Seventeenth-century Upheavals
The Cromwellian settlement of 1651 resulted in a massive loss of lands and influence for the McInerneys, with much of their ancestral lands transferred in ownership to Sir Henry Ingoldsby. Much of the remainder of the sept sank in poverty and relative obscurity by the beginning of the 18th century. Notably, at least one member of the family suffered martyrdom during the Cromwellian wars and whose description comes down to us through Fr. Anthony MacBrody's 17th century compilation Propugnaculum Catholicæ Veritatis:
- were also hanged Hugh Carrige a parish priest, Roger M‘Namara, Daniel Clancy, and Jeremiah McInerney, friars of Quin convent who were born in Tradree.
It appears that Jeremiah McInerney was born of wealthy Tradree parents, related to the Bunratty Barony and according to other descriptions he was initially beaten with sticks and, after refusing to recant his Catholic faith, the Cromwellian soldiers then dragged him to a tree and hanged him. Edward MacLysaght, in his book "The Surnames of Ireland", also mentions a Fr Lawrence McInerheny who was martyred in 1642, however there appears to be no reference to this individual in the historical record.
The 1659 Census shows that several members of the family (described as 'gent') managed to hold on to some of their traditional lands, while others were recorded in the 'Transplantation to Connacht' book as of receiving less fertile land in the north and west of Co Clare because of their ‘rebellious activities’ during the 1641 uprising. Several leading McInerneys were transplanted from their original lands in Bunratty barony to other areas including the infamous Burren. It appears that several members of the family were active during the 1641 rebellion, most notably Loghlin McInerney who was present at the siege of Ballyally Castle (he possibly served as a Justice of the Peace for the O’Brien Earl of Thomond) and Mahone McInerney. Both of these men were recorded as being transplanted under the Transplantation to Connacht scheme but it is likely that at least Mahone maintained a portion of his previous lands, as evidenced by his record 1659 as having 19 sub-tenants on his lands in Kilnasoolagh parish. Several other prominent McInerneys were recorded in the 1659 Census and the name was ranked as one of the more numerous in the barony of Bunratty, having 29 'tituladoes' (landowners of some merit). In the barony of Bunratty 'John McInerhidny gent' held lands in Dromkeeny in the parish of Killraghtrish along with 9 tenants under him. This John could have been the John McInerney who occupied Ballykilty near Quin in 1641. Nearby Bunratty is the barony of Inchiquin where 'Loghlen McInerny gent' held lands in 'Rathrahan East' and a total of 13 tenants. This Loghlen is probably the Loghlen McInerney who was an active rebel in the 1641 uprising and was one of the besiegers of Ballyally castle. His name also appears in the 'Transportation to Connacht' lists as receiving several 100 acres (400,000 m2) of re-granted lands in Inchiquin barony and, interesting, a Loghlen McInerney is recorded as the 'senechal' of the Earl of Inchiquin manor courts in the 1670s. Further afield, 'Covara McInerny gent' held lands and 13 tenants in Ballyconna South in the parish of Killneeny in Burren barony. This Covera may be the son of Mahone McInerney of Ballysallagh as the namesake Cowerra McInerney was recorded as holding lands there in 1641 and is later recorded in the Inchiquin Manuscripts as undertaking a land contract at Ballysallagh in the 1650s. From these records it appears that Covara is used interchangeably with the names Cumara/Cowerra. In the townland of Fyntra in Kilferboy parish in the barony of Ibricknane, 'Teige McInerny gent' is recorded as holding land and 30 tenants in joint with several other tituladoes.
Numerous references to the name can be found in the Inchiquin Manuscripts and in other various documents dealing with 17th and 18th century land transactions. After the loss of their ancestral estates, members of the family dispersed into the surrounding counties, becoming relatively numerous in Galway and Limerick, as well as in Tipperary. As can be found in the Tithe Applotment Books (c1826) and the Griffth Valuation (c1851) records, McInerneys were quite numerous in Co Clare, as well as in Limerick city and in clusters around the Killaloe and Ballina area, as well as in the district of Castletownarra in north-west Tipperary. Following the 1845–48 famine many of family emigrated to the US, Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand. By 1876 some McInerneys were still located on lands nearby their traditional patrimony in Kilnasoolagh parish and in that year a Patrick McInerney of Clenagh held 99 acres (400,000 m2) outright as a landowner.
Read more about this topic: Mc Inerney