Crom Ua Donnubáin
Encyclopedia
An Crom Ua Donnubáin or Crom O'Donovan (slain 1254) is the dynast recognized in all sources as the ancestor of all O'Donovan
s later found in Carbery in County Cork
, and later still in distant County Wexford
in Leinster
. Nothing is known for sure of his life but his progeny, and the circumstances of his slaying and further events which followed. He was the son of Máel Ruanaid, (son of Ragnall), son of Aneislis, son of Murchad, son of Amlaíb, son of Cathal
, son of Donnubán
, (son of Amlaíb), son of Cathal. An uncle or near relation was Amlaíb Ua Donnubáin
, last known king of Uí Chairpre Áebda (Cairbre Eva), slain in 1201.
annals known as Mac Carthaigh's Book
, collected by the celebrated Prince and historian Florence MacCarthy
, reports the events several years after Crom's death as follows:
This Fínghin Reanna Róin is none other than Fínghin Mac Carthaigh, King of Desmond, who two years later would be the victor at the Battle of Callann
, and whose father Donal Gott MacCarthy
, also King of Desmond, was the founder of the MacCarthy Reagh
dynasty, Princes of Carbery. The Ó Mathghamhna and Uí Echach are the powerful O'Mahony
s, Kings of Eóganacht Raithlind
.
. However in this case the source is probably Cromad, name for the bend in the River Maigue
becoming the modern Croom, County Limerick. Crom is claimed in the O'Donovan pedigrees to have been seated here and built a great fortress
, although this was more likely built by his ancestor/relation Diarmaid O'Donovan. It is the origin also of the war cry "Crom Abu" of the Kildare branch
of the FitzGerald dynasty, who are said to have taken the fortress from Crom.
Of the remaining known septs the Sliocht Raghnaill and Sliocht Diarmada Rua are impossible to place exactly above because of the multiple occurrences of the names, while the later sept of O'Donovan's Cove are believed to descend from a near kinsman of Donal of the Hides. Finally the Sliocht Taidhg Mhic Niocaill and Clann Chonghalaigh, both also found within O'Donovan territory, possibly represent unrecorded generations.
O'Donovan
O'Donovan or Donovan is an Irish surname, as well as a hereditary Gaelic title. It is also written Dhonnabháin in certain grammatical contexts, and Donndubháin, being originally composed of the elements donn, meaning lord or dark brown, dubh, meaning dark or black, and the diminutive suffix án...
s later found in Carbery in County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
, and later still in distant County Wexford
County Wexford
County Wexford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wexford. In pre-Norman times it was part of the Kingdom of Uí Cheinnselaig, whose capital was at Ferns. Wexford County Council is the local...
in Leinster
Leinster
Leinster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the east of Ireland. It comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Mide, Osraige and Leinster. Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the historic fifths of Leinster and Mide gradually merged, mainly due to the impact of the Pale, which straddled...
. Nothing is known for sure of his life but his progeny, and the circumstances of his slaying and further events which followed. He was the son of Máel Ruanaid, (son of Ragnall), son of Aneislis, son of Murchad, son of Amlaíb, son of Cathal
Cathal mac Donnubáin
Cathal mac Donnubáin is the second known son of Donnubán mac Cathail, king of Uí Fidgenti and an ancestor of the medieval and modern O'Donovan family. He may have succeeded his brother Uainide mac Donnubáin as King of Uí Chairpre Áebda at his death in 982, no ruler being known after that until 1014...
, son of Donnubán
Donnubán mac Cathail
Donnubán , Donndubán , or Donnabán mac Cathail, anglicised Donovan, son of Cahall , was a 10th century ruler of the Irish regional kingdom of Uí Fidgenti, and possibly also of the smaller overkingdom of Uí Chairpre Áebda within that...
, (son of Amlaíb), son of Cathal. An uncle or near relation was Amlaíb Ua Donnubáin
Amlaíb Ua Donnubáin
Amlaíb Ua Donnubáin is the last member of the O'Donovan family to be styled king of Uí Chairpre Áebda in the Irish annals, and in fact the very last known king of this people....
, last known king of Uí Chairpre Áebda (Cairbre Eva), slain in 1201.
