Book of Ryans - Leabhar 'na O'Riain
The Lords of the Three Plains
Chapter One
Irish history has been frequently modified by revisionist historians to validate England's usurpation of Celtic properties, and because of the diverse interpretations of Ireland's history, its validity generally depends upon whose points of view you accept. Traditionally, English historians placed the blame for Ireland's poverty and subsequent ill-mannerisms on insurgents who incited revolutionary fervor among their countrymen. Irish historians were incensed by such accusations because they interpreted these same comments as attempts to annihilate the Gaelic race. Later a new breed of English historian emerged that apologized for England's abuse upon the Irish nation; however, the apologies were generally unrepentant and attempted to rationalize the monarchy's racist Irish foreign policy. As the Irish saw it, every law Dublin mandated and every human life that suffered under England's domination merely certified their true motives for complete domination. The English aristocracy, on the other hand, saw English intervention as a positive step towards civilizing Ireland, and had difficulty understanding why Ireland resisted improving the general standard of living of its citizens.
England spent an inordinate amount of time pondering the future direction of Ireland, and she could not understand why the Irish resisted English civility. From their point of view, they believed that changing the Irish legal structure and the old-line Celtic royalty would benefit all Irishmen. They also saw the Irish Catholic church as a major irritation in their plans for conquest, and began to redistribute church lands to royal subjects in an attempt to reduce insurrectionist influence. As they believed the Irish were only marginally supportive of church affairs, they thought that this would align the majority of Irishmen to accept England's authority. They were surprised that it only forced the Gael to become more aligned with the Catholic Church. England later became more assertive in its attempts to fold Ireland into itself, and began enacting laws which were designed to replace the ancient Irish laws and customs with modern English law. These activities also maligned the Irish whom by the 16th century saw each change as another attempt to confiscate their ancient homelands. When the Irish reacted violently to each major attempt to modify their ancient laws and customs, they were more shocked than anything else. It seemed that no matter what action they pursued, the Irish were unwilling to accept England's "good" intentions. England's arrogance over the Irish issue and the negative reactions that occurred in Ireland merely confused them further. They could only wonder, "Why don't they want more equitable laws?", or " Why do they resist when it’s in their best interest?" The English monarchy had little tolerance for Ireland's unaccepting ways, and blame was generally leveled against the Justicator who failed to bring the Irish nobility to submission. These overseers came and went through a giant revolving door. Many Justicators spent a few years in their assignments, most often with little success; and sent back to England where, in many cases, where they were executed or sent to London prison to serve long jail sentences.
England's frustration in dealing with Irish insubordination peaked after Cromwell's invasion and subsequent conquest of Ireland. After his complete victory, the English parliament ensured that the Irish would not be so willing to accept another revolution by restricting ownership of property and personal freedoms. England also eliminated many of the smaller lordships found in Ireland, and replaced them with loyal subjects whom were more than willing to bring the Irish Catholics to order. The Irish were finally beaten, and although several revolutionary skirmishes erupted later in the 17th century, it really was an extension of a civil war which affected all areas of the English commonwealth. The insolence of English historians whom emerged after the 17th century found every opportunity to portray the Irish as lazy, unmotivated, and prone to violence. These caricatures merely supported the continuance of the Penal Laws which affected Irish Catholics, and it openly institutionalized racial hatred of Erin's Catholic population. During the 18th century the Protestant Ascendancy controlled the mechanisms that managed Irish affairs, but paranoia swept through Ireland claiming that the 'Papists' intended to remove the anti-Popery elements from power. The Irish Catholic sought emancipation and reinstatement into the political mainstream, but the Ascendancy refused to acknowledge these demands. This would be the foundation which would drive the relationships of the Irish Protestants and Catholics for the next two hundred years.
The story of the Ryans captures the essence of this island's history and the narrative of Irish mankind. Their story is not a story based upon wondrous heroes or captivating leaders, rather their legend is one centered on a proud and noble family which eventually surrendered its liberties because they were both Gaelic and Roman Catholic. Their story also shows how they were able to overcome these obstacles, and ultimately regain the pride and dignity of their forefathers. It is, using an overused colloquial commentary, everyman's story as their lives retell the tales that intertwine with Ireland's history.
The Ryans history begins in Leinster, a province in the Southwest. Leinster was one of the five major provinces of ancient Ireland, and Gaelic tradition contends that it was here that the ancient Celts first made their settlements. The surname 'Ryan' was not commonly used until after the 11th century, and as a first name is found only a handful of times in the ancient journals. As a primeval name it appears to be limited to Leinster origin, and may have only been used by the Sil Chormaic clan, or tribe of Cormac, which "Ryan or Riain" traced its origins.
The name's origins imply that it is of princely derivation. The often quoted saying, "...if you search far enough in a king's ancestry you will find a peasant, and if you search back far enough in a peasant's ancestry you will find a king" certainly describes the Ryan heritage.
The O'Ryans were one of the dominant septs in the kingdom of Idrone, a province located on the western borders of Leinster, during the 10th and 11th centuries, and as their numbers grew, they expanded their empire in this southeastern nation. The turmoil in Leinster after the Norman invasion forced them to move into Upper Kilnamangh, a territory currently located in east-central Tipperary, and in time this family migrated northward and ultimately dominated the ancient territories of Uaithne Thire and Uaithne Cliach by the late mediaeval period. These two ancient 'countries' were later absorbed into the baronies of Owney and Owneybeg, the former located in the northwestern part of County Tipperary, the latter in northeastern County Limerick. The septs in occupation of these territories prior to the O'Mulryans domination of the territory were the O'Longsaigh (Lynch), the O'Heiffernans, and the O'Cathelains. According to John O'Dugan, poet of Hymaine (or clan Kelly until 1372), the name of Owney had royal origins. His poetry suggested that the ancient names of Ely and Owney (Uaithne) traced their origins to the two daughters of Eochaidh, a second century Munster king. Other sources argued that the names actually traced their origins to the ancestors of the O'Donogans whom were a distant relation to the Ryans.
The descendents of Riain in Munster eventually assumed the surname O’Mulryan which informed the local residents of the area that they descended from royal heritage. The 0'Mulryans within several centuries became a dominant sept in northern Tipperary sometime between 1200 A.D. and 1285 A.D. The latter date has been established because it was the first documented reference of the O'Mulryans being in the territory, yet circumstantial evidence suggests that this family most likely had a commanding presence in Owney perhaps as early as the previous century. Their imperious presence in Uaithne must have flourished rapidly because as the 13th century opened, it was not the Ryans but other tribes that dominated the plains along Lough Derg (Red Lake) and the fertile lands of the Golden Vale. An early journal entry written by an English administrator showed that in 1202 A.D. a grant to William de Braose and his 22 knights included the Areth and Wetheni <Ara and Uaithne, Ara and Owney, Tipperary> Owethenihokathelan <Uaithne Ui Cathalain>, and Owenihoffernan <Uaithne in h- Ifearnain> - the last two being districts in Owneybeg, County Limerick .[1] This assignment of land to Lord de Braose (later this surname would be anglicized to Burke) seemed to indicate that the O'Heiffernans and the O'Cathelains were the dominant septs in 1202 A.D. According to even older records, Uaithne in the County of Limerick was the dominion of O'Dinnahan, or Dinan, at the time of the Norman invasion. Yet while it may be speculated that the O'Mulryans were present in these territories prior to 1160, physical documentation does not substantiate a presence any earlier than this time; however, the Laigin (or men of Leinster) knew of the area and had settled there since the second century. As such, a settlement of Ryans in these territories even before the foreign invasion of Norman warriors is not out of the question.