Iveagh ( ; ) is the name of several historical territorial divisions in what is now

County Down County Down () is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the traditional thirty-two counties of Ireland. It covers an area of and has a population of 531,665. It borders County Antrim to th ...

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label=Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. North ...

. Originally it was a

Gaelic Irish The Gaels ( ; ga, Na Gaeil ; gd, Na Gàidheil ; gv, Ny Gaeil ) are an ethnolinguistic group native to Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man in the British Isles. They are associated with the Gaelic languages: a branch of the Celtic languag ...

territory A territory is an area of land, sea, or space, particularly belonging or connected to a country, person, or animal. In international politics, a territory is usually either the total area from which a state may extract power resources or a ...

, ruled by the ''Uí Echach Cobo'' and part of the overkingdom of

Ulaid Ulaid (Old Irish, ) or Ulaidh (Modern Irish, ) was a Gaelic over-kingdom in north-eastern Ireland during the Middle Ages made up of a confederation of dynastic groups. Alternative names include Ulidia, which is the Latin form of Ulaid, and in ...

. From the 12th century the

Magennis Magennis ( ga, Mac Aonghusa), also spelled Maguiness, Maginnis, Magenis, McGinnis, or McGuinness, is an Irish surname, meaning the "son of Angus", which in eastern Ulster was commonly pronounced in Irish as ''Mac Aonghusa''. A prominent branch o ...

es (''Mag Aonghusa'') were chiefs of Iveagh. They were based at

Rathfriland Rathfriland () is a market town in County Down, Northern Ireland. History In older documents written in English, the town's name was usually spelt ''Rathfylan'' or ''Rathfrilan''.

and were inaugurated at Knock Iveagh. Following the Nine Years' War, the rulers of Iveagh submitted to the English Crown and the territory was divided between them. Iveagh became a barony, which was later split into Iveagh Lower and Iveagh Upper. The territory of Iveagh was also the basis of the

Roman Catholic Diocese of Dromore The Diocese of Dromore is a Roman Catholic diocese in Northern Ireland. It is one of eight suffragan dioceses which are subject to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Armagh.Cruithin tribe ''Uí Echach'' (modern Irish: ''Uíbh Eachach''), or "descendants of Echu", and referred to an ancient Irish

túath ''Túath'' (plural ''túatha'') is the Old Irish term for the basic political and jurisdictional unit of Gaelic Ireland. ''Túath'' can refer to both a geographical territory as well the people who lived in that territory. Social structure In ...

(district). It is also known more fully as ''Uí Echach Cobo'' (modern Irish: ''Uíbh Eachach Cobha'', meaning Echu of Cobo), and equivalent with ''Uí Echach Uladh'' (Echu of Ulster). The ''Uí Echach'' were one of the tribes that made up the ancient kingdom of

in eastern

Ulster Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label=Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kin ...

. They shared the kingship of Ulaid with the

Dál Fiatach Dál Fiatach was a Gaelic dynastic-grouping and the name of their territory in the north-east of Ireland during the Middle Ages. It was part of the over-kingdom of Ulaid, and they were its main ruling dynasty for most of Ulaid's history. Their ...

and their kin the

Dál nAraidi Dál nAraidi (; "Araide's part") or Dál Araide, sometimes Latinised as Dalaradia or Anglicised as Dalaray,Boyd, Hugh AlexanderIrish Dalriada ''The Glynns: Journal of The Glens of Antrim Historical Society''. Volume 76 (1978). was a Cruthin ki ...

. The ''Uí Echach'' were the most prominent sept of the Cruthin. The name ''Magh Cobha'', meaning "plain of Cobo", appears to have been an older name for Iveagh. The name survived as Moycove, the earliest recorded name in the civil parish of Drumballyroney, where it was the name of an Anglo-Norman castle between 1188–1261. The highest point in the parish is the hills of Knock Iveagh (''Cnoc Uí Echach''), which may have been the centre of ''Uí Echach'' power. Another form of the name appears to have been ''Cuib'', with the title of "king" of ''Cuib/Cobo'' making its first appearance in the

