Our common ancestors - Fitzgerald - Contents

Maurice Fitzgerald, 1st Earl of Desmond

Sources yet to be consulted:
- The Earldom of Desmond, 1463-1583: The Decline and Crisis of a Feudal Lordship, by Anthony M. McCormack, Dublin, 2005.
- The Earls of Desmond, The Rise and Fall of a Munster Lordship, by Gerald O'Carroll, 2013.
- 1st Earl in [DIB]
- 3rd Earl in [DIB]

There are different numberings of the Earls of Desmond. I follow the numbering in [Complete Peerage].

Maurice Fitzgerald, 1st Earl of Desmond born 1293.
See wikipedia and genealogics.
He succ his brother as 4th Baron Desmond by 1309.
He mar 1stly, 1312, to Katherine de Burgh.
He was cr Earl of Desmond in 1329.
Katherine died 1331.
He mar 2ndly to Margaret O'Brien.
He mar 3rdly to Aveline Fitzmaurice.
Justiciar of Ireland (Lord Lieutenant) 1355-1356. Appointed 8 July 1355.
He died 25 January 1356 in Dublin Castle.
He was bur Dominican Abbey, Tralee.
He had issue by 3rd wife:

Gerald Fitzgerald, 3rd Earl of Desmond,
"Gerald the Poet", "Gearóid Iarla" (Earl Gerald),
born post-1338.
[Complete Peerage] says he is son of 3rd wife.
He succ his half-brother as Earl in 1358.
He had another older brother, who was "an idiot", who was passed over for the Earldom. Some works number him as an Earl. I follow the numbering in [Complete Peerage].
He mar Eleanor Butler [descendant of Edward I and of Aoife Mac Murrough].
Justiciar of Ireland (Lord Lieutenant) 1367-1369.
He wrote poetry in Irish.
Eleanor died 1392.
He died 1398.
3rd Earl and Eleanor had issue:
1. James Fitzgerald, 6th Earl of Desmond.

Desmond Hall, Newcastle West

Desmond Hall, The Square, Newcastle West, Co.Limerick.
This is a fine surviving 15th century Banqueting Hall, part of a larger complex, the castle of the Earls of Desmond (some of it 13th century).
Outside the hall there is a modern sculpture of "Gearóid Iarla" (the 3rd Earl of Desmond) on horseback, by the artist Cliodhna Cussen.

Desmond Hall (red cross) on 1887 to 1913 map.
The Protestant church in front of it (to the N) is gone.
Parts of the castle to the SW of it survive.

Desmond Hall, Newcastle West.
The area in front of it is the former site of the Protestant church.
Note statue of "Gearóid Iarla".
Photo 2015. See full size.
See Google street view.

"Gearóid Iarla" (3rd Earl of Desmond).
Sculpture outside Desmond Hall.
Photo 2015. See full size.
See wider shot.
See plaque.

"Gearóid Iarla" (3rd Earl of Desmond).
Sculpture outside Desmond Hall.
Photo 2015. See full size.
See other shot.

Desmond Hall, Newcastle West.
The back.
Photo 2015. See full size.
See wider shot and other shot.
See 2009 shot from Geograph.
See also Google street view.

Earls of Desmond