of Iar Connacht. They were ultimately of Norman origin and Thomas de Jorse arrived in Ireland via Wales as a follower of the FitzGerald family. Initially, they married into the Ó Briain family of neighbouring Thomond but Thomas' eldest son Edmond "MacMara" Joyce married a daughter of the King of Iar Connacht. Some members of this family became Gaelicised and the area of Iar Connacht they inhabited became Dúiche Sheoighe. Legacy Although technically brought under the aegis of the British Empire's Kingdom of Ireland toward the end of the 16th century, the indigenous Gaelic culture and language of Iar Connacht would continue on for a long time after. As late as 1759, Edward Willes, the Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer, was quoted as saying of the area that it was still, "inhabited by the ancient Irish, who never yet have been made amenable to the laws. No sheriff dares go there to execute any process." Since the middle of the 19th century, most of Iar Chonnachta has been generally called Connemara largely due to the emerging tourist industry of that time. To this day, Connemara is geographically the biggest Gaeltacht in Ireland, where the Irish language continues to be used as a community language. Diocese of Annaghdown The religion which predominated at an official level in Iar Connacht was Catholic Christianity. The territory of Iar Connacht was associated with the Diocese of Annaghdown under the Bishop of Annaghdown, which had been formed in 1179. It was not mentioned at the Synod of Ráth Breasail of almost seventy years earlier, where the short-lived and firmly Ó Conchobhair influenced Diocese of Cong, based on the Augustinian Cong Abbey was mentioned instead (famously associated with the Cross of Cong). List of kings Kings of Maigh Seóla (later Uí Briúin Seóla) Donn mac Cumasgach, died 752 Maelan mac Cathmogha, died 848 Murchadh mac Maenach, died 891 Urchadh mac Murchadh, died 943 Donnchadh mac Urchadh, died 959 Brian mac Maelruanaidh, died 959 Muireadhach ua Flaithbheartach, died 1034 Murchadh an Chapail Ua Flaithbheartaigh, died 1036 Cathal mac Ruaidhri, died 1043 Amhalgaidh mac Cathal, blinded 1051 (died 1075) Kings of Iar Connacht Cathal mac Tigernán, died 1059 Rúaidhri Ua Flaithbheartaigh, died 1061 Aedh Ua Flaithbheartaigh, died 1079 Mac meic Aedh Ua Flaithbheartaigh, died 1091 Flaithbertaigh Ua Flaithbertaigh, died 1098 Brian Ua Flaithbertaigh, died 1117 Muireadhach Ua Flaithbheartaigh, died 1121 Conchobhar Ua Flaithbheartaigh, died 1132 Ruaidhri Ua