[29] This left East Breifne alienated from
both the north and south and anxious to secure good relations with
England as a bulwark against the historical dominance of their
Tyrone overlords. In 1533 King Fearghal mac Seaain appealed
directly to the government in England for redress against Tyrone,
bypassing the Fitzgerald viceroy, who raided East Breifne in Shane O'Neill (right) conquered East
Breifne in 1560
response to this circumvention of their authority.

Maolmordha O'Reilly was inaugurated in 1534 to replace the ailing

Ferghal mac Seaain, but was met with opposition and had to secure his position and unify the kingdom. His
inauguration coincided with the FitzGerald Rebellion, a campaign initially led by Manus O'Donnell to
restore the 12-year-old Gerald FitzGerald to his title in Kildare, but which later expanded into a war against
Henry VIII's encroachments in Ireland. Lord Deputy Leonard Grey demanded that O’Reilly join the
English against the rebel league, but he refused due to internal instability and the insecurity of his position.
Grey's hollow threats against the kingdom only strained relations.

In 1538 with his position secure, O’Reilly joined the English and gave strong support to their expeditions
into Ulster against the Geraldine League. The rebellion collapsed following a heavy defeat at Lake
Bellahoe in Monaghan and East Breifne was now regarded as one of the most dependable crown allies in
Ireland. Maolmordha O’Reilly was an enthusiastic supporter of surrender and regrant as a way of not only
officially securing his own title, but securing greater independence from Tyrone. He arrived at the
parliament in Dublin in 1541 to take the oath of allegiance and initiate the process of surrendering his lands
to be re-granted an English Lordship of them.

O’Reilly continued to serve the crown's interests, arranging a meeting between Lord Deputy Anthony St
Ledger and Manus O'Donnell in Cavan in 1541, during which the latter agreed to travel to England and
submit to the king. East Breifne sent soldiers to accompany Henry VIII's expedition into France in 1544
and in February 1546 during the Rough Wooing period, he offered to send his eldest son Aodh Connallach
to command the forces of the English king in Scotland.[30]

Tyrone would again cast its shadow over East Breifne during Shane O’Neill's conquest of Ulster from
1559 to 1567. The virulently anti-English O’Neill took aim at every lord who co-operated with them and
by 1560 was the undisputed ruler of Ulster "from Drogheda to Erne". The restrictions placed on the
O’Reilly kings of East Breifne by the English to rein in their power proved to be their undoing, as the
kingdom's force of less than 600 men was decimated by O’Neill's army of over 5,000. The entire English
garrison for the whole of Ireland at this time was no more than 2,500. East Breifne was burnt and pillaged
by O’Neill, and the O’Reillys were once again forced to submit to a Tyrone king. Maolmordha died in
1565 and was succeeded by Aodh Connallach.[31]

Rapprochement with England

Aodh and the newly appointed Lord Deputy Henry Sidney developed a
close relationship. Upon coming to power he rebelled against Tyrone
and supported Sidney against Shane O’Neill and his successor
Turlough Luineach in the early 1570s. In turn, Sidney helped Aodh
crush dissent against his kingship domestically. Sidney regarded Aodh
as "the finest of Irishmen" and repeatedly recommended the
establishment of an English shire in East Breifne.[32]

Aodh gave up his son John to Sidney in 1575. John was to be his agent
in England and he travelled with Sidney to Hampton Court to formally
surrender his father's lordship. John remained in England for eight
years, where he learned to speak and write English fluently and became
well versed in English law and agricultural practices. Due to the ruling
O’Reilly elite's willingness to work within English institutions it was Lord Deputy Henry Sidney and
King Aodh Connallach pioneered
decided that East Breifne, traditionally seen as part of Connacht, was to
the establishment of County
be excluded from the first Composition of Connaught in 1577. Instead,
Cavan
the Lord Deputy of Ireland was to deal directly with the kingdom.

First the border disputes between East Breifne and the Pale had to be
resolved. Attorney General William Drury travelled to the border town of Kells in May 1579 to "determine
the hurt done" between the people of the frontier and the O’Reillys. At Kells he met with Aodh, who had
travelled alone. Aware that the O’Reilly king lacked the power to properly police his own borders, Drury
refused to negotiate and instructed Aodh to gather his sons and the nobles of East Breifne and return when
they also agreed to settle the border dispute.[33]

Later that year the ailing Aodh, his son Pilib and Tánaiste Emon unexpectedly rode to Dublin with a band
of horsemen to submit their lordship and apply for it to be made a shire. Following this, William Drury
again travelled north and toured East Breifne to seal the agreement, after which Aodh travelled to England
and was knighted.

