71-626: The Cenél Conaill , or "kindred of Conall", are a branch of the Northern Uí Néill , who claim descent from Conall Gulban , son of Niall of the Nine Hostages , and allegedly the first Irish nobleman to convert to Christianity. Their kingdom was known as Tír Conaill , with their powerbase at Mag Ithe in the Finn valley, however they gradually expanded to cover what is now counties Donegal and Fermanagh . The Cenél Conaill clashed regularly with their kin
142-403: A Cenél nEógain king of Tara , and Congus , the bishop of Armagh , early Irish historians carefully constructed propaganda to shore up and cement Uí Néill political supremacy along with the ecclesiastical supremacy of Armagh . This possibly involved the ruthless re-writing and doctoring of genealogies, lists of kings, history, and early annals, tracing the current situation as having primacy all
213-545: A branch of the Cenél nEógain known as the Cenél mBinnig had colonised the area around Tulach Óc , or Tullyhogue Fort, the apparent royal inauguration site of the Airgialla. By the 11th century, having taken control of Tulach Óc, the Cenél nEógain had moved their royal seat there from Ailech, likely due to the significance of the site and that it undermined the kingship of their rivals. The first Cenél nEógain king to be inaugurated there
284-664: A common ancestor, Niall of the Nine Hostages . Other dynasties in central and eastern Ireland who also claimed descent from Niall are termed the Southern Uí Néill (together they are known as the Uí Néill dynasty). The dynasties of the Northern Uí Néill were the Cenél Conaill and Cenél nEógain , named after the two most powerful sons of Niall: Conall and Eógain . The Northern Uí Néill's over-kingdom in its earliest days
355-476: A different listing- Ui. mic Enda bogaine mic Conaill gulban .i. Melge, Lugaid,Criomhthann, Anguine, Niall, Cathair. Mac don Chathair sin Caelmhaine diaruo mac an Conall errderc . Saint Crona (Croine Bheag) is descended from the Cenél mBógaine, being 5th in lineal descent from Énna Bóguine. The Cenél Duach , or "kindred of Duach", are named after Tigernach Duí (Duach), son of Conall Gulban. Tigernach's son Nainnid
426-611: A kiss in return for water. Fergus and Ailill refuse and return empty-handed. Fiachrae gives her a quick peck, but not enough to satisfy her. Only Niall kisses her properly, and she is revealed as a beautiful maiden, the Sovereignty of Ireland. She grants Niall not only water but the kingship for many generations—twenty-six of his descendants will be High Kings of Ireland. Fiachrae is granted a minor royal line—two of his descendants, Nath Í and Ailill Molt , will be High Kings. This " loathly lady " motif appears in myth and folklore throughout
497-485: A year. Then Niall makes war against Leinster, and peace is concluded on the condition that Eochaid is handed over. Niall chains Eochaid to a standing stone, and sends nine warriors to execute him, but Eochaid breaks his chain and kills all nine of them with it. He then kills Laidchenn by throwing a stone which lodges in his forehead. Niall exiles him to Scotland. The story then becomes confusing. Niall makes war in Europe as far as
568-614: Is a cognate with Finn, and the Fianna were landless, aristocratic young men and women who had not yet come into their inheritance of land. Niall, the son of Ivocatus Magumedonus ('Eochaidh the Slave-ruler'), came to lead the Connachta in the fifth century AD. A biography of Niall can be constructed from sources such as the "Roll of Kings" section of the 11th-century Lebor Gabála Érenn , the Annals of
639-503: Is already apparent that not all of these lineages are related to each other within Niall's timeframe. For instance, the chiefs of Clan Donald are now known to belong to a branch of Haplogroup R1a, which split from Niall's hypothetical lineage over 20,000 years ago. Following a 2006 hypothesis by Moore et al. suggesting that his Y chromosomal signature had been discovered, popular science journalists and genetic testing companies began promoting
710-471: Is anachronistic for Niall's mother to have been a Saxon, O'Rahilly argues that the name Cairenn is derived from the Latin name Carina , and that it is plausible that she might have been a Romano-Briton. Keating describes her not as a Saxon but as the "daughter of the king of Britain". Mongfind appears to have been a supernatural personage: the saga "The Death of Crimthann mac Fidaig" says the festival of Samhain
