Simon Egan | Queen's University Belfast (original) (raw)
Co-Edited Book by Simon Egan
By exploring Irish-Scottish connections during the period 1603–60 this book brings important new ... more By exploring Irish-Scottish connections during the period 1603–60 this book brings important new perspectives to the study of the Early Stuart state. Acknowledging the pivotal role of the Hiberno-Scottish world, it identifies some of the limits of England’s Anglicising influence in the northern and western ‘British Isles’ and the often slight basis on which the Stuart pursuit of a new ‘British’ consciousness operated. Regarding the Anglo-Scottish relationship, it was chiefly in Ireland that the English and Scots intermingled after 1603, with a variety of consequences, often destabilising for English, Scots and Irish. The importance of the Gaelic sphere in Irish-Scottish connections also receives much greater attention here than in previous accounts. This Gaedhealtacht played a central role in the transmission of religious radicalism, both Catholic and Protestant, in Ireland and Scotland, ultimately leading to political crisis and revolution within the British Isles.
Book Chapters by Simon Egan
n 2 October 1263 a Norse fleet numbering several hundred ships and commanded by King Hakon IV of ... more n 2 October 1263 a Norse fleet numbering several hundred ships and commanded by King Hakon IV of Norway (d. 1263) disembarked in the Firth of Clyde, on Scotland's western seaboard. 2 The Hebrides, and much of Scotland's western Atlantic littoral, had originally been ceded to Hakon's antecedent, Magnus Barelegs (d. 1103), by Edgar I of Scotland (d. 1107) in 1098. 3 For the next century and a half, the Norse crown had exercised a loose, yet effective, form of lordship upon their subjects in both the Hebrides and the Isle of Man. 4 From the early thirteenth century onwards, however, the Canmore kings of Scotland, Alexander II (d. 1249) and his son, Alexander III (d. 1286), sought to extend their authority westwards at Norway's expense. 5 Hakon's expedition of 1263 thus represented an ambitious, if ill-fated, attempt to reassert Norse dominion over his Scottish and Mame possessions. Upon landing, Hakon's force was driven back into the sea by a Scottish army under Alexander (d. 1283), Steward of Scotland. Hakon was subsequently forced to beat a hasty retreat northwards and died two months later on Orkney. 6 Following the Treaty of Perth in 1266, Hakon's successor Magnus VI (d. 1280) ceded the entirety of the Hebrides, Norway's mainland Scottish possessions and the Isle of Man to Scotland. 7 The complete failure of Hakon's mission, coupled with Scotland's subsequent annexation of Man and the Hebrides, has given rise to the idea that Norse dominion over western Scotland had entered its inevitable, and terminal, 'sunset' phase of existence. 8 Norse influence on Scotland's western seaboard faded rapidly in the wake of 1266. Hakon's main objective in 1263 was the reassertion of royal authority in western Scotland. Nevertheless, there appears to have been an important Gaelic-Irish element underpinning the king's last expedition. This Irish dimension not only related to developments in Scotland, it also posed a serious challenge to English colonial power in Ireland. The Annals of Connacht intriguingly record that Hakon died in Orkney while on his way to lead a campaign in Ireland. 9 Other contemporary Irish annals, as well as English and Norse sources, corroborate the idea that Hakon envisioned some form of military intervention in Ireland on behalf of the Gaelic-Irish nobility. to Sean Duffy has investigated this incident and argued that the scheme to involve
This paper examines Scotland's relationship with Ireland during the later middle ages, focusing i... more This paper examines Scotland's relationship with Ireland during the later middle ages, focusing in particular on the House of Stewart's relationship with the O'Donnells of Tyrconnell.
This collection of studies on the history of Gaelic Ireland is the product of four years of an es... more This collection of studies on the history of Gaelic Ireland is the product of four years of an essay competition, sponsored jointly by the Standing Council of Irish Chiefs and Chieftains (Buanchomhairle Thaoisigh Éireann) and Clans of Ireland (Finte na hÉireann). The works represent the winning entries and superior quality essays from 2013 to 2016, and cover the period ranging from the twelfth to the seventeenth centuries. The study themes range from political and social history to kinship and culture, relating to a selection of Gaelic Irish, Anglo-Norman and Scottish population groups who shared the island.
