The Norman Invasion

William the Marshal

Head from Effigy of William the Marshal from his tomb in London

William the Marshal

William the Marshal

Head from Effigy of William the Marshal from his tomb in London

Enlarge image

By 1169, the MacGiollaPhadraigs were overlords of Ossory including Idough. They also were enemies of Dermot MacMurrough. His Norman allies lost little time in making their presence felt in Ossory. By 1192, the MacGiollaPhadraigs had been driven out of central Ossory and a Norman castle had been erected in Kilkenny City. They settled in Northern Ossory in what is now Laois and became better known as 'Fitzpatrick'.

Kilkenny was divided into twelve cantreds for administrative purposes. These had some resemblance to the pre-Norman 'tuaths' in Ossory. These were Iverk, Knocktopher, Erley, Kells, Callan, Ogenty, Shillelogher, Oskelan, Galmoy, Aghaboe, Kilkenny City itself and Idough.

In Idough, Norman settlement followed the general pattern found in the south-east. Settlement was in the river valleys with fertile well-drained soils. Norman agriculture was unsuited to the heavy soils, high rainfall and forests of the plateau.

The Garrison, Castlecomer Demesne

The Garrison, Castlecomer Demesne, a large man-made mound, site of a Castle up to 1642 and maybe an earlier Norman one

The Garrison, Castlecomer Demesne

The Garrison, Castlecomer Demesne

The Garrison, Castlecomer Demesne, a large man-made mound, site of a Castle up to 1642 and maybe an earlier Norman one

Enlarge image

In Idough the area that is now Castlecomer was known in Celtic times as 'an Comar', that is the joining of the streams. The Dinin river valley was a logical site for both Norman penetration and settlement. By 1176, Norman settlement was evident a castle and moate was erected. Tradition has it that this Castle was built by William the Marshal. He was responsible for many of the Norman buildings that help define Kilkenny City. This structure was destroyed by the Brennans around 1200. The site is now associated with the mound near the site of Castlecomer House, known locally as the 'Garrison'. A later Castle stood on this site until destroyed during the Confederacy.

Thus, Caislean a' Chomair became Castlecomer. William granted lands throughout Ossory to his followers. In Idough lands were granted to de Rochford, fitz Warin (later Freyne), Devereaux, St. Leger and the Bishop of Ossory. By 1250 Norman settlement was extensive. While some of the Brennans took refuge on the plateau many probably remained in the Dinan and Nore valleys, but under Norman overlords.

Some of the names of these Norman and English overlords have survived, de Rochford, Arsic, Deveraux, de St Legers, de Omers, de La Freynes, de Drohulls and FitzWarins.