An Chlann Mhic Cárthaigh Riabhaigh
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The MacCarthy Reagh Clan

Like any other country, the ancient Irish had a social hierarchy. While it's true that the Irish kings and chiefs operated very differently from other European monarchs, and it was actually partly meritocracy which dictated who belonged in which stratum of society, there was still a strict social order which governed society. 

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Of course, at the top were the kings. And in order of descending precedence they were:

1. Ard Rí  (the High King) - the King of all Ireland, but was a mostly ceremonial position

2. Ri Cuicidh  (a Provincial King) - this would have been the rank of The MacCarthy Mór

3. Rí Mór Túath (lit. King of the Great Túath) - this would have been the rank of The MacCarthy Reagh

4. Rí Túath  (King of the Túath) - this would have been a sept Chieftain

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The ancient clan system was held together by a strong sense of community, and because of this, the authority of the chiefs and kings was restricted by the Brehon Laws and was truly beholden to the clan itself. Indeed, to cite Laurence Ginnell's 1894 book The Brehon Laws: A Legal Handbook:

“The king was not in any sense the maker of the law, but its officer, and so limited and hemmed round in his office, and so dependent on his clan, that it was easier and safer for him to conform to the intention of the law and promote the welfare of his people than to become either negligent or despotic. The office of Rig, of whatever rank, was always elective, as was the office of king anciently among the Saxons.” (Ginnell, p. 66)

 

“The method of choosing the king was not fully one of merit, nor fully elective, nor fully hereditary, but a combination of all three: and on the whole the office resembled as much that of president of a republic as it did that of a modern king.” (Ginnell, pp. 67-68)

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But beneath the kings and chiefs was the flaith (pronounced like 'flah'). The class of flaith was the class of nobility, and not unlike the modern aristocracy there were several grades of rank within this nobility: Aire Forgill, Aire Tuíse, Aire Ard, and Aire Déso.

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Accepting that the Aire grades in early Irish law were formal ranks of the lay nobility—defined by recognised precedence, public responsibility, and the legal “dignity” attached to status—it is reasonable to render them in the language of modern peerage as equivalents of grade, rather than as claims that Gaelic Ireland was feudal in structure. On that basis, the Aire Forgill, charged with the highest level of territorial responsibility and standing immediately beneath the kingly class, corresponds most naturally to a duke in continental terms. The Aire Tuíse, whose duties included assisting the king and acting in a diplomatic capacity—especially through the provision of hostages and the negotiation of treaties in cross-border disputes—resembles the expected role of a marcher lord, and thus aligns well with a marquess. The Aire Ard represented the túath and participated in making laws affecting the túath and its neighbours; while not identical, this combination of regional authority and quasi-public jurisdiction is aptly conveyed by the analogy of a Count. Finally, the Aire Déso, described as the lowest noble grade and sometimes compared in esteem to a highly skilled craftsman, is best understood as the threshold of lordship—comparable to a baronial rank: lesser in dignity than the higher grades, yet still unmistakably within the noble order.

 

These Aire titles are then not feudal titles, but legally articulated grades of lay nobility, and therefore can be rendered in modern peerage language as functional equivalents of rank and precedence, not as claims of identical constitutional structure.

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To further complicate things, certain offices within a chiefly, or royal, household were ranks of nobility in their own right.

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It can be sometimes difficult to say in retrospect (having few surviving written documents) precisely which people/holdings/chiefships held what noble rank historically. But understanding that the owner of a particular castle or fortified house would necessarily have been lord of the immediate surrounds, it is fair to say that in Carbery, subordinate to The MacCarthy Reagh, were the noble holdings of:

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These lordships had The MacCarthy Reagh as their immediate overlord:

Marquess of Gleannachroim

Baron of Dunmanway

    Baron of Togher

Baron of Kilbrittain

Baroness of Clonakilty

Baron of Banduff

Baron of Ardgehane

Baron of Fahouragh

Baron of Dunowen

Baron of Dundaniel

Baron of Gortnacloghy

Baron of Shanavagh

Baron of Skeagh

Baron of Ballinadee (Short Castle)

