Uí Néill

Not to be confused with O'Neill dynasty.

The Uí Néill (pronounced [iː ˈnʲeːl̠ʲ]; meaning "descendants of Niall") are Irish dynasties who claim descent from Niall Noígíallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), a historical King of Tara who died c. 405. They are generally divided into the Northern and Southern Uí Néill.

Uí Néill
Parent house	Connachta (Dál Cuinn)
Country	Ireland
Founded	5th century AD
Founder	Niall Noígíallach
Current head	by sept dynast
Titles	Kings of Tara High Kings of Ireland Kings of Mide Kings of Uisnech Kings of Ailech Kings of Tyrone Kings of Tyrconnell Kings of Brega (Kings of Scotland) numerous peerages

Branches

The founders of the Uí Néill branches are the alleged sons of Niall Noigiallach, seven in all:

The Northern Uí Néill branch:

• Conall Gulban, ancestor of the Cenél Conaill dynasty,
• Eógan, ancestor of the Cenél nEógain dynasty.

The Southern Uí Néill branch:

• Éndae, ancestor of the Cenél nÉndai,
• Coirpre, ancestor of the Cenél Coirpri dynasty,
• Lóegaire, ancestor of the Cenél Lóegaire dynasty,
• Conall Cremthainne, ancestor of the Clann Cholmáin and Síl nÁedo Sláine,
• Fiachu, ancestor of the Cenél Fiachach.

All these men were in their lifetime known as members of Connachta dynasty, or as "the sons of Niall." The term Uí Néill did not, by its very nature, come into use until the time of Niall's grandsons and great-grandsons.

Dynasties descended from the Uí Néill, such as the Cenél Conaill and Cenél nEógain, held power in Ulster until their defeat in the Nine Years War in 1603. Many of the heads of the families left for Catholic Europe in 1607, an event known as the Flight of the Earls.

Uí Néill family tree

Bold indicates a supposed High King of Ireland.

Genealogy of the Uí Néill
Conn Cétchathach Art mac Cuinn Son Son Son Son Cormac mac Airt Cairbre Lifechair Fiacha Sraibhtine Muiredach Tirech Eochaid Mugmedon Brion Fiachrae Ailill Niall Noigíallach Fergus Móranchél Endae Eógan Coirpre Lóegaire Maine Conall Cremthainne Fiachu

See also

• Gaelic nobility of Ireland
• Irish royal families

Bibliography

• Downham, Clare (2018), Medieval Ireland, Cambridge{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link).
• O'Brien, Michael A., ed. (1962). Corpus Genealogiarum Hiberniae. Vol. 1. Kelleher, John V. (intro. in the reprints of 1976 and 2005). Dublin: DIAS. pp. 133–4, 178–80. ISBN 0901282316. OCLC 56540733. Genealogical tables for the Uí Néill
• Byrne, Francis John (1973), Irish Kings and High Kings, Dublin{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link).
• Ó Muraíle, Nollaig (2005), "Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh", The Great Book of Irish Genealogies, Dublin{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link).
• Smyth, Alfred P (1974), "The Hui Neill and the Leinstermen in the Annals of Ulster, 431–516 A.D", Études Celtiques, 14: 121–43, doi:10.3406/ecelt.1974.1522.