The Ciarraighe Locha na nÁirne were a branch of the Ciarraighe people, located in what is now central-east County Mayo

County Mayo

County Mayo is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Mayo, which is now generally known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county is 130,552...

 in Connacht

Connacht

Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...

.

Origins

The three Ciarraige of Connacht - Ciarraige Áei, Ciarraige Airtig

Ciarraige Airtig

-Origins:The Ciarraige Airtech were one of three branches of the Ciarraige located close to each other in central Connacht. They were the Ciarraige Aí, Ciarraige Airtig and Ciarraighe Locha na nÁirne, along the east County Mayo/west-central County Roscommon area...

 and Ciarraighe Locha na nÁirne - were thought to have once formed a single over-kingdom which was broken up by the rise of the Ui Briuin

Uí Briúin

The Uí Briúin were an Irish kin-group. Their eponymous apical ancestor was Brion, son of Eochaid Mugmedon and Mongfind, and an elder half brother of Niall of the Nine Hostages. They formed part of the Connachta, along with the Uí Fiachrach and Uí Ailello, putative descendants of Eochaid Mugmedon's...

 in the 8th and 9th centuries.

Ciarraighe Locha na nÁirne was located in the barony of Costello

Costello

Costello is a surname in the English language. The name is an Anglicised form of the Irish Mac Oisdealbhaigh, meaning "son of Oisdealbhach". The Irish Oisdealbhach is derived from two elements: the first, os, means "deer"; the second element, dealbhach, means "in the form of", "resembling"...

 in east County Mayo.

Descendants

The leading dynasty

Dynasty

A dynasty is a sequence of rulers considered members of the same family. Historians traditionally consider many sovereign states' history within a framework of successive dynasties, e.g., China, Ancient Egypt and the Persian Empire...

 of the Ciarraige Locha na nAirne had by the 12th century adopted the surname Ó Céirín. It is now anglacised as Carney

Carney

-Persons named Carney :* Alan Carney , American actor and comedian* Art Carney , American actor best known for playing Ed Norton on The Honeymooners* Charles J...

, O'Kieran, Kearns, Keherny.

Annalistic references

• 1155 -Fiacha, son of Cethearnach Ua Ceirin, lord of Ciarraighe-Locha-na-nairneadh, died.

• 1210 - Donnchadh Cairbrech O'Briain, with his army, and Geoffroi Mareis, with his army of the Foreigners of Mumha, and Aedh, son of Ruaidhri O'Conchobhair, and the son of O'Flaithbhertaigh along with them, proceeded into Connacht..., from thence to Loch-na-nairne, in Ciarraighe, where they committed great depredations; and they were a fortnight, or nearly twenty nights, in Ciarraighe, and the Connachtmen before them.

• 1224 - Mathghamhain O'Ceirín, king of Ciarraige Locha na nAirne died this year.

• 1266 - Mathgamain son of Ceithernach, king of Ciarraige, was killed by the Galls of Dunmore this year.

• 1315 - The eraghts of the Three Ciarraige were assembled with their flocks and herds, namely the Western Ciarraige, the Ciarraige of Mag nAi and the Ciarraige of Airtech.

• 1315 - Cormac Mac Ceithernaig, king of the Ciarraige fell,... along with Ruaidri, King of Connacht.