The kingdom of Uí Fháilghe, ''Uí Failge'' (early spelling) or ''Uíbh Fhailí'' (modern spelling) () was a

Gaelic Gaelic is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". As a noun it refers to the group of languages spoken by the Gaels, or to any one of the languages individually. Gaelic languages are spoken in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, an ...

-Irish kingdom which existed to

1550 __NOTOC__ Year 1550 ( MDL) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events January–June * January 6 – Spanish Captain Hernando de Santana founds the city of Valle ...

, the name of which (though not the territory) is preserved in the name of

County Offaly County Offaly (; ga, Contae Uíbh Fhailí) 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 ...

( Irish: Contae Uíbh Fhailí),

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...

. County Offaly was constructed from elements of a number of ancient Irish Kingdoms of which Uí Failghe was one amongst such as Mide (present day west Offaly) and

Munster Munster ( gle, an Mhumhain or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the south of Ireland. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" ( ga, rí ruirech). Following t ...

(present day south Offaly). In modern territorial boundaries the kingdom today would correspond with County Offaly east of Tullamore, western parts of Kildare and parts of north east Laois. The name was also retained in the names of two baronies in

County Kildare County Kildare ( ga, Contae Chill Dara) is a county in Ireland. It is in the 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 authority for the count ...

that formed part of the kingdom, Offaly (Ophaley) East and Offaly (Ophaley) West.

Background

Uí Failghe may have existed as a kingdom from the early historic era. It takes its name from the legendary king Failge Berraide (''fl.'' AD 507–514). It successfully fought off encroachments by the

Uí Néill The Uí Néill (Irish pronunciation: ; meaning "descendants of Niall") are Irish dynasties who claim descent from Niall Noígíallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), a historical King of Tara who died c. 405. They are generally divided into t ...

, the Eóganachta, and the

Normans The Normans ( Norman: ''Normaunds''; french: Normands; la, Nortmanni/Normanni) were a population arising in the medieval Duchy of Normandy from the intermingling between Norse Viking settlers and indigenous West Franks and Gallo-Romans. ...

however with loss of territories. "The traditions of warfare in the fifth century between Ui Neill and Laigin in Brega and Mide ... howthe Ui Failgi certainly suffered most material damage through the loss of territory in Offaly and Westmeath".Byrne, Francis John "Irish kings and High Kings" (Dublin : Four Courts, 2001; 2nd ed.), p.142. From the mid eleventh century its ruling dynasty adopted the surname ''Ua Conchobhair Failghe'' (modern spelling: ''Ua Conchúir Fhailí'') or O Connor Faly (they were unrelated to the other notable ''Ua Conchobhair'' dynasties of Connacht and Kerry). Their seat was originally in Rathangan but moved to

Daingean Daingean (; or ), formerly Philipstown, named after King Philip II of Spain, is a small town in east County Offaly, Ireland. It is situated midway between the towns of Tullamore and Edenderry on the R402 regional road. The town of Daingean ...

with the Norman arrival. On the death of the last de facto king, ''Brian mac Chathaoir Uí Chonchúir Fhailí'', about 1556, the

Parliament of Ireland The Parliament of Ireland ( ga, Parlaimint na hÉireann) was the legislature of the Lordship of Ireland, and later the Kingdom of Ireland, from 1297 until 1800. It was modelled on the Parliament of England and from 1537 comprised two ch ...

passed the Settlement of Laois and Offaly Act and ''Ui Failghe'' was divided between Queen's County, King's County and

during one of the

Plantations of Ireland Plantations in 16th- and 17th-century Ireland involved the confiscation of Irish-owned land by the English Crown and the colonisation of this land with settlers from Great Britain. The Crown saw the plantations as a means of controlling, an ...

. Upon Irish independence in 1922, 'King's County' was renamed

in commemoration of ''Uí Failghe''.

