07/06/2026
𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗢’𝗙𝗹𝗮𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘆𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝘄𝗮𝘆?
𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵 1 - 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘖’𝘍𝘭𝘢𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘺𝘴’ 𝘕𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘨𝘦
The seanchaithe of ancient and medieval Ireland were the hereditary masters of lore and tradition, responsible for preserving the vast oral and written body of law, lore, legends and family pedigrees known as the seanchas. Noble lineage was critical to medieval Ireland’s ruling families as they derived their place in society, their right to rule and to property ownership from their ancestry. Lineage would be recited at feasts and gatherings, and was particularly important when the time came to elect a tánaiste or successor to the chieftain. Four generations of the taoiseach or chieftain’s male relatives comprised a group called the derbfine and were eligible to vote for the successor, and one of the important tasks of the seanchaidh was to keep track of the derbfine – a task made tougher by the fact that sons from either side of wedlock were accorded equal legitmacy.
The O’Flahertys traced their royal lineage back through Brión, fifth century founder of the Uí Briúin dynasty and son of Eochaid Muigh Meadhóin, all the way back to Conn Cétcathach (Conn of the Hundred Battles), second century High King of Ireland. The dynasties of Eoichaid’s three sons, Brión, Fiachra and Ailill were collectively called the Connachta, or descendants of Conn, and this is where the province of Connacht derives its name. The Uí Briúin, Uí Fiachrae and Uí Ailello ruled Connacht between them, while Brión’s half brother Niall Noígiallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages*) founded the Uí Néill dynasty, rulers of the ancient provinces of Ulster and Midhe. This historic relationship is why both the O’Neill and O’Flaherty coats of arms contain a red hand.
As recorded in Lebor Gabála Érenn (The Book of Invasions), an eleventh century history** of Ireland from Creation to the Middle Ages, Conn Cétcathach was himself preceded by a line of over a hundred High Kings back the arrival of the Milesian Gaels led by Éremon and Éber, prior to 1000BCE. These were the sons of Míl Espáine (soldier of Hispania), a king in Northern Spain and himself a descendant of Goídel Glas of Egyptian royalty from whom the Gaels take their name.
The common lineage of some of Ireland’s ruling Gaelic families is shown in the pictures. When a new family rose to prominence, a way would be found - if necessary - to give their pedigree legitimacy, often through the ‘discovery’ by the seanchaithe of an extra son of an ancient king.
The pictures show the lineage of various ruling families; Ireland’s five provinces prior to the Norman invasion of AD1169; and the division of the island between the two major Gaelic dynasties – the Connachta & Uí Néill of the north (Leath Cuinn) and the Eoghanachta of the south (Leath Mogha).
*This does not mean that he spent his time kidnapping people. Hostages were sent by vassal kings or defeated rivals as a guarantee of good behaviour, and the fact that Niall had so many vassals is a measure of his status.
** While the Book of Invasions was accepted as conventional Irish history until as late as the 19th century, it is now considered as mostly invented by early Irish Christian scribes.
