[16 baronies, including Belfast City] Ancient inhabitants were a Celtic people called the Darnii, or Darini, Ithians, Irians (or "Clan-na-Rory"), The earliest Londonderry represents it as being chiefly the territory of the O'Cathans, O'Catrans or O'Kanes, under the name Tir Cahan or Cathan-aght, signifying "O'Kane's country" and a branch and tributary to the O'Nialls (Northern Úí Neill) - The Four Tribes of Owney (Uaithne). Nennius mentions the "regions of Dalrieda" as the ultimate (Sarmatian) settlement of the Scythian colony (from the Red Sea to the Saka era) in Ireland.

In the present county of Tyrone, the Scoti and sometimes the Erdini. The present county of Down and southern Antrim has traditionally been known under the name Ulagh, with the Voluntii- the district called Orgial, which also comprised the counties of Louth and Monaghan. This ancient territory Dalriada was named after Cairbre Riada, son of Conaire (or Conary) the Second, Monarch of Ireland, in the second century. Dalaradia, considered a part of ancient Ulidia, was the name of the territory in southern County Antrim (and part of Down).

• Settled by the O'Flynns (later O'Lynn) of Uí Tuirtre by the 12th century, and later formed part of the territory called the Lower Clandeboy. The O'Lynchs were early medieval chiefs of Dal Riada. In late medieval times it was divided into three parts: northern Clandeboy, the Glynnes and the Route. The largest (Down-Bangor) remaining individual land owner in the woodland area is the Clandeboye Estate, located a few miles from the town centre and was first settled in 1674, but the Clandeboye House of today dates from 1801.


O'Hood is cited here as hereditary bards of the Ó Neill of Clandeboy. The town Larne is situated on the north-western shore of Carrickfergus bay, or Belfast Lough on the opposite coast of Caledonia.

• Part of the territory called Lower Clandeboy.


O'Keevan is cited as a chief of Moy Linny, a district in the barony of Antrim. (Kilkeevan) In ancient divisions the south and south-western parts were included in the territory of Dalaradiae, or Ulidia, and the rest was designated Dalrieda. This included the ancient people of the Dal nAriade of lower county Antrim, the Dal Riada of upper Antrim (and of Scotland), and a people referred to under the ancient name of Cruithne (the Picts) at Emain Macha

• Part of the territory called Lower Clandeboy, held by the Ó Neills of Clannaboy (Clannabuidhe)

• Part of the territory called Lower Clandeboy.


Island Magee, the large isthmus on the southeast coast of Antirm is named for the Scotch-Irish clan of MacGee. The Three Baronies: Dartry, Farney, and the Lucht Tighe. In the 13th century the family of MacMahon (MacMathghamnha) held the superior authority with the title King of Oriel. Magee in Down and Antrim. Scottish and Irish clans historically descended from Colla Uais. In the ancient ecclesiastical divisions the territory of Orgiall was comprised within the diocese of Clogher; but in the 13th century the county of Louth was separated from Clogher and added to the diocese of Armagh.

• Part of the territory called Lower Clandeboy.


The Scottish MacCalmont family of clan Buchanan are noted near here in the 17th century.

• Part of the territory called Lower Clandeboy.

• Cothraige in Gaelic, part of this barony formed part of the territory called the Glynnes (Glens).


The O'Quinn sept has long been associated with the Glens of Antrim.
The MacDonnell (MacDonald) gallowglass sept from Scotland was firmly established here and in Lower Glenarm, Ballycastle, by the mid-15th century. The (Laigin) Clann Dhomhnuill includes the families of MacDonald of Clan Donald and Islay, the MacDonells of Keppoch and MacDonnells of Antrim, the MacIans, MacAlisters, MacSheehys, and the Clan Ranald. Taggarts Land (and Cromy) or Cromy and Taggartsland or Taggartstown townland is located in Antrim in the parish of Donegore. A few miles to the west, in the parish of Ballyrashane, Barony of Dunluce, County Antrim and in the parish of Billy, barony of Cary. Bangor is situated on the south side of Belfast Lough or Carrickfergus bay, and on the direct sea coast road from Belfast to Donaghadee (Copeland Isles). The third ethno-tribal group (Laigin) in southern Britain their Wessex kingdom, gave its name to Devon (Dumnonia).

