The barony of Tirawley (green) in the north east of County Mayo.

Tirawley (Irish: Tír Amhlaidh),^[1] archaically known as Tyrawley, is a barony extending southward from the north coast of County Mayo, Ireland. It was created during the shiring of County Mayo out of the Gaelic túath or territory of Tír Amhlaidh, from which it takes its name.

The title Baron Tyrawley was created twice, in 1706 and 1797. The nineteenth century writer Caesar Otway wrote 'Sketches of Erris and Tyrawley' a sometimes amusing and always interesting account of life in North Mayo just prior to the devastating Irish Famine of 1845 - 47.

Downpatrick Head and the Ceide Fields are located on the north coast of the Barony. The historical town of Killala is on its east coast where it looks across the bay at Enniscrone, County Sligo.

The barony of Tirawley includes

• Ballina
• Moygownagh
• Killala
• Crossmolina
• Pontoon, County Mayo
• Ceide Fields
• Ballycastle
• Belderrig

Etymology

The etymology of 'Tirawley' (Tír Amhlaidh) in Irish Gaelic derives from its constituent parts, 'Tír' and 'Amhlaidh'. The term 'Tír' comes from Old Irish 'tír',^[2] meaning “dry land” as opposed to a lake or sea, sharing etymological roots with the English word 'thirst' and the Latin 'terra', both indicating dryness or land. 'Amhlaidh', on the other hand, is derived from Old Irish 'Amlaíb',^[3] which originates from the Old Norse name 'Óláfr'. In Irish Gaelic, 'Amhlaidh' is a male given name equivalent to 'Olaf' in English. Thus, 'Tír Amhlaidh' combines these elements to mean 'Land of Olaf' in English, signifying a territory associated with or named after an individual named Olaf.

Titles

There are three major titles associated with the area of Tirawley;

The Irish Feudal Barony of Tyrawley - A feudal title granted to William 'Mor na Maighin' Barrett, when the Hiberno-Normans conquered the northern part of what would become Tirawley,^[4] with the major tenants their being William Barrett and Adam Cusack.^[5] The title would later be confiscated in 1652 during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland, after which it was granted to Sir James Cuffe.^[6]

Baron Tyrawley - A title in the Peerage of Ireland that was created twice, first in 1706 in favour of the soldier Sir Charles O'Hara. The second creation came in 1797 in favour of James Cuffe, who was created Baron Tyrawley, of Ballinrobe in the County of Mayo.

Baron Moyne - a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1932 for the Hon. Walter Guinness, a Conservative politician. A member of the prominent Guinness brewing family. The title was named after the Moy(ne) river in Tirawley.

Annalistic references

• U913.6. Niall son of Aed led an expedition to Connacht and inflicted a battle-rout on the warriors of the north of Connacht, i.e. on the Uí Amalgada and the men of Umall, and they left behind a very large number either dead or captured, including Mael Cluiche son of Conchobor.^[7]
• M1205.2.Donat O'Beacdha, Bishop of Tyrawley, died.^[8]
• M1206.11. Rory O'Toghda, Chief of Bredagh in Hy-Awley Tirawley, died.^[9]
• M1207.9. Cathal Carragh, son of Dermot, who was son of Teige O'Mulrony, took a great prey from Cormac, son of Tomaltagh Mac Dermot, and O'Flynn of the Cataract, but was overtaken by some of the Connacians, namely, Dermot, son of Manus, who was son of Murtough O'Conor; Cormac, son of Tomaltagh; Conor God O'Hara, Lord of Leyny; and Donough O'Dowda, Lord of Tirawley and Tireragh; and a battle ensued, in which Cathal Carragh was defeated. He was taken prisoner, and blinded; and his son, Maurice, with the son of Cugranna O'Flanagan, and many others, were killed (in the battle).^[10]
• M1460.1. The monastery of Maighin in Tirawley, in the diocese of Killala, in Connaught, was founded by Mac William Burke, at the request of Nehemias O'Donohoe, the first Irish provincial vicar of the order of St. Francis de Observantia.^[11]
• M1463.8. The son of Main Barrett, Lord of Tirawley, and Siacus Cam, the son of Farrell, Lord of the Clann-Auliffe O'Farrell, died^[12]`

See also

• Baronies of Ireland
• Baron Tyrawley

References