Cahir Mac Art Kavanagh
Encyclopedia
Cahir Mac Art Kavanagh, Lord of St. Molyns, baron of Ballyann (died 1554), was an Irish magnate of the Tudor period.
. He took part in the rebellion of the Leinster Geraldines, but submitted to Lord Leonard Grey
in 1538. He renewed his submission to Sir Anthony St. Leger
in November 1540, and preferred a request to be allowed to hold his land in feudal tenure. He was anxious, he declared, to imitate his ancestor, Diarmait Mac Murchada, king of Leinster, who had introduced the English into Ireland, and by adopting English customs to assist in the re-establishment of the English authority in the island.
Though not a baron of parliament, he was allowed to sit in the parliament held by St. Leger in Dublin in 1541, and in 1543 he obtained a grant of the lordship of St. Molyns to himself and his heirs, 'without any division or partition to be made therein between his kinsmen', on condition of building himself a house or mansion at Pollmounty, of maintaining the accustomed fairs there, and of exercising a vigilant watch over the pass. In 1544 he furnished nineteen kern
(soldiers), under the command of Captain Edmond Mac Cahir Kavanagh, to the Irish contingent employed at the siege of Boulogne; and in the following year he defeated his rival, Gerald Mac Cahir Kavanagh, with great slaughter, in the neighbourhood of Hacketstown
.
His assumption of the title of Mac Murrough aroused the suspicion of Sir Edward Bellingham
, which was further increased by his refusal, 'sticking to the Brehon law of restitution', to hang one of his followers for horse-stealing. His explanations were, however, deemed sufficient, and the lord deputy expressed himself satisfied with his 'good conformity and constancy in the king's service'.
In 1550 he surprised the castle of Ferns
, and Sir James Croft
, regarding it as an act of rebellion, invaded his country. He acknowledged his offence, and at a great council held in Dublin on 4 November publicly renounced his title of Mac Murrough. His possessions were considerably restricted, and he obtained permission to make his explanations in person to Edward VI
. On 8 February 1553–4 he was created baron of Ballyann for life, but died shortly afterwards.
He married Cecilia, daughter of Gerald FitzGerald, 9th Earl of Kildare
, and had six sons, viz.: Brian, who married a daughter of Hugh Mac Shane O'Byrne; Tirrelagh, who married a sister of Robert Browne of Mulrankan, in the barony of Bargy, Co. Wexford, whose tragic fate is narrated in Holinshed
; Crean, Moriertagh, Art, and Dermot, who for his good and faithful services was, on 18 March 1555, appointed tanist to the chieftaincy of the clan. Cahir Mac Art Kavanagh is an interesting figure in Irish history as the founder of an estate which, notwithstanding the vicissitudes of land tenure in Ireland, still remains in the possession of his lineal descendants.
Biography
Kavanagh was the eldest son of Art Kavanagh of St. Molyns (Teach Molyns), and chief of his septSept
A sept is an English word for a division of a family, especially a division of a clan. The word might have its origin from Latin saeptum "enclosure, fold", or it can be an alteration of sect.The term is found in both Ireland and Scotland...
. He took part in the rebellion of the Leinster Geraldines, but submitted to Lord Leonard Grey
Leonard Grey, 1st Viscount Grane
Leonard Grey, 1st Viscount Grane , known as Lord Leonard Grey prior to 1536, served as Lord Deputy of Ireland from 1536 to 1540....
in 1538. He renewed his submission to Sir Anthony St. Leger
Anthony St Leger (Lord Deputy of Ireland)
Sir Anthony St Leger was Lord Deputy of Ireland during the Tudor period.The eldest son of Ralph St Leger, a gentleman of Kent and Elizabeth Haut. He was educated abroad and at the University of Cambridge. He quickly gained the favour of King Henry VIII, and in 1537 was appointed president of a...
in November 1540, and preferred a request to be allowed to hold his land in feudal tenure. He was anxious, he declared, to imitate his ancestor, Diarmait Mac Murchada, king of Leinster, who had introduced the English into Ireland, and by adopting English customs to assist in the re-establishment of the English authority in the island.
