Clanricarde

Clanricarde, also known as Mac William Uachtar (Upper Mac William) 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 excepted 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 "(head of) Richard's family". The Richard in question was Richard Mór de Burgh, 1st Lord of Connacht (died 1243), 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 (1333–1338) 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.