The Kings of Connacht were rulers of the ''cóiced'' (variously translated as portion, fifth, 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 Delbhn ...

, which lies west of the

River Shannon The River Shannon ( ga, Abhainn na Sionainne, ', '), at in length, is the longest river in the British Isles. It drains the Shannon River Basin, which has an area of , – approximately one fifth of the area of the island of Ireland. The Shan ...

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 ...

. However, the name only became applied to it in the early medieval era, being named after the

Connachta The Connachta are a group of medieval Irish dynasties who claimed descent from the legendary High King Conn Cétchathach (Conn of the Hundred Battles). The modern western province of Connacht (Irish ''Cúige Chonnacht'', province, literally "f ...

. The old name for the province was

Cóiced Ol nEchmacht Cóiced Ol nEchmacht is an ancient name for the province of Connacht, Ireland and including the area of County Clare. Etymology and extent Cóiced Ol nEchmacht may be translated as the portion/fifth/province of the Ol nEchmacht, also called th ...

(the fifth of the Ol nEchmacht).

Ptolemy Claudius Ptolemy (; grc-gre, Πτολεμαῖος, ; la, Claudius Ptolemaeus; AD) was a mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist, who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were of importanc ...

's map of c. 150 AD does in fact list a people called the Nagnatae as living in the west of Ireland. Some are of the opinion that Ptolemy's Map of Ireland may be based on cartography carried out as much as five hundred years before his time. The Connachta were a group of dynasties who claimed descent from the three eldest sons of Eochaid Mugmedon: Brion,

Ailill Ailill (Ailell, Oilioll) is a male name in Old Irish. It is a prominent name in Irish mythology, as for Ailill mac Máta, King of Connacht and husband of Queen Medb, on whom Shakespeare based the Fairy Queen Mab. Ailill was a popular given name in ...

and

Fiachrae Fiachrae was an Irish prince, the son of the high king Eochaid Mugmedón (d.362) by his wife Mongfind, sister of Crimthann mac Fidaig (d.367).Francis J.Byrne, ''Irish Kings and High-Kings'', Table 1 He was ancestor of the Uí Fiachrach dynasties o ...

. They took their collective name from their alleged descent from

Conn Cétchathach Conn Cétchathach (; "of the Hundred Battles"), son of Fedlimid Rechtmar, was a semi-legendary High King of Ireland and the ancestor of the Connachta, and, through his descendant Niall Noígiallach, the Uí Néill dynasties, which dominated Irelan ...

. Their younger brother,

Niall Noigiallach Niall ''Noígíallach'' (; Old Irish "having nine hostages"), or Niall of the Nine Hostages, was a legendary, semi-historical Irish king who was the ancestor of the Uí Néill dynasties that dominated Ireland from the 6th to the 10th centuries. ...

was ancestor to the

Uí Néill The Uí Néill (Irish pronunciation: ; meaning "descendants of Niall") are Irish dynasties who claim descent from Niall Noígíallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), a historical King of Tara who died c. 405. They are generally divided into the ...

. The following is a list of kings of Connacht from the fifth to fifteenth centuries.

Pre-historic Kings of Ol nEchmacht

Genann Genann Mac Dala (modern spelling: Geanann), son of Dela (Dela was a descendant of Starn, son of Nemed), of the Fir Bolg was a legendary joint High King of Ireland with his brother Gann, succeeding their brother Rudraige. His wife was Cnucha. W ...

* Conrac Cas *

Eochaid Feidlech Eochu or Eochaid Feidlech ("the enduring"), was a High King of Ireland, according to medieval Irish legends and historical traditions. He is best known as the father of the legendary queen Medb of Connacht. Family Eochu was son of Finn, son ...

* Eochaidh Allat * Tinni mac Conri *

Medb Medb (), later spelled Meadhbh (), Méibh () and Méabh (), and often anglicised as Maeve ( ), is queen of Connacht in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Her husband in the core stories of the cycle is Ailill mac Máta, although she had seve ...

, Queen of Connacht *

and

Ailill mac Máta Ailill mac Máta is the king of the Connachta and the husband of queen MedbMatson, Gienna: ''Celtic Mythology A to Z'', page 2. Chelsea House, 2004. in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. He rules from Cruachan (Rathcroghan in County Roscommo ...

