The kingdom of Uí Fháilghe, (early spelling) or (modern spelling), () was a
Gaelic-Irish kingdom which existed to
1550, the name of which (though not the territory) is preserved in the name of
County Offaly (),
Ireland
Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
.
County Offaly was constructed from elements of a number of ancient Irish Kingdoms of which Uí Failghe was one amongst such as
Mide (present day west Offaly) and
Munster (present day south Offaly). In modern territorial boundaries the kingdom today would correspond with County Offaly east of Tullamore, western parts of Kildare and parts of north east Laois. The name was also retained in the names of two
baronies in
County Kildare that formed part of the kingdom,
Offaly (Ophaley) East and
Offaly (Ophaley) West.
Background
Uí Failghe may have existed as a kingdom from the early historic era. It takes its name from the legendary king
Rus Failge (). It successfully fought off encroachments by the
Uí Néill, the
Eóganachta
The Eóganachta (Modern , ) were an Irish dynasty centred on Rock of Cashel, Cashel which dominated southern Ireland (namely the Kingdom of Munster) from the 6/7th to the 10th centuries, and following that, in a restricted form, the Kingdom of De ...
, and the
Normans
The Normans (Norman language, Norman: ''Normaunds''; ; ) were a population arising in the medieval Duchy of Normandy from the intermingling between Norsemen, Norse Viking settlers and locals of West Francia. The Norse settlements in West Franc ...
however with loss of territories. "The traditions of warfare in the fifth century between Ui Neill and Laigin in Brega and Mide ...
howthe Ui Failgi certainly suffered most material damage through the loss of territory in Offaly and Westmeath".
[Byrne, Francis John "Irish kings and High Kings" (Dublin : Four Courts, 2001; 2nd ed.), p.142.]
From the mid 11th century its ruling dynasty adopted the surname (modern spelling: ) or O Connor Faly (they were unrelated to the other notable dynasties of Connacht and Kerry). Their seat was originally in
Rathangan but moved to
Daingean with the Norman arrival. On the death of the last de facto king, , about 1556, the
Parliament of Ireland passed the
Settlement of Laois and Offaly Act 1556 and was divided between
Queen's County,
King's County and
County Kildare during one of the
Plantations of Ireland. Upon Irish independence in 1922, 'King's County' was renamed
County Offaly in commemoration of .
Description
The old territory of Offaly is described by O'Donovan in his Ordnance Survey letters.
[Ireland's History in Maps](_blank)
- The Tribes of Laigen
Leinster Series O'Donovan notes the territory of , or Ophaley, comprising the baronies of: Geshill, Upper and Lower Philipstown, Warrenstown, and Collestown all in King's County; Ophaley (or Offaley) in County Kildare; Portnahinch and Tinahinch in Queen's County.
O'Donovan cites O'Heerin as giving that Offaly was originally subdivided into seven cantreds: (
Geashill); ''Hy-Regan'' (Tinahinch); (
Upper Philipstown and Portnahinch); ''Clar Colgain'' (
Lower Philipstown); or Tethmoy (
Coolestown and
Warrenstown); , or , (northern half of the Ophaley); (southern half of Ophaley).
This gives the kingdom an approximately triangular shape, with a southwest corner in the
Slieve Bloom Mountains, a southeast corner at , and the
River Boyne and its tributaries (
Milltown River,
Yellow River) marking its northern border.
Keating cites the following family branches as belonging to the : ", , , , , , , (of Offaly and North Wexford), ."
See also
*
Kings of Ui Failghe
*
Irish kings
*
Gaelic Ireland
Gaelic Ireland () was the Gaelic political and social order, and associated culture, that existed in Ireland from the late Prehistory of Ireland, prehistoric era until the 17th century. It comprised the whole island before Anglo-Norman invasi ...
*
References
* ''Hui Failgi relations with the Hui Neill in the century after the loss of the plain of
Mide'', Alfred P. Smyth, ''Etudes Celtic'', 1975, pp. 501–523.
* ''Ui Fhailghe, Uibh Fhaili, etc.; The Name of
Offaly'', Nollaig O Muraile, in ''Offaly Heritage:Journal of the Offaly Archaeological and Historical Society'', pp. 9–11, volume one, 2003
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ui Failghe
Kingdoms of medieval Ireland
History of County Offaly
History of County Laois
History of County Kildare
1556 disestablishments
Laigin
Gaels