O' Neill is possibly the oldest European surname. The main Ulster sept traced its direct ancestry from Donell O'Néill grandson of Niall, King of Ireland, who was killed in battle by the Vikings in 919. The tribal name Ui Néill, however, was far older, being that of a branch of the royal house of Tara claiming descent from Niall of the Nine Hostages in about 360. The tribe held Tir Eoghan (modern Tyrone with some of Derry and Donegal or Ailech) and for many centuries claimed to be High Kings of Ireland, although it is extremely doubtful that their writ ever extended over Munster.The descendants of Eoghan, son of Niall of the Nine Hostages in the fifth century, together with his brothers Conall Gulban and Eoghan, conquered the land of north-west Ulster: which was then divided between them:
| The Cenél Eoghain were one of the main branches of the Northern Uí Neill. The Tirowen territory comprised Tyrone and part of Derry and Tir Eoghan meaning ‘Eoghan’s country.’ Eoghan captured the stronghold at Aileach and his kingdom included the penninsula known as Inishowen (Inish Eoghain) | |
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The Cenél Conaill, a sept the Cenél Aedha descended from Conall Gulban who are said to have given their name to the barony of Tirhugh, alias Tír Aedha, in counties Antrim, Down, and Donegal. In Irish tradition, the naming of Tír Aedha is also cited at Tipperary from Aodh Ruadh, aka Tír n-Aeda Ruaid mic Badhuirnn (mic Airgedmair), a legendary monarch of Ireland and father of Macha, founder of Emain. From the same name comes Eas Ruaidh (Assaroe, now Ballyshannon), an early name for this region of (Tirconnell) Donegal.By the 13th century the O'Donnells rose to dominance among the septs of Cenél Conaill, the O'Gallaghers becoming the leaders of the O'Donnell calvary. |
After Niall's death, a number of his sons, led by Eoghan and Conall Gulban, headed north from Tara to rule the northern territories of Ulster. Their descendants became known as the Northern Uí Neill. The Northern Ui Neill divided into three great clans,
Meanwhile, the remaining sons ruled their territories in the Kingdom of Meath and became known as the Southern Uí Neill.
O'Heodhasa or O'Hosey, Chiefs of Cenél Tighearnaigh of the Northern Ua Neill - The Aradh Chiefs and clans of Tir-Owen in the 12th century along with the hereditary bards, the Ó Neill from the race of Owen and Clan Cian and Kinel Owen south of Thomond-Desmond, Dunseverick castle in much of Giant's Causeway. O'Mulfoharty, and O'Heodhasa (O'Hosey), were styled chiefs of Cenél Tighearnaigh in co. Tyrone according to O'Hart (Pedigrees). O'Hart's source was O'Dugan (Poems) who cites O'Maoilfothartaigh, over Cenél Tighearnaigh; and O hEodhosa, and O hOgain. ----An early Cenél Tigernaich genealogy: (Rawlinson) Áed mc Muiredaich m. Donngusa m. Duib Uinsenn m. Ainbítha m. Máel Éoain m. Fogartaich m. Máel Roit m. Fir Móir m. Muirgiusa m. Cobthaich m. Tnúthgaile m. Dáire m. Sáráin m. Tigernaich m. Muiredaich m. Éogain m. Néill Noígiallaig. Both O'Tierney (O Tighearnaigh) and O'Tiernan (O Tighearnain) are derived from the Irish word tighearna, lord, sometimes is teacher. Hegarty, sometimes O'Hegarty but seldom Haggerty in Ireland (a form of the name found among Irish-Americans), is in Irish O hEigceartaigh (eigceartach means unjust). Cenél Tigernaich, of the Cenél Éoghain. Tigernach, son of Muiredach and grandson of Eoghan was the progenitor of this clan, although the Book of Ballymote cites a Cenél Tigearnaigh as the race of Tigearnach, son of Eoghan, son of Niall.
