Map of Ireland with tribes and petty kingdoms, AD 800
Ireland at the beginning of the Tudor period, c. 1500

Before the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland which took place during the late 12th century, the Irish people were Celts who lived in kinship groups as found recorded in historic manuscripts such as the Irish annals, the Leabhar na nGenealach (the Great Book of Irish Genealogies), the Book of Ballymote, the Great Book of Lecan and Ó Cléirigh Book of Genealogies (the O Clery Book of Genealogies).

Origins of the Irish

The O'Rahilly doctrine

According to T. F. O'Rahilly, in his works Goides and Their Predecessors and later Early Irish History, there were a total of four waves of Celtic invasions of the British Isles and Ireland and that the first three of these were pre-Gaelic.[1][2] According to O'Rahilly, these were people who had largely remained unconquered by the Romans whose territory was mostly restricted to the broad plains of England. A larger part of England remained out of the control of the West Germanic people who invaded after the imperial collapse of Roman Britain and who founded the English nation.[3]

O'Rahilly's version of the origins of the Irish, as supported by C. Thomas Cairney and John Grenham is as follows: The first of the Celtic invaders of Ireland were known as the Cruthin who arrived between 800 and 500 BC.[3]

The second wave of Celts to come to Ireland were known as the Erainn and this is supposedly where the Gaelic name for Ireland, Erin, originated from. These people arrived between 500 and 100 BC. They came from the area which is today known as Belgium and had superior iron weaponry, and thus eventually reduced the Irish Cruthin to tributary status. The third wave of Celtic settlement in Ireland came from Continental Europe during the first century BC and this was probably because of pressure from the Romans on the south of Gaul. These people were known as the Dumnonii and gave their name to Devon in England. Their most powerful branch in Ireland was the Laigin who gave their name to Leinster. A branch of the Irish group of the Dumnonii settled just to the south of Dumbarton in Scotland and were the ancestors of the Strathclyde-Britons.[4]

The fourth and last major Celtic settlements in Ireland took place around 50 BC. This was directly because of Roman attempts to dominate the Gauls of Continental Europe. This included, among others, a group known as the Feni who came to Ireland directly from the Continent and according to tradition landed in south Kerry and the Boyne estuary. The earlier inhabitants of the country fiercely resisted the newcomers who were referred to as the Gaeil because they spoke the Gaelic language. The power and influence of the Gaeils gradually spread over the next three centuries, northwards, from Kerry into Tipperary and Limerick, as well as to the west into Galway and Roscommon. By the 5th century they were dominant in most of Ireland and had established dynasties and tribal groups. These groups determined the Irish politics and culture until the Norman invasion of Ireland which took place during the late 12th century.[5]

Modern opinion

O'Rahilly's version of history has been questioned by archaeologists and historians who have played down the role of the Cruthin as invaders, including by Ian Adamson.[6] O'Rahilly's history has been entirely unaccepted by some historians including Francis John Byrne.[7] According to Myles Dillon and Nora K. Chadwick, while O'Rahilly's version of history has been accepted by some scholars and dismissed by others, it is an entirely traditional history that he had sourced from Lebor Gabála Érenn which was a historic manuscript written in the 11th century, also known as the Book of the Invasions of Ireland, and not historic facts based on contemporary evidence.[8] J. P. Mallory stated that O'Rahilly has argued that this manuscript showed that the medieval people of Ireland had seen a series of invasions from whom various dynasties and families might have traced their origins to.[9]

According to Mallory, Ireland may have been inhabited by Paleolithic (Old Stone Age) hunters, but that the evidence for this is only a few pieces of flint.[10] The first actual evidence of human residence in Ireland dates to around 8000 BC.[11] Evidence of the first Neolithic farmers in Ireland dates to around 4000 BC.[12] There is little evidence of a warrior elite in Ireland before 1500 BC and evidence for this appears during the Bronze Age where everyone of a wealthy class had weaponry.[13] The Irish language first appeared from between 700/600 BC and 400 AD during the Iron Age.[14] During this time, the Irish people came into contact with Roman traders.[15]

