| Dál Fiatach | |
|---|---|
| Parent house | Ulaid-Dáirine |
| Country | Ireland |
| Founded | 1st century AD |
| Founder | Fiatach Finn |
| Current head | none |
| Final ruler | Ruaidrí mac Duinn Sléibe |
| Titles |
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| Dissolution | 13th century AD |
Dál Fiatach was aGaelic dynastic-grouping and the name of their territory in the north-east ofIreland, which lasted throughout theMiddle Ages until their demise in the 13th century at the hands ofNormans[citation needed]. It was part of the over-kingdom ofUlaid, and they were its main ruling dynasty for most of Ulaid's history. Their territory lay in easternCounty Down. Their capital was Dún Lethglaise (Downpatrick) and from the 9th century their main religious site wasBangor Abbey.
The Dál Fiatach are claimed as being descended fromFiatach Finn mac Dáire, a legendaryKing of Ulaid andHigh King of Ireland, and are thought to be related to both theVoluntii andDarini ofPtolemy'sGeographia. They are also perhaps more directly related to the pre-historicDáirine, and the laterCorcu Loígde ofMunster. Kinship with theOsraige is also supported, and more distantly with theDál Riata.
TheUlaid, of which the Dál Fiatach at times were the ruling dynasty, are further associated with the so-calledÉrainn. The Dál Fiatach claimed kinship with the legendaryCú Roí mac Dáire and theClanna Dedad.[1][2]
The Dál Fiatach are considered by scholars to be the true historical Ulaid (<*Uluti), but after the fortunes of the dynasty declined in the 7th century, the legendary heroes of theUlster Cycle were in fact claimed as ancestors by the rival and unrelatedDál nAraidi orCruthin, claiming for political reasons to be the "true Ulaid" themselves and descendants ofRudraige mac Sithrigi throughConall Cernach. The legendary Ulaid, a people presumably related in some way to the ancestors of the Dál Fiatach, although this is not clearly preserved in the later genealogical traditions, are sometimes called theClanna Rudraige. However, rather than contesting the quite false claims of the Cruthin to their ancient glory, the Dál Fiatach appear to have chosen to stress their kinship with the Clanna Dedad of Munster, fearsome rivals of the Clanna Rudraige. Thus with their own ancestors appropriated by the Dál nAraidi, the Dál Fiatach apparently had no choice but to transform themselves into descendants of their nearest kin they could remember.[3] While kinship with the Dáirine and/or Clanna Dedad (Érainn) is not contested by scholars, it can be assumed the early generations of the Dál Fiatach pedigree are quite corrupt. This is also true for the pedigree of the Dáirine and Corcu Loígde. Their natural kinship with the Munster dynasties can only be reconstructed in studies of Ptolemy's Ireland and by linguistics.
Every known king of Dál Fiatach becameKing of Ulster (Ulaid), but they did not monopolise the kingship as the Dál nAraidi supplied a number of powerful kings. Among the more influential Dál Fiatach kings were:
A junior branch of the Dál Fiatach ruledLecale, the peninsula south of the Dál Fiatach capital, Dún Lethglaise (modern-dayDownpatrick). Dún Lethglaise itself, already the royal centre of the Dál Fiatach would become a prestigious monastic site. In later times, from the 9th century,Bangor, originally controlled by the neighbouring Dál nAraidi, became the main religious site patronised by the kings.
Below are a list of some of the tribes that were part of or claimed descent from the Dál Fiatach:
A third (fourth) pedigree is given inRawlinson B 502 at ¶689:Fiatach Find m. Dáre m. Forgo a quo Dál Fiatach rí h-Érenn. iii. co torchair la Fiachaich Fidfholaid m. Feradaich.
Dáire mac Forgo is listed as an early king ofEmain Macha at ¶1481:Dáre m. Forgo m. Feideilmid (m. h-Uamunchinn) (m. Corráin m. Caiss m.Argatmáir). As Feideilmid is also the father ofFachtna Fáthach according to this particular scheme, Forgo is thus an uncle ofConchobar mac Nessa. Elsewhere Fachtna is a son of Cas, son ofRudraige mac Sithrigi (a quo Clanna Rudraige), (son of Sithrig), son of Dub, son ofFomor, son of Airgetmar.
However, Forgo (Forggo) also appears as an ancestor of Deda mac Sin at ¶1696:Dedad m. Sin m. Roshin m. Triir m. Rothriir m. Airnnil m. Maine m. Forggo m. Feradaig m. Ailella Érann m. Fiachach Fir Mara m.Óengusa Turbich Temra.
A Forgo later appears in the line of the historical kings of Dál Fiatach as the father ofMuiredach Muinderg:[11]Eochu m. Ardgair m. Matudáin m. Áeda m.Eochucain m. Áeda m.Echdach (qui habuit filios. xii.) m.Fíachnai m.Áeda Roín m.Béce Bairche m.Blaithmeic m.Máile Coba m.Fíachnai Duib Tuile m.Demmáin m.Cairill (qui credit Patricio) m.Muiredaigh Mundeirg m. Forgo m. Dallaín m. Dubthaig m. Miennaig m. Ludgach m. Óengusa Find m.Fergusa Dubdhétaig (Móen ingenChuind Chétchthaig máthair na trí Fergus a ndochersat i cath Crinna) m. Imchado m. Findchado m.Fíatach Find (a quo Dál Fíatach) m. Fir furmi m. Dáiri m. Dlúthaig m. Deitsini m. Echach m. Sín m. Rosin m. Treín m. Rothrein m. Rogein m. Arndil m. Mane Mair m. Forgo.
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