Conmaicne

The Conmaicne (Old Irish pronunciation: [ˈkɔnˠˌβ̃ɑkʲːnʲɛ]; Modern Irish: Conmhaicne) were a people of early Ireland, perhaps related to the Laigin, who dispersed to various parts of Ireland. They settled in Connacht and Longford, giving their name to several Conmaicne territories. T. F. O'Rahilly's assertion the Conmaicne were non-Goidelic is not widely accepted.^[1]

Early peoples and kingdoms of Ireland, c.800

Etymology

Their name originates from a mythical ancestor known as Conmac(c) (Old Irish: [ˈkˠʰɔnˠˌβ̃ɑkˠː]), meaning "hound-son" (con, prefix form of n-stem cú hound; mac, son). Conmac(c) descended from Fergus mac Róich and Queen Medb of Connacht. However, Walsh stated "Conmac son of Fergus is a genealogical fiction".^[2] The word Conmaicne means "progeny of Conmac" (-ne, a progeny). The name in Old Irish spelling contains m (without a following h) and c (or more etymologically, cc), thus Old Irish Conmac(c) and Conmaic(c)ne, but in Modern Irish spelling contains mh (with unetymological h as a sign of lenition) and single c, thus Conmhac and Conmhaicne).

Branches

Branches of the Conmaicne dispersed to various places.

• Conmhaicne Mara (Conmaicne of the sea) settled in the west of County Galway, in the territory of Conmhaicne Mara, anglicised today as Connemara.^[3]
• Conmhaicne Dúna Móir, or Conmaicne Cenel Dubáin, at Dunmore, County Galway.^[3]
• Conmhaicne Mhean or Conmaicne Máenmaige, Loughrea, County Galway.^{[citation needed]}

• Conmhaícne Cúile, of Kilmaine, County Mayo.^[4][3]
• Conmhaícne Ceara, of Carra, County Mayo.^{[citation needed]}
• Conmaicne Meic Oirbsen Máir near Lough Corrib, County Mayo.^{[citation needed]}

• Conmhaicne Sléibe Formaile, near Ballinlough, in west County Roscommon.^{[citation needed]}

• Conmhaicne, or "lower conmaicne", of south County Leitrim.^[3]
• Conmhaícne Angaile, or "upper Conmaicne", now county Longford.^[5][3]

The Diocese of Ardagh was established in 1111 as the see for east Connacht. Fourteen years later, at the Synod of Kells-Mellifont, its area was reduced to the territory of the Conmaicne Rein and Conmaicne Angalie, south county Leitrim and all county Longford.^[6] The diocese was commonly called "the Diocese of the Conmaicne".^[7][4]

Septs

Known Septs in south County Leitrim were:

• Conmhaicne Maigh Rein today called Fenagh, County Leitrim.^[8]
• Cluain Conmhaícne, Cloone parish, in Carrigallen and Mohill barony.
• Cenel Luacháin, both Oughteragh and Drumreilly parishes at Carrigallen, County Leitrim.

People

John O'Donovan wrote:

The chief families of the Conmacians were the O'Fearralls, princes and lords of Annaly, or Longford; the Mac Rannalls, a name anglicised to Reynolds, who were Lords of Conmaincee of Moy-Rein and Muintir-Eolais, in Leitrim; the Mac Keoghes, who were chiefs in Galway, and also in Lenister; the MacShanleys; O'Rodaghans; MacDorchys; O'Mulveys; O'Morans, and O'Mannings, chiefs and clans in various parts of Longford, Leitrim, and Roscommon.^[9]

Notables descended from the Conmhaicne include Cruimthear Mac Carthaigh, St. Jarlath of Tuam and some abbots of Clonmacnoise.

See also

• Delbhna
• Cíarraige
• Pre-Norman invasion Irish Celtic kinship groups, from whom many of the modern Irish surnames came from