The Uí Néill (Irish pronunciation: [iː ˈnʲeːl̪ʲ], descendants of Niall) are Irish and Scottish dynasties who claim descent from Niall Noigiallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), a historical King of Tara who died about 405.
Full Answer
What happened to the Uí Néill dynasty?
With the emergence of Brian Boru and the powerful Dál gCais Clan in tenth century, the decline of the Uí Néill dynasty was inevitable. Today the Uí Néill Dynasty prospers in Ireland and all over the world.
Are the Ui Neill the descendants of Niall?
According to McVoy this area was the main powerbase of the Ui Neill kings, which literally translated means "descendants of Niall". McVoy says the Y chromosome appeared to trace back to one person.
Who are the O'Neill dynasty?
Please help to ensure that disputed statements are reliably sourced. The O'Neill dynasty ( Irish: Ó Néill) is a lineage of Irish Gaelic origin, that held prominent positions and titles in Ireland and elsewhere. As Kings of Cenél nEógain, they are historically the most prominent family of the Northern Uí Néill, along with the O'Donnell dynasty.
Did King Niall of Ireland actually exist?
There have always been doubts that Niall actually existed since he existed prior to written records. Sources for Niall’s existence as a historical king come from Lebor Gabala Erenn, Annals of the Four Masters, which chronicles legendary tales such as the Adventure of the Sons of Eochaid Mugmedon, and The Death of Niall of the Nine Hostages.
Why is Niall called the Nine hostages?
The Kidnapper King Niall received his epithet because he had a penchant for taking hostages from other kingdoms. According to folklore, his most famous hostage was a man known as 'Succat', better known as Saint Patrick.
Is O'Neill a Viking name?
The first to take O'Neill as a surname was Domhnall, who took the name of his grandfather, killed in a battle with the Vikings. 'O'Neill' thus translates as 'grandson of Niall'.
Where do O Neills come from in Ireland?
Origins. The O'Neill lineage claims descent from Niall Glúndub, a 10th-century king of Ailech as well as High King of Ireland. Niall descended from the Cenél nEógain branch of the Northern Uí Néill.
Was Niall of the Nine Hostages Celtic?
Niall "Noígíallach" (pronounced [ˈniːəl noɪˈɣiːələx]; Old Irish for "having nine hostages"), or in English, Niall of the Nine Hostages, was a semi-mythical Irish king who was the ancestor of the Uí Néill dynasties that dominated the northern half of Ireland, reigning from the 6th to the 10th centuries.
What Irish surnames are Viking?
Other Irish surnames that have similar roots in a given Norse name include: Arthur, O'Beirne, McBirney, Bligh, Boland, Broder, Broderick, O'Gohery/ Godfrey, Harold, O'Henrick, O'Hever, Reynolds, Sugrue, Sweetman, Toner, Tormey and many more.
Is O'Neill a gypsy name?
The surname O'Neill is ultimately of Irish Gaelic origin. It is an Anglicization of the original Gaelic Ua Néill, composed of the elements ua, meaning "grandson" or "descendant," and of the Gaelic name Niall.
Is the name O'Neill Scottish or Irish?
IrishThe surname O'Neill is of Irish origin, spelling variations include O'Neal, O'Neil, Ó Neill, Ó Néill, Ua Néill, Uí Néill and Neill.
What nationality is the last name O Neill?
IrishIrish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Néill 'descendant of Niall' (see Neill).
What nationality is Neill?
IrishIrish and Scottish: reduced form of Irish Gaelic Ó Néill or Scottish Gaelic Mac Néill 'descendant (or son) of Niall', a personal name of Irish origin, thought to mean 'champion'.
Who killed Niall of the Nine Hostages?
EochaidAbruptly, the tale then has Niall appearing before an assembly of Pictish bards in Scotland, where he is killed by an arrow shot by Eochaid from the other side of the valley. His men carry his body home, fighting seven battles on the way, and his foster-father Torna dies of grief.
Who was the last native High King of Ireland?
Roderic O'Connor, also called Rory O'Connor, or O'Conor, Old Irish Ruaidhri Ua Conchubair, (died 1198, near Lough Corrib, County Galway, Ire.), king of Connaught and the last high king of Ireland; he failed to turn back the Anglo-Norman invasion that led to the conquest of Ireland by England.
Who would be high king of Ireland?
Famous High Kings of Ireland If you were to ask an Irish person to name a High King, there will be a very high chance it will either be Brian Boru or Niall Noigiallach (Niall of the nine hostages).
What is the O'Neill Dynasty?
The O'Neill dynasty (Ui Néill means 'descended from Niall') is an historical certainty, even if its founder is not. According to legend, Niall was a warrior king at a time when Ireland was divided into many kingdoms and a heirarchy of kingship existed.
