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Kingdom Of Munster
The Kingdom of Munster ( ga, Ríocht Mhumhain) was a kingdom of Gaelic Ireland which existed in the south-west of the island from at least the 1st century BC until 1118. According to traditional Irish history found in the ''Annals of the Four Masters'', the kingdom originated as the territory of the '' Clanna Dedad'' (sometimes known as the Dáirine), an Érainn tribe of Irish Gaels. Some of the early kings were prominent in the Red Branch Cycle such as Cú Roí and Conaire Mór. For a few centuries they were competitors for the High Kingship or Ireland, but ultimately lost out to the Connachta, descendants of Conn Cétchathach. The kingdom had different borders and internal divisions at different times during its history. Major changes reshaped Munster in the 6th century, as the Corcu Loígde (ancestors of the ''Ó hEidirsceoil'') fell from power. Osraige which had been brought under the control of Munster for two centuries was retaken by the Dál Birn (ancestors of the ''Mac ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mac Cárthaigh
MacCarthy ( ga, Mac Cárthaigh), also spelled Macarthy, McCarthy or McCarty, is an Irish clan originating from Munster, an area they ruled during the Middle Ages. It was divided into several great branches; the MacCarthy Reagh, MacCarthy of Muskerry, and MacCarthy of Duhallow dynasties were the three most important of these. Their name, meaning "son of Cárthach" (whose name meant "loving"), is a common surname that originated in Ireland. As a surname, its prevalent spelling in the English language is McCarthy. Several variants are found, such as McCarty (most common in North America) as well as Carthy and Carty (though these latter are also the Anglicization of an unrelated name, ''Ó Cárthaigh''). Sixty percent of people with the surname in Ireland still live in County Cork where the family was very powerful in the Middle Ages. Naming conventions History The origin of the name begins with Carthach, an Eóganacht Chaisil king, who died in 1045 in a house fire delibera ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Irish History
The first evidence of human presence in Ireland dates to around 33,000 years ago, with further findings dating the presence of homo sapiens to around 10,500 to 7,000 BC. The receding of the ice after the Younger Dryas cold phase of the Quaternary around 9700 BC, heralds the beginning of Prehistoric Ireland, which includes the archaeological periods known as the Mesolithic, the Neolithic from about 4000 BC and the Copper Age beginning around 2500 BC with the arrival of the Beaker Culture. The Irish Bronze Age proper begins around 2000 BC and ends with the arrival of the Iron Age of the Celtic Hallstatt culture, beginning about 600 BC. The subsequent La Tène culture brought new styles and practices by 300 BC. Greek and Roman writers give some information about Ireland during the Classical period (see " protohistoric" period), by which time the island may be termed "Gaelic Ireland". By the late 4th century AD Christianity had begun to gradually subsume or replace the earlier Celt ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ó HEidirsceoil
O'Driscoll (and its derivative Driscoll) is an Irish surname stemming from the Gaelic ''Ó hEidirsceoil'' clan. The O'Driscolls were rulers of the Dáirine sept of the Corcu Loígde until the early modern period. Their ancestors were Kings of Munster until the rise of the Eóganachta in the 7th century. At the start of the 13th century, three prominent branches of the family came into existence: O'Driscoll Mor, O'Driscoll Og, and O'Driscoll Beara. The Ó prefix was dropped by many in Ireland during the 17th and 18th centuries. The surname is now most prominent in the Irish counties of Cork and Kerry. Naming conventions Overview The surname derives from the forename Eidirsceol, who was alive in the early-to-mid 10th century. The Irish word itself, ''eidirsceol'', means "go-between" or "bearer of news". The family are of Érainn, descent, specifically the Corcu Loígde population group. By the time the family began using the surname, the territory known as Corcu Loígde (r ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Corcu Loígde
