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Tag Archives: Geashill (County Offaly)


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Death of Gerald FitzMaurice, 1st Lord of Offaly

Gerald FitzMaurice, 1st Lord of Offaly, a Cambro-Norman nobleman who takes part with his father, Maurice FitzGerald, Lord of Llanstephan, in the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland (1169–71), dies on January 15, 1204. Together with his five brothers and one sister, Nesta, they found the notable FitzGerald/FitzMaurice dynasty which plays an important role in Irish history. 

By right of his wife, the heiress Eve de Bermingham, FitzMaurice is granted the barony of Offaly, thus becoming the first Lord. He is the ancestor of the Kildare and Leinster branch of the dynasty. Confusingly, his father Maurice is granted the lordship of Offelan in north County Kildare in 1175 by Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, commonly known as “Strongbow.”

FitzMaurice is born in Wales in about 1150, the second-eldest son of Maurice FitzGerald, Lord of Llanstephan, by his wife, Alice (daughter of Arnulf de Montgomery). He has one sister, Nesta, who is named after their celebrated grandmother, Princess Nest ferch Rhys, and five brothers, including the eldest, William FitzMaurice, 1st Baron of Naas.

FitzMaurice’s father is the leader of the first landing of Normans who arrive in Ireland in 1169 to assist the exiled Irish king of Leinster Diarmait Mac Murchada regain his kingdom. Accompanying his father from Wales to Ireland, he and his brother Alexander show great valour in the battle against Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair outside the walls of Dublin in 1171. Upon the death of their father on September 1, 1176, his elder brother William grants him half the cantred of Ophelan with centres at Maynooth and Rathmore. He is confirmed in them by Prince John in 1185. 

William FitzAldelm deprives FitzMaurice and his brothers of their stronghold of Wicklow, though, after a time, is compelled to give them Ferns in exchange. FitzMaurice has already received, from Strongbow, Naas and other districts in what becomes County Kildare, and has erected Maynooth Castle.

In 1197, FitzMaurice takes part in the conquest of Limerick acquiring Croom, County Limerick.

In 1199, though receiving King John’s letters of protection, FitzMaurice is ordered to “do right” to Maurice Fitzphilip for the lands of “Gessil and Lega,” that he had taken from Fitzphilip. Between 1185 and 1204, FitzGerald has established a settlement at Geashill. Originally of motte-and-bailey design, it is a timber castle on an earthen mound, nearby are located the church and tenant dwellings. On his death, FitzMaurice is still in possession of those estates. In the 15th century the wooded fortress at Geashill is replaced by a stone tower house. Today, only the west wall of the castle remains. 

FitzMaurice is often described as “Baron Offaly,” the middle cantred of which had been among his father’s possessions. He dies on January 15, 1204.

FitzMaurice is described by his cousin, Gerald of Wales, as small in stature, but distinguished for prudence and honesty. He is the patrilineal ancestor of the earls of Kildare.

Sometime around 1193, FitzMaurice marries as her first husband, Eve de Bermingham, daughter of Sir Robert de Bermingham. In marriage, he receives the barony of Offaly, becoming the first FitzGerald Lord of Offaly. Together he and Eve have one son:

Following FitMaurice’s death in 1204, Eve goes on to marry two more times. Her second husband is Geoffrey FitzRobert, and her third, whom she marries sometime after 1211, is Geoffrey de Marisco, Justiciar of Ireland. She dies between June 1223 and December 1226.


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Death of Maurice FitzMaurice FitzGerald, 3rd Lord of Offaly

Maurice FitzMaurice FitzGerald, Irish magnate, soldier, and Justiciar of Ireland from 1272 to 1273, dies in Ross, County Wexford, on September 2, 1277. His family comes to epitomise the ideal of cultural synthesis in Ireland, becoming “more Irish than the Irish themselves,” fusing Gaelic and Norman customs in Irish identity.

