Rory O'Moore (Irish: Ruairí Ó Mórdha) (c, 1600 – 16 February 1655), also spelt as or Roger O'Moore or O'More, was an Irish landowner of ancient lineage, and is most notable for being one of the principal organizers of the Irish Rebellion of 1641.
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He belonged to an ancient Irish noble family claiming descent from the mythical Conall Cernach. He was born in Laois around 1600, but the exact date is unknown.
His uncle Ruairí Óge Ó Mórdha, King of Laois, had fought against the English. In 1556 Queen Mary confiscated the O'Mores' lands and created "Queens County" (now County Laois). After having over 180 family members killed by English forces at a feast at Mullaghmast, County Kildare in 1577, in an effort to pacify the native Septs of Laois, Rory Oge became an enemy of Queen Elizabeth I of England. It led to the political downfall of the O'Moore family and reduced their estates.
Given the causes of the rebellion and the Crown's weakness during the Bishops' Wars into 1641, O'More planned a bloodless coup to change the government in Ireland that had been opposed to the Catholic landed gentry. With Connor Maguire, 2nd Baron of Enniskillen he planned to seize Dublin Castle, which was held by a small garrison, on 23 October 1641. Allies in Ulster led by Sir Phelim O'Neill would seize forts and towns there. The planners would then govern Ireland in their own interests while remaining distantly loyal to King Charles. Unfortunately for them, the plan was discovered on 22 October and the rising failed in its first objective.[1] O'Neill had some success, and O'More quickly succeeded in creating an alliance between the Ulster Gaelic clans and the more pacific Old English gentry in Leinster.
In the ensuing Irish Confederate Wars Rory's main achievement was to recruit Owen Roe O'Neill from the Spanish service in 1642. He commanded the Confederate forces in what is now County Laois and County Offaly, which remained peaceful, and helped arrange alliances with Inchiquin in 1647 and Ormonde in 1648. The resulting larger royalist alliance failed to stop the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland (1649-53) in which about a third of the Irish population died.
The Irish nationalist historian Charles Gavan Duffy thought highly of Rory:
His final years are mysterious. He fled to the island of Inishbofin, County Galway after Galway city fell in 1652. St. Colman's Church on the island once bore a tablet with the inscription:
O'More married Jane, daughter of Sir Patrick Barnewall of Turvey, Donabate, County Dublin, and they had 2 sons and 4 daughters. Many historians believe he was the father of James Moore, Governor of the Province of Carolina and therefore an ancestor of American General Robert Howe.
His grandson, Patrick Sarsfield, 1st Earl of Lucan led the Jacobite forces in the Williamite War in Ireland. He is also an ancestor of Princess Diana.[3]
The Rory O'More Bridge in Dublin was named after him.
Melaghlin mac Owny mac Gilla Padraigh Ó Mórdha, died 1502.
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Connell Ó Mórdha (died 1537) Pierce/Peter an Tainiste, fl. 1537.
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Lysaght (d. 1541?) Kedagh Roe (d. 1542) Ruairí Caoch Ó Mórdha, fl. 1554. Gilla Padraigh Connell Óge, d. 1557.
| =Margaret Butler d. 1548.
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Kedagh/James? |____________________________
fl. 1584? | |
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Ruairí Óge, d. 1578. Calvagh/Callagh of Ballina, d. 1618.
=? =Margaret Scurloug
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Uaithne (Owney), d. 1600. | | |
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Rory O'More Lysaght Margaret dau.
=Jane Barnewall =Mary O'Reilly (issue) (issue)
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Anthony O'Moore
=Anne Hope
A short film entitled Rory O'More was made by the Kalem company in 1911. Sidney Olcott directed. It sets O'More's rebellion in 1798 rather than the 17th century and moves the action to the Lakes of Killarney. Trinity College Dublin has archived the film: http://www.tcd.ie/irishfilm/silent/rory-o-more.php .