Uí Néill


Niall Noigiallach (of the Nine Hostages) established himself as King of Midhe (Meath) at Tara around 400 A.D. This kingship was followed by many of his descendants, thereafter referred to as the Uí Neill. The Uí Neill dynasty divided into two in the 1400s, the Northern Uí Neill (Cenél nEoghain and Cenél Conaill) remained in the north while the Southern Uí Neill moved to Meath and the eastern midlands - they took it in turns to be Kings of Tara and, later, High-Kings of Ireland.

Contemporary writers, e.g. O'Rahilly and Byrne, suggest the three Collas are mere doublets of the three sons of Niall Noigiallach who conquered portions of early Ulster, their names being Eogan, Conall and Enda. Airgialla dynasts unrelated to three Collas. The Collas first went to their kin in Connaught [King Muiredeach] and there gathered a great army for the invasion of Ulster. On the plain of Farney in Monaghan they met the Ulstermen under their king, Fergus, and on seven successive days broke battle upon them, finally slaying Fergus and putting the Ultach (Ulstermen) to complete rout. Of the conquered portion of Ulster, from Louth in the south to Derry in the north, and from Loch Neagh to Loch Erne, the Collas made themselves the new kingdom of Oirgialla (Oriel).

Cenél nEoghain (Kinel Owen)


Son of Niall of the Nine Hostages, Eogan, King of Ailech (later referred to as Tir Eoghain, later Tyrone) took part with three of his brothers (Conall Gulban, Enda and Cairbre) in the overthrow of Ulidian power and the conquest of north-western Ireland, capturing the great pre-historic dry-stone stronghold at Aileech (whose keep can still be seen surrounded by three remaining rings of ramparts) circa 425; established his own kingdom in the peninsula still called after him Innishowen (Innis Eoghain or Eogan's Isle) between Lough Swilly and Lough Foyle; was converted to Christianity by St. Patrick himself, who called him "the lion Eogan mac Neill" circa 442; and died 465, being buried at Eskaheen. His descendants, known as the Cenél Éoghain, became the principal branch of the Northern Uí Neill.

Eoghan's sons included Muiredach, Binech, Fergus, Óengus, Dallán, Cormac, Feideilmid, Ailill, Echen, Illann, and Eochaid. Some of the clans of the Cenél Eóghain included those of Clan Neill, Clan Domnaill, Clan Birn, Cenél Fergusa, Cairrge Brachaidhe, Cenél Binnigh, Cenél Moen, Cenél Fearadhaigh, Cenel Tigernaich, Clan Conchobhair, Clan Diarmatta.

The Uí Chremthainn anciently inhabited the territory between Lough Erne and the River Blackwater, in what is now County Fermanagh and the north of (Oriel) County Monaghan. The chief branches of the Uí Chremthainn include the Clann Lugain (Síl Daim Argait), and also the O’Mulroonys or Moroneys and the O’Boylans. The O’Boylans (O Baoigheallain) were of the same stock as the O’Flanagans (O Flannagain) of northwest Fermanagh. The O’Boylans were, after the Anglo-Norman invasion, lords of all Oriel, a widespread territory stretching from Fermanagh to Louth. Later, in the thirteenth century, their power in Oriel was subdued by the MacMahons, and their territory was reduced to what is now the barony of Dartry in the west of County Monaghan, an area then known as Dartraighe.

Fir Lemna is thought to have been near Clogher (Clochar mac nDaimin) in modern county Tyrone. Another name for it was given as Síl Tuathail in Tuaiscirt. Mag Lemna is given in the parishes of Clogher and Errigal Keerogue in southern co. Tyrone and bordering co. Monaghan. Their ancestry is claimed from Tuathal, son of Daimíne (a quo Síl Daimini). The Uí Ceinneidigh, gave its name to the barony of Tirkennedy, co. Fermanagh and (O'Kennedy) of Ormond. These people were called the Uí Chremthainn (from whom the MacMahons descend from Mahon, another son of Murtagh Mor O’Brien). Tipperary, formerly part of the more ancient territory of Muscraige Tíre.

Fermanagh is in North Ireland while all the other neighbouring counties are within the republic. The River Shannon and Lough Allen divide Leitrim into North Leitrim and South Leitrim (Longford). At least three of the O’Rourkes were kings of Connacht, one of them having built the tower known as O’Rourkes Tower at Clonmacnoise. Breifne is the name given to the ancient territory which covered the counties of Cavan, Leitrim, part of Meath and part of Sligo. A sept in Co. Leitrim closely related to the West Breifne O'Rourkes, Lords of Breffny, also assumed the suname MacLochlainn from an ancestor named Lochlan, with the MacMorrices and the MacTiernans of Clann Tiernan of Cavan. Muircertach faced the resistance of Ulster kings, particularly the O'Lochlainns of Cenél nEoghain.

Clonmacnois

In the fourteenth century a branch of the Tyrone Ó Neills migrated to Antrim where they became known as O' Nial Clannaboy or Clann Aodha Bhuidhe (Clannaboy). The MacDonnells (Mac Domnaill) descend from Domhnall, son of Murtagh Mor O’Brien, High-King of Ireland, who died in 1119. A branch of these Thomond MacDonnells settled in Connacht.

 

Cenél Conaill


Son of Niall of the Nine Hostages, Conall Gulban, King of Tir Conaill or the Land of Conall (Tyrconnell, later Donegal), which was his share of the family's conquests in north-western Ulster after 425. His descendants, known as the Cenél Conaill, formed one of the principle branches of the Northern Uí Neill, and until the 12th century their kings were inaugurated at the sacrifice of a white mare, going down on all fours like a stallion and lapping its broth. As the kindred of St. Columbia, members of this branch were also Abbots of Iona 563-891 or later, Abbots of Dunkeld from the 9th to 12th centuries, and Kings of Scots from Duncan I (slain by MacBeth 1040) to Alexander III (died of a fall from his horse 1285/86).

Southern Uí Neill / Cenél Fhiachaigh (Fiachach)
The descendants of Fiacha, son of Niall of the Nine Hostages, were collectively known as Cenél Fhiachaigh (Fiachach). Fiacha and two of his brothers are said to be the descendants of the Southern Uí Neill septs, which included the O'Melaghlins (MacLoughlins), O'Molloys, MacGeoghegans, Foxes, among others. O Maoilseachliann, Kings of Meath

Around 700 A.D. the territory of the Southern Uí Neill included the

The ancient sub-kingdom of Brega as well as the royal sites of Tara, Knowth, and Lagore were also within its boundaries, which stretched through the modern counties of Meath, Westmeath, Longford, southern Louth and Cavan, and northern Dublin, Kildare and Offaly.

 

Corcu Duibhne


The name comes from Corc, a son of Cairbre Musc and his sister Dubinn.
As early as the 6th century, the Corcu Duibne, a kin group which was to later branch into the families,

    • O'Shea
    • O'Falvey
    • O'Connell
and had become well established on the Dingle and Iveragh peninsulas in the west of what is now County Kerry. Thesepts branched out from the Corcu Duibne in the 10th century.
    • Uí Séaghdha
    • Uí Failbhe
    • Úí Conail