Description

The old territory of Offaly is described by O'Donovan in his Ordnance Survey letters.Ireland's History in Maps
- The Tribes of Laigen Leinster Series O'Donovan notes the territory of ''Ui Failghe'', or Ophaley, comprising the baronies of: Geshill, Upper and Lower Philipstown, Warrenstown, and Collestown all in King's County; Ophaley (or Offaley) in County Kildare; Portnahinch and Tinahinch in Queen's County. O'Donovan cites O'Heerin as giving that Offaly was originally subdivided into seven cantreds: ''Tuath Geisille'' (

Geashill Geashill () is a village in County Offaly, Ireland. It is situated between the towns of Tullamore and Portarlington on the R420 regional road. Geashill has a Church of Ireland church, a shop and petrol station, a school, a GAA club, two p ...

); ''Hy-Regan'' (Tinahinch); ''Clann-Maoilughra'' ( Upper Philipstown and Portnahinch); ''Clar Colgain'' ( Lower Philipstown); ''Tuath-Maighe'' or Tethmoy (

Coolestown Coolestown () is a barony in County Offaly (formerly King's County), Ireland. Etymology Coolestown derives its name from Coolestown (Irish ''Baile an Chúlaígh''), a former name of Edenderry, from the Cooley/Cowley/Colley family who ruled it ...

and

Warrenstown Warrenstown () is a barony in County Offaly (formerly King's County), Republic of Ireland. Etymology Warrenstown takes its name from Ballybrittain Castle, also called Warrenstown Castle, located east of Rhode, a tower house held by the Warren ...

); ''Magh Aoife'', or ''Fearann Uí Mhurcháin'', (northern half of the Ophaley); ''Tuath Leighe'' (southern half of Ophaley). This gives the kingdom an approximately triangular shape, with a southwest corner in the

Slieve Bloom Mountains The Slieve Bloom Mountains ( ga, Sliabh Bladhma; la, Bladinae montes) is a mountain range in Ireland. They rise from the central plain of Ireland to a height of 527 metres. While not very high, they are extensive by local standards. The high ...

, a southeast corner at Dún Ailinne, and the

River Boyne The River Boyne ( ga, An Bhóinn or ''Abhainn na Bóinne'') is a river in Leinster, Ireland, the course of which is about long. It rises at Trinity Well, Newberry Hall, near Carbury, County Kildare, and flows towards the Northeast through C ...

and its tributaries ( Milltown River,

Yellow River The Yellow River or Huang He (Chinese: , Mandarin: ''Huáng hé'' ) is the second-longest river in China, after the Yangtze River, and the sixth-longest river system in the world at the estimated length of . Originating in the Bayan Ha ...

) marking its northern border. Keating cites the following family branches as belonging to the ''Ó Conchubhar Fhailghe'': "'' Ó Caomhánaigh'', ''Ó Tuathalaigh'', '' Ó Branaigh'', ''

Mac Giolla Phádraig Mac or MAC most commonly refers to: * Mac (computer), a family of personal computers made by Apple Inc. * Mackintosh, a raincoat made of rubberized cloth * A variant of the word macaroni, mostly used in the name of the dish mac and cheese * Mac ...

'', '' Ó Duinn'', '' Ó Díomasaigh'', '' Ó Duibhir'', Ó Conchúir (Of Offaly and North Wexford), Muintear ''Riain''."

References

* ''Hui Failgi relations with the Hui Neill in the century after the loss of the plain of Mide'', Alfred P. Smyth, ''Etudes Celtic'', 1975, pp. 501–523. * ''Ui Fhailghe, Uibh Fhaili, etc.; The Name of

Offaly County Offaly (; ga, Contae Uíbh Fhailí) is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Uí Failghe. It was formerly known as King's County, i ...

'', Nollaig O Muraile, in ''Offaly Heritage:Journal of the Offaly Archaeological and Historical Society'', pp. 9–11, volume one, 2003 {{DEFAULTSORT:Ui Failghe Kingdoms of medieval Ireland History of County Offaly History of County Laois History of County Kildare 1556 disestablishments Laigin Gaels

Background

Description

See also

References