Ir was the fifth son of Milesius of Spain, but the second of the
three sons who left any issue. His descendants settled in Ulster.
36. Milesius of Spain.
37. Ir: his son. This Prince was one of the chief leaders of the
expedition undertaken for the conquest of Erinn, but was doomed never
to set foot on the "Sacred Isle;" a violent storm scattered
the fleet as it was coasting round the island in search of a landing
place, the vessel commanded by him was separated from the rest of the
fleet and driven upon the island since called Scellig-Mhicheal, off
the Kerry coast, where it split on a rock and sank with all on board,
B.C. 1700.
38. Heber Donn: his son; born in Spain; was granted by Heber and
Heremon the possession of the northern part of Ireland, now called Ulster.
39. Hebric: his son; was killed in a domestic quarrel.
40. Artra: his youngest son; succeeded in the government of Uladh or
Ulster; his elder brothers, Cearmna and Sobhrach, put forth their
claims to sovereign authority, gave battle to the Monarch Eochaidh,
whom they slew and then mounted his throne; they were at length
slain: Sobhrach at Dun Sobhrach, or "Dunseverick," in the
county of Antrim, by Eochaidh Meann; and Cearmna (in a sanguinary
battle fought near Dun Cearmna, now called the Old Head at Kinsale,
in the county of Cork, where he had his residence), by his successor
Eochaidh Faobhar-glas, grandson of Heber Fionn, B.C. 1492.
41. Artrach: son of Artra.
42. Sedna: his son; slew Rotheacta, son of Maoin, of the race of
Heremon, Monarch of Ireland, and, mounting his throne, became the
23rd Monarch. It was during his reign that the Dubhloingeas or
"pirates of the black fleet" came to plunder the royal
palace of Cruachan in Roscommon, and the King was slain, in an
encounter with those plunderers, by his own son and successor, who
mistook his father for a pirate chief whom he had slain and whose
helmet he wore.
43. Fiacha Fionn Scothach, the 24th Monarch: son of Sedna; so called
from the abundance of white flowers with which every plain in Erinn
abounded during his reign; was born in the palace of Rath-Cruachan,
B.C. 1402; and slain, B.C. 1332, in the 20th year of his reign, by
Munmoin, of the Line of Heber.
44. Eochaidh (2): his son; better known as Ollamh Fodhla,* i.e.,
"Ollamh, or chief poet of Fodhla" (or Ireland); began his
reign, A.M. 3882, B.C. 1317 (according to the received computation of
the Septuagint, making A.D. 1 agree with A.M. 5199). This Eochaidh
was the 27th Monarch of Ireland, and reigned 40 years. It was this
Monarch who first instituted the Feis Teamhrach (or "Parliament
of Tara"), which met about the time called "Samhuin"
(or 1st of November) for making laws, reforming general abuses,
revising antiquities, genealogies, and chronicles, and purging them
from all corruption and falsehood that might have been foisted into
them since the last meeting. This Triennial Convention was the first
Parliament of which we have any record on the face of the globe; and
was strictly observed from its first institution to A.D. 1172; and,
even as late as A.D. 1258, we read in our native Annals of an Irish
Parliament, at or near Newry. (See "O'Neill" Stem, No.
113.) It was this Monarch who built Mur Ollamhan at Teamhair (which
means "Ollamh's fort at Tara"); he also appointed a
chieftain over every cantred and a brughaidh over every townland.
According to some chroniclers, "Ulster" was first called
Uladh, from Ollamh Fodhla. His posterity maintained themselves in the
Monarchy of Ireland for 250 years, without any of the two other septs
of Heber and Heremon intercepting them. He died at an advanced age,
A.M. 3922, at his own Mur (or house) at Tara, leaving five sons,
viz.: 1. Slanoll; 2. Finachta Fionnsneachta (or Elim); 3. Gead
Ollghothach, and 4. Fiacha, who were successively Monarchs of
Ireland; and 5. Cairbre.
45. Cairbre: son of Ollamh Fodhla; King of Uladh; died in the 22nd
year of the reign of his brother Fiacha.
46. Labhradh: his son; governed Ulster during the long reign of his
cousin Oiliol, son of Slanoll.
47. Bratha: his son; was slain by Breasrigh, a prince of the Heberian
race, in the 12th year of the reign of Nuadhas Fionn-Fail.
48. Fionn: his son; fought against the Monarch Eochaidh Apach at
Tara, defeated him, and became the 42nd Monarch; but after a reign of
22 years was slain by Seidnae Innaraidh, his successor.