Formation of County Cavan

On 21 August 1579 East Breifne was officially shired as County Cavan against the backdrop of separate
rebellions in Munster and Ulster by James Fitzmaurice and Turlough Luineach respectively. Unlike other
counties such as Westmeath and Queen's, there was no parliamentary statute passed to establish Cavan. It
was instead created as part of an emergency defence act to protect the Pale from the aforementioned
rebellions. As such, little progress was made in implementing English laws and institutions in the new
county. One of the major pitfalls of dealing with the Tudor government which would consistently aggravate
relations - its unaccountability - was obvious just months after the agreement was made. Sir Aodh wrote to
Attorney General Lucas Dillon in November to inform him that parts of his kingdom had been looted and
destroyed by English captains, and that he "being under his Majesty's laws" should not be subject to such
provocations. His grievances were not addressed by the government in Dublin.
By 1580 Aodh's health had declined dramatically and he retreated
from public life, although still officially the king. The country faced a
potential crisis against an ascendant and hostile Tyrone and with John
still in England, Aodh's second son Pilib became his lieutenant and the
chief defender of East Breifne. During this time Pilib demonstrated
that he could capably lead the country through the turbulence. His
proficiency in Gaelic politics proved invaluable. He sealed an alliance
with the Maguires through marriage, continued to strengthen East
Breifne's alliance with Tyrone's enemy Tyrconnell, opened
communications with the Fitzgeralds and even harmonized relations
with the O’Rourkes. The Annals of the Four Masters record that Pilib
Pilib O'Reilly commissioned an
crushed an attempted invasion by the O'Neills in 1581, before extensive amount of bardic
negotiating a peace with them later that year.[34] The ability to project poetry to propagandise his
a show of strength was vital to the reputation of any Gaelic leader and achievements
as such, rather than depending on the lethargic Dublin government for
security, he raised an army by drawing support from the military castes
of East Breifne and reached out to every branch of the O’Reilly sept to unify the kingdom and steer an
independent path between Tyrone and England.[35]

His time as de facto ruler of East Breifne made him the most powerful and popular figure in the kingdom.
Pilib however, grew discontent with his position in English law as the second son. He had defended the
kingdom during his brother's absence and his father's illness but was passed over when his brother returned.
Pilib argued that he should be made king based on his merits:

"A king's son is not chosen for his age; virtue is the true measure of the claim, whoever may
come to choose a king, it is deeds that must determine the choice"

Had the Gaelic system of clan elections been in place, it's very likely Pilib would have been made king,
however John returned when Aodh Connallach died in early 1583 and Pilib stepped aside. John's ascension
was still contested by his uncle Emon, Aodh's brother, who asserted his claim to the kingship. The two men
went to the Privy Council for arbitration in June 1583, illustrating their willingness to assimilate into
English customs. John's legal expertise allowed him to put forward a strong defence of his right to the
kingship and it was decided by the council that he should receive the title. Emon was to continue his tenure
as Tánaiste (deputy leader).[36]

The decision left both Pilib and Emon disaffected and they continued to challenge John's rule. Although
rivals, they were both united in their opposition to John. It quickly became clear to the new Lord Deputy
John Perrot that Sir John O’Reilly was incapable of controlling the situation and Perrot laid down plans for
the permanent division of the O’Reilly lordship.

Composition of 1584

John O’Reilly's government put their position on the line in their determination to cooperate fully with the
English authorities and assimilate East Breifne, shired as County Cavan in 1579, into the Kingdom of
Ireland in the face of severe internal opposition. O’Reilly and Perrot toured East Breifne and met with the
ruling clans for over a year until late 1584. During their tour the boundaries of the county and its seven
tuaithe, which became baronies, were mapped. The two men negotiated and signed treaties to secure the
division of East Breifne amongst its ruling elite and finalise a composition for the county.[37]
The controversial agreement was designed to hasten the
transformation of Cavan into a fully-fledged English-style county.
It involved huge concessions from O’Reilly but, having
established himself as a shrewd diplomat with many powerful
connections, John intended to resolve the internal instability of his
kingdom with the agreement and secure his own position. Its
implementation began in 1585 but was never fully realised and
ultimately destroyed his domestic reputation.

Under the terms of the composition, the power of "The O’Reilly"

Territorial Changes
was greatly diminished, so much so that the chieftaincy itself was
Red: Land held by John O’Reilly
abolished, which included revoking his traditional claim as
Blue: Land granted to other O’Reillys
overlord of the clans of East Breifne. He gave up roughly half of
Green: Land granted to other clans
his kingdom as part of the agreement, agreed to a fixed annual
crown rent, ceded land to political rivals within his own sept and
recognized the proprietal independence of freeholders within the
lands which he still held. The office of High Sheriff which was
previously supposed to be held by an O’Reilly was given to
Henry Duke, a nobleman from Meath, who was appointed to
ensure the composition's implementation. English garrisons were
stationed across the county, although at the service of John
O’Reilly. The position of Tánaiste was also abolished.[38]

Two largely independent territories – Tullyhaw and Tullyhunco In 1585 Pilib and Emon O'Reilly
were incorporated into the county. These territories were became the first MPs to represent
historically part of West Breifne and recognized the O’Rourkes as Cavan at the Irish Parliament in Dublin
their overlords and paid exactions to them, but by the early 1500s
had drifted into the sphere of the O’Reillys, who since at least
1512 had provided military aid and protection to them. Both of these were made into baronies and the
ruling clans - The MacGaurans in Tullyhaw and MacKeirnans in Tullyhunco – remained in power, subject
to the administration in Dublin but independent of the O’Reillys in Cavan.