781-399: Is deemed greater than Brión, with a sledgehammer, Fiachrae with bellows and a pail of beer, Ailill with a chest of weapons, and Fergus with a bundle of wood. Mongfind refuses to accept the decision. Sithchenn takes the brothers to the smith, who makes them weapons, and sends them out hunting. Each brother, in turn, goes looking for water, and finds a well guarded by a hideous hag who demands
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#1732844813614852-471: Is given in the possibly 11th-century tale Echtra mac nEchach Muimedóin ("The adventure of the sons of Eochaid Mugmedón"). In it, Eochaid Mugmedón , the High King of Ireland, had five sons: four, Brión , Ailill , Fiachrae and Fergus, by his first wife Mongfind , sister of the king of Munster , Crimthann mac Fidaig ; and a fifth, Niall, by his second wife Cairenn Chasdub , daughter of Sachell Balb, king of
923-562: Is mentioned as being at the battle of Móin Daire Lothair (modern-day Moneymore , County Londonderry ) where the Northern Uí Néill defeated the Cruithin . Baedan, grandson of Tigernach through Nainnid would rule as king of Tara for one year in AD 568. Northern U%C3%AD N%C3%A9ill The Northern Uí Néill was any of several dynasties in north-western medieval Ireland that claimed descent from
994-737: Is named as Niall's killer in all sources, although the circumstances vary. All sources agree he died outside Ireland. The earliest version of the Lebor Gabála says Eochaid killed him on the English Channel , later versions add that Niall was invading Brittany when this happened. Keating, quoting a Latin Life of Saint Patrick, says that Niall led Irish raids on Roman Britain, and in one of those raids Patrick and his sisters were abducted. Keating associates these raids with those mentioned by Gildas and Bede , and deduces that, since some Irish sources say Patrick
1065-413: Is wounded in the battle and dies of his wounds shortly afterwards. The Munstermen renew the battle, capture Ailill and cut him to pieces, and war continues between Munster and Connacht for many years. The Lebor Gabála Érenn says there was war between Niall and Énnae Cennsalach , king of Leinster , over the bórama or cow-tribute first imposed on Leinster by Tuathal Techtmar . Énna's son Eochaid
1136-513: The Chronicon Scotorum to 411. The later Annals of the Four Masters dates his reign to 379–405, and the chronology of Geoffrey Keating 's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn to 368–395. However, the early annals record the activities of his sons between 429 and 516, an implausibly long period for a single generation, leading scholars like Kathleen Hughes and Francis J. Byrne to conclude that
1207-525: The Annals of Ulster , in 788 the Cenél nEógain as part of a southwards push burned the monastery of Derry , which had been built by the Cenél Conaill in the 6th century. The following year, 789, the battle of Cloítech occurred between the Cenél nEógain, led by Áed Oirdnide , and the Cenél Conaill, for complete control of the Northern Uí Néill. The Cenél nEógain emerged victorious excluding the Cenél Conaill from
1278-796: The Cenél nEógain and Conall Gulban of the Cenél Conaill , making up the northern Uí Néill; Fiachu of the Cenél Fiachach dynasty, Lóegaire (the king who Saint Patrick is said to have converted) of the Cenél Lóegaire , Maine of the Uí Maine , Conall Cremthainne of the Clann Cholmáin and the Síl nÁedo Sláine , and Coirpre of the Cenél Coirpri, making up the southern Uí Néill. The O'Higgins family claims descent from
1349-731: The Eachtra Conaill Gulbain , 'The otherworld adventures of Conall Gulban', it details how sons of Niall Noígiallach, the eponymous ancestor of the Uí Néill dynasties, came forth from Connacht , and invaded the north-western territory of the Ulaid , conquering it from the indigenous people, the Dál Fiatach . This territory roughly equated to present-day County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland. Here they founded their own over-kingdom and dynasties:
1420-487: The MacSweens all claim descent from an Irish prince of the O'Neill dynasty , Ánrothán Ua Néill/Anrothan O'Neill, son of Áed, son of Flaithbertach Ua Néill , King of Ailech and Cenél nEógain , who left Ireland for Kintyre in the 11th century and died 1036. As next-generation sequencing has become available, various chief lines have been tested. Although these studies are not coordinated with each other and are ongoing, it
1491-412: The O'Donnells , O'Dohertys , O'Boyles and O'Gallaghers . The most famous descendant of the Cenél Conaill is Saint Columba , who founded the monastery at Derry , and is claimed as being the grandson of Conall Gulban. Below is a chart listing the ancestry of the Cenél nEógain from Fergal mac Máele Dúin , the first of the lineage to be recorded in historical records. Prominent branches and clans of