Though not a baron of parliament, he was allowed to sit in the parliament held by St. Leger in Dublin in 1541, and in 1543 he obtained a grant of the lordship of St. Molyns to himself and his heirs, 'without any division or partition to be made therein between his kinsmen', on condition of building himself a house or mansion at Pollmounty, of maintaining the accustomed fairs there, and of exercising a vigilant watch over the pass. In 1544 he furnished nineteen kern
Kern (soldier)
A Kern was a Gaelic soldier, specifically a light infantryman in Ireland during the Middle Ages.-Linguistic roots:The word kern is an anglicisation of the Middle Irish word ceithern or ceithrenn meaning a collection of persons, particularly fighting men. An individual member is a ceithernach...
(soldiers), under the command of Captain Edmond Mac Cahir Kavanagh, to the Irish contingent employed at the siege of Boulogne; and in the following year he defeated his rival, Gerald Mac Cahir Kavanagh, with great slaughter, in the neighbourhood of Hacketstown
Hacketstown
Hacketstown , historically known as Ballydrohid , is a town in County Carlow, Ireland.It is located on the R747 regional road at its junction with the R727...
.
His assumption of the title of Mac Murrough aroused the suspicion of Sir Edward Bellingham
Edward Bellingham
Sir Edward Bellingham , lord deputy of Ireland, was a son of Edward Bellingham of Erringham, Sussex, his mother being Jane Shelley of the Shelley family....
, which was further increased by his refusal, 'sticking to the Brehon law of restitution', to hang one of his followers for horse-stealing. His explanations were, however, deemed sufficient, and the lord deputy expressed himself satisfied with his 'good conformity and constancy in the king's service'.
In 1550 he surprised the castle of Ferns
Ferns, County Wexford
Ferns is a small historic town in north County Wexford, Ireland with a population of about 900. It is 16 km from Enniscorthy, where the Gorey to Enniscorthy N11 road joins the R745 regional road...
, and Sir James Croft
James Croft
Sir James Croft PC , Lord Deputy of Ireland and MP for Herefordshire in the Parliament of England.He was born the second but eldest surviving son of Richard Croft of Croft Castle, Herefordshire, inheriting the estate on his father's death in 1562.He was elected seven times as knight of the shire ...
, regarding it as an act of rebellion, invaded his country. He acknowledged his offence, and at a great council held in Dublin on 4 November publicly renounced his title of Mac Murrough. His possessions were considerably restricted, and he obtained permission to make his explanations in person to Edward VI
Edward VI of England
Edward VI was the King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. He was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England's first monarch who was raised as a Protestant...
. On 8 February 1553–4 he was created baron of Ballyann for life, but died shortly afterwards.
He married Cecilia, daughter of Gerald FitzGerald, 9th Earl of Kildare
Gerald FitzGerald, 9th Earl of Kildare
Gerald FitzGerald, 9th Earl of Kildare , also known in Irish as Gearóid Óg , was a figure in Irish History. In 1513 he inherited the title of Earl of Kildare and position of Lord Deputy of Ireland from his father.-Family:...
, and had six sons, viz.: Brian, who married a daughter of Hugh Mac Shane O'Byrne; Tirrelagh, who married a sister of Robert Browne of Mulrankan, in the barony of Bargy, Co. Wexford, whose tragic fate is narrated in Holinshed
Raphael Holinshed
Raphael Holinshed was an English chronicler, whose work, commonly known as Holinshed's Chronicles, was one of the major sources used by William Shakespeare for a number of his plays....
; Crean, Moriertagh, Art, and Dermot, who for his good and faithful services was, on 18 March 1555, appointed tanist to the chieftaincy of the clan. Cahir Mac Art Kavanagh is an interesting figure in Irish history as the founder of an estate which, notwithstanding the vicissitudes of land tenure in Ireland, still remains in the possession of his lineal descendants.