Several prominent members of the O’Reilly sept were made freeholders. John's uncle and former Tánaiste
Emon was granted the barony of Castlerahan and was put in charge of rent collection for the entire county.
The barony of Clanmahon was divided between Cathaoir Gearr, John's other uncle, and the influential local
magnate Pilib an Phrior of Clan Mahon. These territories also answered directly to the government instead
of John O’Reilly.[39]

John's brother Pilib, as an heir to the chieftaincy, petitioned against the composition. Pilib had been
agitating for the kingship ever since his brother's appointment and, in abolishing his own lordship, John
was also abolishing the title Pilib was in line to receive and dismantling the kingdom he had worked so
hard to unify. Pilib also posed a legal challenge to the composition, as under Brehon law the land was
strictly owned by the whole clan, and John was merely a trustee. Although the division of the kingdom was
meant to solve the political tension, Pilib and his supporters seemed willing to derail the agreement and
seize the lordship through violent means. To appease Pilib, he was granted the barony of Clanchee and was
to represent Cavan at the parliament in Dublin.[40]

Despite these attempts to pacify Pilib, he continued to defy the agreement and used his position as an MP to
press for its revocation. Following his unruly behavior at Parliament in 1586 he was kidnapped and
imprisoned at Dublin Castle for 6 years. Both John and the Lord Deputy had hoped this would put an end
to the growing popularity at home for Pilib's proposed annulment of the composition, but support for him
only increased during his incarceration. His arrest also bred public resentment of John and bardic prose
written during this time called for Pilib to be made king of East Breifne upon his release.

Breakdown of relations 1588–1594

In yet another blow to the composition, Emon broke ranks with John and the county administration in early
1588 and raided into Longford where he and his men killed ten people. Despite its problems, the
composition, and more generally the policy of surrender and regrant, appeared somewhat successful for a
brief period from 1585 to 1587. However the O’Reillys' determination to implement it was the exception,
not the rule. It took place against the backdrop of collapsing English power across Ireland, particularly in
Ulster and Munster, and the policy has been historically viewed as a failure.[41][42]

The clans of East Breifne, who were more amenable to English influence than any others in Ireland,
gradually became more skeptical of their own policy of rapprochement with England. The attempts to
assimilate East Breifne into English jurisdiction and law had dragged on for decades with limited progress
and little to no visible benefit; even the most anglophile Breifnians had grown disillusioned with the idea.
The process of integration was a slow one and the Tudor government did not give their administrators in
Ireland the freedom to make concrete or fair agreements with the native lordships. As such, to many within
East Breifne it seemed that their leaders were continually surrendering powers to the English and receiving
no concessions from them.

One of the primary ways in which Gaelic leaders in the 16th century showed their strength and credibility
as rulers was through the retention of a large army and possession of spoils obtained from raids on
neighboring kingdoms and lesser clans. By restricting both the size of their army and banning them from
raiding, the Dublin government had removed a key pillar of the O’Reillys' power. Although England would
go on to dominate Ireland, at the time this was not obvious.[43]

Despite decades of conflict between England and Tyrone, the

O’Neills were stronger than ever by 1590 and had made an ally
out of their former enemy Tyrconnell. A series of high-profile
rebellions in Munster in the 1570s and 80s and the existence of
lordships that were totally independent of English rule in
Connacht and Leinster made their grasp over Ireland look very
tenuous. Just as it had done during Shane O'Neill's rebellion in
the 1560s, English policy had once again left East Breifne
exposed to attacks from its hostile neighbours. The restrictions
placed upon them coupled with the abuses of power by crown
The banning of gallowglass and
officials within the kingdom caused the O’Reillys to lose their
restrictions placed on the maintenance
faith in government officials and they grew resentful of their
of an East Breifnian army left the
kingdom highly exposed to attacks
presence.

John Perrot was recalled to England in January 1588 and Sir

William Fitzwilliam was re-instated as Lord Deputy in July.
FitzWilliam replaced all of Perrot's staff and pursued a much more aggressive policy of conquest in Ireland.
The growing animosity between the elite of East Breifne and the English government came to a head in
1589 with the appointment of Sir Edward Herbert as High Sheriff for a term of seven years. Herbert was
unknown and unconnected in Cavan and exercised his power by expanding the number of officials,
advisors and assistants working for him, all of which had to be paid for through East Breifne's public taxes.
Herbert quickly garnered a reputation for brutality and suspended cooperation with the Gaelic judicial
system and native lords, instead he ruled by martial law.[44]
The O’Reillys composed a book of complaints detailing the misconduct of Herbert. Among the abuses
listed were Herbert's summary execution of John's son-in-law Brian MacFerrall, whose head was sent
along with those of three others to Dublin. John O’Reilly's son Mulmurray was arrested for allegedly
raiding a neighboring territory. Herbert also confiscated church property and illegally sold it off. A furious
John O’Reilly complained directly to Fitzwilliam but his complaints were ignored. In January 1590 Chief
Justice Robert Gardiner was instructed by the Queen's chief secretary Francis Walsingham to draft a
declaration restraining the use of martial law in Ireland by lesser officials such as sheriffs, captains,
seneschals and governors. However, Walsingham died in April and the reforms outlined by him and
Gardiner would not be revisited until June 1592. Herbert's tyranny was apparent, a government survey of
the county in July 1592 found that its jails were overloaded with prisoners, including several from the
O’Reilly sept.[45]

