The Conmhaícne Mara or Conmaicne Mara (the Conmaicne of the sea), were an early people 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 ...

. Their tuath was located in the extreme west of County Galway,

Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 Counties of Ireland, counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern ...

, giving their name to

Connemara Connemara (; )( ga, Conamara ) is a region on the 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-speaking Gaeltacht, ...

, an anglicised form of Conmhaicne Mara.

Origin

The

Conmhaícne The Conmhaícne or Conmaicne were a people of early Ireland, perhaps related to the Laigin, who dispersed to various parts of Ireland. They settled in Connacht and Longford, giving their name to several Conmaicne territories. T. F. O'Rahilly's ...

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 Leinster ...

, who dispersed to various parts of

. 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 Del ...

and Longford, giving their name to several Conmaicne territories. Other branches of the Conmaicne located in County Galway included the Conmaícne Dúna Móir (Conmaicne of Dunmore) and the Conmhaícne Cúile Toland (Conmaicne of Cuile-Toland).

Territory

Conmhaícne Mara comprised all of the barony of Ballynahinch and the civil parish of Inishbofin, which is in the barony of

Murrisk Murrisk () is a village in County Mayo, Ireland, on the south side of Clew Bay, about 8 km west of Westport and 4 km east of Lecanvey. Murrisk lies at the foot of Croagh Patrick and is the starting-point for pilgrims who visit the m ...

. The territory contains the five civil parishes of Ballynakill/Baile na Cille, Ballindoon, Moyrus/Maigh Iorras, Omey/Iomaidh Fheicín and Inishbofin/Inis Bó Fine. The territory contains the five Catholic parishes of ''An Clochán'' (

Clifden Clifden (, meaning "stepping stones") is a coastal town in County Galway, Ireland, in the region of Connemara, located on the Owenglin River where it flows into Clifden Bay. As the largest town in the region, it is often referred to as "the Capi ...

, Omey &

Ballindoon Ballindoon () Friary was a Dominican priory beside Lough Arrow in County Sligo County Sligo ( , gle, Contae Shligigh) is a county in Ireland. It is located in the Border Region and is part of the province A province is almost always a ...

), ''Iorras Ainbhtheach'' ( Carna), ''Cloch na Rón''/( Roundstone), ''Baile na Cille'' ( Ballynakill) and ''Inis Bó Fine''/(* Inishbofin ( County Galway)). The area of County Galway in which Connemara lies is known as

Iar Connacht West Connacht ( ga, Iarthar Chonnachta; Modern Irish: ''Iar Connacht'') was a kingdom of Gaelic Ireland, associated geographically with present-day County Galway, particularly the area known more commonly today as Connemara. The kingdom represen ...

i.e. the portion of County Galway west of Lough Corrib and a small piece of County Mayo. The parish of Kilconickny, which means ''"church of the Conmaicne"''is located west of the town of

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 ...

History

The chiefs of the Conmaicne Mara were the O’Kealys, and their cadets were the MacConneelys, O’Devaneys, and O’Clohertys, with the O’Falons olanas their hereditary brehons. The O’Kealys relocated to Ui Oirbsen, but they were to find themselves imposed upon again after just a few decades. The MacConneelys stayed in their home at Ballyconneely Peninsula, but soon found themselves neighbors of the O’Flahertys. A court inquisition in 1607 includes the following as leading chiefs of name in the barony of Ballynahinch: O’Flaherty of Bunowen, MacConroy, MacConnor, MacDonough, O’Duan, O’Lee, and MacConneely. MacConnor and MacDonough, are chiefs of branches that separated from the O’Flahertys, while the two after that, O’Duan and O’Lee, headed old followers of that family. The MacConneelys were the eldest cadets of the O’Kealys of Conmaicne Mara.

Annalistic references

See

Annals of Inisfallen Annals ( la, annāles, from , "year") are a concise historical record in which events are arranged chronologically, year by year, although the term is also used loosely for any historical record. Scope The nature of the distinction between ann ...

* ''AI1016.6 The slaughter of Ára, in which Ua Lochlainn, royal heir of Corcu Modruad, was killed in Port Ciaráin in Ára. It was the Conmaicne who slew him.'' * ''AI1016.8 Death of Muiredach son of Cadla, king of Conmaicne Mara.''

References

Secondary sources

* * *

Bibliography

* ''Medieval Ireland: Territorial, Political and Economic Divisions'', Paul MacCotter, Four Courts Press, 2008. History of County Galway Historical ethnic groups of Europe Ethnic groups in Ireland Gaelic-Irish nations and dynasties Conmaicne Mara {{Ireland-hist-stub