49. Siorlamh: his son; so called from the extraordinary length of his
hands (Lat. "longimanus," or longhanded); slew the Monarch
Lughaidh Iardhonn, and assumed the sovereignty of the kingdom, which
he held for 16 years, at the expiration of which, in B.C. 855, he was
slain by Eochaidh Uarceas, son of the former King.
50. Argeadmar (or Argethamar): his son; ascended the Throne of
Ireland, B.C. 777, and was the 58th Monarch; after a reign of 30
years, was slain by Duach Ladhrach. He left four sons: - 1. Fiontan,
whose son, Ciombaoth, was the 63rd Monarch; 2. Diomain, whose son,
Dithorba, became the 62nd Monarch; 3. Badhum, who was father of Aodh
Ruadh, the 61st Monarch, who was drowned at Eas Ruadh (or Assaroe),
now Ballyshannon, in the county of Donegal, and grandfather of Macha
Mongruadh, or "Macha of the Golden Tresses," the 64th
Monarch, and the only queen Ireland ever has had, who laid the
foundation of the Royal Palace of Emania, in the county of Armagh,
where her consort Cimbath, died of the plague; the fourth son of
Argeadmar was Fomhar.
51. Fomhar: son of Argeadmar; died during the reign of Cimbath.
52. Dubh: his son; was King of Ulster.
53. Ros: his son.
54. Srubh: his son.
55. Indereach: his son.
56. Glas: his son.
57. Carbre (or Cathair): his son.
58. Feabhardhile: his son.
59. Fomhar (2): his son.
60. Dubh (2): his son.
61. Sithrich: his son.
62. Ruadhri (or Rory) Mór: his son; was the 86th Monarch; died
B.C. 218. From him the "Clan-na-Rory" were so called. He
left, amongst other children - 1. Bresal Bodhiobha, and 2. Congall
Clareineach, who were respectively the 88th and the 90th Monarchs; 3.
Conragh, the father of the 105th Monarch Eiliomh; 4. Fachna Fathach,
the 92nd Monarch, who, by his wife Neasa was father of Conor; 5. Ros
Ruadh, who by his wife Roigh, the father of the celebrated Fergus
Mór; and 6. Cionga, the ancestor of the heroic Conal Cearnach,
from whom are descended O'Moore, MacGuinness, M'Gowan, and several
other powerful families in Ulster and Conacht.
63. Ros Ruadh: son of Rory Mór; married Roigh, daughter of an
Ulster Prince.
64. Fergus Mór: his son; commonly called
"Fergus MacRoy" or "Fergus MacRoich," from Roigh,
his mother, who was of the sept of Ithe; was King of Ulster for three
(some say seven) years, and then forced from the sovereignty by his
cousin, Conor MacNeasa, where-upon he retired into Conacht, where he
was received by Maedhbh (Maev) Queen of that Province, and by her
husband Oilioll Mór, and, sustained by them, was in continual
war with Conor MacNeasa during their lives. Maedhbh was the daughter
of Eochy Feidlioch, the 93rd Monarch, who gave her in marriage to his
favourite Tinne, son of Conragh, son of Ruadhri Mór (No. 62 on
this stem), with the Province of Conacht as a dowry. This prince was
slain at Tara by Monire, a Lagenian prince, in a personal quarrel;
and Maedhbh soon after married Oilioll (who was much older than she
was), the son of Ros Ruadh by Matha Muireasg, a Lagenian princess.
Oiliol was far advanced in years when Fergus Mór sought
shelter beneath his roof at Rath-Craughan, in Roscommon, and the
Queen Maedhbh, being young, strayed from virtue's path, proved with
child by Fergus, and was delivered of three male children at a birth.
The names of these princes were: - 1. Ciar [Kiar], a quo Ciarruighe
Luachra, Ciarruighe Chuirc, Ciarruighe Aoi, and Ciarruighe Coinmean;
2. Corc, a quo Corc Modhruadh (or Corcumroe); and 3. Conmac, a quo
Conmaicne-Mara (now Connemara), Conmaicne Cuile Tolaigh (now the
barony of Kilmaine, co. Mayo), Conmaicne Magh Rein (the present co.
Longford, and the southern half of the co. Leitrim), Conmaicne Cinel
Dubhain (now the barony of Dunmore, co. Galway). According to the
native genealogists these three sons of Fergus and Maedhbh ought to
stand in the following order - 1. Conmac; 2. Ciar; and 3. Corc.