Annals of Tigernach The ''Annals of Tigernach'' (abbr. AT, ga, Annála Tiarnaigh) are chronicles probably originating in Clonmacnoise, Ireland. The language is a mixture of Latin and Old and Middle Irish. Many of the pre-historic entries come from the 12th-cen ...

under the year 685AD, and in the

Annals of Ulster The ''Annals of Ulster'' ( ga, Annála Uladh) are annals of medieval Ireland. The entries span the years from 431 AD to 1540 AD. The entries up to 1489 AD were compiled in the late 15th century by the scribe Ruaidhrí Ó Luinín ...

under 735AD. The last mention is in the Annals of Ulster under the year 882AD, after which the term is replaced with chief/lord of ''Uí Echach''. ''Uí Echach Cobo'' is mentioned in the Irish annals from AD551 to AD1136, with the last entry stating that "Echri Ua-h-Aitteidh, Lord of Ui-Eathach, was killed by the Ui-Eathach themselves".

Echach Cobo

The ancestor of the ''Uí Echach Cobo'', Eochaid mac Condlai, descends from Fiachu Araide, eponymous founder of Dál nAraidi. The exact line of descent is uncertain as several different genealogies are given: The Annals of Ulster give: *553AD, Eochu, ancestor of the ''"Ui Echach Ulad"'', is listed as the son of the king of Ulaid, Conlaed. Rawlinson's Genealogies gives: *The ''Genelach Dál Araide'' section: Echdach, son of Condlae, son of Cóelbad, son of Cruind Ba Druí. *The ''Genelach Úa n-Echach'' and ''Genelach Úa n-Echach Coba'' sections give: the ''Uíbh Eachach Cobha'' are listed as following from Eocho/Echach Coba, son of Cruind Ba Druí. *The ''Genelach Mheg Aenghusu Indso'' section, which refers to the Mac Aenghusa sept of the ''Uíbh Eachach Cobo'': Echach, son of Condlai, son of Cóelbad Coba, son of Cruind ba Drái, son of Echach Coba (of the ''Uibh Echach''), son of Lugdhach. The Laud Genealogies and Tribal Histories gives: *The ''Síl Fergusa'' section: Echach, son of Condlai, son of Cóelbad Coba, son of Cruind ba Drái, son of Echach Coba, son of Lugdhach. *''De genelach hÚa nEchach Coba'' section: Echach, son of Cruind ba drui, is given as the progenitor of the "''hÍ Echach''", however also mentions an Echach Coba, son of Aililla, son of Fedlimthe.

Kings of Cuib

* Fothad mac Conaille (died 552) *... * Áedán m. Mongáin (died 616) * Fergus mac Áedáin (d.692) – King of Ulster from 674 * Bressal mac Fergusa (died 685) * Eochaid mac Bressail (died 733) * Conchad mac Cúanach (died 735) * Fergus Glut (died 739) * Ailill mac Feidlimid (died 761) * Gormgal mac Conaille (died 776) * Eochu mac Aililla (died 801) * Máel Bressail mac Ailillo (died 825) – King of Ulster from 819 * Cernach mac Máele Bressail (died 853) * Conallán mac Máele Dúin (died 882) * Aitith mac Laigni (died 898) – King of Ulster from 896

Chiefs and lords of Iveagh

At one point the territory of Iveagh was ruled by the ''Ua hAitidhe'', a name which may have been anglicised as O'Haughey or Haughey. The ''Ua hAitidhe'' are claimed to have ruled Iveagh for two centuries. The first to be mentioned in the annals is ''Aodh Ua hAitidhe'', king of ''Uí Echach Cobo'', who was killed by his own people in AD965. The last mention is under AD1136 where ''Echri Ua hAitidhe'', lord of ''Uí Echach Cobo'' was killed, likewise by his own people. From then on the name and its variant spellings disappear from the records. One of the septs under the ''Ui hAitidhe'' was the ''Mac Aonghusa'' (Magennis/MacGuiness), who ruled ''Clann Aodha'' (Clan Hugh), and were descended from ''Sárán'', a descendant of ''Echach Cobo''. By the 12th-century the Magennises had become the chiefs of Iveagh, with

