Kingdom of Leinster

Recap- de Clare/O’Flattery/Donnely/Flahey/Evan

On the west coast of Ireland in the year 1157 there stood a revamped monastery called Muckross Abbey which would school and house a special group of young men and women, most of whom were born in or relocated to the Kingdom of Leinster. This kingdom had seen much change, strife and conflict in the previous years. The royal family and the people of Leinster had experienced a long war between feuding tribes which resulted in their king, Dermott MacMurrough, being exiled to England. Upon returning to Ireland to win his kingdom back, he brought with him a Norman Lord, Richard “Strongbow” deClare, to help him. Strongbow in return would marry his daughter, Princess Aoife, and become ruler of Leinster when the King passed away from a weak heart. This string of events brought on what is known as the Norman invasion of the 12^th century.

                                                            (Gilbert de Clare)

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Chapter 1 de Clare/O’Flattery/Donnely/Flahey/Evan

Upon arriving at the revamped monastery the young adults would call home, the groans and whispers could be heard over the horse’s hooves. Immediate dissatisfaction was displayed over the small size of the accommodations. There were many buildings, Kilarney Hall being the residence of the Leinster young adults, which included two more from the village of Connaught. Henry and Thora were nobles sent by their families to complete the required time at Muckcross Abbey before they would marry and merge the two Noble families of Connaught. Henry was a large guy who was rather obtuse and overconfident. And even though they were betrothed, Thora was completely uninterested in Henry and made it well known.

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