According to the writers of Ulster: An Illustrated History, there is evidence for the Ulaid who are referred to as the Erainn by some genealogists which is also the name given on Ptolemy's map of Ireland which dates from the second century AD for the Iverni who lived in County Cork, as well as being the origin of the name for Ireland. The centre of the Ulaid's land was in the Diocese of Down. The main population group of the Ulaid was the Cruthin whose territory was in the Diocese of Connor and Dromore. There is also evidence for the Loiges in Leinster and the Cíarraige in Munster who also belong to this group and it is possible that their ancestors in Ireland were pre-Celtic.[16] The 11th century Lebor Gabála Érenn or Book of the Invasions of Ireland, describes a series of failed invasions of Ireland before settlement in the 8th century.[17] However, by the 8th century battles in Ireland were not between the natives and invaders but between tribes and dynasties for control of different parts of the island.[16] Donnchadh Ó Corráin put the evidence for the Irish naitional identity back to the 7th century emphasising the impact that Christianity had on the people there.[18]

In 1002, the Uí Néill lost the high kingship of Ireland to the leader of the Dal gCais or Dalcassians, Brian Boru. It was during the century of declining Uí Néill dominance that surnames first started being used in Ireland. This meant that Ireland was one of the first countries in Europe to start using surnames. Descendants of Niall of the Nine Hostages include people with the surnames O'Boyle, O'Connor and O'Donnell. From the Dal gCais or Dalcassians came the surnames O'Brien and Kennedy.[19]

Social structure

Within the Gaeil there was distinction between the tribes of the south from those of the north, and also from those of the west. The tribes in the south called themselves the Eoghanacht and in about the year 400 AD they established at Cashel a dynasty which held power throughout most of southern Ireland from the 5th to 12th centuries. The Munster families of O'Sullivan, MacCarthy and O'Connell claim descent from the Eoghanacht.[5]

In the midlands of Ireland, the Gaeil tribes were known as Connachta and their name continues in the modern province of Connacht. The most important of the Connacta tribes was the Uí Néill who claimed descent from Niall of the Nine Hostages. Niall's brothers included Ailill, Brion and Fiachra who were founders of the important Connachta tribes of Ui Ailella, Uí Briúin and Uí Fiachrach.[5]

Although the Eoghanacht and Uí Néill were the most powerful tribal groups in Ireland, there were others who were locally powerful including the Oirialla in the north-east where they controlled what is now the counties of Tyrone, Armagh, Fermanagh and Monaghan. There was also the Ulaidh who inhabited what is now the counties of Down and Antrim.[5]

Within these large areas there were up to 150 small divisions known as Túath and the names of many of these are reflected today in the names of the Irish baronies that make up the modern counties. Each Túath had a ruler or petty king who owed allegiance to a more powerful king who was over-king of three or more Túath. This over-king would in turn be subordinate to the king of a province, usually either the Eoghanacht or Uí Néill.[5]

The succession of kings or chiefs was governed by a system known as Tanistry whereby after a chief had died, the new chief would be elected from all paternal cousins descended from a patrilineal grandfather or great-grandfather.[20][21] However, the system known as Tanistry which also took place before the position of king or chief had become vacant is not found in records until the time of feudalism in Ireland which was not until the time of the Normans, and it was preceded by the similar system known as Rigdomna but which took place only after the position of king or chief had become vacant.[21]

Tribes of the Cruthin

As per O'Rahilly's doctrine, the Cruthin were the first Celts to settle in Ireland between about 800 and 500 BC.[22] In line with this, according to Cairney, from them descended the following Irish tribes:

Tribes of the Erainn

As per O'Rahilly's doctrine, the Erainn were the second wave of Celts to settle in Ireland between about 500 and 100 BC.[25] In line with this, according to Cairney, from them descended the following Irish tribes:

