The Kings of Ailech were the over-kings of the medieval Irish

province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...

of Ailech in north-western

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 ...

. It encompassed the territories of the

Cenél nEógain Cenél is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Cenél Conaill, the name of the "kindred" or descendants of Conall Gulban, son of Niall Noígiallach defined by oral and recorded history *Cenél nEógain (in English, Cenel Eogan) is ...

and

Cenél Conaill Cenél is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Cenél Conaill, the name of the "kindred" or descendants of Conall Gulban, son of Niall Noígiallach defined by oral and recorded history *Cenél nEógain (in English, Cenel Eogan) is ...

. After the battle of Cloítech in 789 its kings were exclusively from the Cenél nEógain. The royal fort for Ailech was the

Grianan of Aileach The Grianan of Aileach ( ; ga, Grianán Ailigh ), sometimes anglicised as Greenan Ely or Greenan Fort, is a hillfort atop the high Greenan Mountain at Inishowen in County Donegal, Ireland. The main structure is a stone ringfort, thought to ha ...

,Seán Duffy (2014); "Brian Boru and the Battle of Clontarf", page 21. Gill & Macmillan. . a

hillfort A hillfort is a type of earthwork used as a fortified refuge or defended settlement, located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typically European and of the Bronze Age or Iron Age. Some were used in the post-Roma ...

on top of Greenan Mountain in modern-day

County Donegal County Donegal ( ; ga, Contae Dhún na nGall) is a county of Ireland in the province of Ulster and in the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town of Donegal in the south of the county. It has also been known as County Tyrconne ...

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 the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern side of the island. A ...

Early kings (5th–8th centuries)

Earlier Kings of

and Ailech included: *

Eógan mac Néill Eógan mac Néill ( modern orthography: Eoghan mac Néill) (reportedly died 465) was a son of Niall Noígiallach and the eponymous ancestor of the Cenél nEógain (kindred of Eoghan) branch of the Northern Uí Néill. The Cenél Eoghan would f ...

Noigallach (died 465) *

Muiredach mac Eógain Muiredach mac Eógain (died c. 489) was a King of Ailech and head of the Cenél nEógain branch of the northern Uí Néill. He was the son of the founder of this dynasty Eógan mac Néill (died 465). There is no mention of him in the Irish annals ...

(died c. 489) *

Muirchertach mac Muiredaig Muirchertach mac Muiredaig (died c. 534), called Mac Ercae, Muirchertach Macc Ercae and Muirchertach mac Ercae, was said to be High King of Ireland in the 6th century. The Irish annals contain little reliable information on his life, and the survi ...

(died 534) * Forggus mac Muirchertaig (died 566) * Domnall Ilchelgach mac Muirchertaig (died 566) *

Báetán mac Muirchertaig Báetán mac Muirchertaig (died 572), also Baetán Bríge, was an Irish king who is included in some lists as a High King of Ireland. He was the son of Muirchertach mac Muiredaig (died 534), also considered a high king. He was a member of the C ...

(died 572) *

Eochaid mac Domnaill Eochaid mac Domnaill (died 572), also Eochaid Find ("the fair"), was an Irish king who is included in some lists as a High King of Ireland. He was the son of Domnall Ilchelgach (died 566) and grandson of Muirchertach mac Muiredaig (died 534), also ...

(died 572) * Colcu mac Domnaill (died 580) *

Colmán Rímid Colmán Rímid (or Colmán mac Báetáin) (died 604) was an Irish king who is included in some lists as a High King of Ireland. Colmán was the son of Báetán mac Muirchertaig (died 572), also considered to be a high king, and belonged to the C ...

mac Báetáin (died

604 __NOTOC__ Year 604 (Roman numerals, DCIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 604 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini ...

) *

Áed Uaridnach Áed Uaridnach ("Áed the Warlike", or Áed mac Domnaill, "Áed son of Domnall") (died 612) was an Irish king who was High King of Ireland. He is sometimes also known as Áed Allán, a name most commonly used for the 8th-century king of the s ...

mac Domnaill (died

612 __NOTOC__ Year 612 (Roman numerals, DCXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 612 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini ...

) * Suibne Menn mac Fiachnai (died 628) *

Máel Fithrich mac Áedo Máel Fithrich mac Áedo (died 630) was a King of Ailech and head of the Cenél nEógain branch of the northern Uí Néill. He was the son of the high king of Ireland Áed Uaridnach (died 612). He ruled in Ailech from 628 to 630. The branch of t ...

Uaridnach (died

630 Year 630 ( DCXXX) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 630 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the ...

) *

Ernaine mac Fiachnai Ernaine mac Fiachnai (died 636) was a King of Ailech and head of the Cenél nEógain branch of the northern Uí Néill The Uí Néill (Irish pronunciation: ; meaning "descendants of Niall") are Irish dynasties who claim descent from Niall ...

