Clanricarde


Clanricarde, also known as Mac William Uachtar or the Galway Burkes, were a fully Gaelicised branch of the Hiberno-Norman House of Burgh who were important landowners in Ireland from the 13th to the 20th centuries.

Territory

The territory, in what is now County Galway, Ireland, stretched from the barony of Clare in the north-west along the borders of County Mayo, to the River Shannon in the east. Territories Clannricarde claimed dominion over included Uí Maine, Kinela, de Bermingham's Country, Síol Anmchadha and southern Sil Muirdeagh were at times at war. Those clans accepted the family’s claims on varying occasions as well, and many family members were ceremonially brought into the Irish heritage.

Title

The Clanricarde, was a Gaelic title meaning "Richard's family", or " Richard's family". The Richard in question was Richard Mór de Burgh, 1st Lord of Connacht, son of William de Burgh, whose great-great-grandson became the first Clanricarde in the 1330s. The title was first recorded in 1335, and had probably been being used informally for a few generations. However, with the advent of the Burke Civil War it came to denote the head of the Burkes of Upper or south Connacht based largely in what is now east and central County Galway. Simultaneously it was used to describe the lands held by the family.
The title Mac William Uachtar was also used as a synonym. It was a Gaelic title meaning "son of the upper William ". It was used to differentiate the Burkes of upper or south Connacht from their cousins, the Burkes of lower or north Connacht, who were known was the Mac William Lower.
However, it was never used as popularly as the term Clanricarde and was in any case abandoned by the end of the 16th century.
In 1543 the then Clanricarde was created Earl of Clanricarde by Henry VIII.

The Clanricardes or Mac William Uachtar 1333–1544