Tribes of the Dumnonii or Laigin

As per O'Rahilly's doctrine, the Dumnonii or Laigin were the third wave of Celts to settle in Ireland during the first century BC.[36] In line with this, according to Cairney, from them descended the following Irish tribes:

Tribes of the Gaels or Gaeils

As per O'Rahilly's doctrine, the Gaels or Gaeils were the fourth and final wave of Celtic settlement in Ireland which took place during the first century BC.[50] In line with this, according to Cairney, from them descended the following Irish tribes:

The North Gaels

The South Gaels

Vikings and Normans in Ireland

Vikings and Normans are ethically linked in ancestry from the 9th to 11th centuries and who raided and settled in Britain and Ireland. In Ireland the Vikings became completely Gaelicized and established the first towns. The Normans invaded and conquered England in 1066 and later had similar success invading Ireland in the late 12th century. The Normans were the first people to introduce the mounted knight. In Ireland they were influenced just as much as they themselves influenced and have been described as having become "more Irish than the Irish".[59]

Viking families in Ireland

The following three Irish families are believed to be of Viking descent: the Clan Fearghaill whose chiefs were the O'Hallorans, the MacCotters, and the O'Doyles.[59][upper-alpha 5]

Norman families in Ireland

The following surnames found in Ireland are believed to be of Norman origin and to have arrived following the Norman invasion of Ireland: Barry, Branne, Burke, Butler, Condon, Cusak, Dalton, Darcy, de Covcy, Dillon, Fagun, Fitzgerald, MacGibbon, French, Hackett, Jordan, Keating, Lacy, Lynch, MacCostello, Martin, Nugent, Power, Purcell, Rothes, Sarsfield, Wall.[60]

The following surnames are believed to have come to Ireland with the Norman invasion but are believed to have been of Flemish origin: Tobin, Flemming, Predergast.[60]

