Conall Gulban (died c. 464) was an Irish

king King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen regnant, queen, which title is also given to the queen consort, consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contempora ...

and eponymous ancestor of the '' Cenél Conaill'', who founded the kingdom of ''

Tír Chonaill Tyrconnell (), also spelled Tirconnell, was a kingdom of Gaelic Ireland, associated geographically with present-day County Donegal, which has sometimes been called ''County Tyrconnell''. At times it also included parts of County Fermanagh, Cou ...

'' in the 5th century, comprising much of what is now

County Donegal County Donegal ( ; ga, Contae Dhún na nGall) is a county of Ireland in the province of Ulster and in the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town of Donegal in the south of the county. It has also been known as County Tyrcon ...

Ulster Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kin ...

. He was the son of

Niall Noígiallach Niall ''Noígíallach'' (; Old Irish "having nine hostages"), or Niall of the Nine Hostages, was a legendary, semi-historical Irish king who was the ancestor of the Uí Néill dynasties that dominated Ireland from the 6th to the 10th centuries. ...

. His by-name Gulban derives from '' Benn Ghulbain'' in

County Sligo County Sligo ( , gle, Contae Shligigh) is a county in Ireland. It is located in the Border Region and is part of the province of Connacht. Sligo is the administrative capital and largest town in the county. Sligo County Council is the local ...

, from which centre the sons of Niall set out upon their conquest of the North. King Conall Gulban was murdered by the

Masraige The Masraige () were a semi-legendary Fir Bolg tribe inhabiting Magh Slécht in County Cavan, Ireland. They were also called Masragii, Masraide, Masraidhe, Masruidhe, Mascraide, Masree, Macraighe or Mascraidhe. The name can be translated as "Be ...

at '' Magh Slécht'' (located in the west of modern

County Cavan County Cavan ( ; gle, Contae an Chabháin) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Ulster and is part of the Border Region. It is named after the town of Cavan and is based on the historic Gaelic territory of East Breffny (''Bréifn ...

) in 464, on a Friday. He was buried by Saint Caillin at Fenagh,

County Leitrim County Leitrim ( ; gle, Contae Liatroma) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Connacht and is part of the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the village of Leitrim. Leitrim County Council is the local authority for the ...

. He is important in the history of Irish Christianity as he was the first

nobleman Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The characteris ...

baptised by

St. Patrick ST, St, or St. may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Stanza, in poetry * Suicidal Tendencies, an American heavy metal/hardcore punk band * Star Trek, a science-fiction media franchise * Summa Theologica, a compendium of Catholic philosophy an ...

, thus opening the way for the conversion of the ruling classes of Ireland. He appears as a host and companion of Caílte mac Rónáin, one of the central Fianna figures in the tale ''

Acallam na Senórach ''Acallam na Senórach'' ( Modern Irish: ''Agallamh na Seanórach'', whose title in English has been given variously as ''Colloquy of the Ancients'', ''Tales of the Elders of Ireland'', ''The Dialogue of the Ancients of Ireland'', etc.), is an im ...

'' (''Colloquy of the Ancients'') who survive into Christian times and recounts tales of the Fianna and the meaning of place names to a recently arrived Saint Patrick. Caílte performs the same function to Conall in Tír Conaill and uncovers the treasures of the Fianna from the various megalithic tombs of its members on their journeys. He was apparently very close to his brother Eógan mac Néill who died of grief over his brother's death the next year.''Annals of the Four Masters'', M465.3 His sons included Fergus Cendfota, Dauí (founder of the ''Cenél nDuach'') and Énna Bogaine (founder of the ''Cenél mBogaine'').

Descendants

His descendants were known as the Cenél Conaill. Their territory ''

Tir Conaill Tyrconnell (), also spelled Tirconnell, was a kingdom of Gaelic Ireland, associated geographically with present-day County Donegal, which has sometimes been called ''County Tyrconnell''. At times it also included parts of County Fermanagh, Co ...

'' was organised as the Diocese of Raphoe in 1111 at the

Synod of Ráth Breasail The Synod of Ráth Breasail (also known as Rathbreasail) ( Irish: ''Sionad Ráth Bhreasail'') was an Irish Catholic church council which took place in Ireland in 1111. It marked the transition of the Irish church from a monastic to a diocesan and ...

. It did not at that time include the Inishowen peninsula. The

peninsula A peninsula (; ) is a landform that extends from a mainland and is surrounded by water on most, but not all of its borders. A peninsula is also sometimes defined as a piece of land bordered by water on three of its sides. Peninsulas exist on a ...

of Inishowen in the north of

was taken from the McLoughlins by the Cenél Conaill Ó Dochartaigh clan (known modernly as Doherty, Daugherty, Docherty, Dougherty, etc.) who were then given the title of Princes of Donegal, or Tir Conaill. This family also descends from Conall. The ''

Cenél nEógain Cenél is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Cenél Conaill, the name of the "kindred" or descendants of Conall Gulban, son of Niall Noígiallach defined by oral and recorded history * Cenél nEógain (in English, Cenel Eogan) i ...

