Eilne

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Eilne, also spelt as Eilni, alias Mag nEilne, was a medieval Irish Cruthin petty-kingdom in the over-kingdom of Ulaid. It lay between the River Bann and River Bush, [1] and was centered on Magh nEilne, the "plain of Eilne", spanning north-east County Londonderry and north-west County Antrim, in present-day Northern Ireland. Eilne may represent the name of an original population grouping, though even in the Old Irish period who they were was forgotten. [2]

Contents

The end result of conquest first by the Dál nAraidi and then the Uí Tuirtri resulted in Eilne later becoming known simply as An Tuaiscert, which survived into the late medieval period as the name of a medieval deanery and the Anglo-Norman cantred of Twescard. [3]

History

In 563 the battle of Móin Daire Lothair (modern-day Moneymore) took place between an alliance of Cruthin kings and the Northern Uí Néill. [4] The Cruthin suffered a devastating defeat and lost the territories of Ard Eólairg (Magilligan peninsula) and the Lee, which both lay west of the River Bann, with the Northern Uí Néill settling their Airgíalla allies in Eilne. [4] The Cruthin afterwards consolidated themselves in the Dál nAraidi. [4]

In the mid-7th century the Dál nAraidi of Magh Line conquered Eilne to their north-west and one of their dynasty seems to have settled there, with this branch eventually being known as the Dál nAraidi in Tuaiscirt. [3] [5]

In 681, Dungal Eilni, king of the Cruthin, who was of the Dál nAraidi in Tuaiscirt was killed at Dún Ceithern (modern-day Giant's Sconce in parish of Dunboe, west of River Bann) along with the king of Cianachta Glenn Geimin by Máel Dúin mac Máele Fithrich of the Cenél Meic Ercae of Cenél nEógain. [4] [6] [7]

Cathussach mac Ailello, king of Eilne and Dál nAraidi, and claimed as having ruled the over-kingdom of Ulaid for sixteen years, was killed at Ráith Beithech (Rathveagh, County Antrim) in 749. [8]

At the end of the 8th-century, the Airgíallan Uí Tuirtri, whose kingdom lay west of the River Bann, started to migrate into Eilne due to pressure from the encroaching Cenél nEógain. [1]

Eochaid mac Bressal, who died in 832, was the last known king of the Dál nAraidi in Tuaiscirt to hold the over-kingship of the Dál nAraidi. [3]

By the 10th-century, Eilne was under the control of the Uí Tuirtri who had also moved their client kingdom of Fir Lí eastwards as well. [1]

List of kings

Below is a list of the known kings of Eilne:

Religious foundations

The church (or monastery) of Cuil Raithin on the shore of the River Bann lay in Eilne and was said to have been founded by Cairbre, who subsequently became its bishop. [9] According to the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick, written in the 9th-century, the Dál nAraidi had granted this church to Saint Patrick. [9]

Territorial expanse

Dál nAraidi in Tuaiscirt is said to have corresponded to the later baronies of Dunluce Lower and North East Liberties of Coleraine, [10] and appears to correspond to the trícha cét of An Tuaiscert, which became the basis for the medieval deanery and Anglo-Norman cantred of Twescard. [3] A sub-division of in Tuaiscirt called Cuil an Tuaiscirt, meaning the "nook/corner" of Dál nAraidi in Tuaiscirt, was located in the north-west of the petty-kingdom near Coleraine. Its territory would form the basis of the later barony of North East Liberties of Coleraine.

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Lethlobar mac Echach was a Dál nAraide king of the Cruthin in Ulaid, an over-kingdom in Ireland. He was the son of Eochaid Iarlaithe mac Lurgain, a previous king. He belonged to the main ruling dynasty of the Dál nAraide known as the Uí Chóelbad based in Magh Line. He ruled from 708 to 709.

Cathussach mac Ailello was a Dál nAraidi king of Ulaid, in medieval Ireland. He was the son of Ailill mac Dúngaile Eilni, a previous king of Dál nAraidi and nephew of Cú Chuarán mac Dúngail Eilni, a previous king of Ulaid. He ruled from 735-749. He belonged to a branch of this family that settled in Eilne, a strip of territory located between the Bann and Bush rivers in modern County Antrim, Northern Ireland.

Bressal mac Áedo Róin was a Dál Fiatach ruler of the over-kingdom of Ulaid in Ireland. He reigned from 749 to 750. He was the son of Áed Róin, a previous king. This family had their base in modern-day County Down, Northern Ireland.

Fiachnae mac Áedo Róin was a Dál Fiatach ruler of the over-kingdom of Ulaid in Ireland. He reigned from 750 to 789. He was the son of Áed Róin and brother of Bressal mac Áedo Róin, previous kings. This family had their base in modern-day County Down, Northern Ireland.

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Dál nAraidi in Tuaiscirt, also known as Dál nAraidi of the North, was a Dál nAraidi petty-kingdom and dynasty located in the over-kingdom of Ulaid, in medieval Ireland. It derived from a branch of the ruling Uí Chóelbad dynasty of Dál nAraidi Magh Line that had conquered the petty kingdom of Eilne at some point in the 7th century. The last known king of Dál nAraidi in Tuaiscirt is recorded in 883, with the territory having been taken over by the 10th century by the Uí Tuirtrí.

The Battle of Fid Eoin was fought in early medieval Ireland between the kingdoms of Dál Riata and Dál nAraidi in either 629 or 630. The forces of Dál Riata were led by their king Connad Cerr, whilst the Dál nAraidi were led by Máel Caích, brother of Congal Cáech who was the king of the Dál nAraidi and the over-kingdom of Ulaid. The result of the battle was a decisive defeat of the Dál Riata.

References

  1. 1 2 3 McSparron, p. 109.
  2. ↑ Byrne (1971), p. 165.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Fir-na-craibhe in Dal Araide of the North" . Retrieved 3 August 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 A New History of Ireland, p. 212.
  5. ↑ Charles-Edwards, p. 165.
  6. ↑ Charles-Edwards, p. 68.
  7. ↑ Maney, p. 67.
  8. ↑ Byrne (1964), p. 85.
  9. 1 2 McCone, p. 308-309.
  10. ↑ Onomasticon Goedelicum - D

Bibliography

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