The Corcu Loígde (Corcu Lóegde, Corco Luigde, Corca Laoighdhe, Laidhe), meaning Gens of the Calf Goddess, also called the Síl Lugdach meic Itha, were a kingdom centred in West County Cork who descended from the proto-historical rulers of Munster, the Dáirine, of whom they were the central royal sept. They took their name from Lugaid Loígde "Lugaid of the Calf Goddess", a King of Tara and High King of Ireland, son of the great Dáire Doimthech (a quo Dáirine). A descendant of Lugaid Loígde, and their most famous ancestor, is the legendary Lugaid Mac Con, who is listed in the Old Irish ''Baile Chuinn Chétchathaig''. Closest kin to the Corcu Loígde were the Dál Fiatach princes of the Ulaid. Overview The Corcu Loígde were the rulers of Munster, and likely of territories beyond the province, until the early 7th century AD, when their ancient alliance with the Kingdom of Osraige fell apart as the Eóganachta rose to power. Many peoples formerly subject to the Corcu Loíg ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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 Ireland in the early Middle Ages. Literary tradition Early life and accession The ''Annals of the Four Masters'' says that five roads to Tara, which had never been seen before, were discovered on the night of Conn's birth. According to the ''Lebor Gabála Érenn'', he took power after killing his predecessor Cathair Mór. In other sources his predecessor is Dáire Doimthech. The ''Lia Fáil'', the coronation stone at Tara which was said to roar when the rightful king stood on it, roared under Conn for the first time since Cúchulainn split it with his sword when it failed to roar for Lugaid Riab nDerg. In the saga ''Baile in Scáil'' ("The Phantom's Ecstatic Vision"), Conn treads on the stone by accident while walking the ramparts of Tara, i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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 "fifth", of the Connachta) takes its name from them, although the territories of the Connachta also included at various times parts of southern and western Ulster and northern Leinster. Their traditional capital was Cruachan (modern Rathcroghan, County Roscommon). Origins The use of the word ''cúige'', earlier ''cóiced'', literally "fifth", to denote a province indicates the existence of a pentarchy in prehistory, whose members are believed to have been population groups the Connachta, the Ulaid (Ulster) and the Laigin (Leinster), the region of Mumu (Munster), and the central kingdom of Mide. This pentarchy appears to have been broken up by the dawn of history in the early 5th century with the reduction of the Ulaid and the foundin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
List Of High Kings Of Ireland
Medieval Irish historical tradition held that Ireland had a High King (''Ard Rí'') based at Tara since ancient times, and compilations like the 11th-century ''Lebor Gabála Érenn'', followed by Early Modern works like the ''Annals of the Four Masters'' and '' Foras Feasa ar Éirinn'', purported to trace the line of High Kings. John T. Koch explains: "Although the kingship of Tara was a special kingship whose occupants had aspirations towards supremacy among the kings of Ireland, in political terms it is unlikely that any king had sufficient authority to dominate the whole island before the 9th century". Máel Sechnaill I is often considered the first historical High King, although he faced some opposition. Applying the title to earlier kings is considered anachronistic, while kings from before the 5th century are generally considered legendary. The traditional list of High Kings is thus a mixture of historical facts and legend. The annals describe some later High Kings as ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Conaire Mór
Conaire Mór (the great), son of Eterscél, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. His mother was Mess Búachalla, who was either the daughter of Eochu Feidlech and Étaín, or of Eochu Airem and his daughter by Étaín. In the Old Irish saga '' Togail Bruidne Dá Derga'' he is conceived when his mother is visited by an unknown man who flies in her skylight in the form of a bird, and is brought up as Eterscél's son. History According to the ''Lebor Gabála Érenn'', he took power after killing his predecessor, and his father's killer, Nuadu Necht. In ''Togail Bruidne Dá Derga'' he succeeds Eterscél directly. When Eterscél dies, a bull-feast is held. A bull is killed, a man eats his fill of its meat and drinks its broth, and sleeps as incantations are chanted over him. Whoever this man sees in his sleep will be the new king. He sees a naked man coming along the road to Tara with a stone in his sling. The young Conaire, meanwh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cú Roí
