Rory O'More

Rory O'More, also known as Rory Oge O'More (Irish: Ruairí Óg Ó Mórdha) (died 1578), was the Irish lord of Laois.

He was the second son of Ruairí Ó Mórdha, captain of Leix, and Margaret, daughter of Thomas Butler and granddaughter of Piers Butler, eighth earl of Ormonde. His family was one of the most important of the Irish septs.

Ruairí Caoch Ó Mórdha (fl. 1554), his father, was the son of Connell Ó Mórdha (d. 1537), and early acquired the character of a successful chieftain. On the death of Connell a dispute broke out between his three sons — Lysaght, Kedagh, and Ruairí — and their uncle Peter, who was the Tanist, in line to head the family. Peter was for the time a friend of the Butlers. Consequently, the Lord Deputy of Ireland, Lord Leonard Grey, supported the sons; and, although Peter was acknowledged chief, Grey got hold of him by a ruse, and led him about in chains for some time. Lysaght was killed; Kedagh secured the chieftainship, but died early in 1542, and Ruairí, the third brother, succeeded.

Ruairí Caoch on 13 May 1542 took part in the surrender and regrant process, under the anglicised name "Rory O’More of Lex".

Kedagh had left a son of the same name, who long afterwards, in 1565, petitioned the privy council in Dublin to be restored to his father's inheritance. In a grant afterwards made to his eldest son his services to King Edward VI are spoken of; but an order of 15 March 1550-1 forbade any of the name of Ó Mórdha to hold land in Leix.

At some time between 1550 and 1557 Ruairí Ó Mórdha was killed, and was succeeded by Connell Ó Mórdha, who may be the Connell Oge O'More mentioned in 1556 in the settlement of Leix . He was put to death in 1557.

In 1556 Queen Mary approved an Act "..whereby the King and Queen's Majesties, and the Heires and Successors of the Queen, be entituled to the Counties of Leix, Slewmarge, Irry, Glinmaliry, and Offaily, and for making the same Countries Shire Grounds." This shired the new counties of Queen's County (now County Laois) and King's County (now County Offaly), thereby dispossessing the rest of the O'More clan and starting the Plantations of Ireland.

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