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#17328448136141562-466: The Saxons . While Cairenn is pregnant with Niall, the jealous Mongfind forces her to do heavy work, hoping to make her miscarry . She gives birth as she is drawing water, but out of fear of Mongfind, she leaves the child on the ground, exposed to the birds. The baby is rescued and brought up by a poet called Torna . When Niall grows up he returns to Tara and rescues his mother from her labour. Although it
1633-400: The kingdom of Bréifne . With the expansion of the Cenél nEógain into Airgiallan territory, the church of Armagh, which claimed primacy over Ireland, came under their influence. With Armagh continuing to produce propaganda promoting its own ecclesiastical supremacy, it helped advance the claims of the Cenél nEógain. Throughout the 9th century, the coastline of Ailech and the rest of Ulster
1704-542: The 2nd millennium BC, long before Niall is claimed to have lived, so his descendants would only represent a minority of men in this group even if Niall had been a historical figure. Perhaps even more problematic is the dearth of M222 lineages in Midlands samples. We would expect to find a large concentration of Niall's descendants there, as the Southern Uí Néill were dominant in that region, but we do not. Because of that,
1775-470: The 8th century when the historical period in Ireland started. (Ua Canannain) Mael Doraid (Ua Maildoraid) King Fintan of Ulster 1946- Prince Ciaran, Paul, Michael and Princess Sinead Princess Emily O'Neill, daughter of Kieran, heir to the throne B.2004- Prominent branches and clans of the Cenél Conaill include
1846-548: The Alps, and the Romans send an ambassador to parlay with him. Abruptly, the tale then has Niall appearing before an assembly of Pictish bards in Scotland, where he is killed by an arrow shot by Eochaid from the other side of the valley. Keating has Eochaid shoot Niall from the opposite bank of the river Loire during his European campaign. His men carry his body home, fighting seven battles on
1917-468: The Cenél Conaill and Cenél nEógain, Detailed analysis of maternal ancestries, placenames, hagiography, archaeology, and saints’ genealogies, has brought the origins of the Cenél Conaill branch of the Northern Uí Néill into question, with it being claimed that they are most likely a branch of the Cruithin , linked to the Uí Echach Coba of Iveagh, and Conaille Muirtheimne . Adding to the confusion over
1988-619: The Cenél Conaill to the west, the Cenél nEógain advanced from their base in the Inishowen peninsula, crossing over the River Foyle into the present-day counties Londonderry and Tyrone in Northern Ireland . Tyrone derives its name from the Cenél nEógain: Tír nEógain , the "land of Eógan". Airgialla was a confederation of nine sub-kingdoms, with its name meaning 'hostage-givers' in reference to its subordination. The eponymous ancestor of
2059-446: The Cenél Conaill were the dominant branch, and were so from the 6th to late 8th centuries. However throughout the 6th and 7th centuries, they and the Cenél nEógain are claimed to have been vying over dominance of the over-kingdom. In 734, after a challenge from Áed Allán, king of the Cenél nEógain, the Cenél Conaill over-king of the Northern Uí Néill, and the Uí Néill as a whole, Flaithbertach mac Loingsech abdicated. From then onwards
2130-415: The Cenél Conaill's dominance started to wane, and their rulers would never again attain the status of over-king of the Uí Néill. It was from this point that the lengthy rotation of the kingship of Tara between the Cenél nEógain and Clann Cholmáin of the Southern Uí Néill started. The power of the Cenél Conaill collapsed around the 780s, allowing the Cenél nEógain to advance against them. According to
2201-464: The Cenél nEogain, eventually capturing the latter's original power-base of Ailech in the Inishowen peninsula —in modern-day County Donegal —by the 12th century. Below is a list of their principle clans and septs. The Cenél Luighdech (more commonly known as Sil Lugdach ) descend from Lugaid mac Sétnai, the great-grandson of Conall Gulban . Their tribal territory extended from Dobhar (Gweedore) to
Branches of the Cenél Conaill - Misplaced Pages Continue
2272-471: The Cenél nEógain include the O'Neills and MacLaughlins . However, the MacLaughlins' defeat at the hands of the O'Neills in 1241 led to the O'Neills' dominance over the Cenél nEógain. Niall No%C3%ADgiallach Niall Noígíallach ( pronounced [ˈn͈ʲiːal͈ n͈oiˈɣʲiːal͈əx] ; Old Irish "having nine hostages "), or Niall of the Nine Hostages , was a legendary, semi-historical Irish king who
