Ulaid

The Ulaid or Ulaidh (singular Ulad) 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.

According the the [[Annals of the Four Masters, the reduction of the Ulaid began in 331 AD, when the Three Collas defeated their king Fergus Foga in the Battle of Achad Lethderg 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 belived 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 mac Ír (1700 BC - ?)
• Cimbáeth (d. 661 BC)
• Macha Mong Ruad (d. 654 BC]])
• Conchobar mac Nessa
• Cúscraid, son of Conchobar
• Éllim, son of Conrach (d. 76 BC)
• Mal, son of Rochraide (d. 110 AD)
• Tibraide Tirech
• Fergus Dubdétach (d. 226]] BC)
• Aengus Finn, son of Fergus Dubdétach(d. 262 AD)
• Fergus Foga, son of Fraechar Foirtriun (d. 331]] AD)

Historical kings

• Cairell, son of Muiredach Muinderg (d. 526 AD)
• Eochaid, son of Connla, son of Caelbad, son of Cronn Badrai (d. 547 or 548)
• Fergna, son of Áengus (d. 551 AD)
• Deman, son of Cairell, son of Muiredach Muinderg (d. 565 AD)
• Baetan, son of Cairell, son of Muiredach Muinderg (d. 585 AD)
• Áed Dub, son of Suibne (d. 592 AD)
• Fiachna, son of Baetan (d. 622 AD)
• Fiachna, son of Deman (d. 624 AD)
• Congal Cláen, son of Scannlan (d. 634 AD)
• Donnchad, son of Fiachna, son of Deman (d. 643 AD)
• Maelcoba, son of Fiachna, son of Deman (d. 646 AD)
• Blathmac, son of Maelcoba (d. 666 AD)
• Congal Cennfoda, son of Donnchad (d. 673 AD)
• Fergus, son of Lodan (d. 689 AD]]
• Bec Boirche (went on pilgrimage 704 AD, d. 716 AD)
• Cucuaran (king of the Ulaid and Cruithne, d. 706 AD)
• 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