The Conmhaícne or Conmaicne were a people of early Ireland, perhaps related to the
Laigin
The Laigin, modern spelling Laighin (), were a Gaelic population group of early Ireland. They gave their name to the Kingdom of Leinster, which in the medieval era was known in Irish as ''Cóiced Laigen'', meaning "Fifth/province of the Leinsterm ...
, who dispersed to various parts of
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 ...
. They settled in
Connacht
Connacht ( ; ga, Connachta or ), is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, Conmhaícne, and Delbhn ...
and
Longford
Longford () is the county town of County Longford in Ireland. It has a population of 10,008 according to the 2016 census. It is the biggest town in the county and about one third of the county's population lives there. Longford lies at the meet ...
, giving their name to several Conmaicne territories.
T. F. O'Rahilly
Thomas Francis O'Rahilly ( ga, Tomás Ó Rathile; 11 November 1882 – 16 November 1953)Ó Sé, Diarmuid.O'Rahilly, Thomas Francis (‘T. F.’). ''Dictionary of Irish Biography''. (ed.) James McGuire, James Quinn. Cambridge, United Kingdom: C ...
's assertion the Conmaicne were non-
Goidelic
The Goidelic or Gaelic languages ( ga, teangacha Gaelacha; gd, cànanan Goidhealach; gv, çhengaghyn Gaelgagh) form one of the two groups of Insular Celtic languages, the other being the Brittonic languages.
Goidelic languages historically ...
is not widely accepted.
Etymology
Their name supposedly originates from a mythical ancestor known as ''Conmac'', descended from
Fergus mac Roich
Fergus may refer to:
Given name or surname
*Fergus (name), including lists of people and fictional and mythological characters
Places
*Fergus, Ontario, Canada
* River Fergus, County Clare, Ireland
*Lake Fergus, South Island, New Zealand
*Loc ...
and Queen
Maeve
Maeve, Maev or Maiv is a female given name of Irish origin. It comes from the Irish name ''Méabh'', which was spelt in early modern Irish (), or in Middle Irish, and in Old Irish (). It may derive from a word meaning "she who intoxicates", ...
of
Connacht
Connacht ( ; ga, Connachta or ), is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, Conmhaícne, and Delbhn ...
. However,
Walsh Walsh may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Walsh (surname), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname
Places
* Fort Walsh, one of the first posts of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
* Walsh, Ontario, Norfolk ...
stated "Conmac son of Fergus is a genealogical fiction". The word ''Conmacne'' means "progeny of Conmac" (''ne'', a progeny). Conmac itself means "hound-son" (''con'', hound; ''mac'', son).
Branches
Branches of the Conmaicne dispersed to various places.
Conmaicne na Gaillimhe
*
Conmhaícne Mara
The Conmhaícne Mara or Conmaicne Mara (the Conmaicne of the sea), were an early people of Ireland. Their tuath was located in the extreme west of County Galway, Republic of Ireland, giving their name to Connemara, an anglicised form of Conmhai ...
(Conmaicne of the sea) settled in the west of
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 territory of Conmhaícne Mara, anglised today as
Connemara
Connemara (; )( ga, Conamara ) is a region on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of western County Galway, in the west of Ireland. The area has a strong association with traditional Irish culture and contains much of the Connacht Irish-speak ...
.
*
Conmhaícne Dúna Móir, or Conmaicne Cenel Dubáin, at
Dunmore, County Galway
Dunmore () is a town in County Galway, Ireland. It is located on the N83 national secondary road at its junction with the R328 and R360 regional roads.
The town belongs to an ancient tuath called Conmhaícne Dúna-Móir and Cenél Dubáin ...
.
*
Conmhaícne Mhean or ''Conmaicne Máenmaige'' (Conmaicne of the central plain),
Loughrea
Loughrea ( ; ) is a town in County Galway, Ireland. The town lies to the north of a range of wooded hills, the Slieve Aughty Mountains, and the lake from which it takes its name. The town's cathedral, St Brendan's, dominates the town's skyline ...
, County Galway.
Conmaicne Mhaigh Eo
*
Conmhaícne Cúile, of
Kilmaine
Kilmaine or Kilmain () is a barony and village in County Mayo, Ireland.
Village
"Kilmaine", derived from the Irish language 'Cill Mheán', means The Middle Church – 'Cill' is the word used in the Irish language for a church, and 'meán' i ...
,
County Mayo
County Mayo (; ga, Contae Mhaigh Eo, meaning "Plain of the Taxus baccata, yew trees") is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. In the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Conn ...
*
Conmhaícne Ceara, of
Carra, County Mayo
Carra () is one of the nine baronies of County Mayo in Ireland, located in the mid-south area of the county. It is sometimes known as Burriscarra. It incorporates the town of Castlebar, the villages of Tourmakeady, Belcarra and Turlough, where ...
.
* Conmaicne Meic Oirbsen Máir near Lough Corrib,
County Mayo
County Mayo (; ga, Contae Mhaigh Eo, meaning "Plain of the Taxus baccata, yew trees") is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. In the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Conn ...
Conmaicne Ros Comáin
* Conmhaícne Sléibe Formaile, near Ballinlough, in west
County Roscommon
"Steadfast Irish heart"
, image_map = Island of Ireland location map Roscommon.svg
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Ireland
, subdivision_type1 = Province
, subdivision_name1 = Connacht
, subdi ...
