Ricard Ó Cuairsge Bourke

Ricard Ó Cuairsge Bourke, 7th Mac William Iochtar, died 1473.

A son of Edmund na Féasóige de Burca, (died 1458), Risdeard was tainiste for his uncle, Ristead, who succeeded his brother Thomas Og in 1460. The elder Risdeard was by then over sixty years old, which meant that Risdeard O'Cuairsge was the real power in the lordship.

He succeeded his uncle in 1469 as Mac William Iochtar, and much of his term was spent curbing the ambitions of the O'Donnells who were expanding into north Connacht via Sligo. He was successful, but died from a fall from his horse in 1479.

In 1473 he had been succeeded by his cousion, Thobald mac Walter.

Annalistic references

From the Annals of the Four Masters:

• M1469.18. Richard, son of Thomas Burke, resigned his lordship; and Richard, son of Edmund Burke, was appointed in his place.

• M1469.19. A great army was mustered by O'Donnell (Hugh Roe), with the chiefs of Tirconnell, joined by the rising out of Lower Connaught, and marched, without halting, until he reached Mac William Burke i.e. Richard, the son of Edmond, who came with submission to O'Donnell. These chieftains afterwards held a consultation, and resolved on marching against Mac William of Clanrickard (Ulick, son of Ulick-an-Fhiona), to wreak their vengeance on him for the defeat of Cros-Moighe-Croinn, which Mac William of Clanrickard had some time before given to Mac William Burke; and being unanimous on this resolution, they proceeded into Clanrickard. Machaire-Riabhach was the first place burned and destroyed by them. They were for a night encamped at Baile-an-Chlair, the town of Mac William, which they afterwards burned; and they continued for some time destroying and laying waste the country on every side. Mac William (i.e. Ulick), however, drew and gathered to his assistance the sons of O'Brien, i.e. Gilla-Duv, the son of Teige, and Murtough Garv, the son of Teige, and a body of the Dalcassian chieftains along with them. Mac William, with his own troops and muster, came up with O'Donnell as he was leaving the country; and Mac William's cavalry and the O'Briens made the first charge on the rear of O'Donnell's army, at Baile-an-Duibh. This was vigorously responded to by O'Donnell's cavalry, and in particular by Egneghan, the son of Naghtan O'Donnell, who was in the rear of O'Donnell's army, so that the cavalry of Mac William and of the O'Briens were finally defeated ; and Donnell, the son of O'Conor of Corcomroe, and many others not enumerated, were slain on the occasion. Mac William and the O'Briens, however, rallied their forces, and, placing themselves in array and order, they pursued with one accord the army of O'Donnell. This, however, was of no profit to them, for O'Donnell's army wheeled round on Mac William's and the O'Briens' cavalry at the river which is called Glanog, and there routed them again; and the defeated left many men, horses, and things of value, behind them, and fled in an inglorious retreat This was called The Defeat of Glanog.

• M1471.10. O'Donnell and the sons of Owen O'Conor committed vast depredations on the creaghts of Carbury, and on the Mac Donoughs on this side of Sligo. A great army was led by Mac William Burke into Lower i.e. North Connaught, to assist Rory, the son of Brian O'Conor; and they attacked the castle of Sligo. the sons of Owen O'Conor were at this time with O'Donnell. Donnell, son of Owen, went into the castle, but Mac William broke down the tower of the gate, after which they made peace.

• M1472.17. An army was led by Mac William Burke into Hy-Many, to assist Teige Caech O'Kelly; but after having subdued the Hy-Many from the Suck westwards, and obtained hostages from them, he at last suffered a great loss, for twenty-six of his people privately deserted from his army, among whom were the son of Mac Walter Burke, the sons of Maurice, the sons of Mac Jordan, the son of Mac Anveely, &c. The Hy-Many made prisoners of or slew all these, excepting only Mac Jordan, who made his escape through main strength of arm, though he was severely wounded. Mac William returned home in sorrow.

References

• The History of Mayo, Hubert T. Knox. 1908.
• Lower Mac William and Viscounts of Mayo, 1332-1649, in A New History of Ireland IX, pp.235-36, Oxford, 1984 (reprinted 2002).
• Dictionary of Irish Biography, p.9, Cambridge, 2010