32-477: Between the 5th and 12th centuries, an Irish sept claiming descent from Coirpre mac Néill ruled a barony of north Tethbae , called Cairpre Gabra . Their territory corresponds to the barony of Granard in modern county Longford in Ireland. Cairpre Gabra is a corruption of Irish : Cairbre Ua gCiardha and is best translated as "the descendants of Coirpre". Coirpre mac Néill (Modern Irish : Cairbre )
64-471: A note of caution: "It is true, however, that the names of Coirpre, Fiachu, Maine and Lóegaire continue to be used in later centuries simply to denote the kingdoms or dynasties descended from those sons of Niall, just as we find the names Benjamin , Dan or Juda similarly used in the Bible ...". Late writings of doubtful reliability say that Coirpre's mother was Rígnach ingen Meadaib. His son Eochu appears in
96-450: A number of allied trícha céta , and therefore referred to no fewer than 6,000 people. Probably a more accurate number for a túath would be no fewer than 9,000 people. Each túath was a self-contained unit, with its own executive, assembly, courts system and defence force. Túatha were grouped together into confederations for mutual defence. There was a hierarchy of túatha statuses, depending on geographical position and connection to
128-660: Is believed a section of the dynasty were introduced as lords of Carbury in Kildare in a 12th-century intrusion following this pressure on their original territory in north-east Longford. Ó Ciardha (O'Keary or O'Carey) were established as lords of Carbury from this group about the time of the Norman invasion of Ireland . Dobbs (1938, 1941) summarizes many events connected to the ancient Granard (barony) and Cairbre Gabra as follows- Coirpre mac N%C3%A9ill Coirpre mac Néill ( fl . c . 485–493), also Cairbre or Cairpre ,
160-525: Is excluded from most lists of High Kings, but included in the earliest. In later times Coirpre's descendants, the Cenél Coirpri , ruled over three small kingdoms— Cairbre Drom Cliabh in north County Sligo , an area in modern County Longford and at the headwaters of the River Boyne —which may be the remains of a once much larger kingdom stretching 100 miles (160 kilometres) from Donegal Bay to
192-657: Is first mentioned in the Irish Annals for the year AD731. It is generally believed a larger Cairpre grouping stretched from Sligo to Longford at an early date taking in Leitrim and parts of Fermanagh ( Tuatha Ratha or Magheraboy ) and it was divided in two by the expansion of the Kingdom of Breifne under the Uí Briúin . Cairpre Gabra lay between the tuaths of Luigne-Gailenga to the east, and Conmaicne Maigh Rein to
224-678: Is identical to the ancient place " Ciarbre Ua gCiardha " disagreeing with O'Donovan 's identification as " Carbury (County Kildare barony) ". The territory was presumably a frontier colony of the Kingdom of Meath before the seventh century. An ancient folklore called " the Revolt of the Aithech Tuatha " named "the Tuath Glasraige ” as ruling the territory around Granard and Lough Sheelin (" Irish : Tuath Glasraighe im Chairbre [Gabhra] agus im Loch Silinn ") but nothing further
256-449: Is included in later lists of High Kings of Ireland. Later kings of Cenél Coirpri are mentioned in the Annals of Ulster and other Irish annals with some frequency, although usually only to report their deaths. In earlier historical times, Cenél Coirpri may have been of sufficient importance to attract the attention of largely hostile writers. Tirechán's life of Patrick states that Coirpre
288-796: Is known about the tribe. Bracan mac Máine Mór probably resided at Rathbracken townland to the north of Granard. His descendants, the " Tuath Brecraighi ", were defeated by the Cenél Coirpri in AD 751. Between the fifth and seventh centuries, a branch of the Uí Néill called the Cairpre Gabhra ( Irish : Cairbré Ua Ciarrdha - descendants of Coirpre mac Néill ) settled around Granard and Lough Sheelin in North Tethbae (approximately county Longford ). Three distinct sub-septs of
320-567: Is said to have been killed by Coirpre's son Eochu. Under the year 494, duplicated under 496, the annals record a victory by Coirpre over the Leinstermen at Tailtiu , in later times site of an important óenach , the óenach Tailten . Two further victories are reported, one under 497 at Slemain of Mide, probably near modern Mullingar , County Westmeath , and one under 499, at Cend Ailbe, perhaps somewhere in modern County Carlow . Cenél Coirpre were associated with both Tailtiu and Granard in
352-457: Is the Old Irish term for the basic political and jurisdictional unit of Gaelic Ireland . Túath can refer to both a geographical territory as well the people who lived in that territory. In ancient Irish terms, a household was reckoned at about 30 people per dwelling. A trícha cét ("thirty hundreds"), was an area comprising 100 dwellings or, roughly, 3,000 people. A túath consisted of