FitzGerald is born in 1238 in Wexford, the second son of Maurice FitzGerald, 2nd Lord of Offaly, and Juliana de Grenville. He has three brothers, Gerald FitzMaurice II, Thomas FitzMaurice and David FitzMaurice. He is known by the nickname of Maurice Mael (from an old word meaning “devotee” in Irish). He is granted his father’s lands in Connacht in exchange for quitclaiming the barony of Offaly sometime before May 20, 1257, when his father, Maurice FitzGerald II, dies at Youghal Monastery.

Before his father’s death, FitzGerald is custos of Offaly, but after the 2nd Lord of Offaly dies, the countess of Lincoln, Margaret de Quincy, sues him for custody of Offaly.

Terrible feuds rage in his time between the Geraldines and the De Burghs. FitzGerald and his nephew John, son of his brother Thomas, capture the justiciar, Richard de la Rochelle, Theobald Butler IV, and John de Cogan I (whose son is married to Maurice FitzGerald III’s sister, Juliana). The capture of the three magnates leads to a private war in Ireland, with the Geraldines on one side and Walter de Burgh and Geoffrey de Geneville on the other. However, the Second Barons’ War in England forces them to come to a temporary peace while they battle Montfortians in the English Midlands in 1266.

In May 1265, FitzGerald is among the chief magnates in Ireland summoned to inform King Henry III of England and his son Prince Edward about conditions in the country, and again in June 1265. These are the result of the private war between the Geraldines and Walter de Burgh, lord of Connacht (who is later made the 1st Earl of Ulster). He is appointed Justiciar of Ireland on June 23, 1272, following the accidental death of his predecessor, James de Audley, on June 11 of that year. His father had served in the same capacity from 1232 to 1245. He holds the post until September 1273, when he is succeeded by Sir Geoffrey de Geneville, Seigneur de Vaucouleurs.

FitzGerald holds four knight’s fees in both Lea and Geashill from Roger Mortimer, 1st Baron Mortimer of Wigmore, who had inherited them from his wife, Maud de Braose.

In 1276, FitzGerald leads a force of men from Connacht against the Irish of County Wicklow. His contingent joins the main army of English settlers jointly commanded by his son-in-law, Thomas de Clare, Lord of Inchiquin and Youghal, who had been made Lord of Thomond earlier that same year, and Sir Geoffrey de Geneville, Maurice’s successor as Justiciar of Ireland. The English under Thomas de Clare and Geoffrey de Geneville attack the Irish at Glenmalure, but are defeated and suffer heavy losses.

Shortly before October 28, 1259, FitzGerald married his first wife, Maud de Prendergast, daughter of Sir Gerald de Prendergast of Beauvoir and Matilda de Burgh, daughter of Richard Mór de Burgh. Together they have two daughters:

FitzGerald is Maud’s third husband. She dies on an unknown date. In 1273, he marries his second wife, Emmeline Longespee (1252–1291), daughter of Stephen Longespée and Emmeline de Ridelsford. He and Emeline have no issue.

FitzGerald dies September 2, 1277, at Ross, County Wexford. Emmeline Longespée then fights until her death to claim her dower against her daughter, Juliana, her stepdaughter, Amabilia, and John FitzGerald, who is created 1st Earl of Kildare on May 14, 1316. John is the son of his brother, Thomas by Rohesia de St. Michael. John sues or physically takes lands from the bailiffs of Emmeline, Juliana, and Amabilia.

There is some confusion as to whether Gerald Fitzmaurice FitzGerald is the first or second son of Maurice FitzGerald, 2nd Lord of Offaly. Most, like M. Hickson, of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland (RSAI) say he is the eldest. Lord Walter FitzGerald says he is the second. In any event, he predeceases his father in 1243. His son, Maurice FitzGerald, drowns in the Irish Channel in July 1268. His son is Gerald FitzMaurice III, born in 1263. Gerald’s marriage is sold to Geoffrey de Geneville, who matches Gerald with his own daughter, Joan, but he dies childless on August 29, 1287.

Maurice FitzMaurice FitzGerald 3rd Earl of Offaly, is succeeded by his nephew John, son of his younger brother Thomas FitzMaurice FitzGerald.


