Mythical origins
It is claimed in medieval Irish texts that around 425, three sons of Niall Noígiallach — Eoghan, Conal Gulban, and Enda — along with Erc, a son of Colla Uais, and his grandchildren, invaded north-westernOrigins
Despite the questions over the validity of the traditional accounts, these alleged sons of Niall are collectively known by historians as the Northern Uí Néill. From the 8th century onwards, possibly sponsored by Áed Allán, a Cenél nEógain king of Tara, and Congus, the bishop of Armagh, early Irish historians carefully constructed propaganda to shore up and cement Uí Néill political supremacy along with the ecclesiastical supremacy of Armagh. This possibly involved the ruthless re-writing and doctoring of genealogies, lists of kings, history, and early annals, tracing the current situation as having primacy all the way back into the undocumented 5th century. In tandem, about a dozen peoples became designated within what was called ''Uí Néill in Tuaiscirt'', of which the Cenél Conaill and Cenél nEógain were the most dominant. By the 13th century, the Cenél Conaill had come to dominance over the original territory of the Northern Uí Néill in County Donegal, and sponsored their own history, which incorporated elements from earlier historical revisions. Known as the ''Eachtra Conaill Gulbain'', 'The otherworld adventures of Conall Gulban', it details how sons of Niall Noígiallach, the eponymous ancestor of the Uí Néill dynasties, came forth fromHistory
The over-kingdom of the Northern Uí Néill was known originally as ''In Fochla'', meaning 'the North', with the over-king styled as ''rí ind Fhochlai'', the 'king of the North'. It was divided into several sub-kingdoms, which on their own held dominance over smaller tuatha. The territory of the Cenél Conaill was called ''Tír Conaill'', meaning 'the land of Conall'. The territory Tír Conaill (Anglicised as Tyrconnell) held by the late 16th century, would become the basis for County Donegal. The territory of the Cenél nEógain was called ''Inis Eógain'', meaning "Eógain's island", the name of which survives today as the name of the Inishowen peninsula. Their king was styled as ''rí Ailig'', the ' king of Ailech', with their base being the Grianan of Aileach at the entrance of the Inishowen peninsula. The Cenél Conaill and Cenél nEógain are assumed to have established lordship over their neighbouring local tuatha. Originally the Cenél Conaill were the dominant branch, and were so from the 6th to late 8th centuries. However throughout the 6th and 7th centuries, they and the Cenél nEógain are claimed to have been vying over dominance of the over-kingdom. In 734, after a challenge from Áed Allán, king of the Cenél nEógain, the Cenél Conaill over-king of the Northern Uí Néill, and the Uí Néill as a whole, Flaithbertach mac Loingsech abdicated. From then onwards the Cenél Conaill's dominance started to wane, and their rulers would never again attain the status of over-king of the Uí Néill. It was from this point that the lengthy rotation of the kingship of Tara between the Cenél nEógain and Clann Cholmáin of the Southern Uí Néill started. The power of the Cenél Conaill collapsed around the 780s, allowing the Cenél nEógain to advance against them. According to the Annals of Ulster, in 788 the Cenél nEógain as part of a southwards push burned the monastery of Derry, which had been built by the Cenél Conaill in the 6th century. The following year, 789, the battle of Cloítech occurred between the Cenél nEógain, led by Áed Oirdnide, and the Cenél Conaill, for complete control of the Northern Uí Néill. The Cenél nEógain emerged victorious excluding the Cenél Conaill from the over-kingship as well as from Mag nÍtha, the valuable plains south of Greenan Mountain in Inishowen. Following this battle, the Northern Uí Néill over-kingdom became known as "Ailech" instead of "In Fochla" and "In Tuaiscert". The Cenél Conaill were afterwards confined to their sub-kingdom of Tír Conaill.Subjugation of Airgialla
The Northern Uí Néill were initially hesitant to test the might of Ulster's more powerful kingdoms such as Airgialla, Ulaid, and even the minor Cianacht; however over the following centuries they would come to conquer and dominate the majority of Ulster. The rate of this expansion has been claimed as equating to a rate of less than 10 miles per century. The main beneficiary of this was the Cenél nEógain, whose gains came largely at the expense of the over-kingdom of Airgialla in central Ulster, as well as the Ulaid further east. Facing pressure from the Cenél Conaill to the west, the Cenél nEógain advanced from their base in the Inishowen peninsula, crossing over the River Foyle into the present-day counties Londonderry and Tyrone inThe Vikings