Over the course of the fifteenth century, the O'Donnells of Tyrconnell developed close ties with the Stewart monarchy in Scotland. This paper explores the relationship between both families and examines how the Stewarts often looked to the O'Donnells as a means of destabilising English power in Ireland. The years leading down to the fateful battle of Flodden form a particularly interesting case study.
Journal Articles by Simon Egan
It is a well-known fact that the las t three Mortimer earls of March each perished in Ireland whi... more It is a well-known fact that the las t three Mortimer earls of March each perished in Ireland whilst in r.he service of the E nglish crown. Having convened a meeting of the lrish council at Clonmel in August 1381 , Edmund, third earl of March, was taken ill whilst travelling south to Cork. Despite reaching the port-town before Christma s, Edmund died suddenly on 27 D ecember 1381 within the city's Dominican friary. 2 E dmund's body was subsequently taken to Wigmore Abbey for burial and his eldest son, Roger (d. 1398), inherited his father's considerable lands and titles. Roger, fourth earl of March, also pursued an active military career in Ireland and led several campaigns against the Gaelic Irish of Ulster and Leinster during the mid-to-late 1390s. Spurred on by the dynastic propaganda of the Welsh bard, Iola Gach (d. 1398), Roger enjoyed some notable military successes against the Ui Neill of Tir Eoghain. 3 However, the fourth ea rl eventually fell victim to what the Welsh chronicler Adam Usk (d. 1430) styled 'an excess of military a.rdour': the young earl was quite literally burchered by the Ui Bhroin in a skirmish near Kellistown in modern-day County Carlow in July 1398: 1 Roger's lands and titles thus passed to his infant son, Edmund (d. 1425), fifth ea.rl of !vfarch. In the mould of his paternal grandfather and namesake, Edmund fought for the English crown in France during the late 141 Os and early 1420s before being I Where possible, I have avoided Anglicised or L1tiniscd forms and rrndeml all Gndic pcrsnnul names in Early Modern Irish/ Classical Irish-the litcr:1ry language of lrel:md und the I lii,hl.111ds and Islands of Scotland, c. 1200-c. 1650. For example. O'Neill and O'N,•ills rhus rend O N,•ill (singular) and Ui Neill (plural); MacDonald and MncDonalds thus read Mac Dnmhm1ill (singular) and Mcie Domhnaill (plural). 6 Conchobhair Donn (sin~ulnr) is rendered as Ui Chonchob hmr Dhuinn in the plural; 6 Conchobhair Ruadh (singular) is rendered as Ui Chond1obhnir l\11n1dh in the plural. From c. 1350 onwards, de Bur~h nnd J c Burghs urc «•ndered as follmving: de Hi1rc-.1 (sin1, 'lllar) and de Burcaigh (plural). 2 C. Given-Wilson (ed.) , The Chronirl, of Adon, Usk, /J77-I.J2 / lhcm1f1cr Ch,vn. Usk l (Uxford, I 997), 46-7.
This is sample page from my article in Cambrian Medieval Celtic Studies. For further details plea... more This is sample page from my article in Cambrian Medieval Celtic Studies. For further details please contact me directly.
Over the course of the late 14th century and throughout the 15th century, the O’Donnells of Tyrco... more Over the course of the late 14th century and throughout the 15th century, the O’Donnells of Tyrconnell established
themselves as one of the most powerful aristocratic dynasties in Ireland. By the early 16th century, the authority of the lords
of Tyrconnell extended across most of the northern half of Ireland. Their rise to prominence has received a considerable
amount of scholarly attention. Much of this has focused on the expansion of O’Donnell power within Ulster—namely the
ability of successive O’Donnell chieftains to raise considerable military forces within the lordship of Tyrconnell, which they
then used to impose their overlordship upon large areas of Ulster. O’Donnell power and prestige, however, extended well
beyond Ulster, and much of their strength derived from their ability to create and uphold a broad web of dynastic alliances
stretching across the island of Ireland—a topic which has received very little attention within the historiography of late
Medieval Ireland. Moreover, a strong maritime dimension underpinned many of their alliances. The O’Donnells’ capacity
to raise fleets from among their MacSweeny urríthe (sub-kings, or vassals) within Tyrconnell and their ability to create alliances
with powerful maritime kindreds such as the O’Malleys and Burkes of Mayo in Connacht gave them a major tactical
and strategic advantage over their traditional rivals, the O’Neills of Tyrone. Drawing upon a broad range of material from
within the wider Gaelic world (including Ireland and Scotland) as well as English and Scottish governmental material, this
essay explores the maritime dimension underpinning the O’Donnells’ rise to prominence during the later Middle Ages,
charts the development of the O’Donnell lordship within its maritime context, and demonstrates the importance of maritime
power within Gaelic Irish politics during this period.
