Uí Máil were an Irish dynasty of

Leinster Leinster ( ; or ) is one of the four provinces of Ireland, in the southeast of Ireland. The modern province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige, which existed during Gaelic Ireland. Following the 12th-century ...

. They were descended from Maine Mál, the brother of the legendary high king

Cathair Mór Cathair Mór ("the great"), son of Feidhlimidh Fiorurghlas, a descendant of Conchobar Abradruad, was, according to Lebor Gabála Érenn, a High King of Ireland.Foras Feasa ar Éirinn, Section 40, page 259, http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100054/ ...

. The Uí Máil were a dominant dynasty in Leinster competing for the kingship in the 7th century before being eventually ousted by the Uí Dunlainge and retreating east from the

River Liffey The River Liffey (Irish language, Irish: ''An Life'', historically ''An Ruirthe(a)ch'') is a river in eastern Ireland that ultimately flows through the centre of Dublin to its mouth within Dublin Bay. Its major Tributary, tributaries include t ...

plain in the 8th century. They are then found along the western foothills of the

Wicklow Mountains The Wicklow Mountains (, archaic: '' Cualu'') form the largest continuous upland area in Ireland. They occupy the whole centre of County Wicklow and stretch outside its borders into the counties of Dublin, Wexford and Carlow. Where the mountai ...

. The

Glen of Imaal The Glen of Imaal ( or ; ) is a remote glen in the western Wicklow Mountains in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is ringed by the Lugnaquilla massif and its foothills, including Table Mountain, County Wicklow, Table Mountain and Keadeen Mountain ...

, named for them, appears to have been a center of their power.Ireland's History in Maps
/ref> Kings of Leinster from the Ui Mail included: *

Áed Dibchine Áed Dibchine mac Senaig (died 595) was a King of Leinster from the Uí Máil branch of the Laigin. He is the first king of this branch to hold the overlordship of Leinster. The '' Book of Leinster'' king lists mention a certain Áed Cerr mac ...

mac Senaig d. 593All dates per ''The Chronology of the Irish Annals'', Daniel P. McCarthy * Crimthann mac Áedo, d. 636 * Fiannamail mac Máele Tuile, d. 680 *

Cellach Cualann Cellach Cualann mac Gerthidi (died 715) was the last king of Leinster from the Uí Máil dynasty. Cellach's byname is derived from the land of ''Cualu'' which lay around Glendalough. Cellach's father was not king of Leinster; his second cousin ...

mac Gerthide, d. 715 Fiannamail was ancestor to the Uí Théig (O'Tighe) north of Uí Máil territory just west of the Wicklow mountains, while Cellach Cualann was ancestor to the Uí Ceallaig Cualann (O'Kelly) on the Dublin-Wicklow border in the foothills of the Wicklow mountains. Cuala or Cualu was the old name of a region around the foot-hills of southern Dublin.

Notes

References

Ireland's History in Maps
* T.M.Charles-Edwards, ''Early Christian Ireland'' * Francis J.Byrne, ''Irish Kings and High-Kings'' * ''The Chronology of the Irish Annals'', Daniel P. McCarthy {{DEFAULTSORT:Ui Mail Leinster Gaelic-Irish nations and dynasties Laigin Gaels

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