O'Conors, Kings of Connacht : High Kings of Ireland 'A Tale of Two Stones'
Have you ever had one of those "pivotal" days in your life? A day that shapes the future and puts the past in context; a day towards which, in some mysterious way, previous events seem to have led up to; and a day which events thereafter lead back to.
That day for me was a day in early April in 1980. A day of sunshine and showers and a day on which I drove my elderly parents from Dublin to Castlerea, Co Roscommon, a small town in the West of Ireland. The occasion was to attend the funeral of my mother's sister, my Aunt Josephine, who just had died and was to be buried in the family plot in the graveyard of the town.
After the funeral, which was attended by many relatives and friends, we adjourned to my Mother's family home for a little tea and sustenance in the best Irish tradition, before we would all again scatter to the four winds. As I stood in the large front hall of the house, I glanced across the room to see my Mother's only brother standing alone in the corner.
In his late 70's my Uncle Charles' once sharp and substantial intellect had been dulled by age. As a teenager he had taught me to drive a car on the avenue of the Family property and versed me in the etiquette and skills of shooting in its woods; but for several years now he had not addressed me by name. Thinking that he might possibly recognise me as a vaguely familiar face I went over to speak to him. After a brief conversation he looked at me and said "one day you'll farm here". I recoiled in surprise, not only because he appeared to recognise me but also because of the significance of what he had said.
My Uncle was not just a Priest but the holder of one of Ireland's most ancient and distinguished titles, that of "O'Conor Don". The House in which we were speaking was his ancestral home; Clonalis House, unique among the Great Houses of Ireland as perhaps only one of two celebrating a Gaelic tradition spanning many centuries. The land on which my Uncle had prophesied I would farm had belonged to the O'Conor's for over 1500 years through perhaps 66 generations of the Family.
Of his 19 nephews and nieces I was the youngest at 28 years of age.
My Uncle had taken strict vows of poverty as a Jesuit priest which had once resulted in him refusing to accept a small transistor radio as a family present. These vows also, needless to say, precluded him from having any financial interest in Clonalis, his ancestral home.
Following the recent death of my Aunt Josephine, my frail and elderly Mother, Gertrude Nash (nee O'Conor) inherited Clonalis House and Estate. Her age and poor health meant that she was unable to take an active role in maintaining the property. Neither could Clonalis be abandoned by the Family despite the fact that the Estate was almost bankrupt.
Within a few months I resigned my position in the financial services sector in Dublin and with my wife Marguerite, two small children and with a small bank loan we moved from our suburban home in Dublin to Clonalis. From a small manageable surburban garden to Clonalis with its substantial and largely derelict garden and un-stocked and neglected farm. Sadly within a week of our arrival at Clonalis, in November 1981, my Uncle Charles had died.
In the upheaval which followed we barely realised the significance and importance of the task we had undertaken. It was not long however before the unique historical importance of Clonalis became clear to us, for the origins of this Victorian/
But what of the House built in 1878? Some said an attractive house in a beautiful sylvan of oak, copper beech, lime, ash and cypress; some said a handsome elegant house set in simple formal gardens; some said an austere house. In truth it is all of these, but of one thing we were reasonably certain, Clonalis is one of Ireland's most Historic Houses.
The mansion was built by my Great Grand Father, Charles Owen O'Conor Don, to the design of the well known English architect F Pepys Cockrell, to replace the 'Old' Clonalis, a double gable-ended early 18th century, 'two storey over basement' residence some five hundred yards away. The 'Old' Clonalis House as it is known was constructed rather too close to the River Suck and quite damp as a consequence. Historic as the old house was with its hidden chapel and legends of secret tunnels, the dwelling was a source of sadness to Charles Owen as he was orphaned at the age of seven when both his parents died. He was distraught when at the age of 27 his beautiful wife, Georgina died having borne him 4 sons. This resulted in the building of the 'new' Clonalis.
However the 'new' house at Clonalis was only the most recent manifestation of the built heritage of the O'Conor's over the past 1500 years.
In the library at Clonalis can be seen the pedigree completed by Sir William Betham, the Ulster King at Arms, in 1823 . This pedigree of the O'Conors lists 11 High Kings of Ireland and 26 Kings of Connacht since the time of Christ. From these generations a rich inheritance of castles and abbeys and other objects remain to this day.
The Coronation Stone or Inauguration Stone of the O'Conors can still be seen at Clonalis to this day. This is the first Stone in my Tale of Two Stones.
In Gaelic tradition, Irish and indeed Scottish, when a king was inaugurated he symbolically married the soil over which he was to rule and a sacred stone was used for this purpose. The stone acted as the Kings bride and the ceremony was known as "Banais Ri" (" the Kings marriage"). The stone at Clonalis was probably used to inaugurate up to 30 O'Conor Kings. The ceremony took place at Carnfree near Tulsk in Roscommon, about 12 miles from Clonalis on a hill overlooking the 5 counties which formed the Kingdom of Connacht.
