Historically, Fermanagh ( ga, Fir Manach), as opposed to the modern
County Fermanagh, was a kingdom of
Gaelic Ireland
Gaelic Ireland ( ga, Éire Ghaelach) was the Gaelic political and social order, and associated culture, that existed in Ireland from the late prehistoric era until the early 17th century. It comprised the whole island before Anglo-Normans ...
, associated geographically with present-day
County Fermanagh. ''Fir Manach'' originally referred to a distinct kin group of alleged
Laigin origins. The kingdom of Fermanagh was formed in the 10th century, out of the larger kingdom of UÃ Chremthainn, which was part of the overkingdom of
AirgÃalla.
[MacCotter, Paul. ''Medieval Ireland: territorial, political and economic divisions''. Four Courts Press, 2008, p.243] By the late 11th century it had grown to cover all of what is now County Fermanagh.
The kingdom came to be ruled by the
Mag Uidhir (Maguire) clan from the late 13th century onward. They were based at
Lisnaskea
Lisnaskea () is the second-biggest settlement in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is situated mainly in the townland of Lisoneill, with some areas in the townland of Castle Balfour Demesne, both in the civil parish of Aghalurcher and the ...
, and their royal inauguration site was nearby Sgiath Gabhra (Skeagoura), now called Cornashee. Under
Hugh Maguire, Fermanagh was involved in the
Nine Years' War against English rule. His successor,
Cú Chonnacht Óg Mag Uidhir, was one of the Gaelic Irish leaders who fled Ireland during the
Flight of the Earls. Fermanagh was subsequently merged into the
Kingdom of Ireland as County Fermanagh.
History
Laighin ancient origins
The original ''Fir Manach'' or ''Fear Manach'', that is to say the Manach or Monaigh people in the north of Ireland, claimed descent from the
Laighin of
Leinster
Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of Ir ...
.
They reached upper
Lough Erne in ancient times. According to the
Book of Glendalaugh (also known as the Rawlinson B 502) a genealogy is provided for the early Manach people and they claim descent from Dáire Barrach, the son of
Cathair Mór,
High King of Ireland.
Dáire Barrach's descendants elsewhere in Ireland are today known as the MacGorman (
Mac Gormáin) and ruled
Uà Bairrche during the Middle Ages. Cathair Mór himself had ruled Ireland as
King of Tara in the 2nd century.
Connachta and Three Collas
The geopolitical situation in Ireland changed during the 4th and 5th centuries, owing to the rise of the descendants of
Conn of the Hundred Battles. Most significantly for the Fir Manach, the kingdoms of
AirgÃalla (under the descendants of the
Three Collas), the kingdom of
Ailech (under the
Uà Néill) and the kingdom of
Connacht (under the
Uà Briúin) arose. According to
Peadar Livingstone, the territory of Fermanagh became disputed between these groups and the previously ruling Fir Manach people.
11th century onwards
By the end of the 11th century, Fermanagh had decisively re-emerged as a sovereign kingdom in the region. The rulers of this kingdom were drawn from the AirgÃalla. Early on the territory drew kings from three branches of Clann Lugainn; the Ó hEignigh (O'Heany), Maolruanaidh (Mulrooney) and Ó Dubhdara (Darragh). These families claimed descent from the Three Collas, in the person of Colla FochrÃth and were thus kinsmen of the MacMahon
kings of AirgÃalla. Towards the end of the 13th century, the
Mag Uidhir (Maguire) arose to the kingship of Fermanagh and with the exception of some challenges from the
Ó Domhnaill of
Tyrconnell, this would remain the situation until the end of the kingdom in 1607 with the
Flight of the Earls.
Kings of Fermanagh
The ''
Annals of the Four Masters
The ''Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland'' ( ga, Annála RÃoghachta Éireann) or the ''Annals of the Four Masters'' (''Annála na gCeithre MáistrÃ'') are chronicles of medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or mediev ...
'' mention the following as Kings of Fermanagh ( ga, Fir Manach).
*Cathal Ó Dubhdara (died 1009)
*Niall Ó hÉicnigh (died 1053)
*Domhnall Ó Mael Ruanaidh (died 1057)
*Giolla CrÃst Ó Dubhdara (died 1076)
*Ó hÉicnigh (died 1095)
*Laidhgnén Ó Dubhdara (died 1118)
*Ó Mael Ruanaidh (1126)
*Gilla CrÃost Ó hÉicnigh (died 1127), also over-king of
AirgÃalla.
*Faelán Ó Dubhdara (died 1128)
*Ó Mael Ruanaidh (died 1160)
*Mac an OÃche Ó Mael Ruanaidh (1189)
*Aonghus Mac Giolla Fhinnéin (died 1234)
*Domhnall Mór Ó Domnhaill (died 1241), also king of
Tyrconnell ().
*Flaithbertach Ó Daimin (died 1275)
*Donn Mág Uidhir (died 1298)
*Mac Craith Mág Uidhir (died 1306)
*Flaithbertach Mág Uidhir (died 1324)
*Aodh Ó Domhnaill (died 1333), also king of Tyrconnell.
*Ruaidhri Mág Uidhir (died 1338)
*Aodh Ruadh Mág Uidhir (1360)
*Pilib Mág Uidhir (died 1366)
*Brian Mág Uidhir (died 1373)
*Pilib 'na Tuagh' Mág Uidhir (died 1394)
*Tomás Mág Uidhir (died 1419)
*Tomás Mór Mag Uidhir - the son of Pilib na Tuagh Mág Uidhir - (died 1430)
*Tomás Óg Mág Uidhir (abdicated 1471; died 1480)
*Éamonn Mág Uidhir (or, 'Éamonn mac Tomás Óg Mág Uidhir') deposed 1488 (died 1488, later that year)
*Tomás Óg mac Tomás Óg Mág Uidhir (died 1501)
*Seaán Mág Uidhir (died 1503)
*Conchobhar Mór Mág Uidhir (died 1527)
*Cú Chonnacht Óg ‘an Comharba’ Mág Uidhir (died 1537)
*Giolla Pádraig Bán Mág Uidhir (died 1540)
*Seán Mág Uidhir (died 1566)
*Cú Chonnacht Óg Mág Uidhir (died 1589)
*
Aodh Mág Uidhir (or, 'Hugh Maguire') (died 1601)
*Cú Chonnacht Óg Mág Uidhir (fled 1607 in the
Flight of the Earls; died 1608)
References
Bibliography
*
External links
Irish Chiefs and Clans in Fermanaghat Library Ireland
at Ireland's History in Maps
{{Kingdom of Ireland
Kingdoms of ancient Ireland
Kingdoms of medieval Ireland
States and territories disestablished in 1607
Former kingdoms in Ireland