Lucas Dillon wrote to Perrot (who was no longer in power) expressing his worry over the deteriorating
situation in East Breifne, explaining that John O’Reilly and other high ranking nobles had written to him
outlining their grievances. Fitzwilliam billeted his large campaign army upon East Breifne during his tour of
Ulster in 1590, adding yet another financial burden on the kingdom. FitzWilliam's reckless behavior
throughout Ireland was leading to an explosive situation. He overlooked Richard Bingham's abuses in
Connacht, particularly against the O’Rourkes of West Breifne. He appointed Captain Willis as High Sheriff
of Tyrconnell and Fermanagh and allowed his men to rampage across the territory, provoking the
O’Donnells and Maguires. FitzWilliam also executed the MacMahon lord of Monaghan and divided up his
territory amongst planters, including Robert Devereux, the Earl of Essex. The English garrisons in "loyal"
Irish lordships such as East Breifne, which were intended to be used as defensive deterrents against hostile
lordships, were now being used as an arbitrary tool of oppression against the natives.

Pilib escaped from Dublin castle alongside Red Hugh O’Donnell in 1591 and returned to Cavan.
O'Donnell continued to oppose English rule in his home country, whereas Pilib pledged to support the
composition upon his return. Pilib joined forces with his brother John to wrest back control of the county
from the restive factions within it. By 1594 Ulster had broken out into open rebellion, and with it parts of
County Cavan, and Pilib reprised his role as the territory's chief protector against the rebel forces.[46]

Nine Years' War 1594–1603

As the frontier between the government in the pale and the rebel forces in Ulster, the English made holding
County Cavan a priority during the Nine Years' War. English garrisons were stationed in Cavan town,
which was used as a base of operations for raids against O’Neill and his allies. The English garrison led by
Henry Duke and Edward Herbert marched north from Cavan into Fermanagh to put down the rebellion
across the border, but were soundly defeated by the forces of Hugh Maguire and retreated back to Cavan
town alarmed by the growing size of the rebel forces. Pilib was approached by FitzWilliam in December
1594 and was tasked with defending Cavan town and county. He was also tasked with raising soldiers
from each barony for the English army. John O’Reilly had fallen into disrepute and was sidelined. Cavan
town was devastated in a raid by the Maguires and MacMahons in 1595, government forces had reinforced
the Franciscan friary and were able to hold it. Another reported attack destroyed "all but two castles" which
belonged to the MacBradys. By June 1595 the English had faltered in the face of the rebellion and had
been almost completely pushed out of Connacht and Ulster after suffering a string of defeats. Much of
county Cavan had been seized by the rebels and, with no further aid on the horizon, John and Pilib
travelled north to Dungannon to submit personally to Hugh O’Neill and join the Irish alliance.

John O’Reilly died of illness in 1596 and left two sons, Maelmora and Hugh. In defiance of English
succession law, Hugh O’Neill proclaimed Pilib king of East Breifne. Pilib's first act was to reinstate Brehon
Law and tanistry and ban all other laws. The English government had hoped to reach out to Pilib, who,
having spent much of his life fighting against the O'Neills, was believed to harbour antipathy towards them.
However, nothing came of this as that same year, before he could even be inaugurated, Pilib was
accidentally shot and killed by a stray musket bullet fired by one of O'Neill's soldiers. His Tánaiste
Eamonn, whose affinity for Tyrone was well documented, was made king that October in a traditional
Gaelic inauguration ceremony on Seantóman Hill.[47]

Following John's death, his son Maelmora claimed the kingship but was swiftly exiled and moved to
Dublin intent on repairing his family's relationship with England. He was received by Queen Elizabeth and
granted a patent to become the Earl of Cavan. He commanded a regiment of English cavalry in Ulster
alongside Marshal Henry Bagenal until both men were slain at the Battle of the Yellow Ford in August
1598.[48] Maelmora's death left Eamonn as the uncontested king, John's second son Hugh being too young
to rule. As the clearest route between Ulster and Leinster, the war took a heavy toll on County Cavan and
its populace. Between 1596 and 1602 the control of Cavan town changed hands between the Irish alliance
and the English at least four times. Eamonn remained a committed member of the Irish alliance and reigned
until his death in April 1601 at an advanced age:[49]

He was an aged, grey-headed, long-memoried man, and who had been quick and vivacious in
his mind and intellect in his youth. He was buried in the Franciscan monastery at Cavan; and
his brother's son, namely, Owen, son of Hugh Conallagh, was elected in his place." - Annals
of the Four Masters

Eoghan (Owen) ruled for the remainder of the war and was killed during its reconquest, leaving his brother
Maolmhordha as acting chief. Cavan was finally retaken during Baron Mountjoy's campaign into Ulster
during the last stages of the war. With over 18,000 English soldiers at his command, and the Irish alliance
exhausted and fragmented, Mountjoy made stunning gains across Ulster in 1602, forcing O'Neill and the
other rebel Irish lords to sign the Treaty of Mellifont in March 1603.[50]