* Maine Aithreamhail mac Ailill Máta * Sanbh Sithcheann mac Ceat mac Magha * Cairbre mac Maine Aithreamhail * Eochaidh Fionn * Aodh mac Cu Odhar * Eochaidh mac Cairbre * Aonghus Fionn mac Domhnall * Cormac Ulfhada * Aonghus Feirt mac Aonghus Fionn * Connall Cruchain mac Aonghus Feirt * Fearadach mac Connal Cruchain * Forghus Fiansa * Forghus Fiansa and Art mac Conn * Ceidghin Cruchain mac Connall Cruchain * Aodh mac Eochaidh * Aodh Alainn mac Eochaidh Baicidh * Nia Mór mac Lughna * Lughaidh mac Lughna Fear Tri * Aodh Caomh mac Garadh Glundubh * Coinne mac Fear Tri * Muireadh Tireach mac Fiachra Sraibrintne * Eochaid Mugmedon *

Niall of the Nine Hostages Niall ''Noígíallach'' (; Old Irish "having nine hostages"), or Niall of the Nine Hostages, was a legendary, semi-historical Irish king who was the ancestor of the Uí Néill dynasties that dominated Ireland from the 6th to the 10th centuries. ...

, died c. 450/455

List of historical kings

Uí Fiachrach, 406–482

Uí Briúin, 482–500

Uí Fiachrach, 500–549

Uí Briúin, 549–600

Uí Fiachrach Aidhne, 600–622

Uí Briúin, 622–649

Uí Fiachrach Aidhne, 649–663

Uí Briúin Seóla, 663–682

Uí Fiachrach Muaidhe, 682–683

Uí Fiachrach Aidhne, 683–696

Uí Briúin Síl Muiredaig, 696–702

Uí Briúin Síl Cellaig, 702–705

Uí Fiachrach Muaidhe, 705–707

Uí Briúin Síl Muiredaig, 707–723

Uí Briúin Síl Cellaig, 723–728

Uí Briúin Síl Cathail, 728–735

Uí Briúin Síl Muiredaig, 735–742

Uí Briúin Síl Cellaig, 742–756

Uí Fiachrach Muaidhe, 756–764

Uí Briúin Síl Cathail, 764–768

Uí Fiachrach Muaidhe, 768–773

Uí Briúin Síl Cellaig, 773–777

Uí Briúin Síl Cathail, 777–782

Uí Briúin Síl Muiredaig, 782–786

Uí Briúin Síl Cathail, 786–792

Uí Briúin Síl Cellaig, 792–796

Uí Briúin Síl Muiredaig, 796–839

Uí Briúin Síl Cathail, 839–843

Uí Briúin Síl Muiredaig, 843–848

Uí Briúin Síl Cathail, 848–872

Uí Briúin Síl Muiredaig, 872–956

Ó Ruairc, 956–967

Ó Conchobhair, 967–1030

Ó Ruairc, 1030–1046

Ó Conchobhair, 1046–1067

Ó Ruairc, 1067–1087

Ó Conchobhair, 1087–1092

Ó Flaithbheartaigh, 1092–1095

Ó Conchobhair, 1092–1097

Ó Ruairc, 1097–1102

Ó Conchobhair, 1102–1280

Muircheartaigh Uí Conchobhair, 1280–1293

Ó Conchobhair, 1293–1309

Muircheartaigh Uí Conchobhair, 1309–1310

Ó Conchubhair Ruadh, 1310–1317

Ó Conchobhair, 1316–1317

Ó Conchubhair Donn, 1317–1350

Ó Conchobhair Sligigh, 1318–1324

Muircheartaigh Uí Conchobhair, 1342–1350

Ó Conchubhair Donn, 1368–1474

Sources

*''Annals of the Four Masters'', 1990 edition. *''The Annals of Connacht'', A. Martin Freeman, 1944. *''Irish Kings and High Kings'', Francis John Byrne, 1973. *''Leabhar Mor Genealach'', Dubhaltach MacFhirbhisigh, ed. O'Muralie, 2004.

External links

Ó Conchobair and Burke
at The Irish Story * tp://ftp.ucc.ie/pub/celt/texts/T105013.txt A Poem on the Kings of Connacht {{DEFAULTSORT:Connacht, Kings Of Connachta Ui Fiachrach Lists of Irish monarchs O'Conor dynasty