The Ciarraige were a population-group recorded in the early historic era in

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 ...

Origins

The word Ciarraige means ''the people of Ciar''. Ciar was the illegitimate son of Fergus, the King of

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 ...

. After being banished from the Court of Cruachan, Ciar sought refuge in Munster. There he gained the territory for the first branch of Ciarraige, which he called Ciarraige Luachra.

Branches

The Cíarraige were a people found scattered over much of Ireland. Known branches were: * ''Ciarraige Luachra'', who gave their name to County Kerry * ''Ciarraige Altraige'', Mocu Alti, or Altai; living around Tralee, northwest of county Kerry. * ''Ciarraige Cuirche'', located in the barony of Kerrycurrihy, south of

Cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...

city * ''Ciarraige Diurgi'', located somewhere in Munster * ''Ciarraige Irluachra'', located close to the Ciarraige Luchra in western

Sliabh Luachra Sliabh Luachra (), sometimes anglicised Slieve Logher, is an upland region in Munster, Ireland. It is on the borders of counties Cork, Kerry and Limerick, and bounded to the south by the River Blackwater. It includes the Mullaghareirk Mounta ...

* ''Ciarraige Sleibe Cua'', in what is now County Waterford * ''Ciarraige Muman'', situated in Munster * ''Ciarraige Choinchenn'', location uncertain * ''Ciarraige Conmed'', location uncertain * ''Ciarraige Maige Glas'', northeast part of Maigh Ai in Moylurg, north County Roscommon. * ''Ciarraige Des Cechair'', location uncertain (possibly in

Tethba Tethbae (; also spelled ''Tethba'', often anglicised ''Teffia'') was a confederation of túatha in central Ireland in the Middle Ages. It was divided into two distinct kingdoms, north Tethba, ruled by the Cenél Coirpri, and south Tethba, ruled ...

, now in County Longford) * ''Ciarraige Oic Bethra'', of

Aidhne Aidhne (modern Irish: ), also known as Uí Fhiachrach Aidhni, Mag nAidni, later Maigh Aidhne ("Plain (of) Aidhne"), was the territory of the Uí Fhiachrach Aidhni, a túath (tribal kingdom) located in the south of what is now County Galway in ...

, now south County Galway * '' Ciarraige Aí'', based on the plain of Magh nAi in County Roscommon * '' Ciarraige Airtech'', an obscure branch of the above, around Tibohine, County Roscommon * '' Ciarraige Loch Airned'', based around Loch Airned, now Mannin Lake, County Mayo, close to the Roscommon border.

Notable people

* St Brendan the Navigator

References

Notes

Sources