The Furlong's Of Ireland- Part 6

A house in a swamp was an attraction in those days. You had an extra big moat around your home that did not cost money to build or to keep in repair. A "Pole" is also a pivot in Old France. maybe the house was the pivot of the Hore family who have never been important in Wexford since the Marshall of that name in the 1170 attack.

Sir Robert de Furlang (son of Richard) must have done his share of the fighting the Irish tribes but he found time to start a family and carry out his duties in the system of Norman life. we find records between 1278 and 1293 of his activities which include his wife Clara. We see the note about her son Philip which indicates that Phillip was born around 1300.

Women in those days could hold property in their own right and for a minor, this can also be observed in the English records around 1066. later women were treated like slaves and their property taken over by their husband.

The first Furlong i can find is in connection with the accounts of Earl Roger Bigod for 1282-3 when 10/-s was received of the tenement of Connough for feudal service for quarter fee by the hand of Master Robert Furlong. In 1278 Robert Furlong again paid 103/- for the same place as a quarter fee. By 1293-4 he was dead for in that year 29s 8d was paid by Clara Furlong for the farm of two parts of the land of her husband. being in Earl Roger Bigod's hand by reason of wardship.

This entry presumably refers to this fee, and the heir, then a minor, was presumably Philip Furlong who in 1307 held the 1/4 fee here.

Building or repairing castles or fighting must have occupied a lot of their time. No doubt they tried to use local "forced labour" but history shows that the native Irish were not suited for slave labour. They are too independent and fled to the hills.

The Furlong's of Ireland- Part 5

Over in England the source of all these attacks, the barons of England were doing their best to control the Kings dictatorial style and build up their own. They forced King John to sign the Magna Carta which gave barons more rights and common people less.

Sir Richard (Furlong), son of Thomas, also has little personal records to date. The Furlongs owned most of Shelimier West, west of the River Slaney according to records of the time. Richard owned 1500acres at least and no doubt there were other branches of the family who owned land also. We have a few fragments to date of other families. However I suspect that they would not own big places. It is my experience that the rich and most powerful member of the family would absorb or take the most profitable land in the family.

The old Forth Barony ryme reads " Proud Devereux, Stiff Stafford, Dogged Lambert, Gay Rochford, Laughing Cheevers, Obstinate Hore, Cross Cafer, False Furlong and Showy Synnot and Gentleman Brune"

We do know it was considered the act of a traitor to marry into an Irish family. This was because it ended with identity with the Irish tribes. We also know that some Furlongs did intermarry with Irish because we have Irish first names in some families. If so the Furlongs would not have continued to be in the Royalist camp. Maybe only some of them were "false" or should we suggest "sensible".

In the course of time the Furlongs became a very powerful and influential family. They engaged in many rebellions and fights with the government forces and in the old Barony of Forth doggerel they are alluded to as "Valse Furlongs". They generally sided with the Irish MacMurrough, Kavanaghs, hense the description "False".