Aftermath

English victory in the Nine Years' War was a watershed moment in Irish history, often seen as the end of
Gaelic Ireland. For the first time ever the Kingdom of Ireland was in control of the entire island and the
destruction wrought by the war left the Gaelic kingdoms immeasurably weakened. Seeing the irrevocable
changes in land and law being implemented across the island, and fearing for their safety, many Irish nobles
left for mainland Europe, culminating in the Flight of the Earls in 1607. By virtue of departing Ireland
without permission these Irish nobles had broken their oaths to the Crown and as such the Crown attainted
them and confiscated their lands. This formally began preparations for the Plantation of Ulster.[51]

Plantation of Cavan

Due to its historic close relations with the government in Dublin, the people of Cavan were deemed more
pliant than elsewhere in Ulster. As such, it was the first place Chichester visited prior to the plantation.
When there, he asked English administrators in the conquered county to set up courts which would
evaluate all land that had been freed up by those who had left in exile, those who had died during the
rebellion, and those who had lost the rights to their lands through an attainder. Nearly all high-ranking
members of the clan had died during the war, but 52 lower members of the O'Reilly clan were still
attainted. Of the few who were granted land, Sir John O'Reilly's grandson Mulmory was granted 3,000
acres along with two smaller estates which contained ancestral homes. The acting chief Maolmhordha had
sought a pardon and was granted 2,000 acres. The age of the O'Reilly dynasty had come to an end.
In a further attempt to stamp English authority onto the territory,
Chichester ordered in 1610 for the castle on Tullymongan Hill, seat
of the O'Reilly kings for over 200 years, to be seized and given to
an English family. This was never acted upon, although the castle,
which was ruined during the war, was later demolished. As was the
case in the rest of Ulster, many other Irish clans had their lands
confiscated as well and the county was opened up to wholesale
plantation by English and Scottish Protestant settlers. The first
surveys undertaken were those of Josias Bodley in 1609 and 1613
in which the county was divided into "good land" and "poor land" 64% of Cavan's approximately
and re-distributed to planters and natives accordingly.[52] 500,000 acres was allocated to
settlers during the initial plantation
Pynnar's Survey of 1619, which was commissioned to examine the
progress of the plantations, lists the remaining landholding
O'Reillys. Six specific persons were outlined in Duffy's Hibernian Magazine in 1861.[53]

"Shane MacPhilip O'Rellie, who got nine hundred acres in the precinct of Castlerahin. 2.
Mulmorie, Mac-Philip O'Reyley, a thousand acres called Iterry-Outra, in the precinct of
Tullagarvy. 3. Captain Reley, a thousand acres, called Lisconnor, in the precinct of
Tullaghgarvy; all his tenants do plough by the Tail. 4. Mulmorie Oge O'Relie (Maelmora
O'Reilly's son), three thousand acres, &c., in the same. His tenants do all plough by the Tail. 5.
Mulmorry macHugh O'Reley, two thousand acres, called Commet, in the precinct of
Clanmahown. 6. Philip MacTirlagh, three hundred acres, called Wateragh, in the same."

Having learned from the unsuccessful Munster plantation, a much greater emphasis was placed on
urbanization and the creation of towns as a means of successful colonization. To this end, Cavan was the
first town in Ulster to be granted a charter by King James I in 1610, as it was already a relatively large pre-
existing urban centre. Other towns such as Virginia and Killeshandra were founded during the
plantations.[54] There was also a general cap of 2,000 acres placed on good land estates, to avoid the estate
becoming unmanageably large and falling into disrepair as was seen in Munster, where some individual
plantations were as large as 70,000 acres.

By 1618 it was recorded that 386 English families had settled in County Cavan. The native Irish, who were
overwhelmingly Catholic, and the settlers, who were Anglican and Presbyterian, co-existed in an uneasy
peace until the anti-Catholic Long Parliament gained traction in England in 1640. Fear of invasion and
prosecution by the English Protestants sparked the Irish Rebellion of 1641 and the establishment of
Confederate Ireland, during which time Colonel Philip O'Reilly, Sir John O'Reilly's grandson, raised an
army of 1,200 men in Cavan to oppose English rule. His younger brother Myles was briefly styled as "king
of East Breifne" once again. The Irish royalists were defeated during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland
and further confiscation of land ensued. By 1670, 89% of County Cavan's land was in the possession of
British settlers.[55]

Society

Commerce

Despite its precarious position between two often hostile powers, the lords of Ulster in the north and the
English of the Pale in the south, East Breifne emerged as a very affluent kingdom in the 15th century. In
fact, its location was a major contributing factor to its prosperity. The O'Reillys had already been granted a
licence to trade in the Pale in 1390, but the establishment of Cavan
and its expansion as a market town under Eoghan na Feosaige
greatly increased the kingdom's wealth and importance. Due to
hostility between the English government and the Irish lordships,
Cavan acted as an intermediary. Anglo-Irish merchants could travel
safely to Cavan to trade beyond the Pale, and the Irish merchants
could sell their wares such as hides, livestock, wool and timber at
market, free of any English government trade restrictions.

The growth of Cavan as a marketplace became such a problem to Map of Cavan town from 1591
Anglo-Irish market towns such as Trim and Athboy that the English showing its market square and the
government attempted to ban their merchants from trading in Gaelic O'Reilly castle on Tullymongan Hill
territories in 1479, fearing that the markets in "Orailly's country"
would bring "great riches to the King's enemies, and great poverty
to the King's subjects". This concern appears to be well founded, as the O'Reillys amassed so much wealth
in the 15th and 16th centuries that the saying "The Life of Riley", which refers to someone living a carefree
and spendthrift lifestyle, is believed to have originated in reference to the clan. East Breifne's identity as a
trading nation that attracted merchants from all over the island is further reflected by its genealogy, as large
numbers of Anglo-Irish families from Leinster and Irish families from more remote areas of Ulster, Munster
and Connacht settled within the kingdom.

