Baron of Tirawley

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The Barony of Tirawley is an Irish feudal barony located in northern County Mayo, Ireland.^{[1][relevant?]} It was first held by William Na Mor Barrett.^{[citation needed]} The feudal title was granted to William Barrett in 1236 by Richard de Burgo, Earl of Connaught.^{[citation needed]} Irish and Scottish feudal titles, particularly those granted by palatine lords, are difficult to classify in law, they are acknowledged as genuine hereditaments by the arms-granting bodies of Ireland,^{[dubious – discuss]} Scotland, and England, but were not usually formally recognised by the Crown.

The location of the seat of the Baron of Tirawley is now unknown to history but it is known that it was in the area of Moyne, with the title alternatively being known as the Barony of Moyne.^{[2][not specific enough to verify]}

The etymology of the name Tirawley comes from the name of King Amhalgaidh,^[3] having been a Gaelic king in this region of North Mayo circa 5th century AD.^[4] With the "Tir" in 'Tir Amhalgaidh' meaning "Land of".

History[edit]

The Barony of Tirawley is first referenced as a Lordship located in Northern Mayo,^[5] held by the Barrett family.^[6]

It appears that as was the custom with many Irish Feudal Baronies, one of the Barrett Lords would, with the agreement of their overlords the De Burgos, presume to begin calling themselves Barons, before this would later be recognised by both Elizabeth I^{[7][failed verification]} and King James I.^[8]

The Barretts came into possession of Tirawley after being granted it by their overlords, the Bourkes, during the incursions into County Mayo by the Normans in 1235, with the Barretts, Burkes and Cusacks being the principal beneficiaries of these incursions in the area that would come to be known as Tirawley.

The Cusacks would later lay claim to the Barony of Erris, also known as Irrus, which seems to have been much larger than the Barony of Tirawley, and to which the Barretts also presumed to be entitled to, for which the Cusacks and the Barretts would go to war, and whereby the first Lord of Tyrawley, William 'Mor na Maighne' Barrett gained his monicer, meaning William "The Great, of Moyne" Barrett. Though William would become both Lord/Baron of Tyrawley and Baron of Irrus,^[9] his descendants would seem to have preferred the style of Baron of Erris,^[10] in particular Sir Edmund Barrett, commonly known as Baron of Erris, likely as the lands would be much larger than William's seat in Maighne (Modern day Moyne, in Tirawley)

Norman invasion of Ireland 1171 AD[edit]

The Barretts coming to be in County Mayo to be Lords and Barons of Tyrawley would begin with the Norman Invasion of Ireland, in which William Mor na Maignes father, who was also called William, Lord of Pendyne, would join Richard 'Strongbow' De Clare in the invasion of Ireland.^[11]

The Barretts were granted various lands in County Cork, leaving such a lasting impact on the region that Barretts County would be named after them. It was from this base in Castle Barrett, that the Barretts would join their neighbours, the Lynotts and Cusacks with their new overlord the De Burgos in the expansion north of the Shannon.

Earliest records[edit]

The earliest records regarding the Barons of Tirawley is in 1441 in the annals of Ireland^[12] There is also mention made of the Barony, and it's recognition by the crown in the 1605 Patent Rolls of King James I^[13]

There is mention of the plight and Burkes overcoming the Barretts before the confiscation of all the Barony in The Genealogies, Tribes, and Customs of Hy-Fiachrach, commonly called O'Dowda's Country.^[14]

The May 1652 act of settlement[edit]

In May 1652, the passing of the Act for the Settlement of Ireland saw the confiscation of the properties and titles of the two major families in County Mayo, the Barretts and the Bourkes. Their property, along with the Barony of Tirawley and the seat of the Bourke family, Rappa Castle, would be granted to Sir James Cuffe,^[15] a soldier in the Cromwellian army.

Sir James Cuffe[edit]

Sir James Cuffe would not go by his newly acquired title of Baron of Tirawley, however, his descendant would be created Baron Tyrawley,^{[16][better source needed]} subsuming the title under a peerage, in recognition of his succession to the feudal position, and his newly acquire large landholdings from the Barretts and Bourkes of Tirawley.^{[17][failed verification]}

Current Baron[edit]

The current claimant of the Baron of Tirawley is Louis Allan Barratt, Baron of Tirawley,^{[18][unreliable source]} who acquired the Barony in July 2023.^{[19][unreliable source]} Though it must be noted that Irish Feudal Baronies no longer hold legal recognition in the Republic of Ireland,^[20] and their status in the United Kingdom is unconfirmed.^{[21][speculation?]}

References[edit]