Murrough O'Brien, 1st Earl of Inchiquin

Murrough O'Brien, 1st Earl of Inchiquin
Detail from portrait below
Commander, British Brigade in Portugal
In office 1662–1663
French Governor of Roussillon
In office 1654–1658
Lord President of Munster
In office 1644–1647
Personal details
Born	c. September 1614 Inchiquin, County Clare
Died	9 September 1673 (aged 58–59) Rostellan, County Cork
Resting place	St Mary's Cathedral, Limerick
Spouse	Elizabeth St Leger (1635–his death)
Military service
Rank	Lieutenant-General
Battles/wars	Piedmontese Civil War Irish Confederate Wars Liscarroll; Cashel; Knocknanuss Franco-Spanish War (1635–1659) Naples expedition Portuguese Restoration War

Murrough MacDermod O'Brien, 1st Earl of Inchiquin (September 1614 – 9 September 1673), was an Irish nobleman and soldier, who came from one of the most powerful families in Munster. Known as Murchadh na dTóiteán ("Murrough the Burner"), he initially trained for war in the Spanish service. He accompanied the Earl of Strafford into Leinster on the outbreak of the Irish Rebellion of 1641 and was appointed governor of Munster in 1642. He had some small success, but was hampered by lack of funds and he was outwitted by the Irish leader, Viscount Muskerry, at Cappoquin and Lismore. His forces dispersed at the truce of 1643.^[1]

Murrough visited Charles I at Oxford in 1644, but found it expedient to submit to the English Parliament the same year as the Parliamentarians being masters of sea, were the only people who could help the Munster Protestants defend themselves against Roman Catholics. He was made President of Munster by Parliament, and sought to enhance his position with the supplies brought to him by Philip Sidney, Lord Lisle (afterwards the 3rd earl of Leicester).^[1]

In 1647, Murrough became gradually master of the south of Ireland declaring for Charles II in 1648. He fortified the southern ports against Parliament and made a truce with the Irish Confederates in 1648. He was joined by Duke of Ormonde, with whom he got possession of Drogheda and Dundalk. However he lost influence in Munster, which revolted after Oliver Cromwell's landing in 1649. He captured and attempted to hold Kilmallock in late 1649, but bowing to the inevitable and after retiring west of the River Shannon he left Ireland for France in early 1650.^[1]

Made one of the royal council and created Earl of Inchiquin in 1654; Murrough served under the French in Catalonia in 1654. In 1656 he was involved in the Sexby plot to assassinate Oliver Cromwell and restore the Monarchy. In 1660 he was taken prisoner by the Algerines, and was ransomed the same year. He became high steward of Queen Henrietta Maria's household, and retired to Ireland living quietly after 1663.^[1] Despite his subsequent conversion to Catholicism, Irish Catholic historians have never forgiven Lord Inchiquin for his role in the Sack of Cashel and many similar atrocities during the Irish rebellion of 1641 and the subsequent Cromwellian conquest of Ireland.

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