.
Conmaicne Rein
* Conmhaícne Rein, or "lower conmaicne", of south
County Leitrim
County Leitrim ( ; gle, Contae Liatroma) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Connacht and is part of the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the village of Leitrim. Leitrim County Council is the local authority for the ...
into
County Longford
County Longford ( gle, Contae an Longfoirt) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Longford. Longford County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county was 46,6 ...
.
*
Conmhaícne Angaile
The Conmhaícne Angaile (the 'Conmhaícne descended from Angaile') were an early people of Ireland. Their tuath comprised the territory of Annaly, now County Longford.
Origin
The Conmhaícne or Conmaícne were a people of early Ireland, perhap ...
, or "upper Conmaicne", now
county Longford
County Longford ( gle, Contae an Longfoirt) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Longford. Longford County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county was 46,6 ...
.
The
Diocese of Ardagh was established in 1111 as the see for east
Connacht
Connacht ( ; ga, Connachta or ), is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, Conmhaícne, and Delbhn ...
. Fourteen years later, at the
Synod of Kells-Mellifont
The Synod of Kells (, ) took place in 1152, under the presidency of Giovanni Cardinal Paparoni, and continued the process begun at the Synod of Ráth Breasail (1111) of reforming the Irish church. The sessions were divided between the abbeys of ...
, its area was reduced to the territory of the Conmaicne Rein and Conmaicne Angalie, south county Leitrim and all county Longford.
[P Galloway, ''The Cathedrals of Ireland'', Belfast, 1992] The diocese was commonly called "the Diocese of the Conmaicne".
Septs
Known Septs of the Conmhaícne Rein in south County Leitrim were:
* Conmhaícne Maigh Rein anglicised today as
barony of Mohill.
*
Cluain Conmhaícne (Conmaicne of the pasture) of Cloone parish, in Carrigallen and Mohill barony.
*
Conmhaícne Cenel Luacháin (Conmaicne descended from Luchan), both Oughteragh and
Drumreilly
Drumreilly civil parish is situated partly in the baronies of Carrigallen and Dromahaire, County Leitrim and partly in the barony of Tullyhaw, County Cavan, Ireland.
Etymology
The name of the parish derives from Drumreilly townland in the pari ...
parishes at
Carrigallen,
County Leitrim
County Leitrim ( ; gle, Contae Liatroma) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Connacht and is part of the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the village of Leitrim. Leitrim County Council is the local authority for the ...
.
* Conmaicne Maigh Nissi along the Shannon, anglicised today as
barony of Leitrim.
People
John O'Donovan wrote:
The chief familes of the Conmacians were the O'Fearralls, princes and lords of Annaly, or Longford; the Mac Rannalls, a name anglicised to Reynolds, who were Lords of Conmaincee of Moy-Rein and Muintir-Eolais, in Leitrim; the Mac Keoghes, who were chiefs in Galway, and also in Lenister; the MacShanleys; O'Rodaghans; MacDorchys; O'Mulveys; O'Morans, and O'Mannings, chiefs and clans in various parts of Longford, Leitrim, and Roscommon.
Notables descended from the Conmhaicne include
Cruimthear Mac Carthaigh,
St. Jarlath of
Tuam
Tuam ( ; ga, Tuaim , meaning 'mound' or 'burial-place') is a town in Ireland and the second-largest settlement in County Galway. It is west of the midlands of Ireland, about north of Galway city. Humans have lived in the area since the Bron ...
and some abbots of
Clonmacnoise
Clonmacnoise (Irish: ''Cluain Mhic Nóis'') is a ruined monastery situated in County Offaly in Ireland on the River Shannon south of Athlone, founded in 544 by Saint Ciarán, a young man from Rathcroghan, County Roscommon. Until the 9th ce ...
.
See also
*
Delbhna
The Delbna or Delbhna were a Gaelic Irish tribe in Ireland, claiming kinship with the Dál gCais, through descent from Dealbhna son of Cas. Originally one large population, they had a number of branches in Connacht, Meath, and Munster in Irelan ...
*
Cíarraige
References
* ''Some Connacht Population-Groups'', Nollaig Ó Muraíle, in ''Seanchas:Studies in Early and Medieval Archaeology, History and Literature in Honour of
Francis John Byrne
Francis John Byrne (1934 – 30 December 2017) was an Irish historian.
Born in Shanghai where his father, a Dundalk man, captained a ship on the Yellow River, Byrne was evacuated with his mother to Australia on the outbreak of World War II. Af ...
'', pp. 176–76,
Four Courts Press
Four Courts Press is an independent Irish academic publishing house, with its office at Malpas Street, Dublin 8, Ireland.
Founded in 1970 by Michael Adams, who died in February 2009, its early publications were primarily theological, notably t ...
,
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
, 2000
* ''Medieval Ireland: Territorial, Political and Economic Divisions'', Paul Mac Cotter, Four Courts Press, 2008, pp. 134–135.
Secondary sources
*
*
*
Medieval Irish people
Ulaid
History of County Galway
History of County Mayo
History of County Roscommon
History of County Leitrim
History of County Longford
Conmaicne
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