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Gaelic British Isles & Ireland

Tribes and States of Ireland

 

MapKings of Mide / Meath (Gaels of Ireland)

(Additional information by Rashaan Dozier-Escalante and Edward Dawson.)

fl 170s

Fedlim

Also king of Connacht.

c.170s

Fedlim unsuccessfully attacks the Dumbarton Britons of Alt Clut. However, at this time in Ireland's history the tribal system has not yet been replaced by the descendant-name system, and it is highly unlikely that the kingdoms of Connacht and Mide exist in this form. This means that this event is recorded quite some time later, after the fifth century at least. This either places its authenticity in some doubt, or it means that a later chronicler has applied the names of his time to a tribal event. In which case, which tribe is involved? Perhaps the Autini or Magnatae of Connacht?

846 - 862

Máel Sechnaill macMáele Ruanaid O'Néill

High King.

846

The name Máel Sechnaill is a fascinating one. Firstly, 'mailíseach' is an adjective (graded as 'mailísí', and in its plural form as 'mailíseacha'), meaning 'malicious'. So does that make Mael Sechnaill 'the Malicious Naill'? Not quite. Translations of 'naill' produce 'either' or 'the one... (the other[s])', effectively providing 'the malicious one', but it has to be suspected that 'the one' here is usually translated into English as 'himself'. So the king is named 'Himself the Evil (One)'. One of his descendants re-uses this name (in 979).

879 - 916

Flann Sionna macMáele Sechnaill O'Néill

High King.

919 - 942

Donnchadh

Son.

979 - 1001

Maelseachlainn

Grandson of Flann Sionna.

1002 - 1014

Meath is under the direct control of the high kings of Ireland.

1014 - 1022

Maelseachlainn

Restored?

1022 - 1119

Meath is under the direct control of the high kings of Ireland.

1121 - 1135

Meath is under the direct control of the high kings of Ireland.

1141 - 1175

Meath is under the direct control of the high kings of Ireland.

1175

Much of Ireland, including Meath, now falls under the control of the kings of England.

 
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