The following surnames are believed to have come to Ireland with the Norman invasion but are believed to have been of Welsh origin: Roche, Blake, Joyce, MacQuillan, Rice, Taffe, Walsh, Savage.[60]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Brady, Ciaran; O'Dowd, Mary; Walter, Brian (1989). pp. 22 and 26
  2. ↑ Dillon, Myles; Chadwick, Nora (2000). p. 5
  3. 1 2 Cairney (1989). p. 17
  4. ↑ Cairney (1989). p. 18
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Grenham, John (1993). pp. 18-19
  6. ↑ Brady, Ciaran; O'Dowd, Mary; Walter, Brian (1989). pp. 22 and 26. Quoting: Adamson, Ian (1974). Cruthin: The Ancient Kindred. Newtownards. p. 12
  7. ↑ Brady, Ciaran; O'Dowd, Mary; Walter, Brian (1989). p. 22. Quoting: Byrne. F. J. (1965). The Ireland of Saint Columba. Historical Studies, 5, p. 38
  8. ↑ Dillon, Myles; Chadwick, Nora (2000). pp. 5-6
  9. ↑ Mallory, J. P. (2017). p. 206
  10. ↑ Mallory, J. P. (2017). p. 37
  11. ↑ Mallory, J. P. (2017). p. 40
  12. ↑ Mallory, J. P. (2017). p. 72
  13. ↑ Mallory, J. P. (2017). p. 129
  14. ↑ Mallory, J. P. (2017). p. 157
  15. ↑ Mallory, J. P. (2017). p. 158
  16. 1 2 Brady, Ciaran; O'Dowd, Mary; Walter, Brian (1989). p. 27
  17. ↑ Mallory, J. P. (2017). p. 201
  18. ↑ Mallory, J. P. (2017). p. 291
  19. ↑ Mallory, J. P. (2017). p. 215
  20. ↑ Fisher, Joseph (1877). The History of Land Holding in Ireland. London: Longmans Green. pp. 11-16. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  21. 1 2 MacNeill, Eoin (September 1919). "The Irish Law of Dynastic Succession". An Irish Quarterly Review. 8 (31): 367–382. JSTOR 30092775.
  22. ↑ Cairney (1989). p. 51
  23. ↑ Cairney (1989). p. 53
  24. 1 2 Cairney (1989). p. 54
  25. 1 2 3 Cairney (1989). p. 61
  26. ↑ Cairney (1989). p. 63
  27. ↑ Cairney (1989). pp. 63-64
  28. ↑ Cairney (1989). pp. 64-65
  29. ↑ Cairney (1989). p. 65
  30. ↑ Cairney (1989). pp. 65-69
  31. ↑ Cairney (1989). pp. 69-70
  32. 1 2 Cairney (1989). p. 70
  33. ↑ Cairney (1989). pp. 70-71
  34. ↑ Cairney (1989). p. 71
  35. ↑ Cairney (1989). pp. 71-72
  36. 1 2 3 Cairney (1989). pp. 78-79
  37. 1 2 Cairney (1989). pp. 80-81
  38. 1 2 3 Cairney (1989). pp. 81-82
  39. ↑ O'Hart, John (1892). pp. 840-843
  40. 1 2 Cairney (1989). pp. 82-83
  41. 1 2 Cairney (1989). pp. 84-85
  42. ↑ O'Hart, John (1892). pp. 692-707
  43. ↑ O'Hart, John (1892). pp. 760-765
  44. ↑ Cairney (1989). pp. 85-87
  45. ↑ O'Hart, John (1892). pp. 487-488
  46. ↑ Cairney (1989). pp. 87-88
  47. ↑ Sellar, W.D.H. (October 1966). "The Origins and Ancestry of Somerled". The Scottish Historical Review. 45 (140): 123–142. JSTOR 25528658.
  48. ↑ Moncreiffe, Iain (1982). The Highland Clans. New York: Clarkson N. Potter. pp. 127–131. ISBN 0517546590.
  49. ↑ "DNA shows Celtic hero Somerled's Viking roots". The Scotsman. April 26, 2005. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  50. 1 2 3 4 5 Cairney (1989). pp. 93-97
  51. ↑ Cairney (1989). pp. 97-101
  52. ↑ O'Hart, John (1692). pp. 650-651
  53. 1 2 O'Hart, John (1692). pp. 632-633
  54. ↑ O'Hart, John (1692). p. 491
  55. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Cairney (1989). pp. 101-121
  56. ↑ O'Hart, John (1892). pp. 708-740
  57. ↑ Munro, Colin (December 2015). "The Deep Ancestry of the Munros" (PDF). Newsletter of the Clan Munro (Association) Australia. Vol. 13, no. 3. Australia: Clan Munro (Association) Australia. pp. 4–5. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
  58. 1 2 Cairney (1989). pp. 121-126
  59. 1 2 3 Cairney (1989). pp. 127-129
  60. 1 2 3 Cairney (1989). pp. 131-154

Bibliography

Notes

  1. ↑ Although manuscript genealogies, including the Book of Ballymote and Great Book of Lecan, show that the Scottish clans of MacDonald, MacAlister and MacDougall were paternally descended from Colla Uais who was one of The Three Collas who founded Oirghialla (Airgíalla) in Ireland,[47][48] a Y-DNA study has shown that they might have been paternally descended from Norsemen.[49]
  2. ↑ The chiefs of the Scottish clan of Munro or Monro are traditionally descended from the O'Cahans of the Cineál Eoghain in Ireland.[55] However, a Y-DNA study has shown that the Munro chiefs were paternally distantly related to the O'Driscolls of Cork.[57]
  3. ↑ The MacLachlans, Lamonts, MacSorleys, MacNeills, MacEwens, MacQueens, MacSweens are all Scottish clans who are believed to be descended from the Cineál Eoghain in Ireland.[55]
  4. ↑ The chiefs of the Scottish clan of Ross are believed to be descended from the O'Beolans of the Cineál Eoghain in Ireland.[55]
  5. ↑ The chiefs of the Scottish clans of Gunn, MacLeod, MacCorquodale, and Ruthven are also believed to be descended from Viking settlers.[59]
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