Murrough O'Brien, 1st Earl of Thomond (Irish: Murchadh Ó Briain) (d. 7 November 1551) was the last King of Thomond, and a descendant of the High King of Ireland, Brian Boru.[1]
A member of the Irish nobility, he was the son of Turlough, King of Thomond and Raghnailt McNamara of Clancullen and also brother of Connor, who was inaugurated King of Thomond in 1528. On his brother's death in 1539 he set aside his nephew Donough and made himself of King of Thomond. He married Eleanor FitzGerald, daughter of Thomas FitzGerald, Knight of the Valley. They had three sons and four daughters.[1]
On 1 July 1543 O'Brien surrendered his Irish royalty to King Henry VIII of England and the same year he was raised to the Peerage of Ireland as Earl of Thomond, with remainder to his nephew Donough (who was created Baron Ibrackan on the same day) and Baron Inchiquin, with remainder to the heirs male of his body.[1] The grant of the English titles was conditional upon the abandonment of native titles, the adoption of English customs and laws, the pledging of allegiance to the English crown, apostasy from the Roman Catholic Church, and conversion to the Anglican Church.
In August of that year he joined the king's Privy Council.
Lord Thomond died on 7 November 1551. He was succeeded in the earldom by his nephew Donough according to the special remainder, while the barony of Inchiquin passed to his eldest son Dermod. Another son was Teige Mac Murrough O'Brien, who was an early High Sheriff of Thomond.[1] Of his daughters, Lady Honora O'Brien married Sir Rory Gilla Duff O'Shaughnessy and Margaret O'Brien married Richard Sassanach Burke, 2nd Earl of Clanricarde, but they were divorced after he claimed that she worked witchcraft against him.
| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Connor O'Brien |
King of Thomond 1539–1543 |
Kingdom abolished |
| Peerage of Ireland | ||
| New creation | Earl of Thomond 1543–1551 |
Succeeded by Donough O'Brien |
| Baron Inchiquin 1543–1551 |
Succeeded by Dermod O'Brien |
|