Annaly is an Irish lordship and former principality, named for its conqueror Angaile, ancestor of the Ó Fearghail.[1][2] The territory of Annaly coincides with modern County Longford and was conquered in the 10th century by Angaile, a King of Fortúatha whose line were chiefs of Annaly. Angaile's great-grandson Fearghail was the progenitor of the Ó Fearghail family, who were historically the Princes of Annaly. The lineage of Fearghail also provided chiefs of the Dál Messin Corb dynasty and the Uí Garrchon.[3][4][5]
Princes of Angaile
The history of Angaile is detailed in the Annals of the Four Masters. From the turn of the 11th century until the colonial confiscations of James I in the early 17th century, the Ó Fearghail controlled Angaile as a principality. This rule was disrupted by repeated English invasions in the 12th and 13th centuries. By the 15th century, the tribe regained complete control and had divided into the North Angaile ruling White Ó Fearghail (Irish: Uí Fhearghail Bán) and the South Angaile ruling Yellow Ó Fearghail (Uí Fhearghail Buí). After the tribal Gaelic Order had been shattered, many members of the clan became tenants of their old land with English and Scottish landlords.[6][7]
Captains of The Annaly
In 1565, there is the grant in the patent rolls of the Captainship and Chief status of the Slewght William of the Annaly. Slewght William is Gaelic for Clan Liam, and the Captainship is a Chief title for the Clan. The grant is made by Queen Elizabeth I in 1565. The Sleughtwilliam historically includes the Ardagh and Edgeworthstown regions. This grant by the Queen Elizabeth to Lord Delvin Christopher Nugent was effectuated on 22 Nov 1565. Further, the possessions and the captainship of Slewaght (Ardagh Diocese) within the Analy were granted to Lord Devlin in 1565 with the Abbey of All Saints, and the custody or captainship of Slewaght within the Analy.[8] Lord Delvin was also granted the abbey lands of the island of Inishmore or Inchemore in County Longford where the famous St. Columb lived before leaving to convert the Scots.[9][10]
Feudal Lords of The Honour of Annaly - Westmeath and later County Longford
The Honour of Annaly and Ancient Teffia - The medieval Nugent holdings of the Barony of Delvin were so extensive that they effectively constituted an Honour—a great feudal lordship composed of multiple manors, liberties, and subordinate estates held directly of the Crown. From the original 1172 de Lacy grant to Hugh de Nugent and his successors which included parts of Annaly, the Delvin lordship expanded beyond its Meath nucleus into the western Teffian and Annaly territories, absorbing lands held by the O’Finolin, O’Skully, and related septs. Early surveys, genealogical accounts, and later Tudor confirmations indicate that the Nugent-Delvin sphere controlled a substantial portion—approximately 30% or more—of what later became County Longford, particularly along the Teffia & Annaly frontier. This breadth of authority, spanning clustered manors, military service lands, and customary chief-rents, fits the classic definition of an Honour: a consolidated feudal jurisdiction whose size and influence exceeded an ordinary barony and shaped the territorial evolution of both medieval Annaly and modern Longford.
1552 Edward VI Grants to Delvin in Annaly - In 1552, King Edward VI granted lands of Annaly to Baron Delvin including the Holy Island and lands of the Ó Fearghail.[17]
In 1556–57, King Philip and Queen Mary Grants to Delvin in Annaly - made grants to Lord Baron Delvin of Granard and the northern Annaly region before the county became County Longford.[18] This grant is from Queen Mary of England and the King Philip (Von Habsburg) King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, Duke of Milan, Lord of the Netherlands, and Count of Burgundy. Thus, this grant by Mary and Philip awarded a territorially coherent Gaelic polity (Teffia/Annaly) in a rare dual-sovereign act from the pre-eminent Catholic monarch granting full attributes of territorial lordship—courts, rents, jurisdictions, ecclesiastical sites, and direct tenure in capite—thereby vesting the Baron of Delvin with delegated sovereignty functionally equivalent to that exercised by mediatized princes on the Continent.
Massive Grants in Longford - King James I (1605-1612) also granted to Lord Baron Delvin various castles, lands, ancient seats, and the Island and monastery of Inchemore, otherwise Inismore, in the Annalie.[19][20][21]
Markets and Fair for Longford Annaly - In 1605, Markets and Fair Rights for Annaly-Longford - Grant by James I of England to Baron Delvin of market-and-fair rights, plus “courts” (baronial court/curia) in Longford: licence to hold a Thursday market and a fair on 1st August, with accompanying juridical rights. This 1605 royal grant to Sir Richard Nugent, Lord Delvin — recorded in the History of the County Longford (p. 123) — carries considerable feudal and sovereign significance, both legally and symbolically.[22]
Captainship and Custody of the Annaly & Clann William - In 1565 (Elizabeth I) made Royal Patent to Baron Delvin of the – “Captaincy of Slewght William” (Slewght-Uilliam or Clann Liam i.e. Annaly) which this chieftaincy and custody had previously belonged to his father as a hereditary title and the honor was never revoked.
