Meyler de Bermingham

Meyler de Bermingham, Anglo-Irish lord, died before 1275.

Meyler was a great-grandson of Robert de Bermingham who is said to have obtained a grant of Offaly from Strongbow or Henry II about 1172. Robert's son (Meyler, killed 1211) and grandson (Peter, died 1254) were both described as of Tethmoy, which is thought to have been the baronies of Warrenstown and part of Coolestown. Peter de Bermingham had sons James, Andrew, Maurice and Meyler. He participated in the Norman invasion of Connacht in the 1230's, obtaining Dunmore in County Galway and Tireragh in County Sligo.

Meyler himself made a separate settlement in an area called Clann Taidg, and founded a castle by the river Clarin at a ford called Áth na Rí (ford of the kings, or kingdoms). This became the town of Athenry.

Meyler married Basilia de Worcester of County Tipperary, and had issue Peter (d. 1309?), Basilia de Bermingham, and William (Archbishop of Tuam, died 1309). Two of the latter's sons, Will Finn de Bermingham and Simon de Bermingham, were killed with their cousion John de Bermingham, 1st Earl of Louth during the Bragenstown Massacre in 1329.

Peter de Bermingham survived Meyler till as late as 1309, and had issue Meyler (died 1302) and Rickard de Bermingham, who successfully defeated King Fedlim of Connacht at the Second Battle of Athenry. Rickard's eldest son, John, was also killed at Bragenstown but was succeeded by his brother, Thomas de Bermingham.

Meyler's direct descendants ceased with the death of Thomas, 19th Lord Athenry, in 1799, but the name is still common in Galway via junior branches. Among his descendants were philosopher Francis Bermingham and astronomer John Bermingham.

External links

• http://books.google.ie/books?id=kVslRbrSH7QC&pg=PA38&lpg=PA38&dq=tethmoy&source=bl&ots=k8N_47voWF&sig=htyy3-3IPIXzfuFK40UJyoBQKaE&hl=en&ei=4IdaSveVGuSrjAeygrUb&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5
• http://www.edenderryhistory.org/history/EdenderryHistoryMiddleAges.html
• http://www.irishmidlandsancestry.com/content/family_history/families/fitzgerald_offaly.htm

References

• The Abbey of Athenry, Martin J. Blake, Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society, volume II, part ii, 1902
• The Birmingham family of Athenry, H.T. Knox, J.G.A.H.S., volume ten, numbers iii and iv, 1916-17.
• The Birmingham chalice, J. Rabbitte, volume 17, i and ii, 1936-27
• The Second Battle of Athenry, Adrian James Martyn, East Galway News & Views, September 2008-April 2009

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