The ceremony was highly ritual and was performed in front of the Bishops, Abbots and sub-kings of Connacht. Part of the ceremony required the King to put his foot in the footstep which is carved in the top of the stone, probably as an act of consummation. The Coronation Stone was only one of a number of such stones that existed in the past, however the only other such stone known to me to be still in existence is the Stone of Scone now in Edinburgh Castle in Scotland and formerly under the throne in Westminster Abbey.
The Coronation Stone is resonant of a time when the O'Conors were Kings, not only of their province Connacht, but for a time, of Ireland. Without doubt the greatest O'Conor King was Turlough Mor O'Conor, High King of Ireland in the 12th century AD and who left us many reminders of his reign.
The most significant of these is the Cross of Cong, commissioned in 1123 to carry a piece of the 'True Cross' around Ireland, as the King processed through the nation to accept the submission and tribute of the provincial rulers. This magnificent work of art is made of oak sheathed in metal. The front and back are decorated in bronze panels of animals interlacing and the central crystal on the front of the Cross is surmounted by a panel of spiral filigree in gold. Around the margins are settings of glass and enamel enclosed in circular frames.
The sides of the cross are covered with silver and bear inscriptions in Latin and Irish, one of which reads " a prayer for Turlough Mor, King of Erin for whom this cross was made".
Turlough Mor should also be remembered for the great Chancel Arch in St Mary's Cathedral, Tuam and the High Cross in Tuam, Co Galway, both of which he commissioned. On his death in 1156, Turlough Mor O'Conor was buried beside the High Alter in St Kieran's Church at Clonmacnoise, the famous medieval Monastic City on the banks of the River Shannon.
On Turlough Mor's death he was succeeded by his son Rory, as King of Connacht. It was not until the year 1166 that Rory, as the most powerful provincial King was recognised as High King of Ireland. However events were moving against Rory. Almost 100 years after the Normans had successfully invaded Britain in 1066, they were now turning their attention to Ireland. The treacherous King of Leinster, who had been expelled from his kingdom by Rory's father, Turlough Mor, persuaded the Normans to help restore him to the throne of Leinster.
On May 1st, 1169 a small force of 30 knights, 60 men in half armour and 300 archers and foot soldiers landed at Bannow Bay in Wexford, in the heart of the kingdom of Leinster. This was the first day of a new chapter in Ireland's history that was to last 800 years. In the months ahead the Normans reinforced their bridgehead but while Rory O'Conor had a number of chances of easily defeating the Normans he prevaricated and eventually was unable to resist the invaders.
Rory, dejected by his failure to expell the Normans, abdicated in favour of his son Conor Moinmoy and retired to the Abbey at Cong, which he had previously founded. There Rory lived out the rest of his life as a monk. So it was that the last High King of Ireland died as a monk in the year 1198 and was buried at the Abbey.
With Rory's death the Irish monarchical system ended. The monarchical system had governed Ireland for almost a millennium. Thirty years after his death, Rory's body was reburied beside his father's at Clomacnoise.
After Rory's death another great O'Conor King was to appear. This time not as a King of Ireland but a powerful King of Connacht. Cathal Crovedearg (Charles of the Wine Red Hand), the half brother of Rory and another son of Turlough Mor, was inaugurated on the stone at Clonalis in 1201. In a reign which was to last twenty three years he did much to stabilise the kingdom of Connacht after the turbulent period of Rory's Kingship. During Cathal's reign he suppressed his Irish rivals as well as manipulating and often outwitting the Normans. The confidence he exhibited and the strength of his reign is evidenced by the large amount of development he undertook. In all he founded twelve Abbeys, some of which can still be seen today, including Ballintubber Abbey which he established 1216. This abbey is still in use today and Mass has been celebrated for nearly 800 years. Its architecture is interesting as it illustrates the transition from Irish Romanesque to Gothic.
It has been said that the O' Conors seemed to be "more concerned with the salvation of their souls than the grandeur of their residences". Perhaps Cathal Crovedearg did more than any other king to foster this image.
Of the castles associated with the Family at this period the most significant is Roscommon Castle. Built by the Norman Knight, Robert d'Ufford between 1269 and 1276, d'Ufford attempted to construct the castle in the kingdom of the then King, Hugh O'Conor. On two occasions his castle was knocked down but in 1276 the castle was fully constructed only to be captured by Hugh shortly thereafter. It remained an O'Conor stronghold for over 200 years until the time of Queen Elizabeth I, when one of her generals, Sir Henry Sidney captured the Castle from Duirmuid O'Conor Don in 1569.
