THE GERALDINES

New Zealand Tablet, 18 May 1916, Page 43

THE GERALDINES

The descendants of Maurice Fitzgerald, one of Strongbow's powerful followers in the invasion of Ireland (1169), divided into two main 'branches.' The ' Geraldines ' of Leinster, who held Kildare and territories adjoining it, came from Gerald Fitzgerald, son of Maurice (says the Irish Weekly). This Gerald was made Baron Offaly by King John of England. John Fitzgerald, who was sixth in descent from the original invader, quarrelled with Willian de Vesci, Lord of Kildare, and William retreated to France rather than fight his enemy; whereupon Edward I. calmly bestowed the fugutive's land and title on the Geraldine. John was thus the first Earl of Kildare; he died in 1316. Down through the ages, the Fitzgeralds ruled over Kildare—with varying fortunes. They became ' more Irish than the Irish themselves ' ; but on occasions they were more inimical to the Irish themselves than were the English in England. ' Silken Thomas ' was of the Leinster stock. James, 20th Earl of Kildare (1722-1773) was made a marquis in 1761, and Duke of Leinster in 1766. Lord Edward Fitzgerald— one member of the ancient family whose name lives in Irish popular memory and esteem the twelfth child of James, first Duke of Leinster; the second Duke, who died in 1804, fought gallantly against the Union. Captain Lord Desmond Fitzgerald, of the Irish. Guards, whose death on active service was announced recently, was the second son of the sth Duke of Leinster, and heirapparent to the sixth holder of the title, who is also the 26th Earl of Kildare in the direct line from William de Vesci's fourteenth century opponent. The gallant young soldier was born in 1888. His name of Desmond recalled the other great ' branch ' of the Geraldine race. Thomas Fitzgerald, son of Strongbow's companion-in-arms, and brother of the Gerald from whom were descended the Earls of Kildare and Dukes of Leinster, went South and became ' Lord of Q'Connelloe.' His son John added the title of ' Decies ' to O'Connelloe, and prospered for a time at the expense of the old Irish. One of his daughters married Fineen MacCarthy Mor; but John Fitzgerald chose to quarrel with his son-in-law, and mustered an army to punish him. The Irish chief accepted the challenge; the Anglo-Norman and Gaelic forces met at Callan, County Kerry, in 1261, and the natives won, after a fierce battle. Fineen killed his father-in-law, and swept Munster clear of the invaders; so many castles were destroyed and common soldiers slain,' writes a historian, ' that for the space of twelve years Fitzgerald (the race, not an individual) lived merely on sufferance, and was unable to put a plough in the ground.' But the Fitzgeralds recovered from the blow ; and in 1329 Maurice, great-grandson of the enterprising baron who fell at Callan, was created Earl of Desmond. Thereafter the Southern Fitzgeralds practically abandoned the family name and called themselves Desmond. They were much more 'disloyal' than their Leinster relatives; and the last of the line, John, brother of the ' Sugan Earl,' died at Barcelona, probably about 1620. •/. >' '