The Clanricarde

Clanricarde, also known as Mac William Uachtar (Upper Mac William) or the Galway Burkes, were a partly Gaelicised branch of the Norman originated House of Burke in Ireland. The term was important in Ireland from the 13th to the 20th centuries.

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. Subservient territories included Uí Maine, Kinela, de Bermingham's Country, Síol Anmchadha and southern Sil Muirdeagh.

The Clanricarde, was a Gaelic title meaning "Richard's family", or "(head of) Richard's family". The Richard in question was the illegitimate 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 being used informally for a few generations. However, with the advent of the Burke Civil War 1333-38 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.

The title Mac William Uachtar was also used as a synonym. It was a Gaelic title meaning "son of the upper William (de Burgh)". It was used to differentiate the Burkes of upper or south Connacht from their cousins, the Bourkes of lower or north Connacht, who were known was the Mac William Lower.

However it was never used as popularly as the term Clanricarde and was in any case abandoned by the end of the 16th century.

In 1543 the then Clanricarde was created Earl of Clanricarde by Henry VIII.

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