Cóiced Ol nEchmacht is an ancient name for the province 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 Del ...

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 ...

and including the area of

County Clare County Clare ( ga, Contae an Chláir) is a county in Ireland, in the Southern Region and the province of Munster, bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Clare County Council is the local authority. The county had a population of 118,81 ...

Etymology and extent

Cóiced Ol nEchmacht may be translated as the portion/fifth/province of the Ol nEchmacht, also called the

Fir Ol nEchmacht Fir Ol nEchmacht was the name of a group or race of people living in pre-historic Ireland. The name may be translated as "men (') of the race/people (', possibly '?) of '" (' being the given name of the people). Some scholars believe they are conne ...

(''"Fir"'' means ''"men"''). The name nEchmacht has been linked by some scholars to the tribe called Nagnatae on Ptolemy's 2nd century AD world map. They were divided into three main tribes: the Fir Craibe, or Fir na Criabe; the Tuatha Taiden; and the

Gamanraige The Gamanraige were the main branch of the Fir Ol nEchmacht, a people who ruled much of Ireland west of the Shannon in the pre-historic era. The Gamanraige ruled the territory between the Gallimhe or Galway river, to the Drowes and Duff rivers i ...

. Each tribe ruled respective kingdoms within Ol nEchmacht. *The kingdom of the Fir Craibe extended from Limerick to the Palace of Fidach, a place thought to be located in north-eastern

Aidhne 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 in ...

. In later centuries the territory south of Aidhne,

Thomond Thomond (Classical Irish: ; Modern Irish: ), also known as the kingdom of Limerick, was a kingdom of Gaelic Ireland, associated geographically with present-day County Clare and County Limerick, as well as parts of County Tipperary around Nena ...

, would be annexed by Munster, which it is still counted as part of. *The kingdom of Tuatha Taiden extended from Fidach eastwards to and across the Shannon towards Tara, and was probably co-extensive with Hy-Many at its greatest extent. *The Gamanraige ruled the territory between the Gallimhe or

Galway Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a city in the West of Ireland, in the province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lough Corrib and Galway Bay, and is the sixth most populous city on ...

river, to the Drowes and

Duff river The River Duff, or Bunduff, () is a river in County Sligo and County Leitrim, Ireland. The River Duff is long, flowing from Glenade Valley in County Leitrim to the sea. In County Leitrim it is also known as the Black River. It is joined by the ...

s in the north-east. Their capital was Rath Eochaidh, later called Cruachan. This territory seems to have been Ol nEchmacht proper. It was only with the rise of the Connachta dynasty that the term Fir Ol nEchmacht was dropped and the province was renamed

Nations of Ol nEchmacht

Nations known to have resided in Ol nEchmacht during this era included: * Badhna - uncertain * Bunrath - north of

Athenry Athenry (; ) is a town in County Galway, Ireland, which lies east of Galway city. Some of the attractions of the medieval town are its town wall, Athenry Castle, its priory and its 13th century street-plan. The town is also well known by virt ...

/south-west 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 Bronz ...

* Cairpre - around

Drumcliff Drumcliff or Drumcliffe () is a village in County Sligo, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is 8 km (5 miles) north of Sligo, Sligo town on the N15 road (Ireland), N15 road on a low gravel ridge between the mountain of Ben Bulben and Drumcl ...

e 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 an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the an ...

* Calraige - border of

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 ...

* Cattraige - uncertain * Ciarraige - central Mayo * Clann Úmóir -

Aran Islands The Aran Islands ( ; gle, Oileáin Árann, ) or The Arans (''na hÁrainneacha'' ) are a group of three islands at the mouth of Galway Bay, off the west coast of Ireland, with a total area around . They constitute the historic barony of Aran i ...

, Galway and Mayo * Conmaicne - west coast, and northern areas of, County Galway * Corco Fhir Trí - south County Sligo * Corco Moga - north-east County Galway * Dál nDruithne - east 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 ...

Dartraige Dartraighe (older spelling: Dartraige), anglicised as ''Dartree'', ''Dartry'' or ''Dartrey'', was an Irish territory or tuath in medieval Ireland which stretched north to Clones and south to the Dromore River. It was later incorporated into Cou ...

- north-west

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 Irela ...

- south County Roscommon, and both sides of the Corrib *

Erdini The Erdini (Έρδινοι) or Erpeditani (Έρπεδιτανοι) were a people of referred to in Ptolemy's 2nd century ''Geography'' as living in the north-west of Ireland, in the area of Donegal Bay Donegal Bay (''Bá Dhún na nGall'' in I ...

- County Leitrim/ County Cavan * Fir Craibe -

(then part of Connacht) and south-west Galway *

Fir Domnann The Fir Domnann were a people named in Irish legendary history. The name ''Fir Domnann'' is based on the root ''dumno''-, which means both ‘deep’ and ‘the world’. The suffix -''on''- often occurs in Gaulish and British divine names. The t ...

