Uí Néill

The Uí Néill (Irish pronunciation: , descendants of Niall) are Irish and Scottish dynasties who claim descent from Niall Noigiallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), a historical King of Tara who died about 405.

Branches

The first generation of the Uí Néill were his sons, 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 The 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

See also

• Gaelic nobility of Ireland
• Haplogroup R1b (Y-DNA)
• Irish royal families

Bibliography

• Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh, The Great Book of Irish Genealogies, (ed. Nollaig Ó Muraíle), Dublin, 2005.
• Francis John Byrne, Irish Kings and High Kings, Dublin, 1973.
• The Hui Neill and the Leinstermen in the Annals of Ulster, 431-516 A.D., Alfred P. Smyth, Etudes Celtic, 1974, pp. 121–143.

External links

• Matching Niall Nóigiallach at Family Tree DNA
• R-M222 Haplogroup Project at Family Tree DNA