Events and context
The compilation of primarily MunsterMunster
Munster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the south of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial purposes...
annals known as Mac Carthaigh's Book
Mac Carthaigh's Book
Mac Carthaigh’s Book is a collection of annals of the period AD 1114-1437 inclusive. It was compiled from earlier material by Fínghin Mac Carthaigh Mór an Irish nobleman who was imprisoned for years in London. He was a patron of learning and a scholar in his own right...
, collected by the celebrated Prince and historian Florence MacCarthy
Florence MacCarthy
Finnian or Fínghin mac Donnchadh Mac Cárthaigh , known to the English as Florence MacCarthy, was an Irish prince of the late 16th century and the last credible claimant to the MacCarthy Mór title before its suppression by English authority...
, reports the events several years after Crom's death as follows:
This Fínghin Reanna Róin is none other than Fínghin Mac Carthaigh, King of Desmond, who two years later would be the victor at the Battle of Callann
Battle of Callann
The Battle of Callann was fought in 1261 between the Normans, under John FitzGerald, 1st Baron Desmond, and the Gaelic forces of Fínghin Mac Carthaigh, King of Desmond, ancestor of the MacCarthy Reagh dynasty. MacCarthy was victorious...
, and whose father Donal Gott MacCarthy
Donal Gott MacCarthy
Donal Gott MacCarthy was the ancestor of the MacCarthy Reagh dynasty of Carbery in the south of Munster in Ireland, and King of Desmond from 1247 or 1248 until the time of his death, after holding the position of tánaiste from 1230. He was a younger son of Donal Mor na Curra, King of Desmond ,...
, also King of Desmond, was the founder of the MacCarthy Reagh
MacCarthy Reagh
The MacCarthy Reagh dynasty are a branch of the great MacCarthy dynasty, Kings of Desmond, deriving from the ancient Eóganachta, of the central Eóganacht Chaisil sept. The MacCarthys Reagh seated themselves as Princes of Carbery in what is now southwestern County Cork in the 13th century...
dynasty, Princes of Carbery. The Ó Mathghamhna and Uí Echach are the powerful O'Mahony
O'Mahony
O'Mahony or O'Mahoney, or simply Mahony or Mahoney, without the prefix, is an Irish surname, and may refer to:The O'Mahonys were Cenél nÁeda princes of the ancient Eóganacht Raithlind...
s, Kings of Eóganacht Raithlind
Eóganacht Raithlind
Eóganacht Raithlind or Uí Echach Muman are a branch of the Eóganachta, the ruling dynasty of Munster during the 5th-10th centuries. They took their name from Raithlinn or Raithleann described around the area of Bandon, in the same area...
.
Name or epithet
An Crom translates directly from the Irish into The Bent (One), recalling memories of the infamous deity Crom CruachCrom Cruach
Crom Cruach or Cromm Crúaich , also known as Cenn Cruach /ˈkʲɛnˠ: ˈkɾˠuəxˠ/ or Cenncroithi /ˈkʲɛnˠ: ˈkɾˠoθʲɨ/, was a deity in pre-Christian Ireland, reputedly propitiated with human sacrifice, whose worship is said to have been ended by St...
. However in this case the source is probably Cromad, name for the bend in the River Maigue
River Maigue
The River Maigue, rises in the Milford area of North County Cork, Ireland.It is joined by the small River Glen and the larger River Loobagh in south County Limerick. It then flows north through Bruree, after which it augmented by the River Morning Star...
becoming the modern Croom, County Limerick. Crom is claimed in the O'Donovan pedigrees to have been seated here and built a great fortress
Croom Castle
Croom or Crom Castle, also called the Castle of Crom, is an historic castle in the town of Croom, County Limerick, that is notable for its occupation as one of the principal residences of the Kildare branch of the FitzGerald dynasty. Their ancient war cry and motto "Crom a Boo", or in Irish "Crom...
, although this was more likely built by his ancestor/relation Diarmaid O'Donovan. It is the origin also of the war cry "Crom Abu" of the Kildare branch
Duke of Leinster
Duke of Leinster is a title in the Peerage of Ireland and the premier dukedom in that peerage. The title refers to Leinster, but unlike the province the title is pronounced "Lin-ster"...
of the FitzGerald dynasty, who are said to have taken the fortress from Crom.