A sept of the O'Haras migrated in late medieval times. According to tradition, the Firbolg tribes (Heber) ruled much of Connacht down to the third century. According to Ptolemy, this tract, with the districts included in the adjacent counties of Leitrim and Fermanagh, was occupied by the Erdini. This district, exclusively of the greater part of the present county of Fermanagh, formed also the ancient principality of Breifne. Sligo county was included in the territory of the Nagnatae (Cruachan, Connamera, Connacht)- It was afterwards possessed by a branch of the O'Conors, called for the sake of distinction O'Conor Sligo. Domnon and Domnann are place names in west and northwest Co. Mayo. Other tribes sharing the same area were the Gailenga and the Luigne (Connacht area), Leinster tribes of the Tuatha de Danann Celts from which O'Hara and O'Gara are descended. (Dingwall) The Book of Ballymote mentions the Glasraighe in Luigne of Meath, in the midland region of Ireland. Glasraige people

• Later formed part of the territory called the Rúta (the Route), held by the Mac Quillan sept, Lords of the Route, and styled as princes of Dál Riada, following the 12th century incursion of the Cambro-Normans. Clan McCain (Mac Úí Catháin, McCain). The Cambro-Normans had arrived in Cork by 1171 who settled in southern Wales after the Norman conquest of England in 1066. Henry II divided most of Munster among two of his men. Cork's city charter was granted by King John of England in 1185.

• Later formed part of the territory called the Route, a contracted form of Dál Riata, held by the Mac Quillan sept following the 12th century. At times of crisis, Normans were able to fall back to their main castles of Carrickfergus and Dundrum. Carrickfergus and Coleraine were the main ports, and each of the bailiwicks (counties) had a county court. By 1333, the Norman territory west of the Bann was mostly lost, and the earldom consisted of five bailiwicks: Twescard (Coleraine and the Bush valley), Antrim, Carrickfergus, Blathewyc (Newtownards) and Down. From about 1333 onwards, the Anglo-Irish colony in Ireland began to decline, and eventually became restricted to the area around Dublin, (known as the Pale) and to the regions controlled by the Anglo-Irish barons of Kildare, Desmond and Ormond.

• Settled by the O'Flynns (later O'Lynn) of Uí Tuirtre by the 12th century, and later formed part of the territory called the Glynnes. The sept of Ó Floinn (e.g. O'Lynn) became kings of Uí Thuirtre and Fir Lí by the late 12th century, and the territory name, Loch Inse Uí Fhloinn, is remembered in the name of the barony of Loughinsholin, in southwest county Derry. This was within the traditional territory of the Uí Thuirtre and Fir Lí, west of the Bann.


The Scottish MacKeown (Mac Eoin) clan, originally said to be called Bissett, settled in the Glens about the 13th century. The territory of the Uí Tuitre was also said to have included an area west of Lough Neagh (in modern co. Tyrone), as well as northwest of the great Lough in the modern barony of Loughinsholin, co, Derry. Loughinsholin itself is said to derive from the "lough of the island of the O'Lynns", i.e. the O'Flynn, chiefs of Uí Tuirtre.

• The O'Quinns, MacGees and MacAlisters are found in the Glens of Antrim. The Oirghialla were closely related to the Uí Maine. They were the Laiginian allies of the North-Gaelic tribe of Uí Neill, which virtually monopolized the high-kingship of Ireland during the post-fifth century historical period.


The Uí Maine were the great Laiginian tribe whose original territory comprised adjoining parts of what are now the counties of Galway, Roscommon, Clare and Ofally.


