History
Cusack family connections start from when Geoffrey de Cusack arrived from CUSSAC, north west of Bordeaux, in the Duchy of Aquitaine, France in 1172. Geoffrey built his castle at Killeen (Co. Meath) in 1181. Included are references to the estates acquired by some of his descendants as well as descriptions of the family Crest and Motto also the Memorial Stones and the fine Epitaph to Sir Thomas Cusack and the last of the Cusacks at Killeen - Lady Joan de Cusack.
The de Cussac Royal French connection can be studied in the Generlogiques et Historique de la Noblesse de France and also in Genealogie de la Maison de Cusack. The particules - "de" or "de la" - are badges of nobility and are only recognised by letters patent from a king of France.
The de Cussac family originally held land and influence over present day Cussac-Lamarque in the Medoc region of France, north of Bordeaux in what was then the Duchy of Aquitaine.
Geoffrey de Cusack arrival in Ireland was not long after the first Normans had landed in 1169.
Geoffrey was granted the manor of Killeen, 3,346 acres (13.54 km2), by Adam de Feypo, a relative who obtained his lands by charter (see The Song of (King) Dermot and the Earl (Strongbow)), and like Adam he was subject to Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath.
He married Matilda le Petit, sister of William le Petit who held a Barony at Mullingar and a castle at Donboyne (ORPED, ii, p. 120), sometime before 1181 and bore him at least two sons, Adam and William (English Public Records) however Irish Languish Pedigrees believe his eldest son was Geoffrey II.
Geoffrey de Cusack died between 1210 and 1218 he is the first of long lines of Cusacks in Ireland. Both the medieval and modern Cusack lines and genealogy of Geoffrey's offspring have been traced in great detail by Lt. Colonel Hubert Gallwey.
In 1399 the manors and estates of the Lordship of Killeen passed by the marriage of Lady Joan de Cusack to Christopher Plunkett of Rathragen.
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