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#1732771971283384-490: The Cenel Coirpri listed in the genealogies were powerful circa 700AD, namely the "Cairpri Laigin", the "Cairpri Gabra", and " Cairpri Dromma Cliab " though current thinking now believes "Cairpri Laigin" was a later construct. Furthermore, various related septs under the designations of Cenel Cairpre, Cairpre Mor, and Cairpre Gabra, figure in the annals of Ulster from the seventh, eighth, and ninth century. Cairpre Gabra
416-683: The Cenél Maini is generally presumed to be a late addition. The dates claimed for Lóegaire mac Néill , "great pagan Emperor of the Irish" and adversary of Saint Patrick in Muirchiu and Tirechán's 7th century lives, may make him an unlikely son of Niall. Diarmait mac Cerbaill , apical ancestor of the Síl nÁedo Sláine and Clann Cholmáin , the leading southern branches of the Uí Néill, is presented in
448-625: The Boyne. The Uí Néill—the grandsons, or descendants, of Niall of the Nine Hostages—dominated the northern half of Ireland from the 7th century, and perhaps earlier. The various Uí Néill kingdoms, their allies, client kingdoms and subject tribes, comprised most of the province of Ulster , all of Connacht , and a large part of Leinster . Elaborate genealogies showed the descent of the various Uí Néill, while allies and favoured clients descended from Niall's brothers or other kinsmen. Along with
480-399: The annals, but not in the most comprehensive genealogical collection. Another son, Cormac, is said to be Túathal Máelgarb 's father Cormac Cáech, although Tiréchan's account of Saint Patrick cursing Coirpre's descendants may make this a late addition. A third son, Cal, is a spurious late addition. Apart from Coirpre himself and his putative grandson Túathal Máelgarb, no king of Cenél Coirpri
512-614: The dominant southern kindred, the Eóganachta of Munster , all these were members of the Connachta , the descendants of Conn of the Hundred Battles . However, since Uí Néill means grandsons of Niall, the Uí Néill cannot have existed before the time of Niall's grandsons, towards the middle of the 6th century. Medieval genealogists provided Niall with a large number of sons, some of doubtful historicity. Maine , ancestor of
544-412: The earliest writings, but there is nothing in the annals to explain an early link with Carbury which could be as late as the twelfth century. While the annals cannot be relied upon at such an early date, the core of their account, a war between Coirpre and his sons and Fincath and his sons, as well as the association with Tailtiu and Granard, while a tradition, is likely to be one. Byrne , however, raises
576-502: The genealogies as the grandson of Niall's son Conall Cremthainne , but this is doubtful. As for Coirpre, he is called a son of Niall in one of the earliest surviving sources, Tirechán's life of Saint Patrick. Medieval Irish traditions claimed that the lands of the Uí Néill were conquered by Niall of the Nine Hostages and his sons, together with their allies. Coirpre may have led some of the earliest recorded Uí Néill conquests in
608-433: The life of Diarmait mac Cerbaill . Diarmait's descendants, Clann Cholmáin and the Síl nÁedo Sláine , probably replaced the kindreds of Coirpre and Fiachu as the dominant families of the Irish midlands. Coirpre himself, while excluded from later synthetic lists of kings of Tara or High Kings of Ireland, is included in the early Baile Chuind , coming between Lóegaire and Lugaide. Tuath Túath (plural túatha )
640-421: The midlands. The annals appear to show that a number of victories, by Coirpre and others, or by persons unnamed, were later attributed to Macc Ercae, or to Muirchertach mac Muiredaig , who may be the same person. From north-west to south-east, there were two kingdoms named for Coirpre mac Néill in early historical times. These were Cenél Coirpi Dromma Clíab , north Sligo on Donegal Bay, and Cenél Coirpri Mór,
672-460: The most northern portion of the modern barony of Granard. The Cairpre territory was probably of limited extent by the 8th century. The principal churches were at Granard and Clonbroney, supposedly given to Saint Patrick when he visited "Coirpre" and instructed Guasacht mac Milchu to found a church at Granard, and two sisters, Emers, to found a church at Cluain Brónaigh (ClonBroney). Cairbre Gabra
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#1732771971283704-479: The north-west. Centred on Granard, Cairpre Gabra lay along the northern border of the ancient Kingdom of Meath , and comprised the barony of Granard, and at least part of the barony of Longford. Cairbre may have extended as far east as Cúl (Coole) in county Westmeath). The north-western frontier ran from Cluain Cusa (Clooncoose) through Crott (between Slieve Carbry and Lake Naback) over as far as Lough Gowna, but excluded