• The Oirghialla (Clan Donald) helped the Uí Neill effect the conquest of most of North Ireland from the Ulster Érainn, and later they settled a vast territory there including the counties of Louth, Armagh, Monaghan and Fermanagh, (Moray) a territory which is called after them, Oriel.

• Formed part of the ancient territory of Latharna (Larne) and later a territory called the Glynnes.

• Settled by the O'Flynns (later O'Lynn) of Uí Tuirtre by the 12th century, and later formed part of the territory called the Route, held by the Mac Quillan sept, Lords of the Route, following the 12th century.

A Scottish gallowglass sept named MacNeill may have arrived soon after this time to establish themselves as chiefs in this area. Niall of the Nine Hostages-his 21st descendant in line, also named Niall, left Ireland to establish a colony in Scotland in 1049, and founded the Clan Niall on the Island of Barra. The clan would eventually split into two affiliated entities, the "MacNeill" of Bara, and the "McNeill" of Gigha/Colonsay, under Torquil MacNeil in 1427. In the 17th and 18th Century, the McNeill's sent 58 families from the Western Isles of Scotland to Ireland, and they originally settled in Antrim and Derry. In the Gaelic divisions which preceded the seventeenth century, most of Leitrim, along with Cavan, was part of the kingdom of Bréifne. Septs of the Uí Neill

• Later formed part of the territory called Lower Clandeboy.


The O'Lynns (O'Floinn) are noted as chiefs of Lough Neagh centered here at the time of the Norman invasion.
The O'Heirc (Erke) served as chiefs in this barony

• Anciently a part of the Dál mBuinne patrimony, with Ua Serraigh noted as a chief. It later formed part of the territory called Lower Clandeboy.


The O'Heirc (Erke) sept served as chiefs here.
The O'Credan clan were chiefs of the parish of Magheramisk.

• Settled by the O'Flynns (later O'Lynn) of Uí Tuirtre by the 12th century, and later formed part of the territory called the Route, to the north of Lough Neagh.


The Tuath of Clann Fhacarda is noted in the east of Lower Toome. The Collas once also took from the Ulstermen that part of the province extending from the Righe and Loch nEathach (Neagh) westwards. Six major rivers flow into the Lough while the Lower Bann River provides the exit, carrying water from the north end of the Lough at Toome to the sea on the north coast of North Ireland, drying part of Co. Monaghan. Five of the six counties of North Ireland have shores on the Lough: Antrim, Armagh, Derry, Down, and Tyrone. How the Lough was formed when Ireland's legendary giant, Fionn mac Cumhaill or "Finn McCool", scooped up a portion of the land and tossed it at a Scottish rival. He missed, and the chunk of earth landed in the Irish Sea, thus creating the Isle of Man. Groups of the Uí Tuitre were apparently driven east across the river Bann by the rise of the O'Cahans about the 12th century, and are later recorded in the central baronies of Co. Antrim, i.e. Toome and Antrim. (Clan Conchobhar)

• Later formed part of the territory called the Route, to the north of Lough Neagh. In 1099 Donal O'Lochlainn led an army of the Northern Hy-Niall across Toome into Ulidia. He reached the Crew Hill and found the Ulidian forces ready for battle. The first is the Battle of the Crew Hill, in 1003 A.D., in which the Ulidians were defeated by their old enemies, the Kinel-Owen. Two years later another important event occurred--the visit of Brian Boru to the Crew Hill. The Civil Parish of Glenavy lay within the boundaries of the ancient Dalmunia-the ancient inhabitants of Antrim, Down, and Armagh.

• The MacDonnells (MacDonald) were a gallowglass family arriving in the 13th century and by the 16th century taking the lands of the MacQuillans.
  
  
• The MacAlisters were a Scottish sept with Irish Gaelic origin back to Colla Uais, the eldest of the three Collas.