''Túath'' (plural ''túatha'') is the

Old Irish Old Irish, also called Old Gaelic ( sga, Goídelc, Ogham script: ᚌᚑᚔᚇᚓᚂᚉ; ga, Sean-Ghaeilge; gd, Seann-Ghàidhlig; gv, Shenn Yernish or ), is the oldest form of the Goidelic/Gaelic language for which there are extensive writt ...

term for the basic political and jurisdictional unit of

Gaelic Ireland Gaelic Ireland ( ga, Éire Ghaelach) was the Gaelic political and social order, and associated culture, that existed in Ireland from the late prehistoric era until the early 17th century. It comprised the whole island before Anglo-Normans co ...

. ''Túath'' can refer to both a geographical territory as well the people who lived in that territory.

Social structure

In ancient Irish terms, a household was reckoned at about 30 people per dwelling. A ''

trícha cét The tríocha céad, also known as trícha cét, meaning "thirty hundreds", was a unit of land-holding in eleventh and twelfth century Ireland. Each ''túath'' was a self-contained unit, with its own executive, assembly, courts system and defence force. ''Túatha'' were grouped together into

confederations A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a union of sovereign groups or states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issu ...

for mutual defence. There was a hierarchy of ''túatha'' statuses, depending on geographical position and connection to the ruling dynasties of the region. The organisation of ''túatha'' is covered to a great extent within the

Brehon law Early Irish law, historically referred to as (English: Freeman-ism) or (English: Law of Freemen), also called Brehon law, comprised the statutes which governed everyday life in Early Medieval Ireland. They were partially eclipsed by the Norma ...

s, Irish laws written down in the 7th century, also known as the ''Fénechas''. The old Irish political system was altered during and after the Elizabethan conquest, being gradually replaced by a system of baronies and

counties A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

under the new colonial system. Due to a loss of knowledge, there has been some confusion regarding old territorial units in Ireland, mainly between ''trícha céta'' and ''túatha'', which in some cases seem to be overlapping units, and in others, different measurements altogether. The ''trícha céta'' were primarily for reckoning military units; specifically, the number of fighting forces a particular population could rally. Some scholars equate the ''túath'' with the modern parish, whereas others equate it with the barony. This partly depends on how the territory was first incorporated into the county system. In cases where

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 English l ...

was the method, the match between the old ''túath'' and the modern barony is reasonably equivalent. Whereas in cases like

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 King ...

, which involved large scale colonisation and confiscation of land, the shape of the original divisions is not always clear or recoverable. It has been suggested that the baronies are, for the most part, divided along the boundaries of the ancient ''túatha'', as many bog bodies and offerings, such as bog butter, are primarily found along present-day baronial boundaries. This implies that the territorial divisions of the petty kingdoms of Ireland have been more or less the same since at least the Iron Age.

Etymology

''Túath'' in Old Irish means both "the people", "country, territory", and "territory, petty kingdom, the political and jurisdictional unit of ancient Ireland". The word possibly derives from

Proto-Celtic Proto-Celtic, or Common Celtic, is the ancestral proto-language of all known Celtic languages, and a descendant of Proto-Indo-European. It is not attested in writing but has been partly Linguistic reconstruction, reconstructed through the compar ...

*''toutā'' ("tribe, tribal homeland"; cognate roots may be found in the Gaulish god name

Toutatis Toutatis or Teutates is a Celtic god who was worshipped primarily in ancient Gaul and Britain. His name means "god of the tribe", and he has been widely interpreted as a tribal protector.Paul-Marie Duval (1993). ''Les dieux de la Gaule.'' Éditio ...

), which is perhaps from

Proto-Indo-European Proto-Indo-European (PIE) is the reconstructed common ancestor of the Indo-European language family. Its proposed features have been derived by linguistic reconstruction from documented Indo-European languages. No direct record of Proto-Indo-E ...

*''tewtéh₂'' ("tribesman, tribal citizen"). In

Modern Irish Irish (Standard Irish: ), also known as Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Insular Celtic branch of the Celtic language family, which is a part of the Indo-European language family. Irish is indigenous to the island of Ireland and was the ...

it is spelled ''tuath'', without the fada accent, and is usually used to refer to "rural districts" or "the country" (as in "the countryside", in deference to "the city"); however the historical meaning is still understood and employed, as well.

Historical examples

Cairbre Drom Cliabh Cairbre Drom Cliabh (meaning "Ui Cairbre (the descendants of Cairbre) of Drumcliff"), was an Irish ''túath'' in the ancient confederation of Íochtar Connacht (Lower Connacht), now County Sligo in the west of Ireland. It is now represented by t ...

* Tir Fhiacrach Muaidhe * Tir Olliol *

Corann Corann was an ancient Irish túath in northwest Connacht represented now by the present barony of Corran in County Sligo. The name is derived in legend from Corann, the harper of Dian Cecht of the Tuatha Dé Danann. Organisation Ballymote ...

Dartraighe 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 Co ...

Osraige Osraige (Old Irish) or Osraighe (Classical Irish), Osraí (Modern Irish), anglicized as Ossory, was a medieval Irish kingdom comprising what is now County Kilkenny and western County Laois, corresponding to the Diocese of Ossory. The home o ...

- túath that later became the kingdom of the same name in the Christian era *

Dál Riata Dál Riata or Dál Riada (also Dalriada) () was a Gaelic kingdom that encompassed the western seaboard of Scotland and north-eastern Ireland, on each side of the North Channel. At its height in the 6th and 7th centuries, it covered what is now ...

- the túath that became a confederation of túatha and eventually settled in

Alba ''Alba'' ( , ) is the Scottish Gaelic name for Scotland. It is also, in English language historiography, used to refer to the polity of Picts and Scottish people, Scots united in the ninth century as the Kingdom of Alba, until it developed i ...

, creating the modern nation of

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

Clandonnell Clandonnell () is an early-modern Irish district in what is now southern County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Clandonnell along with the ancient districts of Glenconkeyne, Killetra, and Tomlagh, comprised the former barony of Loughinsholin, with ...

Glenconkeyne Glenconkeyne () is an early-modern Irish district in what is now southern County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Glenconkeyne formed the western portion of the former barony of Loughinsholin, with the ancient districts of Clandonnell, Killetra, an ...

Killetra Killetra () is an early-modern Irish district in what is now southern County Londonderry, Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label=Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United ...

Melanagh Melanagh () is an ancient Irish Túath, district in what is now north-eastern County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Melanagh along with Tarraghter were once part of the barony of Loughinsholin until the Plantation of Ulster, which saw them merged with ...

Tarraghter Tarraghter, also recorded as Erraghter and Farraghter (), is an ancient Irish tuatha, district in what is now north-eastern County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Tarraghter along with Melanagh were once part of the barony of Loughinsholin until the Pla ...

, and

Tomlagh Tomlagh () is an early-modern Irish district in what is now southern County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Along with the ancient districts of Clandonnell, Glenconkeyne, and Killetra, it comprised the former barony of Loughinsholin. Tomlagh is st ...

, which all once formed the ancient territory of

Loughinsholin Loughinsholin () is a barony in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Its southeast borders the northwest shore of Lough Neagh, and itself is bordered by seven other baronies: Dungannon Upper to the south; Strabane Upper to the west; Keenaght ...

Social structure

Etymology

Historical examples

See also

References

Further reading