Co. Armagh

[8 baronies] Anciently claimed to be held by the Voluntii, or the Uladh, before the 4th century AD. Ulster was an ancient province of northeast Ireland, named after one of its Chief inhabitants, the Ulaid (Voluntii). Ptolemy, the geographer, mentions the Voluntii or Uluntii as inhabiting the region Co. Down, together with a small part of that of Antrim, was anciently known by the name Ulagh or Ullagh, in Latin Ulidia (said to be derived from a Norwegian of that name who flourished here long before the Christian era. [Treens, Ogham, runes] Craebh Ruad (the Red Branch) as a reference to an area in and around modern county Down. The Ogham inscriptions of Ballaqueeney thus pointing to an influx from South Ulster to the Isle of Man, an immigration is in fact mentioned in the Annals of Tigernach for the yeare 254. The Annals of Tigernach give Clann Conmaig as a sub-division of Síl Muiredaig, the territory (Cenel Moain and related septs: Clainne Tigernain na Buannaide) giving tribute to the kings of Connacht and Leinster. The Mac Davey Burkes were later lords of Clanconway.

Other early peoples included the Pictish tribe of the Robogdii, the Cruithin and the Darini. Later there were the Dál Riata, Dál nAraide and the Dál Fiatach. The ancient Uladh genealogies cite Clann Conaill Cernaich, of the line of Ir lived the Sogaine - of modern counties Galway and Mayo, centered about the barony of Tiaquin, connected to Glas, of the race of Cairbre mac Neill.

The O’Beolairts (O Beollain) or Gillanders (Giolla Aindreas) of the Gaelic Cineal Eoghain were co-arbs (hereditary abbots) of St. Maelrubha-the Red Cleric, founded Aporcrosan in 672 in what was then Pictish territory (Cromarty, Easter Ross) at Applecross in Ross-shire where the Christian religion was brought to Wester Ross. They were a powerful princely family, and became earls of Ross in the early thirteenth century. The Cineal Conaill descend from Conall Gulban, son of Nial of the Nine Hostages and were possessed of the territory of Tirconaill (the land of Conall), now County Donegal. Towards the end of the fourteenth century they inherited the chiefship of the Clann Aindreas, or Clann Giolla Aindreas (Clan Gillanders), a native Pictish tribe related to the MacKenzies and Mathesons and among whom they had long been ecclesiastical and secular leaders.

 

Fews (Lower)
  • The Ó Neill of the Fews were later overlords in this ancient Oriel territory.
  • McShanes hereditary title is that of "a Chief of Moy Ith or Mag Itha. " The Ó Neills Mor, Clanaboy and the Fews. The Inishowen Peninsula of Co. Donegal was originally part of the Kingdom of Tirowen (Tyrone). To the South of the Inishowen Peninsula lay the Kingdoms of Tir Eanna and Mag Itha, also held by septs of the Cenél Eoghain. By 1247 the O'Donnells are noted as Lords of Inishowen for the first time (Annals), an apparent indication of Cenél Conaill expansion into a region traditionally held region by the Cenél Éoghain (Mac Lochlainn).
  • The Book of Ballymote cites a Cenél Tigearnaigh as the race of Tigearnach, son of Eoghan, son of Niall. (Clogher Bishops)
  • The First Census of the Fews - 1602

