ULIDIA, DOWN, AND PART OF ANTRIM

The Chiefs and Clans of Ulidia and the territories they possessed in the twelfth century, as collected from O'Dugan's Topography, are as follows: --The Craobh Ruadh [Creeveroe] or the portion of the Red Branch Knights of Ulster, a large territory which comprised the central parts of the present county Down, with some adjoining parts of Armagh, is given by O'Dugan as the head territory of Ulidia. The principal Chiefs of the Creeveroe were--

Uí Felmeda Tuaidh  - included the O'Garvey sept of the Rathvilly area in County Carlow. The descent of Úí Felmeda Tuaidh is given, in the Book of Leinster, from Oilioll mac Muiredaig, alias Uí Onchon. Tulach Ua Felmedha, aka Tullowphelim, became the namesake for the parish of Tullow.

Craebh Ruad

In Topographical Poems (ed. O'Donovan), O'Dugan-O'Heerin appear to use the term Craebh Ruad (the Red Branch) as a reference to an area in and around modern county Down. In this poem they mention the following place-names, i.e. the peaky Boirche (barony of Mourne); Cuailgne land of cloaks (an area about Carlingford Lough); Magh Rath (Moira, alias Ráith Ruad, in Uib Echach Ulad); and Dun da leathghlas of cloaks (Downpatrick). Here he cites the Chief kings of Uladh as O'Duinnsleibhe and O hEachadha. He goes on to mention their 'nobles and plunders', i.e. O hAidith, O hEochagain, O'Labhradha, O'Leathlobhra, O'Loingsigh, and O Morna. From here O'Dugan enumerates the Chieftains of the area as: O'Mathghamhna; O'Coinne and O'Gairbhith, sub-Chiefs of Uí -Eachach Cobha; O hAinbhith, a Chief king; Mag Aenghusa, over Clann-Aedha; MacArtain, by charter the Cinel-Faghartaigh; Mag Dubheamhna, over Cinel-Amhalghadha, O'Mornha, the props of Uladh; Mag Duilechain, of the angles, over Clann Breasial; and O'Coltarain, over Dál Cuirb.

Dál mBuinne - alias Muintir Branáin, in Moylinny, east of Lough Neagh in the south of modern county Antrim.

The territory is described in The Irish Nenenius (Hogan) in the barony of Upper Masserene and also in the parishes of Kilwarlin and Drumbo. As such, their land may be considered a buffer area between the dominent Dál Fiatach and Dál nAraidi. The name Dál mBuinne is preserved in the medieval rural deanery of Dalboyn. The Dál mBuinne are claimed to descend from the Ulaid, where they have a minor reference in the genealogies of Rawlinson B502 and Laud 610 (Dal mBuindi). The Book of Lecan tells us the Chief families of the Dál mBuinne region included Dál Corbna Fuama, Dál mBuain, Cenél Máeláin, Úí Nádsluagda (or Dásluaga), Cenél nErnain and Gailine and Dál mBuachalla. A sept of Mac Serraigh (Mac Sherry?) are noted as later Chiefs of Dál mBuinne. The Dál mBuain, and Dál Cuirb, and Monaigh Arad, are called from 3 grandsons of Capha (Cabha), in county Down, according to O'Curry's Lectures on the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish History. Cited in O'Laverty's History of Down and Connor, the territory of Dál mBuain (aka Dál Buinne according to O'Hart) included the parishes of Drumbeg, Drumbo, Hillsboro, Blaris, Lambeg, Derryaghy, Magheragall, Magheramesk, Aghalee, Aghagallon, Ballinderry, and Glenavy. The Book of Lecan and other genealogies cite the Dál mBuain descending from Buan, son of Scannlan.

Dál n-Araidhe - referred anciently with the Cruithne of southern Co. Antrim and northern Co. Down. Dalaradia, considered a part of ancient Ulidia, was the name of the territory in southern County Antrim (and part of Down) where St. Patrick was held as a slave during his young manhood. Other tribes in Ireland with genealogical connection to the Dál n-Araidhe included the Loígis of Leinster, and the Sogain of Connacht. Northern branches of the Dál n-Araidhe included those of Eilne on the western side of the river Bann in co. Antrim. They were encroached upon by the Airghialla as the Uí Thuitre were pushed to expand their territory east of the Bann by the rise of the Uí Neill, beginning in the 7th & 8th centuries. By the 10th century the Uí Thuitre had acquired the territory of the Eilne branch of Dál n-Araidhe. The Dál n-Araidhe in co. Antrim included the Ua Loingsig kings who ruled Magh Line (Moylinny) from Lisnalinchy. Magh Line is described the Circuit of Ireland, by Muirchertach in the barony and county of Antrim, from Lough Negh to near Carrickfergus.

Kinelarty named for the Cenél Foghartaigh, e.g. Mac Artán, whose territory at one time included the present baronies of Kinelarty, Dufferin (Dubthrín) and part of Castlereagh, in county Down. According to Keating the Mac Artán genealogy derives from the same origins as the Dál n-Araidhe and Úí Eathach, his genealogy citing the line of Mac Artán descending from Sárán m. Cóelbad m. Cruind Ba Druí m. Echach m. Lugdach m. Rossa (of clann Conaill Cernaich).
 