Rathfriland Rathfriland () is a market town in County Down, Northern Ireland. History In older documents written in English, the town's name was usually spelt ''Rathfylan'' or ''Rathfrilan''.

their base. One early mention is in 1153 with the granting of the charter to the abbey of Newry which was witnessed by Aedh Mor Magennis, chief of Clann Aodha, of Iveagh. The ''Mac Aonghusa'' are also mentioned in letters by

King Edward II Edward II (25 April 1284 – 21 September 1327), also called Edward of Caernarfon, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1307 until he was deposed in January 1327. The fourth son of Edward I, Edward became the heir apparent to t ...

, where they are titled ''Dux Hibernicorum de Ouehagh'', meaning "chief of the Irish of Iveagh". During the 14th century the ''Mac Artáin'' (MacCartan) chiefs of the name of Kinelarty became chiefs of Iveagh, though in the annals a ''Muirchertach MacArtain'' is recorded as tainiste (heir-elect) of Iveagh in the 11th century. The MacCartan descended from ''Artáin'', a great-grandson of ''Mongán Mac Aonghusa''. By the 15th century with the collapse of the

Earldom of Ulster The Earldom of Ulster was an Anglo-Norman lordship in northern medieval Ireland, established by John de Courcy from the conquest of the province of Ulaid in eastern Ulster. It was the most important Anglo-Norman lordship in the north of Ireland. ...

, the ''Mac Aonghusa'' had expanded Iveagh from what is now County Down all the way east to Dundrum Castle, where County Down meets the

Irish Sea The Irish Sea or , gv, Y Keayn Yernagh, sco, Erse Sie, gd, Muir Èireann , Ulster-Scots: ''Airish Sea'', cy, Môr Iwerddon . is an extensive body of water that separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is linked to the Ce ...

. Iveagh however was far from secure as rivalry between the four main branches of the ''Mac Aonghusa'' clan—Castlewellan, Corgary, Kilwarlin, and Rathfriland—threatened its cohesion. In 1539 a cattle raid into

County Meath County Meath (; gle, Contae na Mí or simply ) is a county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Ireland, within the province of Leinster. It is bordered by Dublin to the southeast, Louth to the northeast, Kildare to the south, Offaly to the ...

was intercepted by Lord Deputy Grey and the clan was defeated at the Battle of Bellahoe. In 1543 the then chief Art MacArtáin of Rathfriland accepted the new policy of "

Surrender and regrant During the Tudor conquest of Ireland (c.1540–1603), "surrender and regrant" was the legal mechanism by which Irish clans were to be converted from a power structure rooted in clan and kin loyalties, to a late- feudal system under the Englis ...

" and travelled to

Greenwich Palace Greenwich ( , ,) is a town in south-east London, England, within the ceremonial county of Greater London. It is situated east-southeast of Charing Cross. Greenwich is notable for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich ...

to be knighted as ''Sir Arthur Guinez'' by

King Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disagr ...

. In 1575 Hugh Magennis of Rathfriland petitioned successfully for a grant of his estates from

Queen Elizabeth Queen Elizabeth, Queen Elisabeth or Elizabeth the Queen may refer to: Queens regnant * Elizabeth I (1533–1603; ), Queen of England and Ireland * Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022 ...

and was knighted in 1576. In 1584 his tenure was improved by a grant ''in capite'' "of the entire country or territory of Iveagh". In 1585 his cousin Ever MacRory Magennis was granted the adjacent lordship and manor of Kilwarlin.Brady & Ohlmeyer eds, ''British Interventions in Early Modern Ireland''; Cambridge University Press 2005, pp59-60. During the Nine Years' War (1594-1603), the clan chief Art Roe remained neutral, while many of his clan sided with

Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone Hugh O'Neill ( Irish: ''Aodh Mór Ó Néill''; literally ''Hugh The Great O'Neill''; – 20 July 1616), was an Irish Gaelic lord, Earl of Tyrone (known as the Great Earl) and was later created ''The Ó Néill Mór'', Chief of the Name. O'Ne ...

