West Breifne
Kingdom of West Breifne Bréifne Ua Ruairc (in Irish) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1256–1605 | |||||||||
| Motto: Buagh (English: Victory) | |||||||||
A map of 1450 Ireland showing Breifne O'Rourke | |||||||||
| Capital | Dromahair | ||||||||
| Common languages | Irish | ||||||||
| Religion | Roman Catholic | ||||||||
| Government | Elective monarchy | ||||||||
| King (Lord) | |||||||||
• 1250–1257 | Conchobar Ó Ruairc | ||||||||
• 1603–1605 | Tadhg O'Rourke | ||||||||
| History | |||||||||
• Dissolution of Breifne | 1256 | ||||||||
• Shired | 1583 | ||||||||
• Dissolved | 1605 | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| Today part of | Ireland | ||||||||
The Kingdom of West Breifne (Irish: Breifne Ua Ruairc) or Breifne O'Rourke was a historic kingdom of Ireland that existed from 1256 to 1605, located in the area that is now County Leitrim. It took its present boundaries in 1583 when West Breifne was shired and renamed Leitrim, after the village of Leitrim, which was an O'Rourke stronghold. The kingdom came into existence after a battle between the ruling O'Rourke clan and the ascendant O'Reillys caused the breakup of the older Kingdom of Breifne and led to the formation of East Breifne and West Breifne. The kingdom was ruled by the O'Rourke clan and lasted until the early 17th century, when their lands were confiscated by England.