Throughout the 9th century, the coastline of Ailech and the rest of Ulster was subject toInteraction with the Normans
Grianán of Ailech
It has been proposed that the Cenél nEógain occupied the site of Grianán fort, which may have been within Cenél Conaill territory, and as new kings of the over-kingdom, renamed it after their home territory, giving it its present-day name of the Grianán of Ailech. It is usually identified, whether correctly or not, as the capital of the Cenél nEógain from the 6th century, until its destruction in 1101 by Muirchertach Ua Briain, king of Munster.Cenél Conaill
Below is a chart listing the ancestry of the Cenél Conaill from Niall of the Nine Hostages, which contains figures from oral history until the 8th century when the historical period in Ireland started. ! ! ! ! O'Freel ! ! ! , _______________________________ , ______________ , , , , , , , , , , Ainmire, died 569 Colum Lugaid Mael Tuile Bresal, died 644 Ri of Ireland , , , , , , , Cenél Lugdach Dungal, Rí Cenél mBogaine, died 672 , , , , , , ______________ , Ronan , , , , , , , , Sechnasach Dub Diberg, died 703 , Garb , , , , ? , , , , Flaithgus, died 732 , , Forbasach , , , Rí Cenél mBogaine ? , Cen Faelad died 722 , , , Rogaillnech, died 815 , _______________________, , , , , , , , Mael Duin Fiaman , , , , , ? ? , , , , Airnelach Maenguile , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Cen Faelad Dochartach , , ( Clann Ua Dochartaig) , , , , ____________________________________________ , , , , , , , Dalach, 'Dux' Cenél Conaill, died 870. Bradagain , , , , , , , Eicnecan, Rí Cenél Conaill, died 906. Baigill , , ( Clann Ua Baighill) , , , , _______________________________________________________________________ , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , two sons Flann Adlann Domnall Mor Conchobar , died 956 & 962. Abbot of Derry ( Clann Ua Domnaill , died 950. Kings of Cenel Conaill after 1270 a.d.) , , _______________________ , , , , Áed, died 598 Ciaran , , , , , Fiachra, founder of Derry, died 620. , , __________________________________________________________ , , , , , , , , Domnall, died 642 Conall Cu Mael Cobo, died 615 Cumuscach, died 597 High King died 704 High King of Ireland , of Ireland , ____________ , , , , , , , Cellach Conall Cael , , both died 658/ 664 , , , ( Clann Ua Gallchobair) , , , _____________________________________________________________________________ , , , , , ! , , , , , ! Oengus, died 650 Conall Colgu Ailill Flannesda Fergus Fanad , died 663 died 663 died 666 died 654 , ! ! ! ! ! , , , Congal Cenn Magair , died 710 , High King of Ireland , ! , _____________________, _______ , , , , , , , , , Donngal Flann Gohan Conaig , died 731 died 732 died 733 ! ! ! ! , O'Breslin-Fanat Loingsech, died 703 High King of Ireland , , _____________________________________________________________________ , , , , , , , , , , Flaithbertach, deposed 734. Fergus, died 707 three other sons, all killed 703 , , _______________________________________________________________________ , , , , , , Aed Muinderg, Ri in Tuisceart, died 747. Loingsech Murchad , Rí Cenél Conaill Rí Cenél Conaill , _______________ died 754 died 767 , , , , , , Domnall Donnchad Mael Bresail died 804 fl. 784 Rí Cenél Conaill , died 767 , , Flaithbertach , , Oengus , , Canannan , (Ua Canannain) Mael Doraid (Ua Maildoraid) Rí Cenél Conaill , _______, _______ , , , , Fogartach Mael Bresail Rí Cenél Conaill Rí Cenél Conaill King Fintan of Ulster 1946- Prince Ciaran, Paul, Michael and Princess Sinead Princess Emily O'Neill, daughter of Kieran, heir to the throne B.2004-Branches, clans, and septs
Prominent branches and clans of the Cenél Conaill include the O'Donnells, O'Dohertys, O'Boyles and O'Gallaghers. The most famous descendant of the Cenél Conaill isCenél nEógain
Below is a chart listing the ancestry of the Cenél nEógain from Fergal mac Máele Dúin, the first of the lineage to be recorded in historical records. , - , style="text-align: left;", style="border-spacing: 2px; border: 1px solid darkgray;" - Kings in ''italics''Branches, clans, and septs
Prominent branches and clans of the Cenél nEógain include the O'Neills and MacLaughlins. However, the MacLaughlins' defeat at the hands of the O'Neills in 1241 led to the O'Neills' dominance over the Cenél nEógain.See also
* Kings of Ailech * Irish kings * Irish royal families * Airgíalla * UlaidBibliography
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Northern Ui Neill Gaelic-Irish nations and dynasties Uí Néill Gaels States and territories disestablished in the 1190s