The Cálraighe were a population-group found mostly in northern

Connacht Connacht or Connaught ( ; or ), is the smallest of the four provinces of Ireland, situated in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, C ...

as well as

County Westmeath County Westmeath (; or simply ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region. It formed part of the historic Kingdom of ...

and

County Longford County Longford () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Longford. Longford County Council is the Local government in the Republic ...

. They were purported descendants of Lugaid Cal, son of Daire Sirchrechtaig, who was himself a supposed descendant of Lugaid mac Itha, a first cousin of

Míl Espáine In Irish origin myths, Míl Espáine or Míl Espáne (later Latinization of names, Latinized as Milesius) is the mythical ancestor of the final inhabitants of Ireland, the "sons of Míl" or Milesians (Irish), Milesians, who represent the vast maj ...

. Daire is stated as having five sons, all called Lugaid, from who each derived the

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 M ...

, Corco Oirce, Loigis

Laigin The Laigin, modern spelling Laighin (), were a Gaelic population group of early Ireland. They gave their name to the Kingdom of Leinster, which in the medieval era was known in Irish as ''Cóiced Laigen'', meaning "Fifth/province of the Leinste ...

, Dal Mesen Corb and the Calraige. Around a dozen branches of the Calraige are listed as inhabitants of northern Connacht. They include: * Cálraighe Tre Maige of Druim Leas – now Drumlease parish,

County Leitrim County Leitrim ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht and is part of the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the village of Leitrim, County Leitr ...

* Cálraighe Aelmag – Snedriagail, abbot of

Clonmacnoise Clonmacnoise or Clonmacnois (Irish language, Irish: ''Cluain Mhic Nóis'') is a ruined monastery in County Offaly in Republic of Ireland, Ireland on the River Shannon south of Athlone, founded in 544 by Saint Ciarán of Clonmacnoise, Ciarán, ...

(died 781), was of this branch * Cálraighe Locha Gile – possibly an alternative name for the previous * Cálraighe Droma Cliab – an alternative name for the Cálraighe Locha Gile * Cálraighe Laithim – location uncertain, possibly near that of Droma Cliab (

Drumcliff Drumcliff or Drumcliffe () is a village in County Sligo, Ireland. It is north of Sligo, Sligo town on the N15 road (Ireland), N15 road on a low gravel ridge between the mountain of Ben Bulben and Drumcliff Bay. It is on the Drumcliff River, o ...

County Sligo County Sligo ( , ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Northern and Western Region and is part of the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht. Sligo is the administrative capital and largest town in ...

) * Cálraighe Mor – a '' tuath aithech'' located with the Lúighne in mid-Sligo * Cálraighe in Chorainn – aka Cálraighe Morna, found in

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 becam ...

, Sligo * Cálraighe Luirg – located south-east of the previous, in

Moylurg {{Use dmy dates, date=April 2022 Magh Luirg or Magh Luirg an Dagda, anglicised as Moylurg, was the name of a medieval Irish kingdom located in modern-day County Roscommon, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It was a sub-kingdom of the kingdom of Connach ...

County Roscommon County Roscommon () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is part of the province of Connacht and the Northern and Western Region. It is the List of Irish counties by area, 11th largest Irish county by area and Li ...

* Cálraighe Culi Cernadan – located in Attymass and Kilgarvan parishes,

County Mayo County Mayo (; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. In the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht, it is named after the village of Mayo, County Mayo, Mayo, now ge ...

* Cálraighe Mag nEileag – situated on the north-west corner of Lough Conn,

* Cálraighe Mag Muirisc – at the mouth of the

river Moy The River Moy () is a river in the west of Ireland. Name Ptolemy's ''Geography'' (2nd century AD) described a river called Λιβνιου (''Libniu'', perhaps from *''lei''- "flow"), which probably referred to the River Moy. The Moy is first ...

* Cluain Calraí - located at Clooncolry near Bornacoola, Mohill parish, county Leitrim.Cluain Calraí, Clooncolry
/ref> * Druim Chálraighe - located at Drumhalry nearby Carrigallen, in county Leitrim.Droim Chalraí, Drumhalry
/ref> * Cnoc Droma Calraí at Knock parish, County Mayo."An Cnoc Druim Calraí", "Knock parish"
/ref> * an unattested branch at Glencalry, Doonfeeny,

Cálraighe found outside Connacht included the following: * Cálraighe Bri Leith – found in

* Cálraighe in Chalaid – in the parish of

Ballyloughloe Ballyloughloe () is a civil parish in County Westmeath, Ireland. It is located about west–south–west of Mullingar. Ballyloughloe is one of 4 civil parishes in the barony of Clonlonan in the province of Leinster. The civil parish covers . ...

* Cálraighe Bregmuine –

barony Barony may refer to: * Barony, the peerage, office of, or territory held by a baron * Barony, the title and land held in fealty by a feudal baron * Barony (county division), a type of administrative or geographical division in parts of the British ...

of Brawny,

* Cálraighe Tethba – somewhere in

References

* ''Lugaid Cal and the Calraige'', Donnchad Ó Corrain, ''Eigse'' 13, 1970 * ''Some Connacht Population Groups'', Nollaig Ó Muraíle, in ''Seanchas:Studies in Early and Medieval Irish Archaeology, History and Literature in Honour of

Francis John Byrne Francis John Byrne (1934 – 30 December 2017) was an Irish historian. Born in Shanghai where his father, a Dundalk man, captained a ship on the Yellow River, Byrne was evacuated with his mother to Australia on the outbreak of World War II. A ...

'', pp. 162–65.

Four Courts Press Four Courts Press is an independent Irish academic publishing house, with its office at Malpas Street, Dublin 8, Ireland. Founded in 1970 by Michael Adams, who died in February 2009, its early publications were primarily theological, notably ...

Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...

, 2000.

Secondary references

{{DEFAULTSORT:Calraighe Ethnic groups in Ireland Gaelic-Irish nations and dynasties History of County Sligo History of County Mayo History of County Longford History of County Westmeath History of County Roscommon