O'Moriarty: `descendant of Muircheartach', in spite of one of their chiefs marrying a Fitzgerald in 1210, the sept's influence declined steadily after the Anglo-Norman invasion. Clan Neill, included the dominant Cenél Eóghain septs of Ó Neill and Mac Lochlainn, as well as many other notable septs. The name Ó Neill is said to originate with Niall Glúndub, a 10th century ancestor of the Uí Neill line. The reference here to Clan Neill refers to Ó Neill Caille- of Cork, his grandfather. Ó Neill and Mac Lochlainn are anciently cited as kings of Aileach, a base of power at the lower end of the Inishowen peninsula. By the 11th century the Ó Neill had established a seate of power at Tullahogue, co. Tyrone, and later became the dominant sept of the Cenél Eóghain. ----(Muircertach of the Leather Cloaks) An early clann Neill (MacLochlainn) genealogy: (Rawlinson) Domnall m. Ardgair m. Lochlaind m. Muiredaich m. Domnaill m. Muirchertaich m. Néill Glúnduib m. Áeda Findléith m. Néill Caille m. Áeda Oirdnide m. Néill Frossaich m. Fergaile m. Máele Dúin m. Máel Fithrich m. Áeda Uaridnaich m. Domnaill m. Muircherdaich m. Muiredaich m. Éogain m. Néill.
The O'Neill Clann Aodha Buidhe (Clannaboy) sept, taking its name from Aoch Buidhe (Hugh Boy), killed 1283, moved east to Antrim about 1300. Although many Scottish MacNeills came to Ireland with the 17th century plantation of Ulster, one sept, like the MacDonnells, originally gallowglasses, was established in Antrim 300 years earlier. Of MacMurray, one sept of this name was recorded in County Down by the 14th century. The majority of modern Murrays, however, descend from Scottish Murrays who came to Ireland in the 17th century. The Wexford Murphys of Kinsella descend from Dermot MacMurrough (1110-71), himself was the grandson of a King Murchadha. The separate Ulster Murphys were forced from Tyrone to Armagh by the (Southern?) O`Neills. The Murphys in Cork and Kerry were long thought to be descended from the Wexford sept, but probably descend from an unrecorded Munster ancestor. The sept of MacMahon in Co. Monaghan claimed descent from Mahon, son of Murtagh Mór O'Brien, High-King of Ireland, who died in 1119. The sept of MacLoughlin was the senior branch of the Ui Neills and was ascendant in Ulster before 1241.
The Clan MacNeil descends from Niall Og, a 13th Century chief from the family of Cowal and Knapdale, which was descended from the O’Neill clan of Ireland. The line of descent for this clan runs through the son of Aodh O'Neill, King of the North of Ireland, Anrothan, who married the daughter of a Scottish king. The MacNeill's are descended from what is today now know as Ireland... i.e., Muircertach of the Leather Cloaks .The kingdom of Ossory was largely a buffer state between Leinster and Munster. Its southern border were the Suir and Barrow rivers, though it originally extended to the sea and its rulers had some influence over the Norse kings of Waterford. In the north it may have once stretched over the Slieve Bloom and reached the river Shannon, but in the historic era it generally stayed to the south of these mountions, the boundary generally being the river Nore.
Apart from the church, the one other significant landowner on Islay in the sixteenth century was MacNeil of Gigha, with Knockrinsey and other lands in the parish of Kildalton. MacNeill of Barra, Colonsay, Gigha & Knapdale: MacNeill of Barra, MacNeill of Gigha, MacGugan, MacNeilage, MacNeiledge, MacNeilly, MacNelly, Neal, Neil, Neill, Neilson, Nelson. Siol Gillevray of the Gallgael confederation, the Race of Gillevray, consisted of clans Ewen, Lochlan and Neil: MacEwen, MacLochaln and MacNeil. Siol Gillebride confederation, the Race of Gillebride, included Clan MacInnes.