The Uí Néill (Irish for descendants of Niall; Uí pronounced 'Ee': ) were Irish and Scottish dynasties who claimed descent from Niall Noigiallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), an historical High King of Ireland who died about 405.

The first generation of the Uí Néill were his sons, seven in all:

• Conall Gulban, ancestor of the Cenél Conaill dynasty.
• Endae
• Eógan, ancestor of the Cenél nEógain dynasty.
• Coirpre, ancestor of the Cenél Coirpri dynasty.
• Lóegaire, ancestor of the Cenél Lóegaire dynasty.
• Conall Cremthainne, ancestor of the Clann Cholmáin and Síl nÁedo Sláine.
• Fiachu, ancestor of the Cenél Fiachach.

All these men were in their lifetime known as members of The Connachta dynasty, or as "the sons of Niall." The term Uí Néill did not - by its very nature - come into use until the time of Niall's grandsons and great-grandsons.

Dynasties descended from the Uí Néill, such as the Cenél Conaill and Cenél nEógain, held power in Ulster until their defeat in the Nine Years War in 1603. The heads of the families left for Catholic Europe in 1607, an event known as the Flight of the Earls.

The Y-chromosome haplogroup R1b1c7 (M222) may be a genetic indicator of descendants of the Uí Néill clan.[1]

Uí Néill family tree

Bold indicates a High King of Ireland.

References

• Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh, The Great Book of Irish Genealogies, (ed. Nollaig O'Muralie), Dublin, 2005.
• Francis John Byrne, Irish Kings and High Kings, Dublin, 1973.

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