Although Richard II's Irish expedition of 1394–95 has attracted considerable scholarly attention,... more Although Richard II's Irish expedition of 1394–95 has attracted considerable scholarly attention, the focus has largely been on Richard's relations with the colonial administration in Ireland, pointing mainly to the colonial government's plea for greater royal investment in the colony as the main factor underpinning Richard's decision to intervene in Ireland. Little attention, by comparison, has been devoted to exploring the king's relations with both the Gaelic Irish and Gaelic Scottish nobility. Using Richard's relations with the expanding Gaelic world as the main case study, this article reconsiders how developments in the Gaelic west influenced the king's decision to intervene in Ireland. Set against the backdrop of Anglo-Scottish relations and the Hundred Years’ War, the article draws on a broad range of Gaelic sources from Ireland and Scotland, English and Scottish governmental records, and material from the Avignon papacy. It uncovers and traces the development of the main Gaelic Irish and Gaelic Scottish dynasties during the late fourteenth century, their relationships with one another, and their unfolding connections with the English and Scottish crowns. By locating Richard's expeditions within the broader archipelagic context, this article argues that the wider Gaelic world, though on the geographic periphery of Ireland and Scotland, was capable of exerting a far greater degree of influence on the course of “British” politics than has previously been acknowledged.
This paper explores the relationship between the Early Stewart kings (Robert II, Robert III, and ... more This paper explores the relationship between the Early Stewart kings (Robert II, Robert III, and James I) with Gaelic Ireland in the late fourteenth and early fifteenth century. The paper considers how the Stewarts often looked to Ireland for allies against the growing power of the MacDonald Lordship of the Isles.
Short magazine article giving an overview of the O'Donnells' role in the lead-up to the battle o... more Short magazine article giving an overview of the O'Donnells' role in the lead-up to the battle of Flodden in 1513.
Book Reviews by Simon Egan
By exploring Irish-Scottish connections during the period 1603–60 this book brings important new ... more By exploring Irish-Scottish connections during the period 1603–60 this book brings important new perspectives to the study of the Early Stuart state. Acknowledging the pivotal role of the Hiberno-Scottish world, it identifies some of the limits of England’s Anglicising influence in the northern and western ‘British Isles’ and the often slight basis on which the Stuart pursuit of a new ‘British’ consciousness operated. Regarding the Anglo-Scottish relationship, it was chiefly in Ireland that the English and Scots intermingled after 1603, with a variety of consequences, often destabilising for English, Scots and Irish. The importance of the Gaelic sphere in Irish-Scottish connections also receives much greater attention here than in previous accounts. This Gaedhealtacht played a central role in the transmission of religious radicalism, both Catholic and Protestant, in Ireland and Scotland, ultimately leading to political crisis and revolution within the British Isles.
