Odo de Barry

The Norman knight Odo de Barri was granted the lands of Manorbier, Penally and Begelly in gratitude for his military help in conquering Pembrokeshire after 1103. WALES IN SOUTH WEST PENINSULAR)

Two of his sons acquired larger estates in Ireland, which became the main power base of the de Barris, known as the Barris of Olethan. His fourth [grand]son was Gerald de Barri. Known commonly as Gerald of Wales (the great twelfth century scholar) who was born at the castle. Renowned today for his chronicles and descriptions of life in his time.

"Manorbier Castle, the pleasantest spot in Wales" As you wander around the castle, atmospheric music helps transport your imagination back in time... In the 21st Century, the castle has been used as a film location for "The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe" 1989 and "I Capture the Castle" 2001. When the moat was refilled with spring water...

Odo de Barry was the grantee of the immense manor of Manorbier in Pembrokeshire , which included the manors of Jameston and Manorbier Newton, as well as the manors of Begelly and Penally He built the first motte-and-bailey at Manorbier. His son, William Fitz Odo de Barry is the common ancestor of the Barry family in Ireland. He rebuilt Manorbier Castle in stone and the family retained the lordship of Manorbier until the 15th century.

From its beginnings as a fortified manor house, Manorbier Castle (roughly translated from ancient Welsh to mean "the estate of the Lords") was destined to become an important and famous residence. Now standing within the Pembrokeshire National Park, the old 'castle' was created over a number of years by the 'De Barri' family. When lands were granted to Odo in the last decade of the 11th century, he erected nothing more than a wooden hall on the site, surrounding it with earthworks, but his son began building the stone castle. A great square tower was constructed, together with a fine hall block and, by the end of the 12th century, these buildings were enclosed by two high stone curtain walls with towers, and a strong gatehouse. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The de Barry family (Irish: de Barra) is a family of Cambro-Norman origins which once had extensive land holdings in Wales and County Cork, Ireland. The founder of the family was a Norman knight, Odo, who assisted in the Norman Conquest during the 11th century. As reward for his military services, Odo was granted estates in Pembrokeshire and around Barry, including Barry Island just off the coast and named after the 6th century Saint Baruc.

Odo’s grandson, Gerald of Wales, a 12th-century scholar, gives the origin of his family's name, de Barry, in his Itinerarium Cambriae (1191): "Not far from Caerdyf is a small island situated near the shore of the Severn, called Barri, from St. Baroc … . From hence a noble family, of the maritime parts of South Wales, who owned this island and the adjoining estates, received the name of de Barri."

Many family members later assisted in the Norman invasion of Ireland. For the family's services, King John of England awarded Philip's son, William de Barry, extensive baronies in the Kingdom of South Munster, specifically the defunct Uí Liatháin kingdom (O'Lethan and Imokilly) with its late seat at Castlelyons.

Odo de Barry was the grantee of the immense manor of Manorbier in Pembrokeshire, which included the manors of Jameston and Manorbier Newton, as well as the manors of Begelly and Penally. He built the first motte-and-bailey at Manorbier. His son, William FitzOdo de Barry, is the common ancestor of the Barry family in Ireland. He rebuilt Manorbier Castle in stone and the family retained the lordship of Manorbier until the 15th century.

He had sons: Robert, Philip, Walter and Gerald (better known as Giraldus Cambrensis) by Angharad (also known as Hangharad) daughter of Gerald de Windsor (died 1135) and Nest ferch Rhys (died after 1136). After Gerald's death, Nest's sons married her to Stephen, her husband's constable of Cardigan Castle, by whom she had another two sons; the eldest was Robert Fitz-Stephen. Robert de Barry accompanied his half-uncle Robert Fitz-Stephen in the Norman invasion of Ireland. He took part in the Siege of Wexford and was killed at the battle of Lismore in 1185. Philip de Barry came to Ireland in 1185 to assist his half-uncle Robert Fitz-Stephen, and his first cousin Raymond FitzGerald (also known as Raymond Le Gros), in their efforts to recover lands in the modern county Cork - the cantreds of Killede, Olethan and Muscarydonegan.

