IRISH PEERAGE, ETC. H CONNAUGHT. Thin Honour or Lordship, according to the * lib. Hib,," was granted by Henry II to John (dc Courcy), Karl of Ulster [I.]. It appears however, on other authority, to have been granted in 1175 to " Roderick, King of Connaught," on the understanding that he should lien King under King Henry II, "panting ml scrvitium svvm." On the death of this grantee, the then King of Cuunaught offered to hold one-third of that County in fee " nomine BaronUr," under King John. It was forfeited to the Crown by Hugh, " quondam," King of Connaught, and granted 21 May, 1227, to Richard de Burgh, "Lord of Connaught," whose sou Walter, became Karl of Ulster [I.] in 1243. From this family it passed through Plantagcncl and Mortimer, to Plantarjcnet again, coming by descent to Edward IV, on whose accession the Honour of Connaught became merged in the Crown. nr. xieath. This Lordship, one of the greatest of the Palatine Honours, containing S00,000 acres, was granted in 1172 to Hugh dc Laey, and confirmed, 1208, to his son Walter. On Walter's death, a.p.m.s., in 1241, it was divided between his two grand-daughters and coheirs, viz., 1, Margaret, " Lauy OF Ddlbek " [i.e., the eastern part of Meath] wife of John dc Verdun, B.mion ok ERGAL, BaRON OF Dunoalk. &&, whose s. and h. Theobald, Lord of the moiety of Meath and Constable of Ireland, was arraigued for treason (4 Edw. I, 4275-76) when his moiety of the Honour of Meath being forfeited became vested in the Crown. 2, Matilda " Lady ok Thim " [i.e., the western part of Meath], wife of Sir Geoffrey dc OeneviUc, 1234. Their grand-daughter and h. Joan, da. of Sir Peter dc Gcnciilk, Lord of Mede, Vanclour and Trim, m. Roger (Mortimer), Karl of March and Lord of Trim, whence it passed t<> Plantagcnet. and so by descent to Edw. IV, ou whose accession this moiety of the Honour also became merged in the Crown. IV. CORK. This Honour or Lordsliip, the largest in the south, was granted in 1177 in moieties to Robert Fitz-fitcphen and Miles de Ooffan, to be held by certain military services. Kite-Stephen's moiety became eventually merged in the Crown. Cogau's moiety passed by heirs general to Robert Carcw and Patrick dc Courcy in 1236, but was recovered by the Irish soon afterwards. V. LIMERICK. This Honour or Lordship was granted iu 1179 to Philip dc Braosc, who however could not be prevailed upon to settle there. It was confirmed under the name of "the Honor of Limerick" to his nephew, William de Braose, in these words : — "Adeo libere at alii Capitaks Barones nostri de Hiberniu liberius teuent." i VI. KERRY. This Honour or Lordsliip was granted to Thomas Fitz-Anthony, the King's Seneschal of Leiuster, who d. before 1289, leaving Margaret, his da. and fa., who m. John Fits- Thomas, iMrd of Vonnclloc (or Ohonyk), co. Limerick (1244), and afterwards Lord of Decks. Their grandson and h., Thomas Fitz-Maurkc, succ. them, whose son, Maurice Fitz-Thomas, was a: Karl of Desmond jX] by F.dw. III. In this family it remained till by attainder in 1582 it became merged in the Crown.
