The Cenel Moain (Tirowen; Tyrone) were a branch of the Cenel Eoghain the leading family of which was O Gormley. Their original territory was in Cenel Enda, a territory just south of the Inishowen peninsula in Donegal, but they later displaced the Clan Conchhobhar chieftains as lords of Magh Ith. By the
end of the 13th century the O Gormleys had in turn been driven from Magh Ith by the O'Donnells and were later to be found as chieftains
under the Ó Neills in Derry.
The following passages from the Ceart Ua Neill (Rights of Ó Neill) describe the standing of the Cenel Moain and in particular the O Gormleys
in later centuries.
The lordship of Ó Neill over Cenél Moen. Mac Conallaidh, if he is senior to the stewards of O Gairmfhleadhaigh in succession to the
office of body-guard, receives the same bounty as O Gairmfhleadhaigh. The lodging of Ó Neill due from them is one night from Mac Aodha
and one night from O Ceallaigh and one night from Mac Conallaidh; and neither O Duibhin nor O Flaitbheartaigh are entitled to compensation,
however long Ó Neill should stay with them.
If Ó Neill be with O Gairmghleadhaigh, liability for supplying him and the retinue to which he is entitled rests upon the four villages.
His mercenaries shall be supplied by Coille Iochtaracha on Friday and Saturday when he is not with them himself. On the night that he is
in Ard Sratha his table is supplied by Mac Conmidhe from Loch I Mhaoldubhain, the Reciter's land. This is the rent of Ó Neill from Cenél Moen: two hundred beeves and a hundred and fifty marks of king's money; and rising out when they are summoned; and provision for a hundred and fifty men as normal billeting. And Mac Conallaidh has the duty of delivering the rent and handing it to the stewards; and fourpence with every beef for them; and if it should go astray, Mac Conallaidh must pay.
O Gairmfhleadhaigh is Ó Neill's steward of horses and his chandler. A penny out of the ounce! For the service of the stallion (O Gormley) gets two screpuls, but the lad who holds the stallion's head gets a penny of this, and two pence for (the lad who holds) the mare. The stewards of the prime stallion (attend) for service each Tuesday. And O Gormley gets half a pig's scull, and its lard and its guts for his candle-making but he only gets the lard of one pig per night. Provision for sixty men from Tir Fhiachra, and provision for sixty from Mac Cathmhaoil or from his territory. Provision for sixty from Muinntir Bhirn; hosting and encampment in addition from them all.
Clan Diarmatta (Clandermot), of the Cenél Éoghain, descent from Clan Conchobhair. The parish of Clondermot in County Derry is said to derive its name from this clan territory. An O'Carolan sept (O Cairealláin) as well as a Mac Ettigan (Mac Eitigen) were cited as chiefs of Clan Diarmada prior to the 13th century.
Not to be confused with Uí Diarmata of Síl Muiredaig, in Connacht.
Prior to the arrival of the sons of Niall of the Nine Hostages in the 5th and 6th centuries, this area of Ireland was probably inhabited by the tribes of the Uí Failge, Uí Enechglaiss and Dal Messin Corb, who later retreated into Leinster; the Cianachta, of Munster origin... For the northern Uí Neill: the Uí Macc Uais Mide, a Laigin tribe were a branch of the Uí Macc Uais of what is now the Barony of Upper Strabane in the northeast of County Tyrone. They settled in Mide (what is now County Westmeath with part of Offaly, Tirconnell and Donegal) and came very early to be treated as a sub-kingdom of the Southern Uí Neill (North Gaels)... The descendants of Fiacha, son of Niall of the Nine Hostages, were collectively known as Cenél Fhiachaigh (Fiachach).
The Érainn were the second of the Celtic groups to come to Ireland. They were akin to the Belgae of Southwest Britain, and were generally known as the Ulaid in the North, and as the Érainn or Desi in the Munster (Muscraige) and the South... The Laigin, or Dumnonii, were the third ethno-tribal group to come to Ireland amidst the tribal kingdom of Ciarraighe, centered at Cruachu the ancient capital of Connacht. Branches of the Dumnonii settled first in the Devon-Cornwall area before others moved on to Ireland. Around Moray and borderlands, the Cenél Loairn derive their descent from Loam, son of Erc, king of Dal Riada in the fifth century.
Throughout the 11th and 12th centuries Laigin, Cianachta, Kings of Fermanagh or Fernmag in Monaghan- was O'hEignigh, O'Maolruanaidh and O'Dubhdara - were drawn from the Airghialla [Oriel], its Clann Lugainn branch, which is stated in the early genealogies to descend from one of the three Collas, i.e. Colla Fochríth. The O'Heany or Hegney (Ó hEignigh) and Mulrooney (Maolruanaidh) septs were noted as kings of Fermanagh (Fer Manach) until becoming tributary to the Maguires (Meicc h-Uidir) by the 13th century. Noted chiefs of Airghialla included Ua Laidhgnén (O'Leighnin?), Ua Éiccnigh (O'Heany or Hegney), Ua Cerbhaill (O'Carroll), Ua Baígelláin (O'Boylan), Ua Anluain (O'Hanlon), Mac Mathgamna (MacMahon), among others.
The Annals Cite: For 1128, A leap yeare and embolismal year. The men of Magh Itha, i.e. Domnall ua Gailmredhaigh, and the Cenél Moain stormed a house against the king of Fir Manach, i.e. Faelán ua Duibdara, and he fell by them, and a number of the nobles of the Fir Manach with him.
Medieval chiefs of Uí Fiachrach Arda Strátha were cited as Ó Críochain (O'Crehan or Creighton?) of Ardstraw, Co. Tyrone, as well as Ó Aedha (O'Hayes or Hughes?) who were also chiefs of Fir Luirg. The Annals Cite: LC1188, Ruaidhri O'Canannáin, king of Cenel-Conaill for a time, and also royal heir of Erinn, was slain by Flaithbhertach O'Maeldoraidh, through treachery, at the bridge of Sligech, i.e. after being enticed out from the middle of Druim-cliabh; and a brother of his was slain along with him, and a number of his people. O'Gairbh (namely, Maghnus), chieftain of Feara-Droma, it was that laid (violent) hands on O'Canannáin; and he was himself slain by the people of Echmarcach O'Dochartaigh, in revenge of O'Canannáin.
Surnames associated with the Clan Conchobhar of Magh Ith.