Towards the end of the 16th century the town resembled a traditional medieval town, with a central market
square and linear streets with about fifty houses. The O'Reillys enlisted the help of the wealthy MacBrady
clan to develop Cavan town. Existing documents record the O'Reillys granting the MacBrady's contracts to
build windmills, houses and pave the streets of the town. As a consequence of the region's turbulent
politics, the town was attacked, destroyed and rebuilt multiple times throughout its history. The Nine Years'
War, which devastated not only East Breifne but all of Ireland, seems to have done lasting damage, as
Arthur Chichester's 1606 tour of the county reports the existence of "a poor town bearing the name Cavan,
seated betwixt many hills".[56]

O'Reilly's money

Uniquely amongst the Irish kingdoms, where money was uncommonly

used and bartering was the primary means of trade, the O'Reilly
developed their own currency and minted their own coinage. This
currency has been historically called "O'Reilly's money", or "Reillys",
referring to the coins themselves. East Breifne was long considered the
only Gaelic kingdom with its own currency and a developed centralized
economy; however, it is today known that the economy of Tyrconnell
was equally (if not more) elaborate. Nonetheless, the currency of the
O'Reillys remains unmatched in Ireland in terms of circulation and "O'Reilly's money"
existing examples.

The coins were first minted following the introduction of English coins to Dublin by Henry IV in the early
15th century. The original East Breifnian coins, minted at Cavan, borrowed heavily from these in terms of
design. As a result, East Breifne became notorious for harbouring coiners who would melt down English
coins, which were made of pure silver, and coat base metal replica coins in said silver. The blame for the
explicit destruction of English coins was placed on the O'Reillys. Two acts of Parliament in 1447 and 1456
outlawed the production and usage of "Reilly's silver" which at the time "increase[d] from one day to
another". Given that the vast majority of counterfeit coins uncovered by archaeologists were found in the
Cavan-Meath and Cavan-Fermanagh border area, its very likely that the O'Reilly kings condoned this
practice, and possibly engaged in it.[57] In the late 16th century it was revealed that Brian O'Rourke, king
of neighboring West Breifne, had for decades paid unjust rent to the Governor of Connaught using
counterfeit coins.[58]

Culture and government

Like most Irish kingdoms, East Breifne was neither a centralised

state nor a monarchy in the traditional sense. Instead, it was divided
into smaller territories such as tuaithe which were ruled by local
lords and chiefs. These chiefs had varying degrees of autonomy
depending on the size or prestige of the clan, or simply the location
of their territory. The kingdom had seven tuaths which became the
seven (later eight) baronies of County Cavan. These tuaths were
subdivided into smaller territorial units known as ballybetaghs. A
Fionn's Fingers on Shantemon Hill
ballybetagh was controlled by the smaller clans that exercised very
was the inauguration site of the King
little autonomy. Clans of this type would have been by far the most of East Breifne.
numerous. Ballybetaghs were also subdivided into even smaller
units known as Townlands.[59] East Breifne contained 1,979
townlands ranging in size from as small as 1 acre (usually lake islets) to over 3,000 acres. Larger clans such
as the Mac Samhradhain that held distinct, defined territories were more or less self-governing. The
O'Reilly clan were the suzerain of the other clans, essentially having a divine right to rule as descendants of
the possibly mythical Brión mac Echach Muigmedóin.[60]

The system of tanistry was used to elect a monarch from within the O'Reilly sept. This practice dates back
to pre-recorded history. Upon the death or retirement of a king, his Tánaiste would become the new king.
This new king would then gather the various different branches of the clan and they would agree upon a
new Tánaiste to succeed the king upon his death or retirement. During succession disputes the king was
usually elected directly by his supporters. In these instances the other clans played a role in the process by
pledging their support to their favoured candidate. This differs from a hereditary monarchy in that a
Tánaiste had to be an adult, i.e. a king's newborn son could not be immediately chosen as his successor.
The inauguration site for the O'Reilly kings was Seantóman (Shantemon) Hill, 5 km from Cavan town.[61]

During the introduction of English law into East Breifne in the mid 16th century, tanistry was discontinued
in favour of the English succession practice of the sitting king passing the title to his eldest son. This was
only done once in East Breifne's history whereby Aodh Connallach's eldest son John became king in 1583,
rather than the Tánaiste Emon. Following John's death in 1596 during the Nine Years' War, English law
was banned and all the last kings were chosen through tanistry.