The celebrated Abbey of Roscommon is also to be found in Roscommon Town. It was founded by Phelim O'Conor who reigned from 1233 to 1265. The Abbey was built for the Dominican friars and dedicated to the Virgin Mary in 1257. The magnificent tomb of Phelim O'Conor is located in the Abbey, where it is guarded to this day by gallowglasses in chain-mail, carved in base relief on the side of the tomb.
Another O'Conor castle of this period is Ballintubber Castle. Although it is uncertain who is responsible for its construction, either the Norman, de Burgos or Hugh O'Conor, what is certain is that it soon became an O'Conor stronghold. This huge keepless castle, which is located in the village of Ballintubber some 6 miles from Clonalis, is first referred to in the annals of Loch Ce in 1311. It is a moated castle with curtain walls nearly 1000ft long ranging up to 22ft in height. Within the protection of the walls was a bawn or badan (a central area) of 1.5 acres. It is thought that the bawn at one stage contained several rows of houses. This castle remained the principal seat of the O'Conor Don until well into 17th century. It was constructed by Hugh O'Conor and it would be the earliest remaining example of an early Irish built stone castle. This is significant because the Irish of this period did not build their fortifications in stone but in timber. Ballintubber was lost to the O'Conors in the 17th century during the Cromwellian period. It was however reacquired by Charles Owen O'Conor, Don in the 19th century.
If the 13th century saw the O'Conors relatively strong and confident within their own Kingdom, the 14th century witnessed a slow decline in their power and influence. This happened for two reasons; firstly the pressure exerted by the Norman warlords on the O'Conor territories and secondly internal strife within the clan.
The decline continued for four hundred years and culminated during the 18th century with one of the descendants living in a bahaun or peasants mud cottage in Kilmactraney, Co Sligo - totally landless and destitute like the majority of his countrymen.
If the Coronation Stone at Clonalis symbolised the alpha period of O'Conor history, the ancient gravestone, found in a wood in Ballanagare in 1917 and now at Clonalis represents point omega or the low point of that same history.
The inscription in Latin on the gravestone was translated by the great scholar and first President of Ireland, Douglas Hyde.
"For his ancestors and Father and grand Father here buried,
who were to faith and virtue most addicted,
and to religion and fatherland most constant
but who for the defence of both were
reduced, despoiled, dispersed.
This monument was erected by Denis O'Conor of Ballenagare in 1735".
The 18th century was a period of contrasts in Ireland. Although 80% of the population was Catholic with significant minorities of Presbyterians and Methodists, laws collectively known as the Penal Laws were introduced to economically suppress those not conforming to the Established Church.
Non Conformists had very restricted land and other property rights, no access to formal education, were forbidden to enter the professions and were prohibited from bearing arms.
For those who espoused the Established Faith, the Penal Law period proved a time of great prosperity for a number of reasons. By comparison with the troubled 17th century, which saw two long and bloody rebellions, the 18th century was a relatively peaceful period. With the gradual introduction of the potato, a food of higher calorific value, the population of Ireland doubled from 1.5 million in 1700 to 3.0 million during the course of the century and to an estimated 8m by 1840. As the result, land rents increased by a factor of at least ten, agricultural Rates by a factor of five but wages by a factor of only two. The farm diaries of Charles O'Conor of Ballenagare for 1737 show that daily labourers wages were 4d (about US$2 cents). A survey in Co Roscommon in 1831 recorded labour costs had risen to 8d (US$4 cents). The effect on landowners was significant. The two thousand owners of private estates enjoyed great prosperity in the 18th century. Landlords enjoyed political stability, their economic interests were protected in the absence of rebellion, their incomes rose substantially due to higher rents and agricultural prices from their landholdings.
In short for over 100 years conditions were right for landlords to indulge their cultural tastes. And indulge they did.
During the 18th and early 19th century it is estimated that 700 large country houses were constructed. Almost without exception the revenues which funded the construction of such properties, purchased their contents and financed their maintenance, were derived from agricultural rents. Of the three major estates in Co Roscommon owned by Lords Lorton, Hartland and Mountsandford, each on average owned over 24,000 acres producing an annual rental income based on calculations of not less than £1.2m (US$ 1.35m) each.
But the affect of the Penal Laws on the Catholic majority was that by the end of the 18th century, Catholics who numbered over 80% of the population of Ireland, held just 8 % of the land. Relatively few conversions to the established Church took place among landless Catholics despite many political and economic inducements. However some 4000 wealthier Catholics converted including some members of the old Gaelic aristocracy.
The O'Conors, like the majority of their countrymen, remained Catholic and clung to their Gaelic traditions. The Denis O'Conor referred to in the inscription on the gravestone is known as "The Heir to Nothing" for his ancestral lands had been confiscated . He lived in near destitution in that bahaun in Co Sligo where he hired himself out for a shilling a day. He is reputed to have said to his sons on one occasion " never be impudent to the poor, boys. I was the son of a gentleman but you are the sons of ploughman".
