The Tribes of Galway were 14 merchant families who dominated the political, commercial and social life of the city of Galway in western Ireland between the mid-13th and late 19th centuries. They were the families of Athy, Blake, Bodkin, Browne, Darcy/D’Arcy, Deane, Font, French, Joyce, Kirwan, Lynch, Martin, Morris and Skerritt. Of the 14 families, 12 were of Anglo Norman origin, while two—the Darcy and Kirwan families—were Normanised Irish Gaels.
Richard Óge Martyn was a Galway lawyer and member of the Catholic Confederates of Ireland. He was of the senior line of the Martyn family, one of the Tribes of Galway. He lived at Dunguaire Castle, Kinvarra. He worked with his brother-in-law and first cousin, Patrick D'Arcy, against the Plantation of Connaught in the 1630s, and served on the Supreme Council of the Confederate Catholics in the 1640s.
Richard Burke, 4th Earl of Clanricarde PC (Ire), styled Lord Dunkellin until 1601, was an Irish nobleman and politician.
Galway was a constituency representing the town of Galway in the Irish House of Commons until its abolition on 1 January 1801.
There have been four baronetcies for persons with the surname Blake, one in the Baronetage of Ireland, two in the Baronetage of Great Britain and one in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. Two of the creations are extant as of 2010. The Blake Baronetcy, of Menlough in the County of Galway, was created in the Baronetage of Ireland on 10 July 1622 for Valentine Blake, Mayor of Galway in 1611 and 1630 and a member of the Irish House of Commons for County Galway. His grandfather Thomas Blake had preceded him as Mayor. The second Baronet was a member of the Irish Parliament for Galway Borough. The third Baronet represented both County Galway and Galway Borough in Parliament. The sixth Baronet was a member of the Irish House of Commons for County Galway. He was the first Catholic gentlemen of distinction to join William of Orange. The twelfth Baronet represented Galway Borough in the British House of Commons. The fourteenth Baronet was high sheriff of County Galway in 1872. See also the Blake Baronetcy of Twizell Castle below.
Patrick D'Arcy (1598–1668) was an Irish Catholic Confederate and lawyer who wrote the constitution of Confederate Ireland.
The Lynch Baronetcy of Galway – which later became Lynch-Blosse Baronetcy – is a title in the Baronetage of Ireland. It was created on 8 June 1622 for Henry Lynch, a member of an Anglo-Norman family and one of the merchant Tribes of Galway. Both he and the second Baronet represented County Galway in the Irish House of Commons. The third Baronet was a Baron of the Court of Exchequer (Ireland). Forced to flee to France after the Glorious Revolution, his eldest son succeeded to the title and estates. The family seat was Athavallie House, Castlebar, County Mayo. The sixth Baronet assumed the additional surname of Blosse, having married Elizabeth, daughter and heir of Francis Barker, heir of Tobias Blosse. The seventh Baronet also served in the Irish House of Commons representing Tuam.
Athenry was a constituency represented in the Irish House of Commons until its abolition on 1 January 1801.
Sir William Talbot, 1st Baronet, was an Irish lawyer and politician. He sat as MP for County Kildare in the Parliament of 1613–1615 and was in 1628 one of the negotiators of the Graces. However, he is probably mainly remembered as the father of Richard Talbot, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell.
Sir Henry Bingham, 1st Baronet was an Irish politician.
Sir William Parsons, 1st Baronet of Bellamont, PC (Ire), was known as a "land-hunter" expropriating land from owners whose titles were deemed defective. He also served as Surveyor General of Ireland and was an undertaker in several plantations. He governed Ireland as joint Lord Justice of Ireland from February 1640 to April 1643 during the Irish rebellion of 1641 and the beginning of the Irish Confederate War.
Thomas Butler, Viscount Thurles was the son and heir apparent of Walter Butler, 11th Earl of Ormond (1559–1633), whom he predeceased. He lived at the Westgate Castle in Thurles, County Tipperary. He was accused of treason but drowned in a shipwreck off the Skerries in the Irish Sea, before he could be judged. He was the father of the Irish statesman and Royalist commander James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde.
Geoffrey Browne was an Irish lawyer and politician.
Nicholas Lynch, Dominican priest and prior of Galway.
Elizabeth Poyntz (1587–1673), known as Lady Thurles, was the mother of the Irish statesman and Royalist commander James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde.
Sir Henry Lynch, 3rd Baronet was an Irish landowner, barrister and judge. He was one of the Roman Catholic judges appointed by James II & VII of England, Scotland and Ireland in his effort to transform the religious character of the Irish administration. As a judge, Lynch was described in unflattering terms both by his contemporaries and by later historians. Unlike some of his judicial colleagues, he was accused of gross bias against Protestants, which may be why he was one of the few Irish judges who fled abroad after the downfall of James's cause following the Battle of the Boyne. He died in exile in France.
Sir Charles Coote, 1st Baronet (1581–1642), of Castle Cuffe in Queen's County, was an English soldier, administrator and landowner who lived in Ireland. He fought in the Siege of Kinsale (1601–1602) in the Nine Years' War and led the decisive cavalry charge at the Battle of Kilrush(1642) of the Irish Confederate Wars.
Sir Robert Talbot, 2nd Baronet of Carton was an Irish landowner, soldier, and politician. He sat for County Wicklow in the Irish parliament 1634–1635.
Sir Valentine Browne, 2nd Baronet, of Molahiffe, was an Irish landowner and MP.
Sir Valentine Browne, 1st Baronet, of Molahiffe, owned a large estate in south-west Ireland and was a lawyer who served as high sheriff of County Kerry.