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Archiver > Scotch-Irish > 1999-07 > 0931689753
From: <>
Subject: Re: Irishmen soldiering for other countries
Date: Sun, 11 Jul 1999 06:42:33 EDT
I'm jumping in the conversation on this subject without having read earlier
e-mails on it.
But giving my two pence worth we have some family history which deals with
the Irish "soldiering" for those in the isles.
According our to tradition, the tribe (hUi Mac Uais) supposedly held
a meeting and conference (mid-1100's) in Fermanagh on Maguire's estate .
There was some discussion about retrieving back the territory that Giolla
Bride had lost to the Norse.
The story goes that Giolla Bride had seen a large number of fighting
men among his cousins' family. Upon seeing this he asked a favour of his
cousins that could he take back with him to the Isles as many as the fort (on
Moate Hill) nearby would hold so that he could fight and regain his rightful
territory.
Because Giolla Bride at that time was probably too old to personally
fight in the war against the Magnus Barelegs at that time and thus Somhairle
led the war against the Norse. By some strategy as well as some fighting he
supposedly forced Magnus along with the remainder of his force to leave the
isles. Somhairle and his men from there won back most of the Isles except
those then called Inish Gaedhael (Northern Hebrides).
I know that the Maguire clan was not named as such at that time (it was
Tealluidhir) but the pedigrees that can be relied upon do support this and
other stories.
The later Maguire clan leaders suddenly had Norse-like names (Raghnaill,
Amlabh, etc.) where before there were none. The Maguire sudden rise to power
after the victory of Somhairle lends some hint that the men of the isles
reciprocated the favour of soldiering.
In the late 1500's and early 1600's some of the Maguires were gallowglass
but the rumour had it they were better leaders than fighters.
I hope that this helps lend some information.
Thanks!
Phil McManus
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