Rory O'Moore (Irish noble)

Rory O'Moore (Irish: Ruairí Ó Mórdha) (c. 1600 – 16 February 1655), also spelled Roger O'Moore or O'More or Sir Roger Moore, was an Irish landowner of ancient lineage, and is most notable for being one of the four principal organizers of the Irish Rebellion of 1641.

O'Moore belonged to an ancient Irish noble family claiming descent from the mythical Conall Cernach. He was born in Laois around 1600.

O'Moore's uncle Ruairí Óg Ó Mórdha, King of Laois, had fought against the English. In 1556 Queen Mary confiscated the O'Mores' lands and created "Queens County" (now County Laois). Over 180 family members, who were peaceful and had taken no part in any rebellion, were killed with virtually all of the leaders of Laois and Offaly by English forces at a feast at Mullaghmast, County Kildare in 1577, Rory Óg and his wife Maighréad O'Byrne, sister of Fiach MacHugh O'Byrne, were hunted down and killed soon afterwards. This led to the political downfall of the O'Moore family; their estates were given to English 'undertakers'.

O'Moore's father Callogh (alias Charles, Calvagh, or Callough) had been granted the Balyna estate in 1574 by Queen Elizabeth I. Balyna is in County Kildare, not far from Enfield, County Meath. Sir Roger Moore, as he became known, inherited this as a minor on his father's death in 1618.

Given the causes of the rebellion and the Crown's weakness during the Bishops' Wars into 1641, O'More planned a bloodless coup to change the English Protestant government in Ireland, which was opposed to the Catholic landed gentry and peasantry. With Connor Maguire, 2nd Baron of Enniskillen he planned to seize Dublin Castle, which was held by a small garrison, on 23 October 1641. Allies in Ulster led by Sir Phelim O'Neill would seize forts and towns there. The planners would then govern Ireland while remaining loyal to King Charles. Unfortunately for them, the plan was discovered on 22 October and the rising failed in its first objective. O'Neill had some success, and O'More quickly succeeded in creating an alliance between the Ulster Gaelic clans and the Old English gentry in Leinster.

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