Parish of Carron (d)

In this Parish is situated the beautiful Valley of Glencolumbkille, in which there is an Old Church dedicated to St. Columbkille, about five centuries old. It is all destroyed except the east gable and south wall; the former having a broken Gothic window and the latter a pointed doorway from which the antiquarian may easily draw his inference respecting the age of the present walls. It is probable, however, that this Church occupies the site of a primitive one erected by the great Thaumaturgus himself.

I have no historical reference to Gleann Coluim Cille except two, one from Colgan, (Triad. Thau. p. 495, col. 1) who makes it a distinct Parish in itself in the Diocese of Kilfenora, and the other from the Annals of the Four Masters, in which it is placed on the boundary of Kinel-Fearmaic.

In this valley is situated the residence of Torlogh O’Brien, the next in point of seniority to the Marquis of Thomond.

A tomb of his family placed in the southeast corner of the Church of St. Columbkille exhibits the following inscription:-

Here lieth the body of Captain Cornelius O’Brien, who departed this life Anno Domini 1753, who was grandson to General Morthough O’Brien that was brother to Morrough, first Earl of Inchiquin. This monument was erected by Morthough O’Brien in memory of his wife Bridget O’Brien, alias MacNamara, who departed this life, July 24th 1800, aged 66 years.

This inscription was composed by the Chevalier O’Gorman, and the statement in it is false:- The Earl had no brother named Mortogh.

The following is the pedigree of Terence alias Torlogh O’Brien of this place:-

1. Dermot O’Brien, the fourth Lord Baron of Inchaquin, married the daughter and heiress of Sir Edmund Fitzgerald of Ballymulloe, in the Co. of Cork, Bart. by whom he had issue, and General Mortogh O’Brien.

2. Mortogh, the General, married Mary, daughter of Daniel Mac Namara of Ballynahinch, Esq., by whom he had issue.

3. Daniel O’Brien, called Spáineach, i.e., the Spaniard, from having been born in Spain. He married Mary, sister of Col. John Mac Namara of Moyriesk, by whom he had issue.

4. Cornelius O’Brien, Captain in the French Service, who married Mary, grand-niece to Sir Walter Blake, Bart., by whom he had issue.

5. Mortogh O’Brien, who married Bridget, daughter of Joseph Mac Namara of Newtown, Gent., by whom he had issue.

6. Torlogh, alias Terence O’Brien of Glencolumbkille, Esq. now living, married Mary Ann Mac Donogh, by whom he had issue.

7. Mortogh O’Brien, Esq. his son and heir, William, Terence, Conor, Edward, James and Charles, all living at Glencolumbkille.

The following genealogical table will show where the present Marquis of Thomond and this Terence O’Brien of Glencolumbkille meet.

Dermot, 4th Baron of Inchaquin

Morogh, 1st Earl of Inchaquin

William O’Brien, 2nd Earl of Inchaquin

William, 3rd Earl of Inchaquin

James William, (Col.) 4th Earl of Inchaquin

Edward Morogh, (Capt.)              5th Earl of Inchaquin, who was created
|
                                                        Marquis of Thomond and Lord Taplow,
|                                                       October 2nd 1801.

________________________
|                                                     |

Lord James.                                       William O’Brien, the present Marquis-
(has no issue).                                                    aged 63, and has no issue.

                    Dermot, 4th Baron of Inchaquin
                                 |
              ____________________________
              |                                                              |
1. General Mortogh O’Brien.                   1. Morogh 1st Earl of Inchaquin.
2. Daniel Spaineach.                               2. William, 2nd Earl.
3. Capt. Cornelius.                                   3. William, 3rd Earl.
4. Mortogh.                                                4. Col. James O’Brien.
5. Terence O’Brien.                                  5. Capt. Edward O’Brien.
             of Glencolumbkille
6. Mortogh O’Brien.                                  6.William, the present Marquis of Thomond.

N.B. The title of Earl of Thomond becoming extinct in 1741 with Henry (William) eight Earl and lineal descendant from the first, was revived in 1756 in the person of his nephew-in-law, Percy Wyndham to whom it was made to appear by a forged will that he left the reversion of his estates. But the title becoming extinct with him in 1774 (as Brian Boru was glad to see) it was conferred on Mortogh O’Brien, 5th Earl of Inchaquin in the year 1800, whose nephew William O’Brien, now represents Brian Boru and enjoys the adventitious titles, Marquis of Thomond and Lord Thomond of Taplow, in Bucks.

The present Marquis and his brother, Lord James O’Brien, will however, die issueless, and after their deaths Terence O’Brien or his son Mortogh, will become the senior representative of Brian Boru, for Sir Lucius O’Brien branches off from the main trunk of the pedigree at a remote period, as I shall shew when treating of his locality.