3: The Ui Neill Flashcards
What is an issue when studying the beginning got the UN supremacy?
There is a big vacuum in terms of sources- but we can use later genealogies and go backwards, combining this with archaeology and other written evidence
What was the irish political landscape of the 5th/ 6th centuries?
The political landscape was heavily in flux
2 of the older population groups who seem to have held power initially in the 5th century?
The two groups tend to have the names ‘Ciarraige’ or ‘Muscraige’ – these names have been found on Ogam stones and there is continuity in their use
What happens as we move into the ‘historical period’?
New groups and new terminology come along, displacing old ones.
BUT it is important to remember that different kin groups moved around and that there was no automatic link between a kin group and a piece of land.– It was a very fluid situation
What does ‘Uï’ mean?
Descendent or grandson
What is the word for province?
‘Cóiced’, which means ‘a fifth’
What were the five pre- UN provinces of ireland?
1) Connaught
2) Leinster
3) Mithe
4) Munster
5) Ulster
- - but, important to remember that each of these areas would have been filled with various peoples and that its not as if each area was a single homogenous unit
2 dynasties of Ulster before the UN period/ at start of?
Dal Fiatach and the Dal nAraide
What is an important idea regarding the UN?
That they owe their prominence to having carved out territory from Ulster and Leinster
2 dynasties of Connaught before the UN period/ at start of?
The Ui Fiachrach and Ui Brúin dynasties
Dynasties of Munster?
munster had the Eognachta dynasty, with various branches of this scattered around
2 dynasties heading Leinster by the time
The U Dunlainge and the Ui Chennselaig
Who is Niall Noigiallach?
Also known as ‘Niall of the nine hostages’
- he is portrayed as an honourable ancestor figure in lots of later texts but he is suspiciously absent from contemporary texts.
- we think he may have lived in connaught in the 6th century, but that is about as accurate as we can be
Who was a famous senior member of the Northern UN?
St Columba