, one of whose wives was Catherine Magennis. O'Neill inaugurated a new chief in 1595 and the clan divided. Despite this, Charles Blount, the

Lord Deputy of Ireland The Lord Deputy was the representative of the monarch and head of the Irish executive under English rule, during the Lordship of Ireland and then the Kingdom of Ireland. He deputised prior to 1523 for the Viceroy of Ireland. The plural form is ...

, ravaged Iveagh to the point that its chief Art Roe Magennis submitted to prevent the extermination of his people.

The division of Iveagh

Following the Nine Years' War and just before the process of colonising Ulster with loyal Protestant subjects, the arrangement of dividing mighty Gaelic lordships into smaller weaker lordships, such as what happened in

County Monaghan County Monaghan ( ; ga, Contae Mhuineacháin) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Ulster and is part of Border strategic planning area of the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town of Monaghan. Monaghan County C ...

with the MacMahon's, occurred with Iveagh. In 1605 the "Commission for the Division and Bounding of the Lords" was established to replicate the Monaghan arrangement. In February 1607, the commission decided to break up Iveagh, a process that continued until 1610, seeing the creation of fifteen freeholds. The Magennises of Iveagh were granted thirteen of these freeholds, with their chief Art Roe Magennis being granted the largest. The rest however was given to officers in the Crown forces, most of whom had served in the Nine Years' War under Sir Henry Bagenal and

Sir Arthur Chichester Arthur Chichester, 1st Baron Chichester (May 1563 – 19 February 1625; known between 1596 and 1613 as Sir Arthur Chichester), of Carrickfergus in Ireland, was an English administrator and soldier who served as Lord Deputy of Ireland from 160 ...

Barony of Iveagh

The Barony of Iveagh was created during the reign of

Queen Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". Eli ...

out of the territory of ''Uíbh Eachach'', and was the largest barony in County Down, reflecting the importance of the Irish district. In the early 17th century it was divided into Iveagh Lower and Iveagh Upper, with the boundary running east to west from the settlements of Dromara and

Banbridge Banbridge ( , ) is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies on the River Bann and the A1 road and is named after a bridge built over the River Bann in 1712. It is situated in the civil parish of Seapatrick and the historic barony of ...

. By 1851 these two baronies were further divided into the baronies of Iveagh Lower, Lower Half, Iveagh Lower, Upper Half, Iveagh Upper, Lower Half and Iveagh Upper, Upper Half. The four baronies, like the rest of those in

, are now obsolete for administrative purposes.

Other uses

The name Iveagh has been used as titles in the

Peerage of Ireland The Peerage of Ireland consists of those titles of nobility created by the English monarchs in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland, or later by monarchs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It is one of the five divi ...

and

Peerage of the United Kingdom The Peerage of the United Kingdom is one of the five Peerages in the United Kingdom. It comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Acts of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great ...

, specifically in regards to the Magennis and Guinness family: *Viscount Magennis of Iveagh (1623–93) *Baron Iveagh (created 1885) *Viscount Iveagh (created 1905) * Earl of Iveagh (created 1919) In 1929 the

Northern Ireland Parliament The Parliament of Northern Ireland was the home rule legislature of Northern Ireland, created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, which sat from 7 June 1921 to 30 March 1972, when it was suspended because of its inability to restore ord ...

constituency of Iveagh was created, comprising the northern part of county down south-west of Belfast. Almost as if keeping with tradition, a descendant of the ''Mac Aonghusa'',

Brian Maginess William Brian Maginess, QC (10 July 1901 – 16 April 1967), was a member of the Government of Northern Ireland, who was widely seen as a possible successor to The 1st Viscount Brookeborough as Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. Life He was ...

, represented this constituency from 1938 until 1964. It was abolished in 1972 along with the Northern Ireland Parliament.

Ecclesiastical counterpart

The medieval tuath was historically the territorial equivalent of the Diocese of Dromore.

References

{{Dál nAraidi Ancient Irish dynasties County Down Baronies of County Down Former baronies of Ireland Former kingdoms in Ireland Gaelic nobility of Ireland Cruthin Ulaid Gaelic-Irish nations and dynasties Kingdoms of medieval Ireland