- west coast of Mayo * Gabraige - along the

River Suck The River Suck ( ga, An tSuca ) is a river within the Shannon River Basin in Ireland, 133 km (82.5 mi) in length. It is the main tributary of the River Shannon. It meets the Shannon a kilometre south of the village of Shannonbridge. ...

* Gamanrad - west shore of

Killala Bay Killala Bay ( ga, Cuan Chill Ala) is a bay on the west coast of Ireland between County Mayo and County Sligo. It is situated between Kilcummin Head to the west and Lenadoon Point to the east. and is the estuary for the River Moy. The village ...

* Gailenga - central County Mayo *

Luigne Muimne, Luigne and Laigne, sons of Érimón by his wife Odba, were, according to medieval Irish legends and historical traditions, joint High Kings of Ireland following the death of their father. They ruled for three years, until Muimne died of pl ...

- east County Mayo *

Mairtine The Mairtine (Martini, Marthene, Muirtine, Maidirdine, Mhairtine) were an important people of late prehistoric Munster, Ireland who by early historical times appear to have completely vanished from the Irish political landscape. They are notable for ...

Mór - branch of a Munster nation, possibly located in Connacht * Medraige - nowadays the townlands of Maree,

Oranmore Oranmore ( or ''Úarán Mór'') is a town near the city of Galway in County Galway, Ireland. It is also the name of the civil parish and Roman Catholic parish in which the town lies. It is east of Galway city on the edge of Oranmore Bay, an i ...

* Nagnatae - County Sligo * Óic Bethra - area around Clarenbridge *

Partraige The Partraige were a people of early historic Ireland. Several attested branches were found in Ireland, including the following: * Partraige Cera - located at the northern end of Lough Mask (Loch Mask) and the region of Lough Carra (Loch Cor ...

- in

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, ...

and

Partry Partry ( ga, Partraí) is a villagePartry
Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved: 2012-04-15. and a

Senchineoil Senchineoil or Seincheinéal was the name of the early rulers, possibly pre- Gaelic, of what is now central and east County Galway and south County Roscommon, Ireland. Overview The term Senchineoil (''sen'' = old; ''chineoil'' = people/tribe/ ...

- centered on what is now

Ballinasloe Ballinasloe ( ; ) is a town in the easternmost part of County Galway in Connacht. Located at an ancient crossing point on the River Suck, evidence of ancient settlement in the area includes a number of Bronze Age sites. Built around a 12th-ce ...

Soghain The Soghain were a people of ancient Ireland. The 17th-century scholar Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh identified them as part of a larger group called the Cruithin. Mac Fhirbhisigh stated that the Cruithin included "the Dál Araidhi ál nAraidi t ...

- most of east-central County Galway * Tuatha Taiden - east Galway and south Roscommon *

Uaithne In Irish mythology, Uaithne () is The Dagda's harper. Uaithne (Uaitniu) could mean "wood", "work", "pillar" or "harmony". Those different meanings could be the consequence of successive metaphors. The Dagda's harp is called Daur da Bláo, The Oak ...

- County Roscommon/ County Galway (likely Ptolemy's ''Auteini'') * Uí Mail - the area around

Clew Bay Clew Bay (; ga, Cuan Mó) is a natural ocean bay in County Mayo, Republic of Ireland. It contains Ireland's best example of sunken drumlins. The bay is overlooked by Croagh Patrick to the south and the Nephin Range mountains of North Mayo. Cla ...

External links

*http://www.rootsweb.com/~irlkik/ihm/ire150.htm

Sources

* ''Foras Feasa Eirann'',

Geoffrey Keating Geoffrey Keating ( ga, Seathrún Céitinn; c. 1569 – c. 1644) was a 17th-century historian. He was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, and is buried in Tubrid Graveyard in the parish of Ballylooby-Duhill. He became an Irish Catholic priest and a ...

, 1636. * ''Leabhar Mor nGenealach'',

Dubhaltach MacFhirbhisigh 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 ...

, 1649–1666. * ''Ogygia'',

Ruaidhri O Flaithbheartaigh Roderick O'Flaherty ( ga, Ruaidhrí Ó Flaithbheartaigh; 1629–1718 or 1716) was an Irish historian. Biography He was born in County Galway and inherited Moycullen Castle and estate. O'Flaherty was the last ''de jure'' Lord of Iar Connacht, ...

, 1684. * ''The History of Mayo'', T.H.Knox, 1908. Kingdoms of ancient Ireland History of County Galway Connacht Geography of County Galway Ancient Ireland Geographic history of Ireland {{ireland-geo-stub