Fergus Mór was slain by an officer belonging to the court of
Oiliol Mór, as he was bathing in a pond near the royal
residence, and he was interred at Magh Aoi. The other children of
Fergus Mór were: - 1. Dallan, 2. Anluim, 3. Conri, 4. Aongus
Fionn, 5. Oiliol, 6. Firceighid, 7. Uiter, 8.
Finfailig (ancestor of O'Dugan and O'Coscridh, chiefs of Fermoy, in
the county of Cork), 9. Firtleachta, and 10. Binne.
65. Conmac: eldest son of Fergus Mór, by Maedhbh; whose
portion of his mother's inheritance and what he acquired by his own
prowess and valour, was called after his name: "Conmaicne"
being equivalent to Posterity of Conmac. The five Conmaicne contained
all that (territory) which we now call the county of Longford, a
large part of the counties of Leitrim, Sligo, and Galway; and
Conmaicne Beicce, now called "Cuircneach" or Dillon's
Country, in the county of Westmeath, over all of which this Conmac's
posterity were styled Kings, till they were driven out by English adventurers.
66. Moghatoi: his son.
67. Messaman: his son.
68. Mochta: his son.
69. Cetghun: his son.
70. Enna: his son.
71. Gobhre: his son.
72. Iuchar: his son.
73. Eoghaman: his son.
74. Alta: his son.
75. Tairc: his son.
76. Teagha: his son; had a brother, Dallan, who had a son Lughdach,
who had a son Lughdach, whose son was St. Canice of Aghaboe.
77. Ethinon: his son.
78. Orbsenmar: his son; after whose death a great Lake or Loch broke
out in the place where he dwelt; which, from him, is ever since
called "Loch Orbsen" (now Lough Corrib).
79. Conmac: his son; some Irish annalists are of opinion that the
territories called "Conmacne" above mentioned, are called
after this Conmac, and not from Conmac, No. 65 on this Stem.
80. Lughach: his son.
81. Beibhdhe: his son.
82. Bearra: his son; a quo O'Bearra, anglicised Berry and Bury.
83. Uisle: his son.
84. Eachdach: his son.
85. Forneart: his son.
86. Neart: his son.
87. Meadhrua: his son.
88. Dubh: his son.
89. Earcoll: his son.
90. Earc: his son.
91. Eachdach: his son.
92. Cuscrach: his son.
93. Fionnfhear: his son.
94. Fionnlogh: his son.
95. Onchu: his son.
96. Neidhe: his son.
97. Finghin: his son.
98. Fiobrann: his son; had four brothers, from three of whom the
following families are descended: 1. Maoldabhreac (whose son Siriden
was ancestor of Sheridan), ancestor of O'Ciarrovan (now Kirwan),
O'Ciaragain (now Kerrigan), etc.; 2. Mochan, who was the ancestor of
O'Moran; and 3. Rinnall, who was ancestor of O'Daly of Conmacne.
99. Mairne: his son. From this Mairne's brothers are descended
O'Canavan, O'Birren, Birney, and MacBirney, O'Kenney, O'Branagan,
Martin, Bredin, etc.
100. Croman: son of Mairne.
101. Eimhin: his son; had three brothers: - 1. Biobhsach, who was
ancestor of MacRaghnall (or Reynolds) of Connaught; 2. Gearadhan,
ancestor of Gaynor; 3. Giollagan, ancestor of Gilligan and Quinn of
the co. Longford. From these three brothers are also descended
Shanly, Mulvy, Mulkeeran, etc.
102. Angall: his son. From this Angall that part of Conmacne now
known as the county of Longford, and part of the county of Westmeath
was called the "Upper Anghaile," or Upper Annaly; and the
adjacent part of the county of Leitrim was called the "Lower
Anghaile," or Lower Annaly; and his posterity after they lost
the title of Kings of Conmacne, which his ancestors enjoyed, were,
upon their subjugation by the Anglo-Normans, and on their consenting
that their country be made "Shire ground," styled lords of
both Anghalies or Annalies.
103. Braon: his son. This Braon's brother Fingin was ancestor of
Finnegan, etc.
104. Congal: son of Braon.
105. Feargal ("feargal": Irish, a valiant warrior): his
son, a quo O'Fergail, anglicised O'Farrell, O'Ferrall, Farrell,
Freehill, and Freel.