Upper Ossory and Kilkenny (1192–1541) Osraige

image of william marshal unseating jousting knight. marshal considered greatest knight in christendom during day.

after initial norman invasion of ireland, famous , formidable william marshal arrived in osraige 1192 , acquired claims land through marriage isabel de clare, daughter of strongbow , aoife mac murchada, daughter of diarmait mac murchada. marshal began stone construction on large fortification @ kilkenny castle completed 1195 , largely responsible forcing mac giolla phádraigs southern power base around river nore; ancient rights revoked , decree of expulsion pronounced on entire clan. northern districts of mag lacha , ui foircheallain (henceforth called upper ossory had formerly broken away osraige under ua caellaighe/ua faeláin , ua dubhsláine rule since 1103, , had subsequently seen english settlement normans, became targeted expelled mac giolla phádraigs , ossorian followers resettlement. caused land war in upper ossory between clans residing there, new english settlers, , incoming clans south , central osraige driven out earl marshal, lasted more century , half before mac giolla phádraigs established full supremacy on region. subsequently, chaos of poorly recorded conflict caused bishop of ossory, felix o dulaney, permanently remove episcopal see aghaboe , initiate construction of cathedral in kilkenny. upper ossory remained independent gaelic lordship until mid-sixteenth century, mac giolla phádraig rulers retaining claims kingship of osraige , being recorded such, or king of slieve blooms . majority of osriage divided , partitioned amongst various norman adventurers, within household of william marshal arrived take charge of lands claimed wife s inheritance. arriving under marshal sir thomas fitzanthony granted extensive lands in lower ossory , elsewhere (thomastown, co. kilkenny named after him) , important , successful administrator crown; being made seneschal of leinster 1215 @ least 1223. upper ossory formally incorporated henry viii s lordship of ireland submission of barnaby fitzpatrick, 1st baron upper ossory under policy of surrender , regrant in 1537. ironically had effect of preserving gaelic culture in upper ossory long future, since crown no longer dealt harshly territory. in 1541 mac giolla phádraig ennobled baron upper ossory. other members of family later created earl of upper ossory , baron castletown, last of whom, bernard fitzpatrick, 2nd baron castletown, died in 1927. because clung last fragments of kingdom, ossorian lineage marked 1 of oldest known or continuously settled dynasties in western europe.

by late fourteenth century, members of butler dynasty purchased or inherited of southern osraige, purchased kilkenny castle , administered there part of earldom of ormond (and later earldom of ossory), county kilkenny shired. during period, kilkenny ranked close behind dublin main seat of english power in ireland, parliament meeting there 1293 , recurring many times until 1536. bruce invasion of ireland saw edward bruce temporarily seize gowran, once seat of kings of osraige. 1352, unified formation of modern county kilkenny had taken shape. in 1367, statutes of kilkenny enacted attempting quell intermarriage , commerce between english , irish, little effect.