Ulaid

The Ulaid or Ulaidh (singular Ulad or Uladh) were a people of Early Ireland who gave their name to the Irish Province of Ulster. They may appear in Ptolemy's 2nd century Geography as the Voluntii. Their capital was traditionally at Emain Macha near modern Armagh. Their territory at its height extended as far south as the River Boyne and as far west as County Leitrim, but by early Christian times they were pressed by the northern Uí Néill and they were reduced to eastern County Down, where they became known as the Dál Fiatach and the Dál nAraide.

According to the Annals of the Four Masters, the reduction of the Ulaid began in AD 331, when the Three Collas defeated their king Fergus Foga in the Battle of Achadh Leithdheirg in County Monaghan. They seized all their territory west of the Newry River and Lough Neagh, and burned Emain Macha. After that, Emain was abandoned, and Fergus Foga was the last Ulaid king to rule there.

T. F. O'Rahilly believed the Ulaid were a branch of the Érainn. Their ruling dynasty claimed descent from the legendary king Rudraige (3).

The Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology concerns the heroes of the Ulaid and their wars against Connacht around the time of Christ. However the name "Connacht" in this context appears to be an anachronism. Connacht is usually supposed to have taken its name from the Connachta, the descendants of Conn Cétchathach, who is supposed to have lived several centuries later than the events of the Ulster Cycle. Cóiced Ol nEchmacht is sometimes given as an earlier name of the province.

Kings of the Ulaid

Dates as per the Annals of the Four Masters.

Legendary kings

• Eber Donn (1700 BC - ?)
• Cimbáeth (d. 661 BC)
• Macha Mong Ruad (d. 654 BC)
• Fergus mac Leiti
• Eochaid Sálbuide
• Fergus mac Róich
• Conchobar mac Nessa
• Cúscraid, son of Conchobar
• Éllim, son of Conrach (d. 76 BC)
• Mal, son of Rochraide, son of Cathbad (d. AD 110)
• Tibraide Tirech, son of Breasal Brecc, son of Ferb, son of Mal
• Áengus Goibnenn, son of Fergus Gallen, son of Tibraide Tirech
• Fergus Dubdétach (d. 226 BC)
• Aengus Finn, son of Fergus Dubdétach(d. AD 262)
• Lugaid Lorc, son of Áengus Finn
• Dub, son of Fomor, son of Airgetmar, son of Sírlám, son of Finn, son of Brath, son of Labraid Condilg
• Fiachu Araide, son of Áengus Goibnenn, son of Fergus Gallen
• Fedlimid, son of Cas, son of Fiachu Araide
• Imchad, son of Fedlimid
• Ros, son of Imchad
• Cronn Badruí, son of Eochaid, son of Lugaid, son of Ros, son of Imchad
• Fergus Foga, son of Fraechar Foirtriun (d. AD 331)
• Cáelbad, son of Cronn Badruí (d. AD 356)

Historical kings

• Forga, son of Dallán, son of Dubthach, son of Mianach, son of Lugaid Lorc (d. 455)
• Muiredach Muinderg, son of Forga (d. 490)
• Eochaid, son of Muiredach Muinderg (d. 503)
• Cairell Coscrach, son of Muiredach Muinderg (d. 526)
• Eochaid, son of Connla, son of Cáelbad, son of Cronn Badruí (d. 547 or 548)
• Fergna, son of Áengus (d. 551)
• Deman, son of Cairell Coscrach (d. 565)
• Baetan, son of Cairell Coscrach (d. 585)
• Áed Dub, son of Suibne (d. 592)
• Fiachna, son of Baetan (d. 622)
• Fiachna, son of Deman (d. 624)
• Congal Cláen, son of Scannlan (d. 634)
• Donnchad, son of Fiachna, son of Deman (d. 643)
• Maelcoba, son of Fiachna, son of Deman (d. 646)
• Blathmac, son of Maelcoba (d. 666)
• Congal Cennfoda, son of Donnchad (d. 673)
• Fergus, son of Lodan (d. 689)
• Bec Boirche (went on pilgrimage 704, d. 716)
• Cucuaran (king of the Ulaid and Cruithne, d. 706)
• Cinaed, son of Congalach (became king 720)
• Áed Roin (d. 732)
• Bresal, son of Áed Roin (d. 733)
• Cathasach, son of Ailill (d. 749)
• Fiachna, son of Áed Roin (d. 785)
• Tomaltach, son of Innrechtach (d. 787)
• Eochaid, son of Fiachna (d. 804)
• Áed Oirdnide (fl. 804 - ?)
• Cairell, son of Fiachna (d. 816)
• Muiredach, son of Eochaid (r. 816-?)
• Cathmal, son of Tomaltach (half-king of the Ulaid, d. 851)
• Matudan, son of Muiredach (d. 855)
• Cathal, son of Inrechtach (half-king of the Ulaid, d. 869)
• Lethlobar, son of Loinsech (d. 871)
• Anbith, son of Áed, son of Matudan (d. 879 or 881)
• Eochagan, son of Áed, son of Matudan (d. 882)
• Eremon, son of Áed (d. 885)
• Fiachna, son of Anbith (d. 886)
• Becc, son of Eremon (d. 889)
• Muiredach, son of Eochagan (d. 890)
• Aidid, son of Luigne (d. 897)
• Áed, son of Eochagan (d. 917)
• Dubgall, son of Áed (d. 923)
• Loingsech, grandson of Lethlobar (d. 930)
• Eochaid, son of Conall (d. 935)
• Matudan, son of Áed, son of Eochagan (d. 947 or 948)
• Niall, son of Áed, son of Eochagan (d. 959)
• Artgal, son of Matudan (d. 976)
• Áed, son of Loingsech (d. 978)
• Eochaid, son of Ardgar (d. 1003)
• Maelruanaid, son of Ardgar (d. 1005)
• Matudan, son of Domnall (d. 1005)
• Domnall, son of Dubtuinne, son of Eochaid, son of Ardgar (d. 1006
• Muiredach, son of Dubtuinne, son of Eochaid, son of Ardgar (d. 1007)
• Niall, son of Dubtuinne, son of Eochaid, son of Ardgar (d. 1015)
• Niall, son of Eochaid (d. 1026)
• Donnchad Ua Mathgamna (d. 1065)
• Cú Ulad Ua Flaithrai (deposed 1071, d. 1072)
• Áed Meranach (d. 1074)
• Donnsleibe Ua hEochada (d. 1094)
• Eochaid, son of Donnsleibe Ua hEochada (d. 1108)
• Donnchad Ua hEochada (banished 1113)
• Eochaid Ua Mathgamna and Niall, son of Donnsleibe (both d. 1127)
• Cennedig, son of Áed, son of Donnsleibe (d. 1128
• Ragnall Ua hEochada (d. 1131)
• Cú Ulad, son of Conchobar Ua Duinsleibe (d. 1157)
• Áed Ua Duinnsleibe (d. 1158)
• Eochaid, son of Donnsleibe (banished 1165)
• Magnus, son of Donnsleibe, Ua hEochada (d. 1171)
• Donnsleibe Ua hEochada (d. 1172)
• Cú Ulad, son of Donnsleibe
• Ruadri, son of Donnsleibe

External Links

• Genealogy of the kings of the Ulaid