O'Duinnshleibhe or MacDunnshleibhe

kings or princes of the territory (of this family was Rory, the last king of Ulidia. This name has been Anglicized "Donlevy," "Dunlevy" and "MacDunlevy")

O'Heochadha

O'Heochadha (Anglicized "O'Heoghy," "Hoey," "Howe," etc.) a branch of the O'Dunlevys

O'Haidith (Heady or Head)

O'Eochagain (or O'Geoghagan)

O'Lavary, O'Lowry, O'Luingsigh

(anglicised Longsy, Linskey, Linch, and Lynch)

O'Moran, and O'Mathghamhna

(O'Mahon, MacMahon) 

O'Garvey and O'Hanvey

were Chiefs of Hy-Eachach Coba, now the Barony of "Iveagh"

MacAongusa

Chief of Clan Aodha or Clan Hugh, the tribe name of the family. (The Mac-Aongusa, or Guinness, MacGuinness, and Magenis, had the baronies of Iveagh, and Lecale, and part of Mourne; and were Lords of Iveagh, Newry, and Mourne. They were the head of the Clan-na-Rory in Ulster)

MacArtan

Chief of Cenél Fogartaigh, now the baronies of "Kinelarty," and Dufferin

O'Duibheanaigh

(Devany, Duffeny, Dooney, Downey), Chief of Cenél Amhalgaidh, now "Clanawley," in the county Down

MacDuileachain or O'Duibhleachain

Chief of Clan Breasail MacDuileachain, near Kinelarty, in the Barony of Castlereagh

O'Coltarain

(Cole-ton, Coulter), Chief of Dál Coirb, in the Barony of Castlereagh

O'Flinn , and O'Domhnallain or O'Donnellan

Chiefs of Hy-Tuirtre: a people seated on the east side of the river Bann and Longh Neagh in Antrim; and descended from Fiachra Tort, grandson of King Colla Uais. Hy-Tuirtre comprised the baronies of Toome and Antrim, and was afterwards known as northern Clanahoy

O'Heirc

(Eric, Earc, Hirk) Chief of Hy-Fiachra Finn, in the Barony of Massarene

O'Criodain

(Credan, Creden, and Creed) Chief of Machaire Maedhaidh, now the parish of "Magheramisk," in the Barony of Massarene

O'Haodha, O'Hugh or Hughes

Chief of Fearnmhoighe or Fernmoy, a district in the county Down, on the borders of Antrim, in the Barony of Lower Iveagh

O'Caomhain or Kevin

Chief of Magh Lini, now Moylinny, a district in the Barony of Antrim

O'Machoiden

Chief of Mughdhorn or Mourne

O'Lachnain or O'Loughnin

Chief of Modharn Beag or Little Mourne. In addition to those clans given by O'Dugan, the following clans in Ulidia are given from other authorities

MacGee or Magee

of Island Magee

MacGiolla-Muire (MacGillmore or Gilmore)

who possessed the districts of the great Ards

MacRory or Rogers

Chiefs of Killwarlin

O'Kelly of Clanbrasil

Mac Coolechan, in the county Down

Ward or Mac Ward

Gowan (gobha: Irish, a blacksmith)

"Smeeth," and "Smythe") were of the Irian race and of the Clan-na-Rory, and were mostly expelled by the English into Donegal, whence large numbers of them emigrated to the county Leitrim, and more lately to the county Cavan. Dál Buinne, a district in Ulidia, was not given by O'Dugan; but it was situated on the borders of Down and Antrim, and contained the parish of Drumbo, in Down, with those of Lisburn, Magheragall, Magheramask, Glenavy, Aghalee, and Aghagallen, in Antrim. The Dál Buinne were of the Irian  

MacGowan (modernized "Smith)

 

Uí Blathmaic an area which included the north part of the barony of Ards, and much of the barony of Castlereagh, according to John O'Donovan. In Reeves' Antiquities of Down, Connor and Dromore it's name was preserved, for a time, in the deanery of Blaethwyc, or Blathewic, which later became the deanery of Newtownards. The name Blathmaic occurs in the genealogies and the Annals as Blathmaic mhic Maoilchobha, a king of Uladh about the 7th century.

Uí Labhradha - the 'extended family' name later represented by the Laverys (Lowry, et al), who were centered in the neighborhood of the parish of Moira in northeast county Down. O'Dugan, in his 14th century compilation cited in Topographical Poems (ed. O'Donovan), mention the O'Labhradha as a noble sept of the county Down area. McLysaght ( Irish Families) mentions that branches of the family were called Baun-Lavery, Roe-Lavery and Trin-Lavery. He also notes that Trin-Lavery became Armstrong in some cases, due to mistranslation. According to Reeves ( Antiquities of Down, Connor and Dromore) the Laverys held many townlands in the parish of Moira and in neighboring Magheralin, early in 17th century. It should be noted that the Scottish Lauries, Lawries etc. who immigrated to Ireland during the time of the Ulster Plantation of 1609 are said to have become known as Lavery and Lowry (which became O'Lowry).