How many sons did Niall have?
This was expected of someone of his status in a polygamous society where all children, from wives or concubines, were acknowledged. Legend accords him at least 12 sons.
How many New Yorkers have the Niall of the Nine Hostages gene?
So, too, do about 1-in-50 New Yorkers of European heritage, reflecting three centuries of Irish emigration to North America.
What is the Y-DNA pattern?
A significant proportion of men who can trace their ancestry to Ireland, and especially the north of Ireland, carry a specific Y-DNA pattern called the M222 sub-clade. The signature is especially prevalent in the genes of men with surnames that have long been linked to Niall and his dynasty. Geneticists have dated this M222 signature to ...
What provinces did Niall take hostage from?
A second, and probably less reliable, story is that Niall took a hostage from each of Ireland's five ancient provinces (Connaught, Munster, Leinster, Ulster and Meath) and also captured a Briton, a Gaul, a Saxon and a Scot. The Family Tree Irish Genealogy Guide.
How many people carry the Y-DNA signature?
Niall of the Nine Hostages leapt from the legends of Ireland straight into the modern world when scientists at Trinity College Dublin revealed that as many as three million men living today may carry his y-DNA signature. In the absence of a DNA sample direct from the man himself, Trinity's team of geneticists collected a number ...
What is the Irish genealogy guide?
Written by the creator of Irish Genealogy Toolkit and Irish Genealogy News, 'The Family Tree Irish Genealogy Guide' is full of advice, tips and strategies to ease what can be a challenging journey.
How long did Niall live before the Battle of Clontarf?
Niall was supposed to have lived 500 years before the Battle of Clontarf. Using genetics it is possible to trace Niall’s DNA and measure his legacy in terms of how many descendants he left. We can’t go back to AD 500 for a DNA sample, but we can look at modern O’Neills.
What is the genetic evidence for Ireland?
The genetic evidence matches the historical story. Ireland has experienced major upheavals, political dynasties, and migrations right up to today. These are recorded in patterns of genetic diversity that provide a window into the past and show the lasting legacy of leading characters such as Niall and Brian Boru.
Do Irish people have Y chromosomes?
Bradley and colleagues looked at the Y-chromosomes of Irish men with surnames of Norse origin. If these Norse surnames are direct descendants of the Norse invaders of 1,000 years ago, then these Y-chromosomes should group with Norwegian Y-chromosomes. However, the analysis showed the contrary.
Is there a single dominant clan in Munster?
However, in Munster there isn’t the same pattern of a single dominant Y-chromosome, and thus no evidence of a single dominant clan, despite Boru’s prominence. However, that is not surprising when you consider the Uí Néills had a 500-year head start.
Was Niall of the Nine Hostages a historical personage?
Although Niall of the Nine Hostages may not be a historical personage, the Uí Néill clan was clearly dominant. So, much like the hegemony of Genghis Khan, which has left a legacy of 10 per cent of men in the region of Mongolia sharing a single Y-chromosome, and almost 1 per cent of all men worldwide, Niall of the Nine Hostages has left ...
When did Niall reign?
The Irish annals and chronicles date Niall Noígíallach’s reign to between the late 4th and early 5th centuries. Modern scholars, on the other hand, have suggested that Niall actually reigned about half a century later than the sources report.
How did Niall die?
In the next instance, however, Niall was in Scotland before an assembly of Pictish bards, where he was killed by an arrow fired from across the valley by Eochaid. Kingdoms of Ireland.
What happened to Cairenn and Niall?
When Cairenn was pregnant with Niall , she was forced by Mongfind to carry water from the well, hoping that the heavy work would cause her to miscarry. Mongfind’s plan, however, did not work and Cairenn gave birth one day while on her way to the well. She left the baby on the grass and continued her chore, drawing the water and bringing the filled buckets back home. Cairenn did not return for her child, nor did anyone dare to pick it up, for fear of the queen. Eventually, a poet by the name of Torna came along, recognized that the baby would become a great king and took the child. Torna named the baby Niall and raised him in secret.
Why did Torna bring Niall back to Tara?
When Niall was old enough, Torna brought him back to Tara, the seat of the High Kingship, so as to reclaim his heritage. After all these years Cairenn was still forced to carry water.
How many hostages did Niall take?
As the number of hostages was nine, Niall earned the epithet ‘of the Nine Hostages’. Another version of the story states ...
What is the Irish name for Niall?
Niall’s Descendants. A very common Irish surname is O’Neill (Ui Neill in Gaelic), meaning ‘descendant son of Niall’. A team of geneticists at Trinity College, Dublin surveyed the DNA, in particular the Y-chromosome of 60 Irishmen. The researchers found that a small number of Y-chromosome types predominate in Ireland.
