Notes |
- Origin of the name Adair: Celtic and Gaelic
From Ath, a ford, and dare, from darach, the place of oaks, "The ford of t
he oaks." There is the following tradition of the origin of this surnam
e. "Thomas, the sixth Earl of Desmond, while on a hunting excursion was b
enighted, and lost his way, between Tralee and Newcastle, in the coun
ty of Limerick, where he was received and hospitility entertained by one W
illiam McCormic, whose daughter he subsequently married. At this allianc
e, the family and clan took unbrage. Resigning his title and estate to h
is youngest brother, he fled to France in 1418, and died of Grief at Roue
n, two years afterward. The King of England attended his funeral. He h
ad issue, Maurice and John; Robert, the son of Maurice, returning to Irela
nd, with the hope of regaining the estates and title of Thomas, his ancest
or, slew Gerald, the White Knight, in single combat at Athdare, the fo
rd of the oaks, whence he received the name of Adaire. He embarked for Sc
otland, where he married Arabella, daughter of John Campbell, Lord of Argy
le."
James Fitzmaurice Fitzgerald, a cousin of the earl of Desmond (Sir Jo
hn of Desmond, brother to the earl) - leader of a rebellion in Munst
er in 1569. He escaped to France. Returned to Ireland (Ring of Dingl
e) in 1579. Killed in a skirmish at Smerwick, on the Dingle peninsu
la of County Kerry.
Fitzegerald, Gerald, earl of Kildare d. 1513 Irish magnate, Lord Depu
ty of Ireland 1481-94, 1496-1513. Supported the Yorkist cause until 14
94 when temporarily deprived of office after Warbeck landed in Ireland; th
ereafter loyal to the king.
Fitzgerald, Gerald, earl of Kildare 1487-1534 Lord Deputy of Ireland 1513-
20, 1524-26, 1532-33 between imprisonments for feuding with rival famil
y. Died in Tower of London.
Fitzgerald, Thomas, Lord Offaly and earl of Kildare 1513-37. Son of abov
e: rebelled on his father's arrest 1533, but was defeated and executed.
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----------------------------------------------------Robert Adair (from Bar
nett book) was a scion or younger son of the Noble House of Fitzgerald; An
glo-Norman Viceroys of Ireland, and Earls of Desmond and Kildare in Scotla
nd.
According to tradition, which is mainly confirmed by history and Heraldr
y, he fought a duel with the White Knight at the town of Adair, which w
as located on the Desmond Estate, in Limerick County, Ireland. Robert sl
ew his antagonist in single combat; He then sailed for Scotland under t
he name of Robert Fitzgerald de Adair; but after landing in Galloway, he d
iscarded his patronimic designation and wrote himself Adair. Robert marri
ed a daugher of the most noble house in Scotland, to-wit: the House of Arg
yle.
From the book Touring Guide To Ireland the following:
Desmond's Grave, Kerry County
Accessible from either Tralee or Castleland, this grave contains the remai
ns of Gerald Fitsgerald - an Earl of Desmond who was killed by Ormonde sol
diers in 1583 - and lies 4 1/2 miles NW of Castleland in Glanageenty Gle
n. The glen is 2 miles WSW of 1,097 ft. Knight's Mountain, which forms pa
rt of the Glanarudder range.
Kilmallock, Cill Mocheallog: St. Mocheallog's church, Limerick
this old corporate town is pleasantly sited on the W bank of the River Loo
bagh, to the N of the Ballhoura Hills in the fertile Golden Vale. Litt
le is known of the settlement origins, but the magnificent ruins here sh
ow that it was a place of importance. St. Molach or Mocheallog found
ed a church or monastery here in the 7th century. The medieval town's ri
se to prominence was due largely to the Anglo-Norman Desmond family, who w
ere all powerful in Munster province for many centuries. As with all oth
er occupying Anglo-Norman families, they organized the civic life, establi
shed defences, and made provision for religion. Edward III granted a char
ter, and the town was surrounded by a cut-stone wall fortified by earthe
rn mounds and breached by four imposing gateways. Blossom's Gate, throu
gh which the Charleville road passes, survives from this time and includ
es a well preserved section of the wall. King's Castle is a tall, 15th ce
ntury gate tower on the Limerick road.
The Desmond family consolidated their considerable power by shipping lar
ge Irish forces across the sea to help Edward III against the Scots. T
he commanders of these forces were three counsins of the great Earl of Des
mond, and they so distinguished themselves on the field that the king dubb
ed them the White Knight, Black Knight, and the Green Knight respective
ly - after the colours of their armor. The White Knight's descendants we
re particularly involved with the life of Kilmallock. The tomb of the la
st head of the family can be seen in the choir of the Dominican friary.
Belfast - towns' development as a town can be traced back to 1177, when Jo
hn de Courcy built a castle to command the ford from a strong positi
on in a settlement which stood between the modern city's Donegall Place a
nd Corn Market.
In 1315 the castle was destroyed by Edward Bruce. In the early 16th centu
ry, Belfast was little more than a fishing village - although still descri
bed as a fortress - in the hands of the O'Neills. This family were the Ea
rls of Tyrone, and they ruled the Lagan Valley from their stronghold of Ca
stlereagh. Belfast continued to be a place of strategic importance howeve
r, and it was attacked twice during Edward Fitzgerald's risings of 1503 a
nd 1512. Fitzgerald was the Earl of Kildare.
Definitions found in same book:
Anglo-Normans - a name given to the mixture of Normans, English, and Wel
sh nationals who invaded Ireland in the 12th century. Most of these peop
le came from southwest Britain.
Plantation Castles - defensive buildings erected in Ireland by English a
nd Scottish settlers during the 17th century Plantation colonization schem
e.
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