2343-669: The Cenél nEógain suffered some losses. The Ua Dochartaig ( O'Doherty ) who had come to prominence in Tír Conaill eventually forced the Cenél nEógain out of Inishowen, with the Ua Domnaill ( O'Donnell ) expelling the Cenél nEógain family Ua Gairmledaig ( O'Gormley ) of Cenél Moain from Mag nÍtha. Eventually Fír Luirg and Tuatha Ratha came under the dominance of the Mag Uidhir ( Maguire ) lordship of Fir Manach . Cairpre Dromma Cliab had also been lost, having been conquered by Tigernán Ua Ruairc of
2414-547: The Empire to continental Europe, with Alba , the ancient name for Britain, being confused with Elpa , the Alps, or being understood with its later meaning of Scotland. A poem by the 11th-century poet Cináed Ua hArtacáin in the Book of Leinster credits Niall with seven raids on Britain, on the last of which he was killed by Eochaid "above the surf of the Ictian Sea"; a poem attributed to
2485-872: The Eoghanacht, while another group of them migrated north and formed a new kingdom west of the River Shannon where they became known as the Connachta after a revered leader named Conn. These Connachta later extended their power eastward into the plain of Meath, and under the leader Teutovalos Teachtmhar overthrew the kingship of the Lagini at Tara around AD 300. As the Celtic language in Ireland transformed into Irish between AD 400–500, Venii became Féni, and were also known to have called themselves Gaídhil (from Common Celtic *wēdelos, Brythonic gwddel, Goidelic *wēdus to Old Irish Goídel—meaning savage woodsman, wild, raider). The Primitive Irish Vendo
2556-452: The Four Masters , compiled in the 17th-century, chronicles such as Geoffrey Keating 's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn (1634), and legendary tales like the 11th-century "The Adventure of the Sons of Eochaid Mugmedon" and "The Death of Niall of the Nine Hostages". These sources date from long after Niall's time and they have little to no value as history. A legendary account of Niall's birth and early life
2627-589: The Gaulish seafaring tribe of the Veneti, who originated in south-east Armorica (modern Brittany, France). Some of these sailors probably migrated to Cornwall, and later to south-eastern Ireland where they became known as the Venii and grew in power. They worshipped a ram god and sometimes called themselves Ghaisonli ('spear-men'), possibly to compete in propaganda with the Lagini ('lance-men'). The southern Venii came to be known as
2698-596: The Nine Hostages . His father, Ainmirech mac Sétnai was the brother of Lugaid mac Sétnai, founder of the Cenél Luighdech. The Cenél Aedha are said to have given their name to the barony of Tirhugh ( Tír Aedha ). Gallchobar was the principal descendant of Conall Gulban, allowing the Gallaghers to claim to be the most senior and prestigious branch of the entire Cenél Conaill. (O'Conlon, Conlon , Conlan) The Cenél Eanna or Enda , or "kindred of Enda", descend from Eanna,
2769-599: The Southern branch of Uí Néill . Famous descendants include Niall's great-great-grandson Saint Columba , Saint Máel Ruba , the Kings of Ailech , the Kings of Tir Eogain , and the Kings of Tír Conaill . The Scottish Clan Ewen of Otter , Gilchrist; Clan Lamont ; the MacSorleys of Monydrain, (of Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg a branch of Clan Donald ); Clan Maclachlan ; Clan MacNeil , and
2840-594: The Three Collas ; or perhaps an anonymous Cruithin prince. The over-kingdom of the Northern Uí Néill was known originally as In Fochla , meaning 'the North', with the over-king styled as rí ind Fhochlai , the 'king of the North'. It was divided into several sub-kingdoms, which on their own held dominance over smaller tuatha . The territory of the Cenél Conaill was called Tír Conaill , meaning 'the land of Conall'. The territory Tír Conaill (Anglicised as Tyrconnell ) held by
2911-461: The Uí Néill was Niall Noigiallach, or 'Niall of the Nine Hostages', and it is suggested that this may be the origin of his nickname. Originally under the dominance of the Ulaid, Niall Caille , the son of Áed Oirdnide, brought Airgialla under the hegemony of the Northern Uí Néill after defeating the combined forces of the Airgialla and Ulaid at the battle of Leth Cam in 827. During the 10th century,
Branches of the Cenél Conaill - Misplaced Pages Continue
2982-583: The Vikings largely left Ulster alone for many years afterwards, leaving little imprint on Ulster compared to the rest of Ireland. By the time the Normans arrived in Ulster in the latter 12th century, the Vikings' only settlement of note was "Ulfrek's ford" (modern-day Larne ). It has been proposed that the Cenél nEógain occupied the site of Grianán fort, which may have been within Cenél Conaill territory, and as new kings of
