“1512. Tuathal O’Clery, the son of Teige Cam, a man learned in history and poetry—a man who kept a house of hospitality generally for rich and poor, died.”
“1522. This year was killed, besides two of the poets of O’Donnell, Dermot, the son of Teige Cam O’Clery, a man learned in history and poetry—a man who kept a house of hospitality universally for the rich and the poor.”
“1527. O’Clery, that is, Giolla Riabhach, the son of Teige Cam, learned in the sciences, in historical knowledge, in poetry, and in theological reading, a man respected and rich, died.”
“1583. In this year Turlogh Luineach O’Neal, having attacked O’Donnell at Drumleen, in revenge of the burning of Strabane by the latter some time previously, he was defeated by O’Donnell with great loss, and amongst the slain was Maelmurry (the son of Dermott, who was son of Mahon, who was son of Tuathal) O’Clery, the only hostage of O’Neill and the Kenel-Owen, for his father and O’Neill himself had been born of the same mother. Maelmurry, on account of his relationship with O’Neill, had been in possession of all O’Neill’s wealth, and O’Neill would have given three times the usual quantity of every kind of property for his ransom, if ransomed he could have been; but he was first mortally wounded and afterwards drowned by O’Donnell’s people, who were in high spirits, and rejoiced greatly at seeing him thus cut off.”
“1583. Cosnamhach, the son of Cucogry (or Peregrine), who was the son of Dermot, who was the son of Teige Cam O’Clery—a rich and flourishing man, who had maintained a house of hospitality at one time in Thomond and another in Tirconnell, died at Fuar-Chosach in Tirconnell, in the lent of this year, and was interred under the asylum of God and St Bernard, in the monastery of Assaroe.”
This devotion to literature was not, however, a characteristic of the O’Clerys in their days of wealth and prosperity only, but distinguished them with even greater lustre when reduced to poverty in after times, as will clearly appear from the facts we have yet to adduce. But as we are sketching their genealogical history, as well as their character, we must previously continue their pedigree from the period of their settlement at Kilbarron, to their extinction as professional ollaves, on the ruin of their patrons the O’Donnells, and, for the sake of clearness, we shall give it in a tabular form.
1. Cormac O’Clery, the first who settled in Donegal.
2. Giolla Brighde O’Clery.
3. Giolla Riabhach O’Clery.