Issue
His wife or wives are unknown, but Crom's known descendants down to the Elizabethan period are the following- Cathal
- Tadg, ancestor of Clann Cathail or Clancahill
- Murchad, Lord of Clancahill
- Rickard, Lord of Clancahill
- Conchobar, Lord of Clancahill?
- Ragnall, Lord of Clancahill
- (Diarmaid)
- Diarmaid, Lord of Clancahill
- Domhnall, Lord of Clancahill
- Tadhg, Lord of Clancahill
- Donal of the HidesDonal of the HidesDonal of the Skins or Hides , also called Peltry O'Donovan or simply Donal I O'Donovan , was The O'Donovan Mor, Lord of Clancahill from his inauguration with the White Wand circa 1560 by the MacCarthy Reagh, Prince of Carbery, to his death in 1584...
, Lord of Clancahill, died 1584- Diarmaid, died 1581
- Donal II O'DonovanDonal II O'DonovanDonal II O'Donovan , The O'Donovan of Clann Cathail, Lord of Clancahill , was the son of Ellen O'Leary, daughter of O'Leary of Carrignacurra, and Donal of the Skins, The O'Donovan of Clann Cathail....
, last inaugurated Lord of Clancahill, died 1639 - Tadhg/Teige
- Donal of the Hides
- Diarmaid, Lord of Clancahill
- Tioboit, from whom the Sliocht Tioboid
- (Diarmaid)
- Murtogh
- Aengus
- Diarmaid, Lord of Clancahill
- Ragnall, Lord of Clancahill
- Ragnall
- Domhnall
- Melaghlin
- Diarmaid
- Conchobar
- Aed
- Murchad, Lord of Clancahill
- Ímar Ua DonnubáinÍmar Ua DonnubáinÍmar Ua Donnubáin or Ivor O'Donovan, and possibly nicknamed Gilla Riabach, was a legendary and celebrated petty king, navigator, trader, and reputedly necromancer of 13th century Ireland belonging to the O'Donovan family. He may or may not have been the second son of Cathal, son of Crom Ua...
, from whom the Sliocht Íomhair. He was also possibly head of the entire family.
- Tadg, ancestor of Clann Cathail or Clancahill
- Aneslis, had four sons, their descendants all belonging to the Sliocht Aineislis mhic an Chroim
- Donnchad Mor
- Rickard
- Walter
- Ragnall
- LochlannLochlannLochlann is a geographical region in Classical Gaelic literature and in the history of Early Medieval Ireland. In the modern Gaelic and Welsh languages it signifies Scandinavia, and more specifically Norway...
- Donnchad of Loch Crott, ancestor of Clann Lochlainn or Clan Loughlin/Clanloughlin
- Cathal
- Diarmaid
- Donnchadh, after whom the pedigree of the Lords of Clanloughlin becomes confused for three or four generations
- (Conchobhar)
- (Aedh)
- (Diarmaid)
- (Donnchadh)
- Domhnall na Cartan Ó Donnabháin, Lord of Clanloughlin
- Domhnall Og na Cartan Ó Donnabháin, Lord of Clanloughlin, died 1629
- Domhnall na Cartan Ó Donnabháin, Lord of Clanloughlin
- (Donnchadh)
- (Diarmaid)
- (Aedh)
- (Conchobhar)
- Donnchadh, after whom the pedigree of the Lords of Clanloughlin becomes confused for three or four generations
- Diarmaid
- Cathal
- Donnchad of Loch Crott, ancestor of Clann Lochlainn or Clan Loughlin/Clanloughlin
Of the remaining known septs the Sliocht Raghnaill and Sliocht Diarmada Rua are impossible to place exactly above because of the multiple occurrences of the names, while the later sept of O'Donovan's Cove are believed to descend from a near kinsman of Donal of the Hides. Finally the Sliocht Taidhg Mhic Niocaill and Clann Chonghalaigh, both also found within O'Donovan territory, possibly represent unrecorded generations.