Dál Fiatach

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The Dál Fiatach were a group of related tribes located in north-east Ulster in the Early Christian and Early Medieval periods of the history of Ireland. They are thought to be related to the Darini of Ptolemy's Geographia.

The kingdom of Ulaid in the time of the Dál Fiatach was reduced from late pre-Christian times, when it had extended south and west to cover most of Ulster. By c. 400, the kingdom included the lands which would become County Louth, County Down and County Antrim, as well as parts of Armagh and Tyrone. County Down was the centre of the Dál Fiatach lands, and the chief royal site and religuous centre of the Dál Fiatach was at Downpatrick.In later times,from the 9th century, Bangor, originally controlled by the neighbouring Dál nAraidi, became the main religious site patronised by the kings.

Every known king of Dál Fiatach became king of Ulaid, but they did not monopolise the kingship as the cruithne tribes of Dál nAraidi supplied a number of kings. Among the more influential early Dál Fiatach kings were:

Báetán mac Cairill, (d. 581)
Áed Róin (d. 732)
Fiachnae, son of Áed Róin (d. 789)

A junior branch of the Dál Fiatach ruled the Leth Cathail (Cathal's half), situated around Downpatrick. The prestigious monastic site of Downpatrick remained under the control of the main line of Dál Fiatach kings. The Dál Fiatach and their dependents were the Ulidians, the Red Branch of Ulster. Their ancestors ruled all of Ulster from Emain Macha, and they are the ones renowned in the Ulster Cycle, such as King Conchobhar (Conor) mac Nessa, CuChullain, Fergus and Sualtam mac Roth. They are featured prominently in the Cattle Raid of Cooley. They were displaced as rulers of all Ulster by the Ui Neill Clan, which invaded from Connaught and Meath. These were led by the Three Collas, who colonized Airghialla (Oriel). The Red Branch were left in control of Counties Antrim and Down, the Kingdom of the Uluti or Ulstermen, known as Ulaidh or Ulidia. The descendants of this royal line include the clans McDonslevy or (Mc)Dunleavy or (Mc)Dunlavey and O'Haughey or O'Hoey. The O'Haughey or O'Hoey branch was dominant in the 10th century; however by the 12th century the McDonslevy or McDunlavey branch of the royal line was in power. Among those clans subject to the Dál Fiatach tribe include those who were the MacGuinness or Magennis families, the O'Lynchs or O'Lynchys, the O'Flarys, the McCartans, the O'Laverys or Lowrys, the O'Haughans, the O'Mornas, O'Mahans, O'Garvans, O'Hanveys, Devanys or Downeys, Doolans, and Coulters. The last kings, of the MacDonslevy/MacDunlavey line were defeated by the Normans under John de Coucy. They rallied and counterattacked but were driven back again. Most of the McDonslevy/Dunleavy/Dunlav(e)y clan went west to Donegal, where they became hereditary physicians to the ruling O'Donnell; the O'Haughey/O'Hoeys are still mainly found in County Down.

[edit] References

Byrne, Francis John, Irish Kings and High-Kings. Batsford, London, 1973. ISBN 0-7134-5882-8
Duffy, Seán (ed.), Atlas of Irish History. Gill & Macmillan, Dublin, 2nd edn, 2000. ISBN 0-7171-3093-2

"Ireland's History in Maps":"Ancient Uladh, Ulidia, the Kingdom of Ulster." http://www.rootsweb.com/~irlkik/ihm/ulster