Máire Rua O'Brien facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Máire Rua O'Brien
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Máire Rua MacMahon
1615/1616 Clonderalaw, County Clare, Ireland
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| Died | 1686 (aged 70/71) |
| Resting place | Ennis Abbey (or Coad Church) |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Known for | Retaining family lands at Leamaneh Castle |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | Sir Donough O'Brien, 1st Baronet (son) |
Máire Rua O'Brien (born around 1615 or 1616, died 1686) was a strong Irish noblewoman. She is famous for marrying three times to make sure her family kept their lands. Her name, Máire Rua, means "Red Mary" in Irish, because of her bright red hair.
She first married Daniel Neylon. After he died, she married Conor O'Brien of Leamaneh Castle. With Conor, she supported the King's side during a big war in Ireland. When Conor died in battle, she quickly married a soldier from the other side. This was a clever move to protect her family's property. Máire Rua lived at Leamaneh for many years. Later, her son moved the family home to Dromoland Castle, where she lived until she passed away. Many exciting, and sometimes exaggerated, stories are told about her life.
Early Life of Máire Rua
Máire MacMahon was born in 1615 or 1616. She was called Máire Rua because of her red hair. Her father was Sir Torlach Rua MacMahon, a local lord. Her mother, Mary, was the daughter of a powerful leader, Connor O'Brien. Some say she was born in Bunratty, but it was probably in Clonderalaw, County Clare.
In 1634, she married Colonel Daniel Neylon. This marriage was arranged for them. They lived at O'Dea Castle in County Clare. Máire and Daniel had three sons: William, Daniel, and Michael. Daniel Neylon died in 1639, leaving Máire a widow with young children. She managed his large estate until her oldest son, William, was old enough to take over.
Life at Leamaneh Castle
Seven months after Daniel Neylon's death, Máire married her cousin, Conor O'Brien of Leamaneh. Together, they made the O'Brien family home much bigger. They turned the old tower house into the grand Leamaneh Castle. An old carving on the castle says it was built in 1648 by Conor O'Brien and Máire.
Máire and Conor had eight children. Their oldest son, Sir Donough O'Brien, was born in 1642. Other children included Teige, Turlough, Murrough, Honora, and Mary. Two daughters may have died during a sickness that affected the area.
Many stories about Máire Rua are linked to Leamaneh Castle. Some tales say she was very strict with her servants. Others claim she was tough on anyone who trespassed on her land.
During the Irish Confederate Wars (1641–1653), her husband, Conor, led local soldiers. They raided homes of English settlers who had moved into the area. Máire Rua was sometimes said to ride with her husband during these raids. People who were raided sometimes spread rumors that she was a witch.
Conor O'Brien became a Colonel in the King's army in 1650. He died in 1651 from wounds received in battle. Some stories say his own troops brought him back to Leamaneh, where Máire cared for him. Other tales say Cromwellian soldiers brought his body. To stop her lands from being taken, she supposedly claimed he wasn't her husband, saying she was already a widow.
One famous story says that after Conor's death, Máire Rua went to the enemy camp. Dressed in fine clothes, she offered to marry one of their officers. This was supposedly to prove her husband was dead or to protect her property from being seized. She soon married a Cromwellian officer named John Cooper.
Some legends, which are probably not true, claim Máire Rua married many Cromwellian officers. These stories say she killed each one after they were married. Folklorists believe these tales might come from stories about powerful Irish goddesses. Another legend says she challenged a man to ride her wild, blind horse to the Cliffs of Moher, hoping he would be killed.
After her husband's death, Máire Rua asked the King's representative to let her manage the O'Brien estate. She managed to keep the land for her children. However, Leamaneh Castle itself was taken by the Cromwellian army and used as a military base.
Later Life and Legacy
By 1653, Máire Rua O'Brien was married to John Cooper, a former Cromwellian officer. They lived in Limerick for a while. Later, she stayed with her O'Brien relatives before returning to Leamaneh. Máire and John are believed to have had a son, Harry, and possibly a daughter. They remained married until her death, though they may have lived apart sometimes.
Máire Rua was a Catholic but sometimes attended Protestant church services. Legend says she had a disagreement with the local church leader. Because of this, she built her own church, Coad Church, where she attended services for the rest of her life. In her will, she left money to two abbeys, Ennis Abbey and Quinn Abbey.
In 1662, Máire Rua faced accusations related to her husband's raiding parties from the 1640s. She received a royal pardon in 1664, but the trial still went ahead. She wrote in 1665 about her "troubles in England."
In the 1680s, her son, Donough, moved the family home to Dromoland Castle. Máire Rua spent her final years living there.
Death and Legends
Many dramatic legends surround Máire Rua's death. One story says she was sealed inside a hollow tree. Other tales claim she was thrown from a horse and choked in a tree branch, or even hung by her own hair.
However, historical records suggest her death was more ordinary. She was in her seventies and not well when she made her will on June 7, 1686. She asked to be buried at Ennis Abbey. It's possible she is buried there next to her second husband, Conor O'Brien. Some believe she is buried at Coad Church with two of her daughters.
Folklore says that Leamaneh Castle is one of Ireland's most haunted places. Máire Rua's ghost is said to wander the ruins, with sounds of evil laughter and screams.
There are three known paintings of Máire Rua. One is owned by the O'Brien family, and two are at Dromoland Castle Hotel. One portrait from the 1640s shows her wearing a unique mermaid-shaped necklace.
A traditional Irish dance tune, a slip jig called Mall Rua, is linked to Máire Rua O'Brien.