(died

636 Year 636 ( DCXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 636 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became t ...

) *

Crundmáel mac Suibni Crundmáel mac Suibni (died c. 660) was a King of Ailech and head of the Cenél nEógain branch of the northern Uí Néill. He was the son of the high king of Ireland Suibne Menn (died 628). According to the ''Laud Synchronisms'' he succeeded his ...

Menn (died c.

660 __NOTOC__ Year 660 ( DCLX) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 660 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era b ...

) * Ferg mac Crundmaíl (died c. 668) *

Máel Dúin mac Máele Fithrich Máel Dúin mac Máele Fithrich (died 681) was a King of Ailech and head of the Cenél nEógain branch of the northern Uí Néill. He had married Cacht ingen Cellaig, daughter of the high king Cellach mac Máele Coba (died 658) of the Cenél Conai ...

(died 681) * Fland mac Máele Tuile (died

700 The denomination 700 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Avar and Slavic tribes conq ...

) * Urthuile mac Máele Tuile.

Kings between 700 and 1185

The following is a list of their Kings from 700 to 1197. Some were also High Kings of Ireland. *

Fergal mac Máele Dúin Fergal mac Máele Dúin (died 11 December 722) was High King of Ireland. Fergal belonged to the Cenél nEógain sept of the northern Uí Néill. He was the son of Máel Dúin mac Máele Fithrich (died 681), a King of Ailech, and great grandson of ...

700 – 11 December

722 Year 722 ( DCCXXII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 722 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became ...

Áed Allán Áed Allán (or Áed mac Fergaile) (died 743) was an 8th-century Irish king of Ailech and High King of Ireland. Áed Allán was the son of Fergal mac Máele Dúin and a member of the Cenél nEógain, a branch of the Northern Uí Néill. Ferga ...

mac Fergaile 722–

743 __NOTOC__ Year 743 ( DCCXLIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 743 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar ...

Niall Frossach Niall Frossach (or Niall mac Fergaile) (718–778) was an 8th-century Irish king of Ailech, sometimes considered to have been High King of Ireland. Brother of high king Áed Allán (died 743), Niall was the son of high king Fergal mac Máele Dúin ...

mac Fergaile 743–

770 __NOTOC__ Year 770 ( DCCLXX) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 770 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era ...

Máel Dúin mac Áedo Alláin Máel Dúin mac Áedo Alláin (died 788) was a King of Ailech and head of the Cenél nEógain branch of the northern Uí Néill. He was the son of Áed Allán (died 743), a high king of Ireland. He ruled from 770 to 788. His uncle, the high king N ...

770–

788 __NOTOC__ Year 788 ( DCCLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 788 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in ...

Áed Oirdnide Áed mac Néill (; died 819), commonly called Áed Oirdnide ("the anointed"), was King of Ailech. A member of the Cenél nEógain dynasty of the northern Uí Néill, he was the son of Niall Frossach. Like his father, Áed was reckoned High King ...

mac Néill 788–819 *

Murchad mac Máele Dúin Murchad mac Máele Dúin (flourished 819–833) was a King of Ailech and head of the Cenél nEógain branch of the northern Uí Néill. He was the son of Máel Dúin mac Áedo Alláin (died 788), a previous king and grandson of Áed Allán (died 74 ...

819–823 *

Niall Caille Niall mac Áeda (died 846), called Niall Caille (Niall of the Callan) to distinguish him from his grandson Niall mac Áeda (died 917), was High King of Ireland. Background Niall belonged to Cenél nEógain, a northern branch of the Uí Néill, ...

mac Áeda 823–846 * Máel Dúin mac Áeda 846–867 *

Áed Findliath Áed mac Néill (died 879), called Áed Findliath ("fair-grey Áed"; Modern Irish: ''Aodh Fionnadhliath'') to distinguish him from his paternal grandfather Áed Oirdnide, was king of Ailech and High King of Ireland. He was also called Áed Olac ...

mac Néill c. 855 – 20 November 879 * Murchad mac Máele Dúin 879–887 * Flaithbertach mac Murchado 887–896 *

Domnall mac Áeda Domnall mac Áeda (died 915), also known as Domnall Dabaill, was a King of Ailech. He was a son of Áed Findliath mac Niall, High King of Ireland. Domnall was a half-brother of Niall Glúndub mac Áeda, a man with whom he shared the kingship of ...