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Death of Maurice Fitzmaurice FitzGerald, 2nd Lord of Offaly

Maurice Fitzmaurice FitzGerald, 2nd Lord of Offaly, a Norman in Ireland peer, soldier, and Justiciar of Ireland from 1232 to 1245, dies on May 20, 1257, at the Franciscan Friary of South Abbey in Youghal, County Cork. He musters many armies against the Irish, and due to his harsh methods as Justiciar, he receives criticism from King Henry III of England.

FitzGerald is born in Ireland in 1194, the son of Gerald FitzMaurice, 1st Lord of Offaly, and Eve de Bermingham. He succeeds to the title of Lord of Offaly on January 15, 1204, and is invested as a knight in July 1217, at the age of 33. In 1224, he founds South Abbey, Youghal, the proto-friary of the Irish Province of the Observant Franciscans, dedicated to Saint Nicholas. He is summoned to London to accompany King Henry III of England to Poitou and Gascony in October 1229. He is appointed Justiciar of Ireland in September 1232 and holds the post until 1245. His reputation is marred by rumours that he had contrived the death of Richard Marshal, 3rd Earl of Pembroke in 1234. He meets Marshal at the Battle of the Curragh on April 1, where Marshal is wounded and dies shortly after. It is rumoured that Marshal had been betrayed. FitzGerald then proceeds to London, where he takes an oath before Henry III, that he is innocent of any participation in Marshal’s death. In 1253, he founds Sligo Abbey, a Dominican convent in Sligo, to house a community of monks to say prayers for Earl Marshal’s soul.

In February 1235, the King criticises FitzGerald for his proceedings in office and describes him as “little pleasant, nay, beyond measure harsh in executing the King’s mandates.” The same year, he takes part in the subjugation of Connacht. In the years 1241 and 1242, and later in 1246, 1247, and 1248 he musters armies against the Irish. In 1247, he invades Tír Chonaill and fights the combined forces of Cenél Conaill and Cenél nEógain at the Battle of Ballyshannon. According to various Irish annals, three eminent lords fall in battle against him: Maol Seachlainn Ó Domhnaill, King of Tír Chonaill, An Giolla Muinealach Ó Baoighill, and Mac Somhairle, King of Argyll (a man seemingly identical to Ruaidhrí mac Raghnaill).

In 1245, FitzGerald is dismissed from his post as Justiciar as a result of tardiness in sending the King assistance in the latter’s military campaigns in Wales. His successor is John FitzGeoffrey. That same year he lays the foundations for Sligo Castle. In 1250, he holds both the office of Member of the Council of Ireland and Commissioner of the Treasury. He also founds the Franciscan Friary at Youghal; hence his nickname of an Brathair, which is Irish for The Friar. He is at the English royal court in January 1252, and receives an urgent summons from King Henry in January 1254.

He married Juliana de Grenville and by her, they have four sons:

In 1257, FitzGerald and his Norman army engage the forces led by Gofraidh Ó Domhnaill, King of Tír Chonaill, at the Battle of Creadran Cille, in Cairbre Drom Cliabh, now the northern part of County Sligo. The two men fight each other in single combat and both are gravely wounded. FitzGerald dies of his injuries at South Abbey, wearing the habit of the Franciscans, on May 20, 1257, aged 63 years. In the Annals of the Four Masters, 1257, his death is described thus: “Maurice FitzGerald for some time Lord Justice of Ireland and the destroyer of the Irish, died.” (In Irish this reads as: “Muiris macGerailt lustis Ereann re h-edh diosccaoilteach Gaoidheal d’écc”.)

Upon FitzGerald’s death, the properties of Lea, Rathangan, and Geashill pass to his grandson Maurice, son of Gerald FitzMaurice, who dies in 1243.

FitzGerald is succeeded as Lord of Offaly by his son, Maurice FitzGerald, 3rd Lord of Offaly, rather than the rightful successor, his grandson, Maurice, son of his eldest son, Gerald.