3053-456: The ancient kingdom of Ulster and the creation of the kingdoms of Tír Chonaill and Tír Eoghain , and the satellite kingdom of the Airgíalla . O'Rahilly and Byrne argue that the literary sources, though late and garbled, preserve genuine traditions that Niall led raids on Britain , and perhaps died on one. Professor Dáithí Ó hÓgáin seems to indicate that Niall was probably a descendant of
3124-411: The events of the later half of the 5th century have been extended backwards to accommodate as early a date as possible for the arrival of Saint Patrick , with the effect of pushing Niall back up to half a century. Hughes says "Niall himself must have died not before the middle of the fifth century". Byrne, following James Carney, is a little more precise, dating his death to c. 452. Niall is placed in
3195-579: The five provinces of Ireland, and four from Scotland. O'Rahilly suggests that the nine hostages were from the kingdom of the Airgialla (literally "hostage-givers"), a satellite state founded by the Ui Néill's conquests in Ulster, noting that the early Irish legal text Lebor na gCeart (" The Book of Rights ") says that the only duty of the Airgialla to the King of Ireland was to give him nine hostages. Bold indicates
3266-574: The high kingship. But while he is away on a tour of his lands in Scotland, Mongfind's sons seize Ireland. Crimthann returns to Ireland intending to give battle. Mongfind, purporting to make peace between her brother and her sons, holds a feast, at which she serves Crimthann a poisoned drink. Crimthann refuses to drink it unless she does too; they both drink, and both die. Niall succeeds to the High Kingship, and Brión becomes his second in command. Another version has Mongfind try to poison Niall, but she takes
3337-550: The identification of M222 with Niall's descendants is "difficult to justify". There are various versions of how Niall gained his epithet Noígíallach . The saga "The Death of Niall of the Nine Hostages" says that he received five hostages from the five provinces of Ireland ( Ulster , Connacht , Leinster , Munster and Meath ), and one each from Scotland , the Saxons , the Britons and the Franks . Keating says that he received five from
3408-561: The late 16th century, would become the basis for County Donegal. The territory of the Cenél nEógain was called Inis Eógain , meaning "Eógain's island", the name of which survives today as the name of the Inishowen peninsula . Their king was styled as rí Ailig , the ' king of Ailech ', with their base being the Grianan of Aileach at the entrance of the Inishowen peninsula. The Cenél Conaill and Cenél nEógain are assumed to have established lordship over their neighbouring local tuatha . Originally
3479-428: The minor Cianacht ; however over the following centuries they would come to conquer and dominate the majority of Ulster. The rate of this expansion has been claimed as equating to a rate of less than 10 miles per century. The main beneficiary of this was the Cenél nEógain, whose gains came largely at the expense of the over-kingdom of Airgialla in central Ulster, as well as the Ulaid further east. Facing pressure from
3550-577: The most fecund male in Irish history. This suggestion is no longer plausible. Niall does not have verifiable remains that can be tested. Furthermore, the paper examined only 17 STR loci, which are not a reliable means of verifying descent, as SNPs, which define haplogroups and subclades, would be. Indeed, more recent estimates indicate that the R1b-M222 subclade marked by the Moore et al. haplotype probably originated in
3621-496: The over-kingdom, renamed it after their home territory, giving it its present-day name of the Grianán of Ailech . It is usually identified, whether correctly or not, as the capital of the Cenél nEógain from the 6th century, until its destruction in 1101 by Muirchertach Ua Briain, king of Munster . Below is a chart listing the ancestry of the Cenél Conaill from Niall of the Nine Hostages , which contains figures from oral history until
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#17328448136143692-454: The over-kingship as well as from Mag nÍtha, the valuable plains south of Greenan Mountain in Inishowen. Following this battle, the Northern Uí Néill over-kingdom became known as "Ailech" instead of "In Fochla" and "In Tuaiscert". The Cenél Conaill were afterwards confined to their sub-kingdom of Tír Conaill. The Northern Uí Néill were initially hesitant to test the might of Ulster's more powerful kingdoms such as Airgialla , Ulaid , and even
