Uí Dúnchada was an Irish lineage and kingdom.

Lineage

The divisions of the Uí Dúnlainge kingdom derived from three sons of

Murchad mac Brain Mut Murchad mac Brain Mut (died 727) was a King of Leinster from the Uí Dúnlainge branch of the Laigin. He was the son of Bran Mut mac Conaill (died 696), a previous king. He ruled from 715 to 727. His reign His first mention in the annals is w ...

Uí Dúnlainge The Uí Dúnlainge, from the Old Irish "grandsons (or descendants) of Dúnlaing", were an Irish dynasty of Leinster kings who traced their descent from Dúnlaing mac Énda Niada, a fifth-century King of Leinster. He was said to be a cousin of ...

, king of

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 ...

(d. 727). "The third brother, Dúnchad mac Murchada (d. 728), was ancestor to Uí Dúnchada" (2008, p. 162). The Uí Dúnchada lineage took the surname Mac Gilla Mo Cholmóc by 1100.

Kingdom

The Uí Dúnlainge were a "powerful lineage ... which had risen to dominance in Laigin Tuadgabair, divided into three segments during the early eighth century, each of which in turn formed distinct kingdoms." (2008, p. 163). Uí Dúnchada became a "regional kingdom", its territory "later represented by two cantreds, Newcastle Lyons and Fercoulen", the former representing the trícha of Uí Dúnchada proper. MacCotter states:

The cantred of Newcastle Lyons appears to derive from the Uí Dúnchada of 'proper', as distinct from the regional kingdom of the same name. Uí Dúnchada may have moved into this area as early as the late eighth century, and were certain here by the early tenth century, when one of their kings is styled Lorcán Liamna (from Liamhain or Newcastle Lyons, their later seat). The Uí Dúnchada tract mentions two territorial units in the kingtdom in addition to Fír Chualann: Uí Dúnchada 'proper' and Uí Gabla, both of which seem to have lain in Uí Dúnchada (which) itself certain contained all of south
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 ...
west of the
Dodder ''Cuscuta'' (), commonly known as dodder or amarbel, is a genus of over 201 species of yellow, orange, or red (rarely green) parasitic plants. Formerly treated as the only genus in the family Cuscutaceae, it now is accepted as belonging in the ...
.

Henry II Henry II may refer to: Kings * Saint Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor (972–1024), crowned King of Germany in 1002, of Italy in 1004 and Emperor in 1014 *Henry II of England (1133–89), reigned from 1154 *Henry II of Jerusalem and Cyprus (1271–1 ...

retained both cantreds for himself in 1171-72. Grants of 1173, 1185, 1207, 1213 and 1377, make clear that it included the parishes of Ballybought, Ballymore and Tipperkevin in

County Kildare County Kildare () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, 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 gove ...

; Kilbride, Blessington, Burgage, Boystown, Hollywood, Crehelp, Tober, Dunlavin, Rathsallagh and part of Donard, all in

County Wicklow County Wicklow ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The last of the traditional 32 counties, having been formed as late as 1606 in Ireland, 1606, it is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the Provinces ...

Rathdown Castle Rathdown Castle is a ruined castle and ancient settlement site located in County Wicklow, Ireland. Location Rathdown Castle was located in a deep ravine immediately northeast of Kindlestown Castle and north of Greystones village. In the field ...

(anciently Rath Oinn) was a historical centre of Uí Dunchada power.

References

* Gilbert, J.T., ''A history of the city of Dublin'', 1854. * Byrne, Francis John, Irish Kings and High-Kings, Dublin: Four Courts Press, 1973; 2001 reprint * MacCotter, Paul, ''Medieval Ireland: Territorial, Political and Economic Divisions'', 2008, pp. 162-64. {{DEFAULTSORT:Uí Dúnchada Medieval history of Ireland Kingdoms of medieval Ireland History of County Dublin History of County Kildare History of County Wicklow