Dál nAraidi
Encyclopedia
Dál nAraidi was a kingdom of the Cruthin (Irish Cruithni) in the north-east of Ireland
in the first millennium. The lands of the Dál nAraidi appear to correspond with the Robogdii of Ptolemy
's Geographia
, a region shared with Dál Riata. Fiachu Araide was the eponym
ous founder of the Dál nAraidi.
It was centred on the northern shores of Lough Neagh
in southern Antrim
. Dál nAraidi was the second kingdom of Ulster
, and its kings contended with the Dál Fiatach
for the high-kingship for some centuries. It is doubtful whether the Dál nAraidi kingdom existed, except as a loose confederation of small kingdoms, until the 8th century, long after the Cruithne kings had ceased to have any real control over the high-kingship of Ulster.
Among the most important chieftains of the Dál nAraidi, most of whom predate the formation of a kingdom, are:
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
in the first millennium. The lands of the Dál nAraidi appear to correspond with the Robogdii of Ptolemy
Ptolemy
Claudius Ptolemy , was a Roman citizen of Egypt who wrote in Greek. He was a mathematician, astronomer, geographer, astrologer, and poet of a single epigram in the Greek Anthology. He lived in Egypt under Roman rule, and is believed to have been born in the town of Ptolemais Hermiou in the...
's Geographia
Geographia (Ptolemy)
The Geography is Ptolemy's main work besides the Almagest...
, a region shared with Dál Riata. Fiachu Araide was the eponym
Eponym
An eponym is the name of a person or thing, whether real or fictitious, after which a particular place, tribe, era, discovery, or other item is named or thought to be named...
ous founder of the Dál nAraidi.
It was centred on the northern shores of Lough Neagh
Lough Neagh
Lough Neagh, sometimes Loch Neagh, is a large freshwater lake in Northern Ireland. Its name comes .-Geography:With an area of , it is the largest lake in the British Isles and ranks among the forty largest lakes of Europe. Located twenty miles to the west of Belfast, it is approximately twenty...
in southern Antrim
County Antrim
County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
. Dál nAraidi was the second kingdom of Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. 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 administrative and judicial...
, and its kings contended with the Dál Fiatach
Dál Fiatach
The Dál Fiatach were a group of related dynasties located in eastern Ulster in the Early Christian and Early Medieval periods of the history of Ireland.-Description:...
for the high-kingship for some centuries. It is doubtful whether the Dál nAraidi kingdom existed, except as a loose confederation of small kingdoms, until the 8th century, long after the Cruithne kings had ceased to have any real control over the high-kingship of Ulster.
Among the most important chieftains of the Dál nAraidi, most of whom predate the formation of a kingdom, are:
- Áed Dub mac SuibniÁed Dub mac SuibniÁed Dub mac Suibni was an Irish king of the Cruthin of Dál nAraidi . He may have been king of the Ulaid.Áed Dub — Black Áed — killed the last pagan High King of Ireland, Diarmait mac Cerbaill. Tradition has Diarmaid die a mythic threefold death, and some version make Áed Diarmaid's...
(died c. 588) - Fiachnae mac BáetáinFiachnae mac BáetáinFiachnae mac Báetáin , also called Fiachnae Lurgan or Fiachnae Find, was king of the Dál nAraidi and high-king of the Ulaid in the early 7th century. He was a son of Báetán mac Echdach and brother of Fiachra Cáech Fiachnae mac Báetáin (died 626), also called Fiachnae Lurgan or Fiachnae Find, was...
(died c. 626) - Congal CáechCongal CáechCongal Cáech was a king of the Cruithne of Dál nAraidi, in modern Ulster, from around 626 to 637. He was king of Ulster from 627-637 and, according to some sources, High King of Ireland.-Sources:...
(died at the battle of Mag Rath c. 637)
See also
- UlaidUlaidThe Ulaid or Ulaidh were a people of early Ireland who gave their name to the modern province of Ulster...
- Cruithne (people)
- Kings of Dál nAraidiKings of Dál nAraidiThe Kings of Dál nAraidi were rulers of one of the main kingdoms of Ulster and competed with the Dál Fiatach for the overlordship of Ulaid.The dynasty resided at Ráith Mór, east of Antrim in the Mag Line area and emerged as the dominant group among the Cruthin of Ulaid...
- Uí Echach Arda
- Uí Echach CoboUí Echach CoboUí Echach Cobo were a branch of the Dál nAraidi in Ulster . They gave their name to the early medieval Kingdom of Coba located in the baronies of Upper and Lower Iveagh in modern County Down...