Giolla Comáin mac Néill (died 991) (Middle Irish Gilla Commáin mac Néill) was king of

Uí Díarmata Uí Díarmata was a local kingdom located in what is now north County Galway. Origins The ruling dynasty took its name from King Diarmait Finn of Connacht (died 833), and the territory in turn was named after them. It seems to have been create ...

Background

Giolla Comáin mac Néill was a member of the SíOl Muiredaig dynasty, who ruled as kings of The Connachta in what is now central

County Roscommon County Roscommon () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is part of the province of Connacht and the Northern and Western Region. It is the List of Irish counties by area, 11th largest Irish county by area and Li ...

. By the mid-10th century they had expanded south-west into the north-east of

County Galway County Galway ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Northern and Western Region, taking up the south of the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht. The county population was 276,451 at the 20 ...

. Here a branch of the kindred seized territory and renamed it

, after its founder, Diarmada Finn mac Tomaltaig, who was in turn a great-grandson of King Indrechtach mac Muiredaig (died 723).

Death and successors

Giolla Comáin mac Néill is not known to be attested in the genealogies, nor is there any other reference to him or his father, Niall. He was king in 991 but was at war with

Cú Ceanain mac Tadhg Cú Ceanain mac Tadhg, Prince of Uí Díarmata Uí Díarmata was a local kingdom located in what is now north County Galway. Origins The ruling dynasty took its name from King Diarmait Finn of Connacht (died 833), and the territory in turn ...

, a son of his predecessor. The war ended with their mutual deaths, and another unattested member of the Uí Díarmata, Muirgheas mac Aedh, became king. Gillacommain left no known descendants, and after 999, all subsequent Uí Díarmata kings descended from Cú Ceanain mac Tadhg.

References

* ''The Tribes and Customs of Hy-Many'',

John O'Donovan John O'Donovan may refer to: *John O'Donovan (scholar) (1806–1861), Irish language scholar and place-name expert *John O'Donovan (politician) (1908–1982), Irish TD and Senator *John O'Donovan (police commissioner) (1858–1927), New Zealand pol ...

, 1843 * ''The Parish of Ballinasloe'', Fr.

Jerome A. Fahey Father Jerome A. Fahey, (1843–1919), was an Irish priest and writer. Fahey was born at Killomoran, Gort, and educated in the town's national school and St. Jarlath's, Tuam. He studied at St. Patrick's College, Maynooth from 1860, and was ...

. * https://www.webcitation.org/5kmkmYVri?url=http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Aegean/2444/irish/LD.htm * Vol. 2 (AD 903–1171)
edition
an
translation
* ''Annals of Ulster'' a

a
University College Cork
* ''Annals of Tigernach'' a

a
University College Cork
of McCarthy's synchronisms at

Trinity College Dublin Trinity College Dublin (), officially titled The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, and legally incorporated as Trinity College, the University of Dublin (TCD), is the sole constituent college of the Unive ...

. {{DEFAULTSORT:Gillacommain mac Niall Nobility from County Galway 991 deaths 10th-century Irish monarchs Year of birth unknown