Castlefin Cession
Archived: 20 October 2026
In 1442, James Butler, earl of Ormond, resumed the Irish lieutenancy, governing through fragile alliances rather than centralised power. In the north-west, Énrí and Eóghan Ó Néill secured assistance from the English settlement and compelled Neachtain Ó Domhnaill to cede Castlefin, Cenél Moen and Inis Eógain’s tribute. Other struggles involved Enniskillen, Oriel, Ulster raiding and Wicklow warfare. After Muircheartach Caomhánach’s killing, his father won prisoners and compensation from Wexford. Obituaries recorded lords and clergy, while Ormond rental accounts reveal farming, rents and seigneurial justice. Together, the sources portray a connected, contested Ireland shaped by castles, kinship, tribute, negotiation and authority.