Uí Failghe seems to have existed as a kingdom in
Ireland
Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
since at least the early historic era, and successfully fought off encroachments by the
Uí Néill
The Uí Néill (; meaning "descendants of Niall") are Irish dynasties that claim descent from Niall Noígíallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), a historical King of Tara who is believed to have died around c. 405. They are generally divided ...
, the
Eóganachta
The Eóganachta (Modern , ) were an Irish dynasty centred on Rock of Cashel, Cashel which dominated southern Ireland (namely the Kingdom of Munster) from the 6/7th to the 10th centuries, and following that, in a restricted form, the Kingdom of De ...
, and most especially the
Normans
The Normans (Norman language, Norman: ''Normaunds''; ; ) were a population arising in the medieval Duchy of Normandy from the intermingling between Norsemen, Norse Viking settlers and locals of West Francia. The Norse settlements in West Franc ...
. From the mid eleventh century its dynasty adopted the surname Ua Conchobhair Failghe, or O Connor Faly (they were unrelated to the other notable Ua Conchobhair dynasties of Connacht and Kerry). Their seat was originally in
Rathangan,
County Kildare
County Kildare () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the Local gove ...
but moved to
Daingean with the
Norman arrival.
In the 1530s Brian supported the revolt of
Silken Thomas; on his defeat he was pardoned and was given the title "Baron of Offaly".
On the death of the last
de facto king, and
de jure
In law and government, ''de jure'' (; ; ) describes practices that are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms, regardless of whether the practice exists in reality. The phrase is often used in contrast with '' de facto'' ('from fa ...
baron,
Brian mac Cathaoir O Conchobhair Failghe, in about 1556, Uí Failghe was split between the modern day counties of
King's County (Offaly),
Queen's County (Laois) and
County Kildare
County Kildare () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the Local gove ...
by Mary I of England during the
Plantations of Ireland
Plantation (settlement or colony), Plantations in 16th- and 17th-century Ireland () involved the confiscation of Irish-owned land by the Kingdom of England, English The Crown, Crown and the colonisation of this land with settlers from Great Br ...
. Two Baronies in County Kildare, ''
Offaly East'' and ''
Offaly West'', retained the
anglicised
Anglicisation or anglicization is a form of cultural assimilation whereby something non-English becomes assimilated into or influenced by the culture of England. It can be sociocultural, in which a non-English place adopts the English language ...
name of the Kingdom. Upon Irish independence King's County was renamed as
County Offaly
County Offaly (; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. It is named after the Ancient Ireland, ancient Kingdom of Uí ...
.
Early kings
*
Failge Berraide (flourished 507-514)
*
Bruidge mac Nath Í (died 579)
*
Áed Rón mac Cathail (died 604)
*
Ailill mac Áedo Róin (died 639)
*
Cillíne mac Forannáin (died 652)
*
Fland Dá Chongal
*
Forbassach Ua Congaile (died 714)
*
Ailill Corrach mac Flainn (died 741)
*
Flaithnia mac Flainn (died 755)
*
Cummascach mac Flainn (died 757)
*
Cináed mac Flainn (died 770)
*
Mugrón mac Flainn (died 782).
*
Domnall mac Flaíthnia (died 783)
*
Óengus mac Mugróin (died 803)
*
Flaíthnia mac Cináeda (died 806)
*
Cináed mac Mugróin (died 829)
* Mugrón mac Óengusa (d.842)
* Niall mac Cináeda (d.849)
* Máel Sinchill mac Mugróin (d.881)
* Conchobar mac Flannacáin (d.891)
* Uathmarán mac Conchobair (d.897)
Later kings c.1051-c.1556
*Congalach Ua Conchobair, d. 1051
*Gilla Patraic mac Conchobair Ua Sibleain, 1051-1071
*Conchobar mac Congalaig, 1071-
1115
*Muirchertach, ?-1095
*Rogan mac Domnaill meic Conchobair, 1115-c.
1118
*Cu Faifne mac Congalaig, c.1118-
1130
*Donnchad mac Con Faifne, 1130-
1134
*Aed mac Domnaill, 1134-????
*Mael Morda mac Conchobair
*Conchobair mac Con Faifne
*Mael Sechlainn mac Conchobair
*Congalach mac Con Faifne
*Murchad mac Con Faifne
*Muirchertach mac Muirchertaig (Int Athchlerch), ????-c.
1151
*Aed mac Donnchada (Gilla na Findmona), c.1151-
1159
*Domnall Ruad mac Congalaig, 1159-
1161
*Mael Sechlainn mac Congalaig, 1161-
1164
*Donchad Ruad Roigne, 1164-????
*Diarmait mac Congalaig,
*Muirchertach mac Congalaig, ????-
1169?
*Diarmait mac Con Broga Ua Dimmusaig, after 1172-
1193
*Muirchertach mac Brian, fl. 1212
*Mael Morda mac Muirchertaig meic Donnchada, ????-1225
*Muirchertach mac Mael Morda, 1225-????
*Muirchertach mac Muirchertaig, ????-c. 13 June 1305
*Murchad mac Muirchertaig, 1305-????
*Mael Sechlainn mac Muirchertaig, ????-1329
*Muirchertach Óg mac Muircherartaig, ????-1384
*Murchad mac Muircheartaig Óg, 1384-1421
*Diarmaid mac Muirchertaigh Óg, 1421-c. 1425
*An Calbhach Mór mac Murchada, c. 1425-1458 (see
Máireg Béan Ó Conchubhair Fáilghe)
*Conn mac an Chalbhaig, 1458-autumn 1474
*Cathaoir mac Cuinn, 1474-1511
*Brian mac Taidhg meic an Chalbhaigh, 1511-1517
*An Calbhach mac Taidhg, 1517-c. 1525
*
Brian mac Cathaoir, c. 1525 - c. 1556 (created
Baron Offaly
There have been two creations of the title Baron Offaly, both in the Peerage of Ireland.
Two earlier medieval creations as Baron of Offaly existed for an earlier FitzGerald, who owned land in County Kildare, Ireland,
including what was then " ...
in 1538; title forfeited in 1550)
*
Cathal O'Connor Faly, Brian's son, claimed the title Lord of Offaly and was considered as such by the Spanish, though the English never recognised him as such.
See also
*
Irish kings
*
Gaelic Ireland
Gaelic Ireland () was the Gaelic political and social order, and associated culture, that existed in Ireland from the late Prehistory of Ireland, prehistoric era until the 17th century. It comprised the whole island before Anglo-Norman invasi ...
Footnotes
Sources
*''Book of Leinster''
Section 28, ''Rig Hua Falge''hosted by
University College Cork
University College Cork – National University of Ireland, Cork (UCC) () is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland, and located in Cork (city), Cork.
The university was founded in 1845 as one of three Queen's Universit ...
CELT project.
*"O'Connor Faly: O Conchobhair Failghe, Kings of Uí Failghe, a.1051-c.1556", page 217-18, "A New History of Ireland", volume nine, Oxford, 1984.
*Mac Niocaill, Gearoid (1972), ''Ireland before the Vikings'', Dublin: Gill and Macmillan
{{DEFAULTSORT:List of kings of Ui Failghe
Ui Failghe