n 2 October 1263 a Norse fleet numbering several hundred ships and commanded by King Hakon IV of ... more n 2 October 1263 a Norse fleet numbering several hundred ships and commanded by King Hakon IV of Norway (d. 1263) disembarked in the Firth of Clyde, on Scotland's western seaboard. 2 The Hebrides, and much of Scotland's western Atlantic littoral, had originally been ceded to Hakon's antecedent, Magnus Barelegs (d. 1103), by Edgar I of Scotland (d. 1107) in 1098. 3 For the next century and a half, the Norse crown had exercised a loose, yet effective, form of lordship upon their subjects in both the Hebrides and the Isle of Man. 4 From the early thirteenth century onwards, however, the Canmore kings of Scotland, Alexander II (d. 1249) and his son, Alexander III (d. 1286), sought to extend their authority westwards at Norway's expense. 5 Hakon's expedition of 1263 thus represented an ambitious, if ill-fated, attempt to reassert Norse dominion over his Scottish and Mame possessions. Upon landing, Hakon's force was driven back into the sea by a Scottish army under Alexander (d. 1283), Steward of Scotland. Hakon was subsequently forced to beat a hasty retreat northwards and died two months later on Orkney. 6 Following the Treaty of Perth in 1266, Hakon's successor Magnus VI (d. 1280) ceded the entirety of the Hebrides, Norway's mainland Scottish possessions and the Isle of Man to Scotland. 7 The complete failure of Hakon's mission, coupled with Scotland's subsequent annexation of Man and the Hebrides, has given rise to the idea that Norse dominion over western Scotland had entered its inevitable, and terminal, 'sunset' phase of existence. 8 Norse influence on Scotland's western seaboard faded rapidly in the wake of 1266. Hakon's main objective in 1263 was the reassertion of royal authority in western Scotland. Nevertheless, there appears to have been an important Gaelic-Irish element underpinning the king's last expedition. This Irish dimension not only related to developments in Scotland, it also posed a serious challenge to English colonial power in Ireland. The Annals of Connacht intriguingly record that Hakon died in Orkney while on his way to lead a campaign in Ireland. 9 Other contemporary Irish annals, as well as English and Norse sources, corroborate the idea that Hakon envisioned some form of military intervention in Ireland on behalf of the Gaelic-Irish nobility. to Sean Duffy has investigated this incident and argued that the scheme to involve
This paper examines Scotland's relationship with Ireland during the later middle ages, focusing i... more This paper examines Scotland's relationship with Ireland during the later middle ages, focusing in particular on the House of Stewart's relationship with the O'Donnells of Tyrconnell.
This collection of studies on the history of Gaelic Ireland is the product of four years of an es... more This collection of studies on the history of Gaelic Ireland is the product of four years of an essay competition, sponsored jointly by the Standing Council of Irish Chiefs and Chieftains (Buanchomhairle Thaoisigh Éireann) and Clans of Ireland (Finte na hÉireann). The works represent the winning entries and superior quality essays from 2013 to 2016, and cover the period ranging from the twelfth to the seventeenth centuries. The study themes range from political and social history to kinship and culture, relating to a selection of Gaelic Irish, Anglo-Norman and Scottish population groups who shared the island.
Over the course of the fifteenth century, the O'Donnells of Tyrconnell developed close ties with the Stewart monarchy in Scotland. This paper explores the relationship between both families and examines how the Stewarts often looked to the O'Donnells as a means of destabilising English power in Ireland. The years leading down to the fateful battle of Flodden form a particularly interesting case study.
It is a well-known fact that the las t three Mortimer earls of March each perished in Ireland whi... more It is a well-known fact that the las t three Mortimer earls of March each perished in Ireland whilst in r.he service of the E nglish crown. Having convened a meeting of the lrish council at Clonmel in August 1381 , Edmund, third earl of March, was taken ill whilst travelling south to Cork. Despite reaching the port-town before Christma s, Edmund died suddenly on 27 D ecember 1381 within the city's Dominican friary. 2 E dmund's body was subsequently taken to Wigmore Abbey for burial and his eldest son, Roger (d. 1398), inherited his father's considerable lands and titles. Roger, fourth earl of March, also pursued an active military career in Ireland and led several campaigns against the Gaelic Irish of Ulster and Leinster during the mid-to-late 1390s. Spurred on by the dynastic propaganda of the Welsh bard, Iola Gach (d. 1398), Roger enjoyed some notable military successes against the Ui Neill of Tir Eoghain. 3 However, the fourth ea rl eventually fell victim to what the Welsh chronicler Adam Usk (d. 1430) styled 'an excess of military a.rdour': the young earl was quite literally burchered by the Ui Bhroin in a skirmish near Kellistown in modern-day County Carlow in July 1398: 1 Roger's lands and titles thus passed to his infant son, Edmund (d. 1425), fifth ea.rl of !vfarch. In the mould of his paternal grandfather and namesake, Edmund fought for the English crown in France during the late 141 Os and early 1420s before being I Where possible, I have avoided Anglicised or L1tiniscd forms and rrndeml all Gndic pcrsnnul names in Early Modern Irish/ Classical Irish-the litcr:1ry language of lrel:md und the I lii,hl.111ds and Islands of Scotland, c. 1200-c. 1650. For example. O'Neill and O'N,•ills rhus rend O N,•ill (singular) and Ui Neill (plural); MacDonald and MncDonalds thus read Mac Dnmhm1ill (singular) and Mcie Domhnaill (plural). 6 Conchobhair Donn (sin~ulnr) is rendered as Ui Chonchob hmr Dhuinn in the plural; 6 Conchobhair Ruadh (singular) is rendered as Ui Chond1obhnir l\11n1dh in the plural. From c. 1350 onwards, de Bur~h nnd J c Burghs urc «•ndered as follmving: de Hi1rc-.1 (sin1, 'lllar) and de Burcaigh (plural). 2 C. Given-Wilson (ed.) , The Chronirl, of Adon, Usk, /J77-I.J2 / lhcm1f1cr Ch,vn. Usk l (Uxford, I 997), 46-7.