Law

Brehon law was practiced throughout the great majority of Ireland from the 13th to the 17th century. In the
15th century, Eoghan na Feosaige, who was a well-versed brehon judge, introduced his own set of laws
and statutes which all citizens of Breifne were to abide. There is very little existing record of these laws,
and how long they were in effect is unknown, but like Brehon law they appear to have been civil rather
than criminal.[62] One of Eoghan na Feosaige's laws, outlined by Henry Piers in the 17th century reads:

"Sometimes it so falleth out that a cross-grained Brood refuseth to afford his help (at
ploughing), and when required thereto by his landlord, looking on himself as sufficient enough
for his own need without any coadjutor, in this case, although the custom obliges him to aid
the said to bring every day into the field his horses and his tackle and offer also his own labour
 to the refusing party to offer also his proportion of feed in its proper season and then although
the refuser that denied throughout, the demander is to reap at harvest as good a portion of the
crop out of the refuser's labours, as if he had been at expense all the year long."

Within East Breifne, as part of the gradual process of integration into the Kingdom of Ireland, Brehon Law
and English Law were practiced in duality in the courts of the country in the mid to late 16th century.

Religion

The old territory of Breifne roughly corresponds to the Roman

Catholic Diocese of Kilmore and the clans of East Breifne, chiefly
the MacBradys and O'Reillys, provided numerous bishops to the
diocese. Christianity spread to the Breifne region in the 6th century
and patronage of the church and monasteries remained important
for the reputation of kings for many centuries. The monasteries
were used extensively as cemeteries and the Franciscan friary in 12th Century Romanesque doorway
Cavan town, founded c. 1300, became the traditional burial place at St Fethlimidh's Cathedral, Kilmore
for the O'Reilly kings and queens thereafter.[63]

Along with trade, there was also frequent religious crossover between Breifne and the Pale, and the abbey
of St. Mary's in Trim was almost always run by a Gaelic abbot from East Breifne. While no religious
differences existed between the Anglo-Normans and the Gaels within the kingdom, the cultural difference
between the two is reported in accounts from the 17th century which stated that the "Old English" would
play tennis after Sunday Mass, whereas the Irish preferred to dance and drink.

The reformation injected another source of friction between the Irish, who remained Catholic, and the
English, who became Protestant, in the 16th century. Despite overtures with the Protestant English, East
Breifne remained overwhelmingly Catholic, still reflected today in County Cavan, which is 85% Catholic
according to the 2011 Census.[64] The nobility of the country never converted, with one possible exception,
Sir John O'Reilly's eldest son Maelmora, who was raised in England. He was killed at Yellow Ford in 1598
after being "surrounded by Irish Catholics". Whether this implies he was himself a Protestant is unknown.
The religious divide was emphasized in the 17th century. The primary way in which Britain colonized
Ulster was through the dispossession of the Catholic Irish and the plantation of Presbyterian Scots and
English Anglicans. This provoked the traditionally loyal Old English families and exacerbated religious
tension, resulting in further rebellion and the Ulster massacres of the 1640s.[65]

Clans of East Breifne

A topographical poem written by John Ó Dubhagain and Giolla na naomh Ó Huidhrin in the 14th century
outlines the major clans that inhabited the Breifne region (both East and West) at that time.[66] Other
sources that document the clans within Breifne are Onomasticon Goedelicum, compiled by Edmund
Hogan in 1910 and the multitude of references to various clans and their locations that exist in the Irish
annals. This list documents those clans that inhabited East Breifne, which was colloquially referred to as
Breifne O'Reilly as they were the overlords of the kingdom, but numerous other clans that held distinct
territories were also present.[67] The two most distinguished clans of East Breifne, O'Reilly and Brady, are
today amongst the most common surnames in County Cavan.

For most of its history East Breifne comprised only central and eastern Cavan. In the early 16th century it
obtained suzerainty over the territories that became the baronies of Tullyhaw and Tullyhunco. As the
kingdom generally exerted little influence outside of its immediate borders for almost its entire existence,
the clans of East Breifne included in this list are those that are specifically recorded as inhabiting the area of
modern-day County Cavan, which took its present boundaries in 1579.

Ó Raghallaigh (O'Reilly, O'Riley, Reilly, Riley, Ryley) hereditary kings of East Breifne,
descendants of Uí Briúin Bréifne
Mac Brádaigh (Brady, MacBrady) the most prominent clan in the kingdom alongside the
O'Reilly, found throughout Cavan
Mac Tighearnain (McTiernan, MacTiernan, McKiernan) chiefs of Teallach Dunchadha -
modern day Tullyhunco
Mac Samhradhain (MacGuaran, McGurran, McGurn, McGovern) chiefs of Teallach
Eachdhach - modern day Tullyhaw
Mac Giolladuibh (MacGilduff, Gilduff) chiefs of Teallach Gairbheith - modern day Tullygarvey
MacGobhain (MacGowan, Smith, Smyth, Smythe, Smeeth, O'Gowan) a military clan
originally from Ulaid
Mac Cába (McCabe) Hiberno-Scottish military clan, for centuries provided mercenaries to
Cavan, Monaghan and Fermanagh
Mac Taichligh (MacTilly) based at Drung in Tullygarvey
Ó Sioradáin (Sheridan, O'Sheridan) originates in both Longford and Cavan
Ó Comhraidhe (Curry, Corry, McCorry, Corrie) was a clan based at Cootehill.
Ó Cléirigh (O'Cleary, Cleary, Clarke) branch of the Ó Cléirighs of Tyrconnell
Ó Dálaigh (O'Daly, Daly, Daley, Daily, Dailey and Dawley) famous bardic clan found at royal
courts throughout Ireland
Ó Maolagain (Mulligan, O'Mulligan) bards to the O'Reillys
Mac Shíomóin (Fitzsimons, FitzSimons, Fitzsimmons, FitzSimmons) Anglo-Norman clan that
settled in Cavan in the late 14th century
O Maol Phadraig (Fitzpatrick)
Ó Faircheallaigh (O'Farrelly, Farrelly, Ferrally, Farily, Fariley) military clan based in Loughtee
Lower
de Lench (Lynch, Linch) clan of Anglo-Norman origin, as opposed to the Gaelic Irish "Ó
Loingsigh" which also translates as Lynch
Mac Giollagain (Gilligan, MacGilligan) originally Scottish clan found throughout Ulster
Ó Muireadhaigh (Murray, O'Murray) found throughout Cavan
de Fae (Fay, Fee, Fahy) Anglo-Norman clan that arrived in Ireland in the 12th century
 Mac Mághnais (MacManus), derived from the Norse name Magnus, clan originally from
Roscommon

