Archaeology Research Seminar on ‘The cantred of Tyrmany in Connacht (where the Oscalli dwell)’ by Daniel Curley

Title: ‘The cantred of Tyrmany in Connacht (where the Oscalli dwell)’ – Identifying the archaeology of the O’Kelly lordship of Uí Maine, by Daniel Curley

The O’Kelly lordship of Uí Maine is an oft-referenced but poorly understood political and territorial unit. The boundaries of this territory are routinely described as being consistent with south Roscommon and east Galway. However, the lack of research into the medieval O’Kellys has resulted in an uneven account of the areas they inhabited and controlled, where they sited their caputs, and ultimately, how they interacted with the other Gaelic and Anglo-Norman players in high and late medieval Connacht.

The main aim of my research is to explore the formation, character and development of the O’Kelly lordship of Uí Maine from the emergence of the sept to the kingship in c. 1100, to the demise of the O’Kelly fortunes by c.1600. This research will be undertaken through a multidisciplinary approach, embracing the disciplines of archaeology, history and historical geography, in order to understand the archaeological fabric of this lordship.

As the awardee of an IRC Employment-Based Research Scholarship, a key deliverable from the completed research will be the inclusion of a tourism potential study on the resources and possibilities available to garner an economic gain from this cultural heritage, in an area almost exclusively of rural character. As such, a case study comparison will be attempted between the rural heritage tourism model of the mid-Roscommon area, centred on Rathcroghan Visitor Centre, and the similarities, differences, opportunities and threats that may be apparent between that landscape and the Uí Maine cultural landscape for tourism growth and development.

In my first seminar on the subject of my PhD research, I will explain the approach that I have taken to date, as I attempt to reconstruct this lordship. Focus will be given to a brief discussion on, and critique of, the traditionally-cited boundaries of the territory. This will be followed by an account of the present state of scholarship on the subject as well as highlighting the sources I have thus far consulted. I will then discuss my findings so far, as I go about identifying the caputs of this high and late medieval lordship, concluding with an outline of my intentions going forward.