'', descended from his brother Eoghan, became the other premier

Uí Néill The Uí Néill (Irish pronunciation: ; meaning "descendants of Niall") are Irish dynasties who claim descent from Niall Noígíallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), a historical King of Tara who died c. 405. They are generally divided into t ...

sept in the North. Their kingdom was known as '' Tír Eógain''. Modern day

County Tyrone County Tyrone (; ) is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the thirty-two traditional counties of Ireland. It is no longer used as an administrative division for local government but retai ...

shares both its name and much of its territory. Its respective royal dynasties, the Kings of Tir Connaill and the

Kings of Tír Eógain This article lists the rulers of Tyrone (Irish: ''Tír Eoghain'') from 1185 to 1616. They are listed from their date of accession to date of death, unless otherwise stated. Prior to this, the ruling dynasty - the Cenél nEógain - were most of th ...

. Its last ''

de jure In law and government, ''de jure'' ( ; , "by law") describes practices that are legally recognized, regardless of whether the practice exists in reality. In contrast, ("in fact") describes situations that exist in reality, even if not legall ...

'' native rulers fled abroad in the episode known as the

Flight of the Earls The Flight of the Earls ( ir, Imeacht na nIarlaí)In Irish, the neutral term ''Imeacht'' is usually used i.e. the ''Departure of the Earls''. The term 'Flight' is translated 'Teitheadh na nIarlaí' and is sometimes seen. took place in Se ...

but, as with all the major Irish kingships, the line of descent continues into the present day.

Notes

References

* ''Annals of the Four Masters'' a
CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts
a
University College Cork
* Byrne, Francis John (2001), Irish Kings and High-Kings, Dublin: Four Courts Press,

Cenél Conaill

, died c. A.D.455. , , ______________________________________________________________________________ , , , , , , , , , , , , Conall Gulban Eoghan Coirpre Fiacha Conall Cremthainne Lóegaire , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

, Cenél Fiachach , Cenél Lóegaire , , , , Cenél Cairpre / \ , / \ , / \ , Clann Cholmáin Síl nÁedo Sláine , Cenél Conaill of In Fochla , , _______________________________________________ , , , , , , Fergus Cennfota Doi Enna Bogaine , (Cenél nDuach) (Cenél mBogaine) , , , , , , , Ninnid, fl. 561 Melge , , , , , , , Baetan, d. 586 Brandub , , , _________ ? , , , , , Garban Setna Feidlimid , , , , , , Sechnasach, Rí Cenél mBogaine, d. 609 , Columb Cille, 521-597 , , _______________________________ , ______________ , , , , , , , , , , Ainmire, d. 569 Colum Lugaid Mael Tuile Bresal, d. 644 , , , , , , , Cenél Lugdach Dungal, Rí Cenél mBogaine, d. 672 , , , , , , _____________ , Ronan , , , , , , , , Sechnasach Dub Diberg, d. 703 , Garb , , , , ? , , , , Flaithgus, d. 732 , , Forbasach , , , Rí Cenél mBogaine ? , Cen Faelad d. 722 , , , Rogaillnech, d. 815 , _______________________, , , , , , , , Mael Duin Fiaman , , , , ? ? , , , , Airnelach Maenguile , , , , , , , , , , , , , Cen Faelad Dochartach , , ( Clann Ua Dochartaig) , , , , ____________________________________________ , , , , , , , Dalach, 'Dux' Cenél Conaill, d. 870. Bradagain , , , , , , , Eicnecan, Rí Cenél Conaill, d. 906 Baigill , , ( Clann Ua Baighill) , , , , ______________________________________________________________ , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , two sons Flann Adlann Domnall Mor Conchobar , d. 956 & 962. Abbot of Derry ( Clann Ua Domnaill) , d. 950. , , ___________________ , , , , Aed, d. 598 Ciaran , , , , , Fiachra, founder of

Derry Derry, officially Londonderry (), is the second-largest city in Northern Ireland and the fifth-largest city on the island of Ireland. The name ''Derry'' is an anglicisation of the Old Irish name (modern Irish: ) meaning 'oak grove'. The ...

, died 620. , , __________________________________________________________ , , , , , , , , Domnall, d. 642 Conall Cu Mael Cobo, d. 615 Cumuscach, d. 597 High King of Ireland d. 604 , , , _____________ , , , , , , , Cellach Conall Cael , , both died 658/664 , , , ( Clann Ua Gallchobair) , , , ________________________________________________________________ , , , , , , , , , , Oengus, d. 650 Conall Colgu Ailill Flannesda Fergus Fanat , d.663 d.663 d.666 d.654 , , , , , Congal Cenn Magair , d. 710 , , , __________, __________ , , , , , , , , , Donngal Flann Gohan Conaig , d. 731 d.732 d.733 , Loingsech, d. 703 , , ____________________________________________________________________ , , , , , , , , , , Flaithbertach, deposed 734. Fergus, d. 707 three other sons, all killed 703 , , _____________________________________________________________________ , , , , , , Aed Muinderg, Ri In Tuisceart, d. 747. Loingsech Murchad , Rí Cenél Conaill Rí Cenél Conaill , _______________ d. 754 d. 767 , , , , , , Domnall Donnchad Mael Bresail d. 804 fl. 784 Rí Cenél Conaill , d. 767 , , Flaithbertach , , Oengus , , Canannan , (Ua Canannain) Mael Doraid (Ua Maildoraid) , _______, _______ , , , , Fogartach Mael Bresail Rí Cenél Conaill Rí Cenél Conaill d. 904 d. 901

External links

CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts
a
University College Cork
{{DEFAULTSORT:Conall Gulban People from County Sligo 5th-century Irish monarchs