Kings (Lords) of Breifne O'Reilly

Name Reign Lineage Description
Conchobar 1256-1257 son of Cathal

Matha 1257-1282 son of Domnaill

Ferghal 1282-1293 son of Domnaill Killed †

Giolla Iosa Ruaidh 1293- c. 1327 son of Domnaill Retired[n 2]

Maelseachleann c. 1327-1328 son of Giolla Iosa Ruaidh

Risdeard 1328-1349 son of Giolla Iosa Ruaidh

Cu Chonnacht 1349-1365 son of Giolla Iosa Ruaidh Retired

Pilib 1365-1384 son of Giolla Iosa Ruaidh

Tomas Mór 1384-1392 son of Mathgamain Ua Raighillaigh

Seoan 1392-1400 son of Pilib

Giolla Iosa 1400 son of Pilib

Maolmhordha 1403-1411 son of Cu Chonnacht

Risdeard 1411-1418 son of Tomas Mór

Eoghan na Feosaige 1418-1449 son of Seoan

Sean an Einigh 1449-1460 son of Eoghan na Feosaige

Cathal 1460-1467 son of Eoghan na Feosaige

Toirdhealbhaigh 1467-1487 son of Sean an Einigh

Seaan 1487-1491 son of Toirdhealbhaigh

Seaan 1491-1510 son of Cathal

Aodh 1510-1514 son of Cathal

Eoghan Ruadh 1514-1526 son of Cathal

Fearghal 1526-1534 son of Seaan, son of Cathal Retired

Maolmhordha 1534-1565 son of Seaan, son of Cathal

Aodh Connallach 1565-1583 son of Maolmhordha, son of Seaan

John 1583-1596 son of Aodh Connallach

Pilib 1596 son of Aodh Connallach Killed †

Eamonn 1596-1601 son of Maolmhordha

Eoghan 1601-1603 son of Aodh Connallach Killed †

Maolmhordha 1603-1607 son of Aodh Connallach

Notes
1. Irish would have been spoken by the vast majority of the population and used as the day-to-
 day language of the kings and nobility as well; however, the O'Reilly kings and many
Brefnian nobles were evidently able to write fluently in English as far back as the late 15th
century. The implementation of English law in the 16th century probably expanded its use
even further.
2. Giolla Iosa Ruaidh retired sometime in the late 1320s (exact date unknown) and his son,
Maelseachleann, became king. When Maelseachleann died in 1328 his brother Risdeard
became king.
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External links
A 9th century Uí Briúin settlement in County Cavan (https://www.academia.edu/33605521/A
_9th_century_U%C3%AD_Bri%C3%BAin_settlement_in_County_Cavan)

Bibliography
Simms, Katherine. The O’Reillys and the kingdom of East Breifne. Breifne Journal Vol. V,
1979
Parker, Kieran. The O’Reillys of East Breifne. Breifne Journal Vol. VII, 1991
Harriss, Gerald (2005). Shaping the Nation: England, 1360–1461. Oxford: Oxford University
Press. ISBN 0-19-822816-3.
Brady, Ciaran. The O’Reillys and the problem of Surrender and Regrant. Breifne Journal
Vol. VI, 1985
Joyce, Patrick Weston. A Concise History of Ireland. Dublin, 1893
Lenihan, Padraig. Consolidating Conquest: Ireland 1603-1727. Routeledge, London & New
York, 2008
Connolly, S.J. Contested Island: Ireland 1460-1630. Oxford University Press, 2007
Hunter, R.J. An Ulster plantation town – Virginia. Breifne Journal Vol. IV, 1970
Fitzpatrick, Elizabeth. Royal Inauguration in Gaelic Ireland C. 1100-1600: A Cultural
Landscape Study. The Boydell Press, 2004
Dolley, Michael & Seaby, W.A. Le Money Del ORaylly 1967
Cherry, Jonathan. The indigenous and colonial urbanization of Cavan town.
Gallogy, Dan. Brian Oge O'Rourke and the Nine Years War. Breifne Journal Vol. V
Perceval-Maxwell, M. Outbreak of the Irish Rebellion of 1641 McGill-Queen's University
Press, 1994
Margey, Annaleigh. Surveying and Mapping Plantation in Cavan, c.1580-1622

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