Aidhne (modern Irish: ), also known as Uí Fhiachrach Aidhni, Mag nAidni, later Maigh Aidhne ("Plain (of) Aidhne"), was the territory of the Uí Fhiachrach Aidhni, a túath (tribal kingdom) located in the south of what is now

County Galway "Righteousness and Justice" , anthem = () , image_map = Island of Ireland location map Galway.svg , map_caption = Location in Ireland , area_footnotes = , area_total_km2 = ...

in the south of Connacht,

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

. (Aidhne is nominative case, Aidhni genitive). Aidhne is coextensive with the present diocese of

Kilmacduagh Kilmacduagh () is a small village in south County Galway, near Gort, in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is the site of Kilmacduagh monastery, seat of the Diocese of that name. The diocese is now part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Galway, Ki ...

Borders

The territory of Aidhne is bounded on the west by Loch Lurgan (Galway Bay) and the barony of Burren in County Clare in the province of Munster. County Clare also bounds Aidhne on its south and south-east side. Aidhne is bounded on the east by the low mountains of Sliabh Echtghe / Slieve Aughty (modern Sliabh Eachtaí), which separate Uí Fhiachrach Aidhni from the territory of Uí Maine (modern Uí Mhaine) in eastern County Galway. On the north-east Aidhne is bounded by the plains of Uí Mhaine and on the north by Mag Mucruime (modern Má Mucraimhe, the area around Athenry). On the north-west Aidhne is bounded by the parish of Mearaí (earlier Medraige, Meadhraighe) / Maree (Ballynacourty, Baile na Cúirte) which is in the territory of Uí Briúin Seola (modern Uí Bhriain Seola).

History and folklore

In placename lore the kingdom took its name from the mythological Aidhne, one of the ten daughters of

Partholón Partholón (Modern spelling: 'Parthalán') is a character in medieval Irish Christian legend. By tradition, he is credited with leading a large group to settle in Ireland. "Partholón" comes from the Hebrew name "Bartholomaeus" or "Bartholomew". T ...

by his wife Delgnat. Aidhne was married to Breac. The actual origin of the name may be from the

Old Irish Old Irish, also called Old Gaelic ( sga, Goídelc, Ogham script: ᚌᚑᚔᚇᚓᚂᚉ; ga, Sean-Ghaeilge; gd, Seann-Ghàidhlig; gv, Shenn Yernish or ), is the oldest form of the Goidelic/Gaelic language for which there are extensive writt ...

word ', meaning "aged, old"; perhaps the Aidhne were considered the oldest tribe in the area, in comparison to other peoples who had arrived more recently. Historical tribes in Aidhne included the Hy-Fiachrach, the Ciarraighe Oga Beathra, the Tradraighe of Dubh-ros, and the Caonraighe of Art Aidhne. In a later age, a branch of the

Fir Bolg In medieval Irish myth, the Fir Bolg (also spelt Firbolg and Fir Bholg) are the fourth group of people to settle in Ireland. They are descended from the Muintir Nemid, an earlier group who abandoned Ireland and went to different parts of Europe. ...

made Aidhne their home.

Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh (), also known as Dubhaltach Óg mac Giolla Íosa Mór mac Dubhaltach Mór Mac Fhirbhisigh, Duald Mac Firbis, Dudly Ferbisie, and Dualdus Firbissius (fl. 1643 – January 1671) was an Irish scribe, translator, histori ...

's ''Book of Genealogies'' states that the ''Tuath mhac nUmhóir'' ettled in'in

Dál gCais The Dalcassians ( ga, Dál gCais ) are a Gaelic Irish clan, generally accepted by contemporary scholarship as being a branch of the Déisi Muman, that became very powerful in Ireland during the 10th century. Their genealogies claimed descent fr ...

and in Uí Fhiachrach of Aidhne.'' Their leader is given as Conall Caol, son of Aonghus mac Úmhór. Conall was killed at the Battle of Maigh Mucruimhe in 195 AD, and his body brought back to Aidhne where it was interred at a '' leacht'' called Carn Chonaill (itself the site of a major battle some centuries later). The territory of Uí Fhiachrach Aidhni is coextensive with the diocese of Cill Mhic Dhuach /

, which contains the civil parishes of Kinvarradoorus, Killinny, Killeenavarra, Drumacoo,

Kilcolgan Kilcolgan (), is a village on the mouth of the Kilcolgan River at Dunkellin Bay in County Galway, Ireland. The settlement is at the junction of the N67 and R458 roads, which lies between Gort and Clarinbridge. The village is near the site of ...

Ardrahan Ardrahan () is a village in County Galway, Ireland. History Richard de Burgo conquered Galway in 1236, and granted the land to Maurice Fitzgerald who built the castle whose ruins still stand today. The churchyard wall contains the remains ...

Stradbally Stradbally () is a town in County Laois, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, located in the midlands of Ireland along the N80 road, a National Secondary Route, about from Portlaoise. It is a townland, a Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish an ...

, Killeeneen,

Killeely Killeely ( ga, Cill Liaile) is a civil parish that lies partly in County Clare and partly in County Limerick in Ireland. Location Part of the parish lies within the north liberties of the city of Limerick, but most lies in the barony of Bunrat ...

, Killora, Killogilleen, Kilchreest, Isertkelly, Killinan, Kilthomas, Kilbeacanty, Beagh,

Kiltartan Kiltartan is a barony and civil parish in County Galway, Ireland. The southern portion of this barony was formerly known as Cenél Áeda na hEchtge or O'Shaughnessy's Country, the northern portion was called Coill Ua bhFiachrach (the territory o ...

. The diocese of Kilmacduagh contains the present Catholic parishes of

Kinvara Kinvara or Kinvarra () is a sea port village in the southwest of County Galway, Ireland. It is located in the Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish of Kinvarradoorus in the north of the Barony (Ireland), barony of Kiltartan. Kinvarra is also ...

Ballinderreen Ballinderreen () is a village located on the N67 route between Kilcolgan and Kinvara in south County Galway, in Ireland. Location and name Ballinderreen village is approximately 22 km south of Galway City and is a part of the townlan ...

Gort Gort ( or ) is a town of around 3,000 inhabitants in County Galway in the west of Ireland. Located near the border with County Clare, the town lies between the Burren and the Slieve Aughty and is served by the R458 and R460 regional roads, wh ...

Craughwell Craughwell (historically ''Creaghmoyle'', from ) is a town and townland in County Galway, Ireland. Name The name Craughwell is also used as a surname, properly '' Ó Creachmhaoil'', though often anglicised as ''Craughwell'', ''Croughwell'' and ...

, Beagh, Kilbeacanty, Kilthomas ( Peterswell),

Clarinbridge Clarinbridge () is a village in south County Galway, Ireland. It is on the mouth of the Clarin River at the end of Dunbulcaun Bay, which is the easternmost part of Galway Bay. The placename is also spelled Clarenbridge. Notable people * Alexa ...

, Kilchreest.

References

Footnotes

Annalistic references

* ''M938.13.Aralt, grandson of Imhar, i.e. the son of Sitric, lord of the foreigners of Luimneach, was killed in Connaught by the Caenraighi of Aidhne.'' * ''M1033.9 - A conflict between the Eli and the Ui-Fiachrach Aidhne, in which Braen Ua Cleirigh and Muireadhach Mac Gillaphadraig, with many others, were slain.''

External links

Annals of the Four Masters
Ui Fiachrach Fir Bolg Cycles of the Kings Irish texts History of County Galway Kingdoms of ancient Ireland {{Galway-geo-stub