The O'Rourke [Drumahaire line] Armorial Coat of
Arms & Crest The O'Rourke family motto: "Serviendo Guberno", To Serving the helm or the idomatic translation of I serve by ruling.
The O'Rourke [Drumahaire line] Armorial Coat of
Arms & Crest
The Blazon of Arms: Or two lions passant in pale sable
Translation:
Crest: Out of an ancient Irish Crown or an arm in armor erect grasping a sword proper, pommel and hilt of the first
Translation:
Supporters:
Seat: Drumahaire, Co Leitirm, Connacht, Ireland
Clubs:
Turf:
The McTernans and the O'Rourkes may be connected back in the mist of Irish history as the oldest gravestone at the Abbey of Creevelea. is for a Hugh O'Rourke and Catherine McTernan buried August 22, 1721. It is right next to the Sheskin McTernan grave and Hugh McTernan VIII, 1916--, told me in 1997 that both graves were for our family. This gravestone has a heart, club, spade and diamond on it along with the drawing of a cat. More research needs to be done on this possible connection.
The 10th and the 11th century kingship of Connacht was held by three O'Rourkes. The name O'Rourke comes from the Norse name, Hrothrekr. They were Lords of Breifne until Cromwell appeared on the Irish stage in the mid 1600s. The McTernans of Tullyhunco, Co Cavan prevented the inauguration of Domhnall O'Ruairc by the king of Ulster, Ui Neill at the historical inauguration site of Corann Cruachan which is very near the McTernan historical home of Teallach Dhonnchadh.
In the O'Rourke pedigrees there are 19 chiefs, all called Tiernan. Manorhamilton, the largest town in North Leitirm was originally known as O'Rourke's Little Field.
In the later quarter of the 12th century, Tiernan O'Rourke was killed by the Norman leader, Hugh de Lacy who decapitated him and sent his head to Dublin to be impaled on a gate.
Philip O'Rourke is the last living descendent of the O'Rourke kings. Today he is a stock broker in London and is 32nd in line from Tiernan O'Rourke who died in 892 AD.
Brian O'rourke (of the Axes) took part in the siege of Kinsdale in 1601, dying in 1604 in Galway. From that time onward, the O'Rourke history is centered in Europe. They may well have been the early starters in the Flight of the Earls which began in 1607.
Brian O'Rourke went to Kinsdale in 1601 and fought manfully at that battle which was the death knell of the old Gaelic Law and Order. Afterwards O'Rourke wintered at the castle at Leitrim in 1602 and 1603. Eventually under heavy attack he fled to the Monastery at Rosserilly at Galway in 1604. Those same Friars who were his friends in the dawn of his days at the old Creevelea Abbey were now his friends at Rosserilly as the clouds began to gather and the night closed in. O'Rourke now rest at the Monastery of Rosserilly.
>From then on any of the men of Breifne who adhered to O'Rourke had to go in hiding. A party of English were left to garrison Dromahaire and Tadhg O'Rourke, the brother and successor to Brian, was hence forth forced to live with a few troops in the woods and islands on the lakes of his [O'Rourke] country. Thus in 1605 ended the long history of a great clan. The golden days were over and a regal power older than many ended in a night of dark and dire persecution. The O'Rourke Castle on the River Bonnet outside of Drumahaire and near the Abbey of Creevelea is all that is left.
A very good informative book on the McTernans and the O'Rourkes is, "Documents and Materials for the history of the O"Rourke family" by Bishop Count Edward O'Rourke, 1876--, the Danzig bishop who went to Drumahaire in the 1920s to uncover his roots and wrote the book. He spoke six languages.
Ruarc
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Art
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Sean Ferghal
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Aedh
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Art Uallach
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Niall
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Ualgharg
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Teghernan O'Rourke
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Domhnall McTernans of Tullyhunco, Co Cavan, Teallach Dhonnchadh
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Ferghal
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Domhnall
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Art
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Amhlaibh
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Domhnall
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Ualgharg
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Tiernan Mor
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Tadhg
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Tiernan Og
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Owen
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Brian Ballach Mor
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Tiernan Ban Sir Brian na Murtha
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Brian Ballach Og Mary = Sir Hugh
| | O'Conor Don
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Hugh Tiernan Cathal O Conor
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Denis | Charles Og O Conor
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Hugh Mary -------- = -------- Denis O Conor
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Hugh Roe Charles O Conor
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Hycinth Denis O Conor Bridget = Myles
| | O Conor MacDermot
Arabella = Charles Bess O Conora = 3rd Prince
Joseph MacDermot Dr. Hugh MacDermot
5th Prince 4th Prince