736-406: The northern half of Tethbae around Granard in modern County Longford . This alignment of territories may suggest that the kingdom of Coirpre and its satellites once extended over 100 miles across Ireland. A third Cenél Coirpri, the region around Carbury and the headwaters of the River Boyne in the north-west of County Kildare , is of much later origins. In a year given as 485, Coirpre
768-489: The number of fighting forces a particular population could rally. Some scholars equate the túath with the modern parish, whereas others equate it with the barony. This partly depends on how the territory was first incorporated into the county system. In cases where surrender and regrant was the method, the match between the old túath and the modern barony is reasonably equivalent. Whereas in cases like Ulster , which involved large scale colonisation and confiscation of land,
800-871: The ruling dynasties of the region. The organisation of túatha is covered to a great extent within the Brehon laws , Irish laws written down in the 7th century, also known as the Fénechas . The old Irish political system was altered during and after the Elizabethan conquest , being gradually replaced by a system of baronies and counties under the new colonial system. Due to a loss of knowledge, there has been some confusion regarding old territorial units in Ireland, mainly between trícha céta and túatha , which in some cases seem to be overlapping units, and in others, different measurements altogether. The trícha céta were primarily for reckoning military units; specifically,
832-621: The same since at least the Iron Age. Túath in Old Irish means both "the people", "country, territory", and "territory, petty kingdom, the political and jurisdictional unit of ancient Ireland". The word possibly derives from Proto-Celtic * toutā ("tribe, tribal homeland"; cognate roots may be found in the Gaulish god name Toutatis ), which is perhaps from Proto-Indo-European * tewtéh₂ ("tribesman, tribal citizen"). In Modern Irish it
864-406: The shape of the original divisions is not always clear or recoverable. It has been suggested that the baronies are, for the most part, divided along the boundaries of the ancient túatha , as many bog bodies and offerings, such as bog butter, are primarily found along present-day baronial boundaries. This implies that the territorial divisions of the petty kingdoms of Ireland have been more or less
896-509: Was credited with a victory at Grainert, perhaps modern Granard, where the chief church of Cenél Coirpri Mór of Tethbae was in later times. In the addition, which notes that the battle was won by "Mac Ercae as some say," the annal adds that Fincath mac Garrchu of the Dál Messin Corb , perhaps king of Leinster , was killed there. A second battle at Grainert is recorded under the year 495, repeated under 497, and here Fincath's son Fráech
928-466: Was cursed by the saint, at Tailtiu, so that none of his descendants would be High King. The obvious omission, an explanation for the rule of Túathal Máelgarb, was corrected by later hagiographers. In the earliest surviving list, that in the Baile Chuind , Túathal appears not under his own name but as the kenning Óengarb. Túathal Máelgarb is portrayed in a poor light by later writers dealing with
960-721: Was eldest son of the Niall of the Nine Hostages the supposed ancestor of the southern Uí Néill . Tradition claims Coirpre married a Fir Bolg princess named Mulreany and ruled all of North Longford from the Moat of Granard. Coirpre also owned tracts near Lough Erne and the Carbury barony in Sligo. The first Uí Néill successes in Leinster were probably due to this Coirpre, supposedly a high king of Ireland . Ó Duígeannáin stated Cairbre Gabhra
992-604: Was said to be a son of Niall of the Nine Hostages . Coirpre was perhaps the leader of the conquests that established the southern Uí Néill in the midlands of Ireland. The record of the Irish annals suggests that Coirpre's successes were reattributed to Muirchertach Macc Ercae . Coirpre is portrayed as an enemy of Saint Patrick in Bishop Tirechán 's hagiography and his descendants are said to have been cursed by Patrick so that none would be High King of Ireland . Coirpre
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1024-442: Was therefore among the first Christianity centres in Ireland. Cairpre Gabra was not a strong tuath and in the 11th century the O'Cairbres were conquered by the Ó Cuinns, Ó Fearghails, and other Conmhaícne tribes. Caipre Gabra was absorbed into the larger Annaly kingdom, so named after " Anghaile " the great-grandfather of Fearghail O'Farrell. Annaly became Longphoirt, now Longford, after O'Farrell's fortress of this name. It
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