Uí Failghe was a Gaelic

Gaels

The Gaels or Goidels are speakers of one of the Goidelic Celtic languages: Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. Goidelic speech originated in Ireland and subsequently spread to western and northern Scotland and the Isle of Man....

-Irish kingdom, which is preserved in the name of County Offaly

County Offaly

County Offaly is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Uí Failghe and was formerly known as King's County until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. Offaly County Council is...

, Ireland

Republic of Ireland

Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

.

Background

Uí Failghe may have existed as a kingdom since the early historic era, and successfully fought off encroachments by the Uí Néill

Uí Néill

The Uí Néill are Irish and Scottish dynasties who claim descent from Niall Noigiallach , an historical King of Tara who died about 405....

, the Eóganachta

Eóganachta

The Eóganachta or Eoghanachta were an Irish dynasty centred around Cashel which dominated southern Ireland from the 6/7th to the 10th centuries, and following that, in a restricted form, the Kingdom of Desmond, and its offshoot Carbery, well into the 16th century...

, and the Normans

Normans

The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...

.

From the mid eleventh century its ruling dynasty adopted the surname Ua Conchobhair Failghe, or O Connor Faly (they were unrelated to the other notable Ua Conchobhair dynasties of Connacht and Kerry). Their seat was originally in Rathangan

Rathangan, County Kildare

Rathangan is a town in the west of County Kildare, Ireland, with a population of 1,718. It is located from the centre of Dublin, and from Kildare, at the intersection of the R401, R414, and R419 regional roads. The Slate River and the Grand Canal run through the town.Rathangan is situated beside...

 but moved to Daingean

Daingean

Daingean , formerly Philipstown, is a small town in east County Offaly, Ireland. It is situated midway between the towns of Tullamore and Edenderry on the R402 regional road. The town or townland of Daingean has a population of 777 while the District Electoral Division has a total population of...

 with the Norman arrival. On the death of the last de facto king, Brian mac Cathaoir O Conchobhair Failghe about 1556, Ui Failghe was divided between Queen's County

County Laois

County Laois is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It was formerly known as Queen's County until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. The county's name was formerly spelt as Laoighis and Leix. Laois County Council...

 and King's County

County Offaly

County Offaly is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Uí Failghe and was formerly known as King's County until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. Offaly County Council is...

 when it was shired by Mary I of England

Mary I of England

Mary I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death.She was the only surviving child born of the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded Henry in 1547...

 during one of the Plantations of Ireland

Plantations of Ireland

Plantations in 16th and 17th century Ireland were the confiscation of land by the English crown and the colonisation of this land with settlers from England and the Scottish Lowlands....

. A portion of the original kingdom was made part of County Kildare

County Kildare

County Kildare is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...

. Upon Irish independence 'King's County' was renamed County Offaly

County Offaly

County Offaly is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Uí Failghe and was formerly known as King's County until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. Offaly County Council is...

, in commemoration of Uí Failghe.

Description

The old territory of Offaly is described by O'Donovan in his Ordnance Survey letters. O'Donovan notes the territory of Ui Failghe, 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: Tuath Geisille (Geashill); Hy-Regan (Tinahinch); Clann-Maoilughra (Upper Philipstown & Portnahinch); Clar Colgain (Lower Philipstown); Tuath-Maighe or Tethmoy (Coolestown and Warrenstown); Magh Aoife, or Fearann Ui Murchain, (northern half of the Ophaley); Tuath-Leighe (southern half of Ophaley).

Keating cites the following family branches as belonging to the O Conchubhar Failghe: O Caomhanaigh

Kavanagh (surname)

Kavanagh or Kavanaugh is a surname of Irish origin, Caomhánach in Irish Gaelic. It is properly Mac Murchadha Caomhánach , but is often now rendered 'Caomhánach' or rarely 'Ó Caomhánaigh'...

, O Tuathalaigh, O Branaigh, Mac Giolla Phadraig, O Duinn, O Diomasaigh

Dempsey

-Background:Dempsey is an anglicised form of of Ó Diomasaigh, « descendant of Díomasaigh »; the latter stems from the Irish adjective díomasach « proud ». The family originated in the Kingdom of Uí Failghe.According to John Grenham:...

, O Duibhidhir

Dwyer (name)

-Surname:*Anthony Dwyer , Australian rules footballer*Bernard Dwyer , English rugby league footballer*Bernard J. Dwyer , American politician*Bil Dwyer , American comedian and game show host...

, Muinntear Riain."