The latter cantred, variously called Muscry-donnegan or "O'Donegan's country" or "Múscraighe Tri Maighe", was a rural deanery in the Diocese of Cloyne.[1] It is now identified as the barony of Orrery and Kilmore.[2] The name "Olethan" (or "Oliehan") is an anglicisation of the Gaelic Uí Liatháin which refers to the early medieval kingdom of the Uí Liatháin. This petty kingdom encompassed most of the present Barony of Barrymore and the neighbouring barony of Kinnatalloon. The name Killyde survives in "Killeady Hills", the name of the hill country south of the city of Cork.[3][4]

These cantreds or baronies had been expropriated by another (half) first cousin, Ralph Fitz-Stephen (died 1182), the grandson of Nesta by Stephen, Constable of Cardigan. Robert Fitz-Stephen eventually ceded these territories to Philip de Barry, his half-nephew. In 1181, King Henry II of England ennobled Robert de Barry as Baron Barry of Olethan and Ibawne.[5] On 24 February 1206, King John I of England confirmed William de Barry, Philip's son, in the possession of these territories and, by letters patent, conferred on him the Lordships of Castlelyons, Buttevant and Barry's Court in East Cork [1]. In 1267, King Henry II of England appointed Lord David de Barry as Chief Justice of Ireland.[6] In 1385, King Richard II of England raised John Barry to the viscountcy as Viscount Buttevant.[7] In 1627, King Charles I of England elevated David Barry as Earl of Barrymore.[8]

Family seat[edit]

St Mary's Church, Buttevant 1832-1836 Barryscourt Castle near Carrigtwohill was the seat of the Barry family from the 12th century until 1617 when they removed to Barrymore Castle in Castlelyons. In 1771, the 7th Earl saw Barrymore Castle burn to the ground.[9] The family fortunes were subsequently dissipatated by his issue, the 7th and 8th Earls.

The name of the town of Buttevant is believed to derive from the family's battle cry - Boutez-en-Avant, roughly translating as "Kick your way through".

Irish descendants[edit]

The most prominent Gaelic neighbours of the de Barrys were the MacCarthy Reagh dynasty, rulers of the principality or petty kingdom of Carbery. For the most part, with not a great many exceptions, the two families kept on good terms, and also regularly intermarried. The de Barrys are descended from several of the MacCarthy Reagh princes through their daughters.[10] Likewise the Barrys intermarried with the also powerful MacCarthys of Muskerry.[11]

Some Barrys eventually became so Gaelicized that a paternal Gaelic lineage was found for them. They were made to descend from Fothach Canann,[12] 5th son of the famous Lugaid Mac Con of the Dáirine or Corcu Loígde.

The Uí Liatháin or "Sons of Liathán", whose long decayed and essentially defunct kingdom the de Barrys by total coincidence came to occupy, are famous for having raided Britain in ancient times from their fortresses in Wales and Cornwall. Notable is the fact that the de Barry family descend maternally, through Angharad and Nesta, from the ancient Welsh Prince Cunedda, whose sons were the very Britons who ended the Uí Liatháin's dominance in Wales

See also[edit] FitzGerald Earl of Barrymore Baron Barrymore

References[edit]

1.Jump up ^ O'Hanlon John, Canon O'Hanlon, The Lives of the Irish Saints, cited in "Under the Oak ". "In the ancient taxation of the diocese of Cloyne, there is a rural deanery, called Muscry-donnegan. It contains the parishes now comprehended in the baronies of Orrery and Kilmore, with small adjacent portions of Duhallow and Fermoy. Among the Churches in this deanery, Orwerg, (i.e. Orbraidhe or Orrery) and Fersketh, (i.e. Feart Skeithe,) called Ardskagh are two. This latter is now known as Ardskeagh. Thus, the identity of Muscraighe-tri-maighe and the barony of Orrery is proved to a demonstration. 2.Jump up ^ MacLysaght (More Irish Families) notes that O'Donegan's country was the alias for Múscraige Tri Maighe and that the territory passed into the possession of the de Barry family in the 13th century. 3.Jump up ^ Smith, "History of Cork", Book 1, chapter i. 4.Jump up ^ Egerton MS., 75 B. M., as quoted in W. A. Copinger's "Historical Notes to Smith's History of Cork," book ii., chapter 2. 5.Jump up ^ Robert Beatson, "A Political Index to the Histories of Great Britain & Ireland", Third edition, London 1806, Volume III, pg 138. 6.Jump up ^ Robert Beatson, "A Political Index to the Histories of Great Britain & Ireland", Third edition, London 1806, Volume III, pg 289. 7.Jump up ^ Robert Beatson, "A Political Index to the Histories of Great Britain & Ireland", Third edition, London 1806, Volume III, pg 141. 8.Jump up ^ Robert Beatson, "A Political Index to the Histories of Great Britain & Ireland", Third edition, London 1806, Volume III, pg 149. 9.Jump up ^ Castlelyons Parish History - Barrymore Castle. 10.Jump up ^ Famille MacCarthy Reagh 11.Jump up ^ Irish Pedigrees: MacCarthy, Lord of Muscry 12.Jump up ^ Irish Pedigrees: Barry Barry, E., Barrymore: Records of the Barrys of County Cork. Cork: Guy and Co. Ltd. 1902. (Reprinted from the Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society) Barry Family Name Origins