The O'Boyle () family of

County Donegal County Donegal ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county of the Republic of Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster and is the northernmost county of Ireland. The county mostly borders Northern Ireland, sharing only a small b ...

were a clan of the

Northern Uí Néill The Northern Uí Néill was any of several dynasties in north-western medieval Ireland that claimed descent from a common ancestor, Niall of the Nine Hostages. Other dynasties in central and eastern Ireland who also claimed descent from Niall ar ...

, a great tribal dynasty of the North

Gaels The Gaels ( ; ; ; ) are an Insular Celts, Insular Celtic ethnolinguistic group native to Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. They are associated with the Goidelic languages, Gaelic languages: a branch of the Celtic languages comprising ...

descended from

Niall of the Nine Hostages Niall Noígíallach (; Old Irish "having nine hostages"), or Niall of the Nine Hostages, was a legendary, semi-historical Irish king who was the ancestor of the Uí Néill dynasties that dominated Ireland from the 6th to the 10th centuries. ...

. The O'Boyles were one of the principal families of the

Cenél Conaill Cenél is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Cenél Conaill, the name of the "kindred" or descendants of Conall Gulban, son of Niall Noígiallach defined by oral and recorded history *Cenél nEógain (in English, Cenel Eogan) is ...

within the Northern Uí Néill and originally Chiefs of the Three Tuaths in the northwest of

Tír Chonaill Tyrconnell (), also spelled Tirconnell and Tirconaill, was a kingdom of Gaelic Ireland. It is associated geographically with present-day County Donegal, which was officially named ''County Tirconaill'' between 1922 and 1927. At times it also i ...

(County Donegal). When these lands passed to The MacSweeneys (Mac Suibhne), the O'Boyle became chiefs of Tír Ainmhireach, later to be known as Críoch Bhaoigheallach, or O'Boyles country, now the Barony of

Boylagh Boylagh () is a historic barony in County Donegal in Ireland. Patrick Weston Joyce said the name ''Boylagh'' comes from the territory of the O'Boyles. It was created along with Banagh when the former barony of Boylagh and Banagh was split in 179 ...

Ancestry

This timeline traces the O'Boyle clan back to

Úgaine Mór Úgaine Mór, son of Eochu Buadach, son of Dui Ladrach, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, the 66th High King of Ireland. Biography He was the foster-son of Cimbáeth and Macha Mong Ruad and he took power by kil ...

. Ugainy Mór (Úgaine Mór) King 499-459 BC (Foster-son of Prince Eochaidh Buadhach & Macha Mong Ruad) ¦ ¦ ¦ Laeghaire Lorc Colethach Caol-bhreagh (Cobhtach Caol mBreagh) King 459-457 BC King 457-407 BC ¦ ¦ Oilill Aire Melg Molbhtach King 388-371 BC (Labhradh Loingseach) ¦ Iaran Gleofathach ¦ Conla Caomh King 328-308 BC ¦ Olioll Cas-fiachlach (Olliol III Caisfhiaclach) King 308-283 BC ¦ Eochaidh Alt-Leathan ¦ Aongus Tuirmeach-Teamrach ¦ ¦ Enna Aigneach Fiacha Firmara (Éanna III Aigneach) (Dalriada and King 206-186 BC Argyle kings) ¦ ¦ Prince Assaman Eamha Prince Labhra Laire ¦ ¦ Prince Roighen Ruadh Prince Blathach ¦ Prince Fionnlogh ¦ Prince Fionn ¦ Eochaidh Feidlioch (Eochaidh X Feidhliach) King 23-8 BC ¦ Prince Bress-Nar-Lothar (Fineamhas) ¦ Lughaidh Sriabh-nDearg (Lughaidh V) King 63–71 ¦ Crimthann-Niadh-Nar (Criomthann II) King 72–88 ¦ Feredach Fionn Feachthach (Fearadhach Finnfeachtnach) King 93–115 ¦ Fiacha Fionn Ola (Fiatach Fionn) King 115–118 ¦ Tuathal Teachtmar (Tuathal I Teachtmhar) King 129–159 ¦ Fedhlimidh Rachtmar (Feidhlimidh Reachtmhar) King 163–173 ¦

Conn of the Hundred Battles Conn Cétchathach (), or Conn of the Hundred Battles, son of Fedlimid Rechtmar, was a legendary High King of Ireland who is claimed to be the ancestor of the Connachta, and through his descendant Niall Noígiallach, the Uí Néill dynasties, w ...

(Conn Céad Cathach/Conn Cetchatach) King 176–211 , ,

Art Mac Cuinn Art mac Cuinn ("son of Conn"), also known as Art Óenfer (literally "one man", used in the sense of "lone", "solitary", or "only son"), was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. Siblings According ...

(Art II Aoinfhear) King 219–249 , , Cormac MacArt (Cormac Ulfhada Mac Airt) King 254–277 , , , St. Colum (St. Columba) Born 521 ,

Cairbre Lifechair Cairbre Lifechair ("lover of the Liffey"), son of Cormac mac Airt, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He came to the throne after the death of Eochaid Gonnat. During his time Bresal Belach w ...

(Cairbre II Lifiochair) King 279–296 ¦ ¦

Fiacha Sraibhtine Fiacha (earlier Fíachu) is a name borne by numerous figures from Irish history and mythology, including: * Fiacha Cennfinnán, High King of Ireland in the 16th or 20th century BC * Fiacha mac Delbaíth, High King in the 14th or 18th century BC * ...

(Fiachadh V) King 297–327 ¦ ¦

Muiredach Tirech Muiredach Tirech son of Fiacha Sraibhtine, was a semi-legendary High King of Ireland of the fourth century. He gained power by exiling the three Collas, who had killed his father. The Collas later returned and tried to provoke him into trying to k ...

(Muireadhach II) King 331–357 ¦ ¦

Eochaid Mugmedon Eochaid Mugmedón () was a legendary Irish king. According to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, Eochaid was a High King of Ireland, best known as the father of Niall of the Nine Hostages and ancestor of the Uí Néill and Connachta ...

(Eochaidh XII) King 358–366 ¦ ¦

(Niall I Noigíallach/Naoighiallach) King 379–405 , ,

Conall Gulban Conall Gulban (died c. 464) was an Irish king and eponymous ancestor of the ''Cenél Conaill'', who founded the kingdom of '' Tír Chonaill'' in the 5th century, comprising much of what is now County Donegal in Ulster. He was the son of Niall ...

(Son of Niall of the Nine Hostages) , , Ui Neill (Hy Niall) , , , , Northern Uí Néill Southern Uí Néill , , Maoldun Baoghal (Heremon King) Clan Conaill (Cineal Conaill) , , , , , , Aneisleis Ó Baoighill (Donegal Chieftain) Domhnall (Dohmnall IV Ard Mhacha Ó Néil) , Born 943, King 956–980 , O Boyle Clan

Notes

Sources

* Jim Craig's genealogy site, * Cairney, C. Thomas; ''Clans and Families of Ireland and Scotland'', 1988
Electricscotland.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oboyle Donegal Irish families Irish clans O'Donnell dynasty History of County Donegal

Ancestry

See also

Notes

Sources