Fews (Upper)
  • an O Gairbith (O'Garvey) sept held sway here before the rise of the Mac Annadh (MacCann), lords of Clanbrassil. Úí Cheinnselaig broke the power of Úí Bairrche by seizing the Slaney valley from Rathvilly to Tullow, thereby separating the Úí Bairrche of north Carlow from those of southern Wexford. The O'Garvey (O Gairbhith) sept, from the same stock as (O'Hanlon), held sway in Armagh on the southern shore of Lough Neagh (Oneilland East) before being displaced by the MacCann's, lords of Clanbrassil. Garvey, lord of Iveagh. O'Gormley, chiefs of Cenel Moain, later of Magh Ith, driven into L'Derry county by the O'Donnells in the 12th century. O'Luinigh, O Cridhegen (O'Crean); O Gairbheith (O'Garvey).
  • Mac Annadh (MacCann), lords of Clanbrassil. The sept of O'Gairbhith fierce chiefs of Uí -Breasial of Macha, as well as the sept of Mag Duilechain over Clann Breasial. The sept of Uí Lorcain over the high eastern Uí -Breasail, and also the septs of the O'Longains, O'Duibheamhnas, and O'Conchobhairs all of the western Uí -Breasail.
  • The name Oneilland possibly derives from the ancient territory of Úi Nialláin, of Clan Cernaich. (Clan Cernaich) - The baronies of Oneilland East and West in modern county Armagh seems to have have derived their name from the ancient territory of Uí Nialláin. From an early date the Airthir kings of the Uí Nialláin sept ruled from Loch Cal (Loughgall) just north of Armagh. The Ua hAnluain (O'Hanlon) sept, among others, were noted as chiefs of Uí Niallain as early as the 10th century. They continued as chiefs in the area of the Oriors for the next few centuries.

Orior (Lower)
  • O'hAnluain (O'Hanlon) were cited as chiefs of Uí Meith Tiri, an apparent district in Orior.
  • The name Orior derives from the ancient territorial name of Airtheara (or Airthir), which is referred in the Annals from at least the 7th century.
  • In the 12th century Ua Tuaithchair (O'Tougher) is mentioned in this district.
  • Tanists
  • O'hAnluain (O'Hanlon) were cited as chiefs of Uí Meith Tiri, an apparent district in Orior.

Tiranny
  • Ronaghan is cited as a principal family in the 17th century

 

  • O Ceileachain (Kealaghan, O'Kelaghan, Callaghan) is given as former chiefs of Uí Breasail, a district on the southern shore of Lough Neagh.
  • According to the Irish annalists, Murdoch Mac Erch, chief of the Hibernian Dalaradians, early in the fourth century, by a series of conquests extended his dominions in the north of Antrim and the adjacent districts, while his brother Fergus succeeded in establishing a colony in North Britain. The founder of North Armagh is believed to be Colman, located midway between Downpatrick and Armagh. St. MacErc, a brother of Colman's teacher, Mochay, had charge of the church in Donaghmore in the fifth century and was a consequence of the reordering of the Irish Church by Rome in the twelfth century. The area that formed the small diocese coincided with the medieval baronies or territories of Upper and Lower Iveagh, what we might term today south and west Co Down. It also included a portion of Ó Neill land, that part of Co Armagh which lies east of the river Bann, and a tiny piece of south-west Co Antrim. A Cistercian monastery was established at Newry, dating from 1144.
  • The first intruders upon these earliest settlers were probably the Danish marauders. Subsequently the northern Scots harassed the inhabitants by numerous plundering inroads, and ultimately accomplished permanent settlements here, maintaining for a long time a constant intercourse with their roving countrymen of the isles. The Cenél nAlbanaich, a Laigin tribe were a branch of the Oirghialla that settled in the northwest Highlands and Islands in very early times. Their chief clans descend from Godfraidh Mac Ferghusa (i.e., "Fergus"), a prince of the Oirghialla in North Ireland who came to Scotland, or Albany, in the ninth century as an ally of Kenneth MacAlpin, first king of the united kingdom of Picts and Scots. The Cenél nAlbanaich settled north of Argyle in the Hebrides, in the area of Skye, where they acquired Pictish and later Worse connections. The chief clans which branched from the Cenél nAlbanaich are the Clann Dhomhnuill and the Clann Dubhghaill. The Clann Dhomhnuill or MacDonalds (Mac Dhomhnuill) descend from Dhomnuill, or Donald, son of Reginald (or Ranald) mac Somerled, King of the Isles and Lord of Argyle and Kintyre (1164—1207). Ranald’s mother was the daughter of Olav, Norse King of Man and the Isles. It was from her that he derived his titles in the Isles, his paternal grandfather Somerled being already Lord of Argyle (the Lordship of the Isles was under the control of the King of Norway until 1266).