The powerfull clan of the Ui Neill were divided in a northern and a southern part and they were again divided into two main branches: Cenel Conaill and Cenel nEoghain in the North and Sil nAeda Slaine and Clann Cholmain in the South.
The Southern Ui Neill held the lands of Meath, Westmeath and other parts of surrounding counties.
Cenel Conaill were the more powerful from the late 6th to the middle 7th century; the Cenel nEoghain next dominated and by the late eighth century had expanded southwards and eastwards from Inishowen and Derry across the mid-Ulster plain and slowly brought the minor kingdoms ruled by the Airgialla under their control.
The Ulaid in the east and Cenel Conaill in the west remained bitterly hostile to the dominant Cenel nEogain.
The Sil nAeda Slaine were very powerful in the 7th century. The annals record the slaying of Finsnechta Fledach macDunchada, king of the Sil nAedo Slane, by his rivals the Fir Chul of the Luigne of Brega (Tara).
Clann Cholmain managed to take the overlordship of the Ui Neill in 743. In the mid-9th century their king claimed to be king of Ireland.
According to traditional Gaelic genealogies, the Ui Neill were themselves descended from the semi-mythical figure Niall Noigiallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages) who reigned from 379- 405 CE and had many sons.
During this time the Romans were beginning to withdraw from mainland Britain. Niall raided and harassed the retreating Romans and extracted treasure by capturing and then ransoming high-ranking hostages. His most famous captive was a boy named Succat who went on to become St Patrick, patron saint of Ireland and the man who, more than anyone, brought Christianity to Ireland.
Niall’s military exploits carried him over the sea to Scotland where he fought the Picts who were trying to retake the recent Irish colonies of Dalriada. It was during a raid even further afield, to France, that an arrow from the bow of an Irish rival ironically killed Niall. He died on the banks of the River Loire in 405 CE.
Niall was succeeded in the High Kingship by his nephew Dathi, his father’s brother’s son. This was typical of the Gaelic tradition of derbhfine, the rules of inheritance which chose the new king from among the direct male relatives of the old. This served to ensure the patrilineal inheritance of the High Kingship itself and of the whole clan of Ui Neill. Their hold on the the High Kingship was remarkably long, lasting from the 7th to the 11th century CE.
It has been estimated that, worldwide, an amazing 3 million men carry the Ui Neill Y-chromosome. That is more than the entire male population of present-day Ireland. Niall of the Nine Hostages now rivals Genghis Khan as history’s most prolific man.
Sources:
Rootsweb - Irelands History in Maps
Oxford Ancestors – Nial of the Nine Hostages