Cú Roí mac Dáire (Cú Ruí, Cú Raoi) is a king of Munster in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. He is usually portrayed as a warrior with superhuman abilities and a master of disguise possessed of magical powers. His name probably means "hound of the plain/field", or more specifically, "hound of the battlefield". He is the son of Dáire mac Dedad (or Dáire Doimthech), and thus belongs to the Clanna Dedad. However, T. F. O'Rahilly believed this to be artificial, stating that "Cú Roí and Dáire are ultimately one and the same". Though often an outsider figure, for instance in the role of intervener or arbitrator, Cú Roí appears in a great number of medieval Irish texts, including '' Forfess Fer Fálgae'', ''Amra Con Roi'', ''Brinna Ferchertne'', ''Aided Chon Roi'' (in several recensions), ''Fled Bricrenn'', ''Mesca Ulad'' and ''Táin Bó Cúailnge''. The early Irish tale-lists refer to such titles as '' Aided Chon Roí'', ''Echtra Chon Roí'' (List A), ''Orgain Chathrach ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Red Branch Cycle
The Ulster Cycle ( ga, an Rúraíocht), formerly known as the Red Branch Cycle, is a body of medieval Irish heroic legends and sagas of the Ulaid. It is set far in the past, in what is now eastern Ulster and northern Leinster, particularly counties Armagh, Down and Louth. It focuses on the mythical Ulster king Conchobar mac Nessa and his court at Emain Macha, the hero Cú Chulainn, and their conflict with the Connachta and queen Medb. The longest and most important tale is the epic ''Táin Bó Cúailnge'' (Cattle Raid of Cooley). The Ulster Cycle is one of the four 'cycles' of Irish mythology and legend, along with the Mythological Cycle, the Fianna Cycle and the Kings' Cycle. Ulster Cycle stories The Ulster Cycle stories are set in and around the reign of King Conchobar mac Nessa, who rules the Ulaid from Emain Macha (now Navan Fort near Armagh). The most prominent hero of the cycle is Conchobar's nephew, Cú Chulainn. The Ulaid are most often in conflict with the Connachta ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gaels
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 languages comprising Irish, Manx and Scottish Gaelic. Gaelic language and culture originated in Ireland, extending to Dál Riata in western Scotland. In antiquity, the Gaels traded with the Roman Empire and also raided Roman Britain. In the Middle Ages, Gaelic culture became dominant throughout the rest of Scotland and the Isle of Man. There was also some Gaelic settlement in Wales, as well as cultural influence through Celtic Christianity. In the Viking Age, small numbers of Vikings raided and settled in Gaelic lands, becoming the Norse-Gaels. In the 9th century, Dál Riata and Pictland merged to form the Gaelic Kingdom of Alba. Meanwhile, Gaelic Ireland was made up of several kingdoms, with a High King often claiming lordship ov ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Érainn
The Iverni (, ') were a people of early Ireland first mentioned in Ptolemy's 2nd century ''Geography'' as living in the extreme south-west of the island. He also locates a "city" called Ivernis (, ') in their territory, and observes that this settlement has the same name as the island as a whole, Ivernia (, '). It was probably once the name given to all the peoples of Ireland, but by Ptolemy's time had a more restricted usage applicable to the inhabitants of the south-west. These Iverni can be identified linguistically with the Érainn (Éraind, Érnai, Érna), a people attested in Munster and elsewhere in the early Middle Ages. The prehistoric Érainn royal dynasties are sometimes referred to as the Dáirine. Etymology The name Iverni has been derived from Archaic Irish ''*Īwernī'' meaning "folk of ''*Īweriū'' " (the island of Ireland). This is in turn derived from Proto-Celtic *''Φīwerjon-'' and further from Proto-Indo-European *''piHwerjon-'' (the fertile land), which ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
