Richard Mór de Burgh, 1st Baron of Connaught

Richard Mór de Burgh, 1st Lord of Connaught (c. 1194 – 1242), Justiciar of Ireland.

Background
De Burgh was the eldest son of William de Burgh and his wife who was a daughter of Domnall Mór Ua Briain, King of Thomond. De Burgh's principal estate was in the barony of Loughrea where he built a castle in 1236 and a town was founded. He also founded Galway town and Ballinasloe. The islands on Lough Mask and Lough Orben were also part of his demesne.

From the death of his father in 1206 to 1214, Richard was a ward of the Crown until he received his inheritance. In 1215 he briefly served in the household of his uncle Hubert de Burgh, Earl of Kent. In 1223 and again in 1225 he was appointed Seneschal of Munster and keeper of Limerick castle.

Connacht
In 1224, Richard claimed the land of Connacht, which had been granted to his father but never, in fact, ruled by him. He asserted that the grant to Cathal Crobdearg Ua Conchobair, the native king, after his father's death had been on condition of faithful service, and that his son Aedh mac Cathal Crobdearg Ua Conchobair, who succeeded him that year, had forfeited it. He had the favour of the justiciar, Hubert de Burgh, and was awarded Connacht in May 1227. Having been given custody of the counties of Cork and Waterford and all the crown lands of Decies and Desmond, he was appointed Justiciar of Ireland from 1228 to 1232.

When in 1232 Hubert de Burgh fell from grace, Richard was able to distance himself and avoid being campaigned against by the King. It was only in 1235 when he summoned the whole feudal host of the Norman barons to aid him that he expelled Felim mac Cathal Crobderg Ua Conchobair, the native king, from Connacht. He and his lieutenants received great shares of land, while Felim was obliged to do homage and was allowed only to rent the five Royal cantreds of Athlone from the Crown. These five cantreds were the only lands de Burgh served to the Crown, keeping the remaining 25. De Burgh took the title of "Lord of Connacht".

Wife and children
Before 1225 he married Egidia de Lacy, daughter of Walter de Lacy, and Margaret de Braose. With this alliance he acquired the cantred of Eóghanacht Caisil with the castle of Ardmayle in Tipperary.

Richard de Burgh had three sons and may have had four daughters:


 * Sir Richard de Burgh, Lord of Connaught, Constable of Montgomery Castle who died without issue, 1248.
 * Walter de Burgh, 1st Earl of Ulster, Lord of Connaught, died 1271.
 * Sir William Og de Burgh, died 1270.
 * Alice
 * Margery de Burgh (? – after March 1253), married Theobald Butler, 3rd Chief Butler of Ireland
 * Matilda (?) who married as his second wife, Sir Gerald de Prendergast of Beauvoir, by whom she had a daughter, Maud.
 * Unnamed daughter who married Hamon de Valoynes and had issue.

Richard died on 17 February 1241/42 while on a royal expedition to Poitou.

Family tree
Walter de Burgh of Burgh Castle, Norfolk. =Alice |  |_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________   |                                    |                                                |                              |   |                                    |                                                |                              |  William de Burgh, died 1205. Hubert de Burgh, 1st Earl of Kent, died 1243. Geoffrey de Burgh, died 1228. Thomas de Burgh |                                       (issue; John and Hubert) |_________________________________________________________________________________________________________  |                                                         |                                             |   |                                                         |                                             |  Richard Mór de Burgh, 1st Baron of Connaught  Hubert de Burgh, Bishop of Limerick, died 1250. Richard Óge de Burgh |                                                                                            (Burke of Clanricarde) |_________________________________________________________________  |                                                               |   |                                                               |   Walter de Burgh, 1st Earl of Ulster William Óg de Burgh |                                                              |   |                                                               |   Richard Óg de Burgh, 2nd Earl of Ulster Edmond Albanach de Burgh |  |___________________________________________________________________   |                                                                 |   |                                                                 |   John de Burgh Edmond de Burgh, 1298–1338. |                                                                |   |                                                                 |_______________________   William Donn de Burgh, 3rd Earl of Ulster                         |                      | |                                                                |                      |   |                                                            Sir Richard, fl. 1387. Sir David, fl. 1387. Elizabeth de Burgh, 4th Countess of Ulster                       |                  | |                                                                |                      |   |                                                      Burke of Castleconnell Burke of Muskerryquirk Philippa, 5th Countess of Ulster Burke of Brittas |  |   Roger Mortimer, 4th Earl of March