This is sample page from my article in Cambrian Medieval Celtic Studies. For further details plea... more This is sample page from my article in Cambrian Medieval Celtic Studies. For further details please contact me directly.
Over the course of the late 14th century and throughout the 15th century, the O’Donnells of Tyrco... more Over the course of the late 14th century and throughout the 15th century, the O’Donnells of Tyrconnell established
themselves as one of the most powerful aristocratic dynasties in Ireland. By the early 16th century, the authority of the lords
of Tyrconnell extended across most of the northern half of Ireland. Their rise to prominence has received a considerable
amount of scholarly attention. Much of this has focused on the expansion of O’Donnell power within Ulster—namely the
ability of successive O’Donnell chieftains to raise considerable military forces within the lordship of Tyrconnell, which they
then used to impose their overlordship upon large areas of Ulster. O’Donnell power and prestige, however, extended well
beyond Ulster, and much of their strength derived from their ability to create and uphold a broad web of dynastic alliances
stretching across the island of Ireland—a topic which has received very little attention within the historiography of late
Medieval Ireland. Moreover, a strong maritime dimension underpinned many of their alliances. The O’Donnells’ capacity
to raise fleets from among their MacSweeny urríthe (sub-kings, or vassals) within Tyrconnell and their ability to create alliances
with powerful maritime kindreds such as the O’Malleys and Burkes of Mayo in Connacht gave them a major tactical
and strategic advantage over their traditional rivals, the O’Neills of Tyrone. Drawing upon a broad range of material from
within the wider Gaelic world (including Ireland and Scotland) as well as English and Scottish governmental material, this
essay explores the maritime dimension underpinning the O’Donnells’ rise to prominence during the later Middle Ages,
charts the development of the O’Donnell lordship within its maritime context, and demonstrates the importance of maritime
power within Gaelic Irish politics during this period.
Although Richard II's Irish expedition of 1394–95 has attracted considerable scholarly attention,... more Although Richard II's Irish expedition of 1394–95 has attracted considerable scholarly attention, the focus has largely been on Richard's relations with the colonial administration in Ireland, pointing mainly to the colonial government's plea for greater royal investment in the colony as the main factor underpinning Richard's decision to intervene in Ireland. Little attention, by comparison, has been devoted to exploring the king's relations with both the Gaelic Irish and Gaelic Scottish nobility. Using Richard's relations with the expanding Gaelic world as the main case study, this article reconsiders how developments in the Gaelic west influenced the king's decision to intervene in Ireland. Set against the backdrop of Anglo-Scottish relations and the Hundred Years’ War, the article draws on a broad range of Gaelic sources from Ireland and Scotland, English and Scottish governmental records, and material from the Avignon papacy. It uncovers and traces the development of the main Gaelic Irish and Gaelic Scottish dynasties during the late fourteenth century, their relationships with one another, and their unfolding connections with the English and Scottish crowns. By locating Richard's expeditions within the broader archipelagic context, this article argues that the wider Gaelic world, though on the geographic periphery of Ireland and Scotland, was capable of exerting a far greater degree of influence on the course of “British” politics than has previously been acknowledged.
This paper explores the relationship between the Early Stewart kings (Robert II, Robert III, and ... more This paper explores the relationship between the Early Stewart kings (Robert II, Robert III, and James I) with Gaelic Ireland in the late fourteenth and early fifteenth century. The paper considers how the Stewarts often looked to Ireland for allies against the growing power of the MacDonald Lordship of the Isles.
Short magazine article giving an overview of the O'Donnells' role in the lead-up to the battle o... more Short magazine article giving an overview of the O'Donnells' role in the lead-up to the battle of Flodden in 1513.