3763-542: The poison herself by mistake. While Niall is the high king, his brothers establish themselves as local kings. Brión rules the province of Connacht, but Fiachrae makes war against him. Brión defeats Fiachrae and hands him over as a prisoner to Niall, but Fiachrae's son Nath Í continues the war and eventually kills Brión. Niall releases Fiachrae, who becomes king of Connacht and Niall's right-hand man. Fiachrae and Ailill then make war against Crimthann's son Eochaid, king of Munster. They defeat him and win great spoils, but Fiachrae
3834-541: The river Suilidhe ( Swilly) in County Donegal. The O'Donnells and O'Dohertys who descend from this branch, were the two principal and most powerful septs of the Cenél Conaill. The most famous descendant of the Cenél Conaill is Saint Columba , who founded the monastery at Derry , and is claimed as being the grandson of Conall Gulban. Extra: The Cenél Aedha ("kindred of Aed") are descended from Aedha mac Ainmirech, great-great grandson of Conall Gulban , son of Niall of
3905-445: The same poet in Lebor na hUidre credits him with going to the Alps seven times. Keating credits Niall with two wives: Inne, daughter of Lugaid, who bore him one son, Fiachu ; and Rignach, who bore him seven sons, Lóegaire , Éndae , Maine , Eógan , Conall Gulban , Conall Cremthainne and Coirpre . These sons are the eponymous ancestors of the various Uí Néill dynasties: Eógan of
3976-691: The sixth son of Conall Gulban. They are listed as kings of Magh Ith, Tír Eanna, and Fanad in present-day County Donegal, a territory around the southern tip of Inishowen. The Cenél mBógaine , or "kindred of Binny", descend from Énna Bóguine, son of Conall Gulban. The territory of the Cenél mBógaine is stated as Tír Boghaine, which O'Donovan equates to being the barony of Banagh, and part of the barony of Boylagh in County Donegal. The Laud 610 Genealogies, compiled c.1000 AD, give seven sons for Énna Bóguine- Secht maic Bógaine .i. Áedh Cesdubh, Feidilmid, Brandubh Caech Cluassach, Anmere, Crimthan Lethan, Fergus, Eichín & Melge . However O'Clery's Book of Genealogies give
4047-538: The theory that millions alive today have an unbroken descent from Niall. Geneticists at Trinity College Dublin found that 21 per cent of men from north-western Ireland, 8 per cent from all of Ireland, a substantial percentage of men from western and central Scotland, and about 2 per cent of men from New York bore the same Y-chromosome haplotype . The geneticists estimated that about 2–3 million men bear this haplotype. Moore et al. concluded that these men descend from "a single early-medieval progenitor" and implied this
4118-403: The traditional list of High Kings of Ireland . However, the traditional roll of kings and its chronology is now recognised as artificial. The High Kingship did not become a reality until the 9th century, and Niall's status has probably been inflated in line with the political importance of the dynasty he founded. T. F. O'Rahilly argues that Niall and his sons were responsible for the breakup of
4189-424: The true origins of the Cenél Conaill and Cenél nEógain, recent DNA analysis of descendants from both branches shows a common ancestor in the north-west of Ireland dating from around 1,730 years ago. Niall Noígiallach has been ruled out by historian Brian Lacey as being this ancestor, providing other possible candidates including: Cana mac Luigdech Lámfhata, Dál Fiatach leader of Sentuatha Ulaid; Echu Doimlén, father of
4260-412: The validity of traditional accounts, with questions raised about whether such an invasion actually took place, as well as whether the invaders even belonged to the Uí Néill at all. Despite the questions over the validity of the traditional accounts, these alleged sons of Niall are collectively known by historians as the Northern Uí Néill. From the 8th century onwards, possibly sponsored by Áed Allán ,
4331-512: The way back into the undocumented 5th century. In tandem, about a dozen peoples became designated within what was called Uí Néill in Tuaiscirt , of which the Cenél Conaill and Cenél nEógain were the most dominant. By the 13th century, the Cenél Conaill had come to dominance over the original territory of the Northern Uí Néill in County Donegal, and sponsored their own history, which incorporated elements from earlier historical revisions. Known as