Who was the first wife of the Irish king?
The Irish king’s first wife was Mongfind and together they had four sons. Niall’s mother was the king’s second wife, Cairenn Chasdub, the daughter of Sachell Balb a Saxon king. Hill of Tara - monument honoring the High Kings of Ireland. (JohnJDuncan / CC BY-SA 4.0 )
Where did Niall establish his dynasty?
Niall established a dynasty of powerful chieftains that dominated the island for six centuries. In the study scientists found an area in northwest Ireland where they claim 21.5% carry Niall’s genetic fingerprint, says Brian McVoy, one of the team at Trinity.
Why is Niall of the Nine Hostages called Niall of the Nine Hostages?
Niall of the Nine Hostages received his name from the taking of hostages as a strategy for playing mental havoc upon his opponent chieftains. He is known in folklore as a raider of the British and French coasts.
Who is Ui Neill?
Rev Patrick Woulfe. UI NEILL, descendants of Niall of the Nine Hostages, King of Ireland, A.D. 379-406. They were divided into two great branches called the northern and southern Ui Neill.
What are the clans of Ui Neill?
Sligo, were Cineal Eoghain, Cineal Conaill and Cineal Cairbre; while those of the southern Ui Neill, whose territory was coextensive with the Diocese of Meath, were Clann Cholmain, Cineal Fiachach and Fir Teathbha.
Where did Niall die?
According to tradition, Niall was said to have died outside of Ireland. Some sources indicating that he died at sea fighting Eorchaid mac Enna, the King of Leinster and others suggesting that he died fighting against the Picts in Scotland.
How did Niall of the Nine Hostages consolidate his power?
He ruled Ireland in the fifth century and was said to have consolidated his power by leading raids on the Roman Empire, taking hostages from rival royal families in Britain and the European mainland, thus earning the name Niall of the Nine Hostages.
Did Niall exist?
There have always been doubts that Niall actually existed since he existed prior to written records. Sources for Niall’s existence as a historical king come from Lebor Gabala Erenn, Annals of the Four Masters, which chronicles legendary tales such as the Adventure of the Sons of Eochaid Mugmedon, and The Death of Niall of the Nine Hostages.
What does "Niall" mean in Gaelic?
The name is derived from two separate Gaelic words, “Ua Niall,” which means grandson of Niall, and “Neill” meaning “champion.”. When Nial Gluin Dubh (Niall of the Back Knee), the King of Ireland from 890 until 919 A.D., was killed fighting the raiding Norsemen, his grandson Domhnall adopted the surname Neill.
Who is the O'Neill clan?
The Proud History of the O’Neill Clan. The O’Neill family traces its history back to 360 A.D. to the legendary warrior king of Ireland, Niall Noigiallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), who is said to have been responsible for bringing St. Patrick to Ireland. The Ui Neill dynasty split into two septs, the Northern Ui Neill and the Southern Ui Neill, ...
What branch of the O'Neills were the Yellow Haired Hughs?
The remaining O’Neills split into two septs; the senior branch were called the Tyrone O’Neills and the younger branch were known as the “Clan Aedh Buidhe,” the Yellow-haired Hughs or Clanaboy. The O’Neills continued to distinguish themselves in the fight for Ireland’s independence. Owen Roe O’Neill organized the return of 300 Irish officers in ...
Why did the O'Neill brothers get the red hand on their coat of arms?
Another story tells of three O’Neill brothers who were given laurel branches as a result of their victory over the Vikings and added the nickname “Creagh” to their names. The significance of the red hand on the O’Neill family coat of arms is often debated, and there are many interpretations as to what it signifies.
Why are the O'Neill brothers called Creagh?
The O’Neills were known by the nickname “Creagh” which comes from the Gaelic word “craobh” meaning branch, because they were known to camouflage themselves to resemble the forest when fighting the Norsemen. Another story tells of three O’Neill brothers who were given laurel branches as a result of their victory over the Vikings and added ...
When did Kevin O'Neill die?
He died in Boston on November 27, 1953. Kevin O’Neill is a renowned illustrator who has contributed to children’s comics as well as several science-fiction series such as ABC Warriors, Nemesis the Warlock and Metalzpic.
Where was Hugh O'Neill buried?
Hugh O’Neill spent his last days in Rome, where he died in 1616 being buried next to his son in San Pietro. His death is the last entry in the Annals of the Four Masters, the best-known account of medieval Irish history. After the defeat at Kinsale, many O’Neills fled to Spain and Portugal. The remaining O’Neills split into two septs;