The History of the Town and County of the Town of Galway Chap. III. From the Anglo-Norman Invasion to the Year 1484. From the Anglo-Norman Invasion to the Year 1484. Arrival of Strongbow accompanied by William Fitz-Adnelm de Burgo, ancestor of the family of Clanricarde - Landing of Henry II. - Submission of subsequent revolt of the Irish Princes - Unsuccessful attempt of Roderic O'Conor, the monarch, on Dublin - Treaty between him and Henry II. - First hostile incursion of the Invaders into Connaught, and their defeat - Grant of the Province to De Burgo - Deposition and death of Roderic - Connor, his successor, defeats De Courcy - Cathal, who succeeds, joins with Meiler Fitz- Henry the Justiciary, and subdues De Burgo - Treaty between him and King John - Cathal dies, and Henry III. orders the Lord Justice to seize on all Connaught and deliver it to Richard De Burgo - Fedhlim, who succeeded Cathal, visits Henry in England, and obtains an order to be restored to his territory - The Castle of Galway fortified by O'Flaherty - Taken by De Burgo, who strengthens the Castle and protects and encourages the Town - Walls, great Gate, and Tower erected - Increase of Trade and Commerce - Church of St. Nicholas built - Dispute between the families of Blake and Athy - Death of William Earl of Ulster, and seizure of Galway by Mac William Eighter - Charters of Murage and of the Staple granted by Edward III. - Removal of the Staple - Merchants of Limerick jealous of the increasing trade and prosperity of Galway - Revolt and submission of the Town - Two Charters granted by Richard II. - Charter of Henry IV. - Mercantile Regulations - Establishment of a Mint - Charter of Edward IV. and Conflagration in the Town. Arrival of Strongbow and Henry II; Unsuccessful attempt of Roderic O'Conor on Dublin The successful invasion of Ireland in the twelfth century, by a few enterprising adventurers, is an event which has long astonished the world. The suddenness and insignificance of the expedition, the easy and unaccountable submission, almost without a struggle, of a numerous and warlike people to a foreign foe, and the vast importance of the acquisition to the crown and kingdom of England justly excited the admiration of mankind. The causes which led to this great and memorable revolution will be found fully detailed in the histories of the times; its effects, which still continue, and which will inlfluence millions yet unborn, are too well ascertained to require any new description: and as neither properly come within the limits of a work of this nature the following pages will, therefore, be confined to the local and provincial transactions which afterwards took place, so far as they could be found to affect, or have any bearing on the history of Galway. In the year 1171 , Richard Earl Strongbow landed near Waterford, accompanied by William Fitz-Andelm de Burgo, a principal leader in the army, who, after the success of the invaders, was appointed to the chief government of Ireland.r Henry II soon afterwards arrived with an army of 4000 men, and having received the submission of some of the petty princes of Leinster and Munster, and of several of the bishops and clergy, he returned to England. Immediately on his departure, the princes and chieftains who had so recently submitted to his authority, as if on reflection they felt ashamed of the pusillanimity with which they bowed their necks to the yoke of servitude, revolted and commenced hostilities. Roderic O'Conor, king of Connaught and monarch of Ireland, who tamely permitted the encroachments of the English, now, when it was too late, roused from his lethargy, crossed the Shannon with a considerable army, and proceeded towards Dublin, which he invested: but in consequence of the unhappy dissensions which prevailed among his troops, and which, amongst the Irish, were at all times the cause of their ruin, he was defeated, obliged to retreat, and sue for peace. He accordingly dispatched deputies to England, who met the king at Windsor, and there a peace was most solemnly concluded between the two monarchs. Roderic consented to do homage, and pay tribute to the king of England; whereupon he was to hold his kingdom of Connaught, with the title of king, under him, Rex sub eo, and that in as ample a manner as he had done before the comming of the English. Our historians are unanimous in declaring that there never was any treaty more scrupulously adhered to than this by Roderic, while few were ever more flagrantly violated than it afterwards was, by Henry. First hostile incursion of the Invaders into Connaught, and their defeat (1178) In the year 1178, the English, first set a hostile foot in Connaught. Murrough, one of Roderic's sons, having received, or probably pretending to have received some, supposed injury, privately dispatched messengers to Milo de Cogan,s who then lay in Dublin inviting him to march into Connaught, with a sufficient force, and promising, that he would be ready to assist him: holding forth, at the same time, great prospects of plunder. Milo, who only wanted the invitation, immediately set out, with upwards of 500 men, and soon arrived in Connaught; but having met there with a reception far different from what he expected, he was obliged to make a shameful retreat, with considerable loss. The traitor Murrough, was deservedly sentenced to lose his eyes, and suffer perpetual imprisonment; but having been soon afterwards liberated, he became the guilty cause of the most lamentable dissensions. [../../../includes/logo.htm]