MacMurrough ‘not guilty’ verdict
THERE were scenes of jubilation in Ferns as The MacMurrough Inquiry concluded with a shock ‘Not Guilty’ verdict.
Diarmuid MacMurrough, the King of Leinster, had been charged with bringing the Normans to Ireland and precipitating a full-blown invasion of the country and was effectively ‘on trial’ in a day-long Inquiry presided over by Justice Deirdre Murphy of the High Court.
Four teams of barristers questioned a variety of witnesses about the situation in Ireland and England at the time, while Diarmuid’s connections with Henry II of England and his relationship with other kings across Ireland, including the High King Rory O Conor, were examined in depth.
Never a man to be told what to do, Diarmuid refused to attend the Inquiry and denied its authority to investigate him. He was represented by his legal team instead. Other legal teams represented the Normans and Gaelic Ireland, while the Inquiry proceedings were managed by a fourth team.
The Inquiry was marked by surprise revelations calling into doubt the testimony of key witnesses such as St Malachy and the contemporary historian, Gerald of Wales. The arrival of Strongbow was greeted with hisses and boos as the brutality and ruthlessness of the medieval world was surgically exposed by the prosecution.
Drawing together the threads of the sometimes contradictory accounts presented by witnesses, Justice Murphy concluded that the level of treachery laid at MacMurrough’s feet was too high and he was no worse than many other Kings of his time. Furthermore, the judge opined that the Normans would probably have invaded regardless.
In seeking assistance abroad, she said Diarmuid was only doing what many other Irish leaders before and after had done. Drawing a comparison with the arrival of Spanish troops to help the Great O’Neill in 1601, Justice Murphy wondered if the Spanish and O’Neill had won that battle, would we have been subjected to 200 years of the Spanish inquisition?
However, she said it was a pity that Diarmuid himself didn’t turn up to give evidence – adding that he might perhaps be ‘persuaded’ to do so on another occasion.
In a final vote by the packed attendance in St. Edan’s Cathedral, the overwhelming verdict was that Diarmuid MacMurrough should not be condemned for his actions. Pushing his way through MacMurrough’s cheering supporters, his arch-enemy Tiernan O Ruairc King of Beiffni was heard to declare that the whole thing was a fit-up.
The High King Rory O Conor is understood to be considering an appeal.
Devorgilla, the femme fatale at the centre of it all, was whisked away after the proceedings by an unidentified man – but denied (again) that she was being kidnapped. Meanwhile, the man himself, Diarmuid MacMurrough, was unavailable for comment.
Catherine MacPartlin, Chairperson of the Ferns Heritage
Project, which organised the ‘Inquiry’, paid tribute to all who helped make it such a resounding success. Described by those in attendance as a ‘unique and innovative concept’, feedback on the day was incredibly positive she said.
Catherine also expressed appreciation to Wexford County
Council and the Ancient Connections, an INTERREG funded project linking Ferns and St. David’s in Wales, for their support of the event.