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#17328448136144402-479: The way, and his foster-father Torna dies of grief. His body is said to have been buried at Ochann, now known as Faughan Hill at Jordanstown, a few miles west of Navan in County Meath . He is succeeded by his nephew Nath Í . Byrne suggests that Niall's death took place during a raid on Roman Britain. Irish tradition had forgotten that the Romans once ruled Britain, and relocated his remembered confrontations with
4473-568: The world. Variations of this story are told of the earlier Irish high king Lugaid Loígde , in Arthurian legend —one of the most famous versions appears in both Geoffrey Chaucer 's The Wife of Bath's Tale and the related Gawain romance, The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnelle —and in John Gower 's Middle English poem Confessio Amantis . In another story, the succession is not settled when Eochaid dies, and Mongfind's brother Crimthann takes
4544-548: Was abducted from Brittany, that Niall's raids must have extended to continental Europe as well. In the saga "The Death of Niall of the Nine Hostages", Eochaid's enmity with Niall begins when he is refused hospitality by Niall's poet, Laidcenn mac Bairchid . He makes war and destroys the poet's stronghold, killing his son Leat (Keating has it that Laidchenn was a druid, and that Eochaid killed his son after he used defamatory language towards him). Laidchenn responds by satirising Leinster so that no corn, grass or leaves grow there for
4615-616: Was associated with Niall's dynasty. While Moore et al. did not specifically state that Niall was the progenitor of M222, journalists quickly jumped to that conclusion. According to the PBS documentary series Finding Your Roots , Bill O'Reilly , Stephen Colbert , Colin Quinn , Bill Maher , and the show's host, Henry Louis Gates Jr. all display STR markers consistent with the Irish Modal Haplotype. The series suggested that Niall may have been
4686-486: Was commonly called the "Festival of Mongfind", and prayers were offered to her on Samhain eve. Seeing Niall's popularity among the nobles, Mongfind demands that Eochaid name a successor, hoping it will be one of her sons. Eochaid gives the task to a druid , Sithchenn, who devises a contest between the brothers, shutting them in a burning forge, telling them to save what they can, and judging them based on which objects they choose to save. Niall, who emerges carrying an anvil,
4757-425: Was known as In Fochla and In Tuaiscert , both meaning 'the North', and was initially ruled by the Cenél Conaill. After the Cenél nEógain's rise to dominance, it became known as Ailech . It is claimed in medieval Irish texts that around 425, three sons of Niall Noígiallach — Eoghan, Conal Gulban, and Enda — along with Erc, a son of Colla Uais , and his grandchildren, invaded north-western Ulster . The result
4828-425: Was subject to Viking raids. During the 850s, Viking disunity allowed the Ulster kings to fight back and inflict overwhelming defeats on the Vikings. This cumulated in 866, when the king of Ailech, Áed Finnliath , managed to clear the Vikings from their strongholds in "the North, both in Cenel Eogain and Dál nAraidi ", and won a battle in Lough Foyle on the east coast of Inishowen. This was an important victory as
4899-496: Was the ancestor of the Uí Néill dynasties that dominated Ireland from the 6th to the 10th centuries. Historical Irish annalistic and chronicle sources place his reign in the late 4th and early 5th centuries, although modern scholars date him about half a century later. Niall is presumed, based on the importance of his sons and grandsons, to have been a historical person, but the early Irish annals say little about him. The Annals of Inisfallen date his death before 382, and
4970-500: Was the vast reduction in the territory of the Ulaid , with the portion of land taken by the three sons of Niall becoming the kingdom of Ailech. This land was divided between the three brothers as such: Conal Gulban took the western portion and named it Tír Chonaill ; Eoghan took possession of the main peninsula and named it Inis Eoghain ; Enda took nominal possession of land lying south of Ailech, which became known as Magh Enda . The lack of contemporary evidence has cast doubt on
5041-417: Was Áed Ua Néill. Despite the Cenél nEógain moving their royal site, Ailech would remain synonymous with them long afterwards. Airgialla's centre of power was pushed into southern Ulster as a result of Cenél nEógain's expansion. The Cenél nEógain conquests included: Southwards the Cenél nEógain had also established the kingdom of Cairpre Dromma Cliab, in modern-day County Sligo . Despite these gains,
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