Uachtar Tíre- described in Onomasticon Goedelicum as west of the inner bay of Dundrum, placing it perhaps in the southern part of county Down.

Monaig -The Journal of the Ulster Place-name Society places the Monaigh Uladh in the region of Downpatrick, which is located in the barony of Lecale (Leth Cathail, Galway). The Book of Lecan notes the Monaich Ulad of Rusat, and the Monaigh of Lough Erne. O'Curry in his Manuscript Materials mentions Monaigh Arad, being called from one of the three grandsons of Capha, in county Down. Reeves' Antiquities of Down, Connor and Dromore places the Cenél Maelche, a sept of the Ulidians of Dal-Araidians or Dál Fiatach, near Moira ( Mag Rath), county Down, or in Antrim, alias Monach. The Annals of the Four Mastersnotes Cearran, son of Colman, Chief of Cenél Mailche, was slain, in alliance with the Dal-Araidhe in the yeare 912, at Carn-Ereann near the Ravel Water in Ulster. The Book of Uí Maine places the Cenél Mailche in Monach.

The annals make note of Mac Giolla Epscoip (e.g. Mac Gillespie) as a Chief of Clann Aeilabhra, rector of Monach-an-Dúin, legislator of Cath Monaigh. O'Donovan places the Clann Ailebra in county Down ( Four Masters). MacLysaght ( More Irish Families) places these Mac Giolla Epscoips, Chiefs of Aeilabhra in the barony of Iveagh, county Down; later becoming erenaghs of Kilraine in couny Donegal. The Book of Lecan mentions the place-name Magh Monaigh, the four "prímthuatha na Bredcha" in Magh Monaigh in Ulster being the Cenél Dogfa, Clann Corcráin, Uí Thacain, and Artraidi. It goes on to note the Cenél Cridain in Magh Monaigh, in Ulster.

As tradition has it the ancient Manaigh or Monaigh occupied the area near Lough Erne, giving their name to the modern county of Fermanagh and Monaghan. The Journal of the Ulster Place-name Societyalso noted their presence in county Down. The Monaig are often associated with the Manapioi (Menapii), a maritime Belgic tribe of Northern Gaul who are noted on Ptolemy's 2nd century map of Ireland in southeast Ireland. They spread northwards as the Fir Manach, or Monaig in Irish. Early Irish genealogists claim they migrated from south Leinster, their descent from the ancient Laiginian ancestor-god, Catháer Máir.

 

 

Uí Eathach Cobha- was centered about the baronies of Upper and Lower Iveagh in County Down

There are various citations for the term Úí Eathach, and Úí Eachach, in the Ulster region. Úí Eathach Uladh is often given as an equivalent of Úí Eathach Coba (O'Donovan). The Uí Echach bega and the Uí Echach móra, of Síl Colla Focrích (the race of Colla-dá-chrich), are noted by MacFirbis and in the Book of Ballymote. One of both of these may realate to the Úí Echach of Oirgialla, in Tuath Echach, comprised the barony of Armagh, in modern county Armagh, as suggested by Leabhar na gCeart and by O'Donovan's edition of Topographical Poems of O'Dugan and O'Heerin). The Úí Echach na hÁrda, of the Ards of county Down, are given in descent from Eochaid Gunnat in the Book of Leinster. The Cinel-Eachach are noted by Seamus O Ceallaigh in the Airghiallian kingdom of Uí Fhiachrach of Ard Sratha (Ardstraw, Co. Tyrone). The Cenél Echach ín chodaig are noted (in H. 2, 7, T.C.D.) as a branch of the Bredcha (Brédach) in descent from Eochaid mac Eogain.

Note: Not ot be confused with Úí Echach in Munster

An ancient genealogy of the Úí Eathach, an offshoot of the Dál n-Araidhe, is cited as:   ( Rawlinson)
Flaithbertach m. Echmílid m. Áeda m. Echmílid m. Áeda m. Echmílid m. Óengusa m. Aitíd m. Laigne m. Blaithmeic m. Domnaill m. Conchobuir m. Bresail m. Fergusa m. Áedáin m. Mongáin m. Sáráin m. Maine m. Fothaid m. Conaill m. Cóelbad m. Cruind Ba Druí m. Fráechair m. Fergusa m. Lugdach m. Rossa m. Imchatha m. Feideilmid m. Caiss m. Fiachach Araidi m. Óengusa Goibnenn m. Fergusa m. Tipraite m. Bressail Bricc m. Briúin m. Feirbb m. Máil m. Rochride m. Cathbath m. Ailchada m. Cuindchatha m. Findchatha m. Muiredaich m. Fiachach Findamnais m. Iaréol Glúnmáir m. Conaill Cernaig m. Amargin m. Caiss m. Fachtnai m. Capai m. Ingai m. Rudraige m. Sittride m. Duib m. Fomuir m. Argatmáir m. Sírláim m. Find m. Blátha m. Labrada m. Ollaman Fótla m. Fiachach Fínscothaig m. Sétnai Airt m. Ébricc Bricc m. Ébir m. h- Ír m. Míled Espáine