Bermingham is the Gaelicised version of 'De Birmingham' and is descended from the family of Warwickshire, England. The Irish version of the name Mac Feorais/Mac Fheorais is derived from Pierce de Bermingham (died 1307).[ citation needed ] The first recorded Bermingham in Ireland, Robert de Bermingham (son of William) accompanied Richard de Clare or 'Strongbow' in Henry II's conquest of Ireland in 1172. On arrival he received: "an ancient monument, valued at 200 pounds, on which was represented in brass the landing of the first ancestor of the family of Birmingham in Ireland."[ citation needed ]
The family settled initially in Galway in the west of the country and later in Kildare in the east. Myler de Bermingham founded the town and abbey of Athenry, Galway in 1240. The Pierce de Bermingham mentioned above held a castle at Carrick in county Kildare and is noted in history for murdering over twenty of the O' Connors clan at a feast he held there in 1305. For this 'notorious' act he earned the title of the 'Treacherous Baron'. Lord Richard de Bermingham was victorious in the Second Battle of Athenry in 1316. Richard's cousin John Earl of Louth defeated Edward Bruce at the Battle of Faughart in 1318. He was subsequently murdered along with over 150 relatives and guests during the Braganstown Massacre in 1329.
The Peerage title of Baron of Athenry/Lord Athenry (one of the oldest titles on record in Ireland and Britain) was held by the Berminghams of Galway from the time of their arrival until 1799. Thomas Bermingham, the last Baron of Athenry and Earl of Louth died without a male heir that year and the title became extinct. The title Earl of Louth was held by two Berminghams, John (1329) and Thomas and also became extinct upon Thomas's death. A number of appeals were made by Bermingham descendants between 1800 and 1830 to the House of Lords to re-establish the Baron of Athenry title but these appeals were unsuccessful as no direct male line could be established.
Athenry is a town in County Galway, Ireland, which lies 25 kilometres (16 mi) east of Galway city. Some of the attractions of the medieval town are its town wall, Athenry Castle, its priory and its 13th century street-plan. The town is also well known by virtue of the song "The Fields of Athenry".
Baron Athenry is one of the oldest titles in the Peerage of Ireland, but the date of its creation is thoroughly uncertain; each of the first four Berminghams listed below is claimed by some writers to have been Lord Athenry, but the evidence is disputed. The title appears to have been given to the de Birmingham family of Birmingham, Warks, England as a reward for their help in the Norman invasion of Ireland in 1172. Both Sir William de Birmingham, and his son Robert de Birmingham, are variously claimed to have been involved in the invasion, but it is probable that, after the invasion, William returned to his home in England and left Robert their new lands in Ireland.
Maurice FitzThomas FitzGerald, 4th Earl of Kildare was a prominent Irish nobleman in the Peerage of Ireland who held the office of Lord Justice of Ireland.
Rickard de Bermingham, otherwise Rickard Mac Fheorais, was Anglo-Irish lord of Athenry.
Francis Bermingham, O.F.M., fl. 1652, was an Irish Franciscan friar and scholar.
John de Bermingham, 1st and last Earl of Louth was an Irish peer. He was the commander of the Anglo-Irish army in the Battle of Faughart, the decisive battle in the Irish Bruce Wars 1315–1318. In this battle, Edward Bruce was killed, and Bermingham had Bruce's severed head 'salted in a chest' and transported to England to be put on display before Edward II. He was briefly Viceroy of Ireland in 1321.
Meyler de Bermingham was an Anglo-Irish lord, founder of Athenry.
Thomas de Bermingham was an Anglo-Irish lord who died in 1375.
Walter de Bermingham was an Anglo-Irish lord who died in 1428.
Thomas II de Bermingham was an Anglo-Irish lord who died in 1473.
Meiler de Bermingham was a Norman-Irish lord who died in 1529.
Thomas Bermingham, 1st Earl of Louth was an Anglo-Irish politician and peer. He was also the last man to be summoned to parliament as Baron Athenry.
Francis de Bermingham, 14th Baron Athenry, was an Anglo-Irish peer.
Richard II de Bermingham was an Anglo-Irish lord.
Edmond I de Bermingham, Anglo-Irish lord, born 1570, died 1645.
Edward de Bermingham, Anglo-Irish lord of Athenry and Dunmore, County Galway, died 1709, was the son of Francis de Bermingham, 12th Baron Athenry and Bridget, daughter of Sir Lucas Dillon. He succeeded as 13th Baron Athenry in 1677.
William de Bermingham was Archbishop of Tuam.
Richard Óg de Burgh, 2nd Earl of Ulster and 3rd Baron of Connaught, called The Red Earl, was one of the most powerful Irish nobles of the late 13th and early 14th centuries and father of Elizabeth, wife of King Robert the Bruce of Scotland.
There are numerous Bermingham monuments in Ireland, particularly in counties Kildare, Offaly, Galway, and Dublin. Most are now in a poor state but Athenry Castle in Galway has been restored, using building techniques similar to those employed when it was originally built.
John Bermyngham or Bermingham was an Irish barrister and judge. He was one of the first Crown Law officers to be referred to as the King's Serjeant. He was later appointed Lord Chief Justice of Ireland, but did not take up the office.
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