887–915 *

Niall Glúndub Niall Glúndub mac Áeda (Modern Irish: ''Niall Glúndubh mac Aodha'', "Niall Black-Knee, son of Áed"; died 14 September 919) was a 10th-century Irish king of the Cenél nEógain and High King of Ireland. Many Irish kin groups were members of th ...

mac Áeda 896 – 15 September 919 * Flaithbertach mac Domnaill 916–919 * Fergal mac Domnaill 919–938 *

Muirchertach mac Néill Muirchertach mac Néill (died 26 February 943), called Muirchertach of the Leather Cloaks ( sga, Muirchertach na Cochall Craicinn), was a King of Ailech. Family Muirchertach belonged to the Cenél nEógain sept of the northern Uí Néill. He was ...

938 – 26 February 943. * Domnall mac Muirchertaig ua Néill 943–980 * Flaithbertach mac Muirchertaig meic Néill 943 *Ruaidrí ua Canannáin 943-956 * Flaithbertach mac Conchobair 956–962 * Tadg mac Conchobair 956–962 * Conn mac Conchobair 956–962 * Murchad Glun re Lar mac Flaithbertaigh 962–972 * Fergal mac Domnaill meic Conaing 980–989 (still styled as king of Aileach in his obituary in 1000) * Áed mac Domnaill Ua Néill 989–1004 *

Flaithbertach Ua Néill Flaithbertach Ua Néill (before 978–1036) was king of Ailech, a kingdom of north-west Ireland. He abdicated in 1030 and undertook a pilgrimage to Rome, for which reason he was known as Flaithbertach an Trostáin (Flaithbertach of the Pilgr ...

1004–1031 * Áed mac Flaithbertaig Ua Néill 1031–1033 * Flaithbertach Ua Néill (again) 1033–1036 * Niall mac Máel Sechnaill 1036–1061 * Ardgar mac Lochlainn 1061–1064 * Áed Ua hUalgairg 1064–1067 * Domnall mac Néill 1067–1068 * Áed mac Néill 1068–1083 * Donnchad mac Néill 1083–1083 *

Domnall Ua Lochlainn Domhnall Ua Lochlainn (old spelling: Domnall Ua Lochlainn) (1048 – 10 February 1121), also known as Domhnall Mac Lochlainn (old spelling: Domnall Mac Lochlainn), was king of the Cenél Eogain, over-king of Ailech, and alleged High King o ...

1083 – 9 February 1121 * Conchobar mac Domnaill 1121–1128 * Magnus Ua Lochlainn 1128–1129 * Conchobar mac Domnaill 1129–1136 * Domhnall Mac Lochlainn 1136-1136 *

Muirchertach Mac Lochlainn Muircheartach Mac Lochlainn (old spelling: Muirchertach mac Lochlainn, IPA: �mˠɪɾʲəçəɾˠt̪ˠəxmˠəkˈlɔxlən̪ʲ was king of Tír Eoghain, and High King of Ireland from around 1156 until his death in 1166. He succeeded Toirdheal ...

1136–1143 * Domnall Ua Gairmledaig 1143–1145 * Muirchertach Mac Lochlainn (again) 1145–1166 * Conchobar mac Muirchertaigh Mac Lochlainn 1166–1167 *

Niall Mac Lochlainn Niall Mac Lochlainn (died 1176) was a Cenél nEógain king of the Northern Uí Néill. He was a member of the Meic Lochlainn The Meic Lochlann, also spelt as Mic Lochlainn, and Mac Lochlainn, were a leading branch of the Cenél nEógain, who were ...

1167–1176 * Aed In Macaem Toinlesc Ua Neill 1167–1177 * Mael Sechlainn mac Muirchertaigh Mac Lochlainn 1177–1185 * Domhnall Mac Aedh Mac Lochlainn 1185-1186 * Ruaidhri Ua Flaithbheartaigh 1186-1187 * Domhnall Mac Aedh Mac Lochlainn (again) 1187-1188 * Muirchertach Mac Muirchertaigh Mac Lochlainn 1188-1196 * Flaithbheartach Ua Maol Doraidh 1196-1197

Kings post-1185

From 1185, the

ruled as

Kings of Tír Eógain This article lists the rulers of Tyrone (Irish: ''Tír Eoghain'') from 1185 to 1616. They are listed from their date of accession to date of death, unless otherwise stated. Prior to this, the ruling dynasty - the Cenél nEógain - were most of th ...

. The last to actually be styled King of Ailech was Áed Buide Ua Néill (died 1283).

References

*"Cenel nEogain Kings of Ailech 700-1185", pages 194–195 in ''A New History of Ireland'', volume IX, ed. Byrne, Martin, Moody, 1984. * T.M.Charles-Edwards, ''Early Christian Ireland'' * Francis J.Byrne, ''Irish Kings and High-Kings''

External links

Grianan of Aileach Visitor Centre
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kings Of Ailech Connachta Ailech Ailech Meic Lochlainn O'Neill dynasty 5th-century establishments in Ireland 1185 disestablishments in Ireland

Early kings (5th–8th centuries)

Kings between 700 and 1185

Kings post-1185

See also

References

External links