Baron of Curranure

Baron of Kilgobbin

Baron of Derrynalane

Baron of Coolmain

Baron of Carriganassig

Baron of Downeen

Baron of Phale

Baron of Murragh

Baron of Skeaf

Baron of Kilshinahan

Baron of Burrane

Baron of Burren

Baron of Monteen

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Duke of Clancrimen

Baron of Ballinoroher

Baron of Derryleamleary

Baron of Dromgarriff

Baron of Gallanes

Baron of Garraneishal

 

Count of Clandermod

Baron of Kilcoe

Baron of Cloghan

Baron of Lissangle

Baron of Lettertinlish

Baron of Ballyourane

 

Count of Durrus

Baron of Scart

Baron of Coolnalong

Baron of Baurgorm

Baron of Rossmore

 

Count of Collymore

Baron of Dunasead

Baron of Castlehaven

Baron of Dunnalong

Baron of Dunanore 

Baron of Dunnagall 

Baron of Inisbeg

Baron of Oldcourt

Baron of Clochan

 

Count of Collybeg

Baron of Aghadown

Baron of Rincolisky

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Count of Ivahagh

Baron of Ardintenant

Baron of Leamcon

Baron of Dunbeacon

Baron of Dunmanus

Baron of Ballydivlin

Baron of Dunlough

Baron of Rossbrin

 

Count of Kinalmeaky

Baron of Castle Mahon

Baron of Coornishal

 

Count of Clancahil

Baron of Castledonovan

Baron of Bawnlahan

Baron of Raheen

Baron of Ire

Baron of Tooreen

Baron of Caheragh

Baron of Behagullane

 

Count of Clanloghlin

Baron of Glandore

Baron of Fahanacowley

Baron of Kippagh

Baron of Farranmareen

Baron of Aghaduff

Baron of Cloghatrabally

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Count of Kilshallow

Baron of Castlecrowley

Baron of Dromfeagh

Baron of Connagh

Baron of Lisselane

Baron of Dromidiclogh

Baron of Curraghcrowley

Baron of Buckree

Baron of Kinneigh

 

Count of Barryroe

Baron of Timoleague

Baron of Castlearundel

Baron of Courtmacsherry

Baron of Rathbarry

Baron of Ballinlough

Baron of Hayescastle

Baron of Aghamilla

Baron of Dunnycove

Baron of Dunworly

Baron of Dundeady

Baron of Donoure

Baron of Lissycrimeen

 

Count of Barryoge

Baron of Ballinaclashet

Baron of Ringcurran

 

Count of Ibane

Baron of Ardfield

Baron of Duneen

 

Count of Dromnea

Baron of Farranamanagh

 

Count of Rosscarbery

Warden of the Wood of the Pilgrims

 

Count of Ballynacarriga

Baron of Ballinacarriga

Baron of Ballinvard

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Of course, while each overlord was given tribute by their respective lords, it was common that a lord was a member of another clan. For example the Baron of Tooreen, who was also Chief of The O’Crowley Baccach sept, was subordinate to The O’Donovan, the Count of Clancahil. 

 

So The O’Crowley Baccach held Tooreen castle on behalf of The O'Donovan, but was familial loyal to The O’Crowley; all of whom were working together to ensure the protection and success of The MacCarthy Reagh's territory of Carbery! 

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Similarly, The O’Crowley Riough held Ballinacarriga of The O'Hurley, but he also held Phale and Rosscarbery of The MacCarthy Reagh; The O’Crowley Ciappach held Kippagh, Farranmareen and Aghaduff of The O'Donovan of Clanloughlin; The O’Crowley MacFyneen held Dromgarriff, Gallanes and Garraneishal of The MacCarthy of Clancrimen; and many more like this!

 

If the nation went to war The O'Crowley would need to coordinate with The O'Donovan and The O'Hurley (just to name two) to organize which troops would be stationed where. O'Crowley had chiefly authority over his kin manning Farranmareen and Ballinacarriga Castles, but The O'Hurley and The O'Donovan had military authority over those  fortified estates and territories respectively. So which authority took precedence? Such a complex system could only have worked with a tremendous amount of cooperation from all families, working towards a common goal - support The MacCarthy Reagh family and defend Carbery. 

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We can only now begin to image how complex, intertwined and strong the Irish social structure was! So many families all with mixed obligations and allegiances to each other, all working together to form a singular nation -the Principality of Carbery.