O'Rourke (Ó Ruairc), Tadhg

by Emmett O'Byrne

O'Rourke (Ó Ruairc), Tadhg (d. 1434/5), king of West Breifne, was the son of Tighearnán Mór O'Rourke (qv) (d. 1418), king of West Breifne, and Áine (d. 1386), daughter of Tomaltach MacDonagh. Tadhg was married, at an unknown date, to Úna, daughter of Aodh Maguire (d. 1427). He is first mentioned in the records in 1416, when with his brother Domhnall O'Rourke he was involved in a border war with his presumed father-in-law Aodh Maguire, tánaiste of Fermanagh; in spite of his relationship through marriage with Maguire, Tadhg prosecuted a ruthless campaign against him for supporting O'Rourke rebels within the kingdom of West Breifne. In an encounter with Maguire's forces, Tadhg defeated them and put the rebels to flight; they returned later in 1416 and resumed their assault on the borders of his kingdom, but with his elder brother Aodh Buidhe O'Rourke (d. 1419) Tadhg again repelled them. Despite these victories, Tadhg was not the chosen successor of Tighearnán Mór, whose choice fell on Aodh Buidhe.

After Tighearnán Mór's death in 1418 Aodh Buidhe duly succeeded him; his election angered his cousins, the sons of Tadhg O'Rourke (qv) (‘Tadhg na nCaror’) (d. 1376), who felt that they possessed a better claim to the kingship. Aodh Buidhe's reign lasted only a year and half, and on his death in 1419, in a period of uncertainty, Tadhg assumed the title. His accession provoked outrage from the sons of Tadhg na gCaor, who appealed to Eóghan O'Reilly (qv) of East Breifne (d. 1449). Even though O'Reilly was married to Barrdubh O'Rourke (d. 1431), Tadhg's sister, he duly intervened and, with the MacReynolds (Méig Raghnaill) of north Leitrim, the MacTiernans (Meic Thighearnáin), and the English, installed Art O'Rourke (qv) (d. 1430), one of the sons of Tadhg na gCaor, as king. The struggle between the rival candidates dragged on until 1424. Although he had been displaced, Tadhg played an active role in regional politics, supporting Brian O'Connor (qv), lord of Carbury (d. 1440) in Sligo, against the O'Donnells (Uí Dhomhnaill) in 1420, and then repairing his relations with O'Donnell and Aodh Maguire even though they were at war with his allies the MacDonaghs (Meic Donnchadha). It was probably at this time that he gave the hand of his daughter Áine O'Rourke (d. 1431) to O'Farrell (Ó Fearghail) of Annaly.

Tadhg's skilful diplomatic manoeuvring culminated in 1424 with his submission to Eóghan O'Reilly, in return for which O'Reilly confirmed the kingship of West Breifne to Tadhg in place of Art. When Art resisted, O'Reilly and Tadhg unleashed their combined forces upon his territory and devastated it, forcing Art to submit to his cousin. Although Tadhg had accepted O'Reilly's domination, he awaited an opportunity to assert himself against his overlord. In 1429 he saw the chance to make an alliance with some O'Reilly dissidents and the English of Meath, with whose help he attacked O'Reilly, burning his home and forcing him to flee for help to Eóghan O'Neill (qv) (d. 1456) of Tyrone. O'Neill took O'Reilly's part and persuaded the MacMahons (Meic Mhathghamhna) of Oriel and the Maguires of Fermanagh to join them too. At Aghakilmore in south-west Cavan, Tadhg and the baron of Delvin (qv) made their stand against O'Reilly and his confederates and were soundly defeated. Tadhg fled the field and took refuge in West Breifne, where O'Neill and O'Reilly were not keen to pursue him. He used the breathing space he had won to subdue incipient unrest among his own kinsmen. When Maghnus O'Rourke killed Art before Easter 1430, Tadhg was unchallenged as king, but the fragility of his position led to his submitting in 1432 to Niall Garbh O'Donnell (qv) (d. 1439) and making his peace with O'Neill in Tyrone. Such prudence was a hallmark of the remainder of his reign. He died peacefully in 1434/5 and was succeeded as king of West Breifne by his cousin Lochlainn O'Rourke (qv) (d. 1458).