Denis was nephew and heir to Major Owen O'Conor, the last master of Ballintubber Castle who had taken up arms against Cromwell. Owen had mortgaged his lands to finance three troop of cavalry for the cause of James II and when that cause failed, was captured and imprisoned in Chester Castle, England where he died a prisoner in 1692.
Although living in poverty, Denis retained the dream of recovering his ancestral lands and in 1720, with the help of his Uncle, Counsellor Terence McDonagh he fought a law case in Dublin. Tradition has it that he was so impoverished he walked to Dublin barefoot. The result of his action was that he was restored to a small portion of his ancestral lands, approximately 500 acres of boggy land around the village of Ballanagare, Co Roscommon. There he built a small house, Ballanagare House, which soon became a rendezvous for the ill fated Catholic Gentry of Connacht. It was said that "his hospitable door was never shut against those in misfortune or distress". To the House came the great bard Turlough Carolan, last of the great Irish Bards, Thadeus O'Rorke, former Chaplain to Prince Eugene of Savoy and now the fugitive Bishop of Killala. Others who resided in the house were Countess Isabella O'Rorke, Denis' Mother-in-law, and Maid of Honour to James II in the King's exiled Court in Saint Germaine en Laye.
Inspired by the atmosphere of this sanctuary the Bard, Turlough Carolan said one day "I think when I am among the O'Conors at Ballanagare the harp has the old sound in it ". "No" said McCabe, another Harpist of repute "but your harp has the old madness in it". Carolan captured the spirit of these times by composing planxties or airs in honour of Denis O'Conor, his wife Maire O'Rorke and their son Charles O'Conor of Ballanagare. On his death Carolan's Harp was left in the possession of the O'Conors and it is still at Clonalis.
Also at Clonalis is the chalice of Bishop Thadeus O'Rorke who was consecrated Bishop in secret, in Newgate Prison in Dublin at the height of the Penal Laws in 1706. His pectoral cross, liturgical vestments and his Episcopal ring, presented to him by Prince Eugene are also at Clonalis.
Denis O'Conor died in 1750 and was succeeded by his son Charles, who is now regarded by scholars of the 18th century as perhaps the greatest Irish, as opposed to Anglo Irish, intellect of his time. Charles was born in Kilmactraney in Co Sligo in 1710 and made an outstanding contribution to Irish culture and politics during the 18th century. The aims of his life were to improve the conditions of his co-religionists
Writing of this event in 1756 Charles said "my poor father was finally caste on the shore on a broken plank (a reference to the poor lands re granted to his father Denis in 1720). I have succeeded to him. This is the plank which from it is now hoped I may be driven by a Penal Law. I struggle to keep my hold and if I am left nothing to inherit but the religion and misfortunes of a family long on the decline, the victim is prepared for the sacrifice resignedly indeed though not willingly."
At the turn of the 19th century Charles' grandson Owen O'Conor became active in the struggle for civil and religious liberty and in 1793 he was delegate for Roscommon at the Catholic National Convention where he was a fervent supporter of Daniel O'Connell. In 1820 he succeeded to the title of O'Conor Don and inherited the Estate of Clonalis some 5 miles away from Ballanagare to which he moved.
When Catholic Emancipation came about in 1829 and Catholics were allowed to vote and take seats in Parliament, Owen O'Conor was elected first Catholic Member of Parliament for Roscommon but died just 2 years later. On his death he was succeeded by his son and grandson as members of Parliament for Co Roscommon over the next 60 years. Owen's grandson was my great grandfather Charles Owen, who built the "new " House at Clonalis when his young wife Georgina died in 1872.
In concluding my Tale of Two Stones I believe a poem by the renowned poet Catherine Raine who visited Clonalis in 1972 captures the spirit of the history of the Family. The poem was composed during the lifetime of The Rev Charles O'Conor SJ, O'Conor Don.
"No true king but in sacred history by devine right
of a dream by many shared
of the lost Kingdom that will come again.
Clonalis of the muted wood,
the incense-fragran
still house where O'Carolan Harp stands silent,
memories here are gathered thick as yellowing leaves
of Ireland's sad seasons,
generations who kept faith with the High King of an inner Kingdom.
Old royal face passed down
from warrior to farmer, exile scholar,
O'Conor Don wears now
the priestly robe Of the King of the world
who will make all things new. In this demesne,
held against time through time,
Young sapling trees stirred by an evening wind remind
How fresh, how green that realm in the beginning".
This is an extract of a talk given by Pyers O'Conor-Nash in the Casino Club, Chicago in September 2001.