Notes:

IRISH ORIGINS from

MILESIAN GENEALOGIES . from the Annals of the Four Masters.
Kindness of Pat Traynor athttp://www.rootsweb.com/~fianna/history/milesian.html

"Adam through Kings of Ireland and Scotland To English Lines"
at Southern Style web site at
http://www.southern-style.com/adam_through_kings_of_ireland_an.htm

"Ancient Uladh. Kingdom of Ulster". In "Irelands History in Maps"
By Dennis Walsh (walshdw@ix.netcom.com) Very extensive information.
"With a Special Focus on Ancient and Medieval Irish Tribes and Septs."
At http://www.fortunecity.com/bally/kilkenny/2/ulster.htm

Jim Kinsella (jim@kinsella.org) Ancient Kinsella Lineage
http://kinsella.org/history/famline.htm
"Information taken from O'Hart's "Irish Pedigrees"
and Rev. P.L.O'Toole's "History of the Clan O'Toole" "
The Kinsella Homepage http://www.kinsella.org/

Ancient Irish Royalty by Richard Michael Finn
Very thorough. ( dennis@iwindow.com )
http://www.rich.finn.com/ancient.html

THE HISTORY OF THE SCOTS, THE PICTS AND THE BRITONS
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/DavidDale1/Hisco.htm
DAVID F. DALE
e-mail : DavidDale1@compuserve.com
David Dale has done vast amount of research and has produced an excellent
report, which I would highly recommend to anyone interested.


The Clans of Ireland
http://www.irishclans.com/

Niall of the Nine Hostages
at http://www.irishclans.com/articles/famirish/niall9hostages.html

"Niall N?igiallach, or Niall of the Nine Hostages, was one of thegreatest Irish Kings. He was the only son of Eochaid Muigh-medon, HighKing, and his wife Carthann, daughter of an English (Breton actuallyunder Roman control) King. Eochaid later married Mong-Fionn, daughter ofthe King of Munster, and had another four sons. These sons were Brian,Fiachra, Ailill, and Fergus.

It is said that Mong-Fionn was jealous of her stepson Niall and wantedher first son, Brian, to succeed Eochaid. She did not rest until she hadNiall outcast and his mother Carthann reduced to her servant, carryingwater for the Court. But the poet, Torna, who had raised and educatedNiall, rescued him from his misery.

At this time in Irish history the power of the poet or bard in Irelandwas second only to the King. As a priveleged class, they could wanderfreely throughout the land and any person who refused shelter to them wasseverely punished and his lands deemed cursed. The power of the poetTorna, in particular, is later shown in the fact that he also fosteredCorc, King of Cashel, who helped St Patrick.

As Niall was entering manhood, he was returned to the Court and welcomedby his father. One of Niall's first acts was to restore his mother to herrightful place. Niall underwent many tests as a young man as did all fiveof Eochaid's sons. The High King had to choose an heir and young Niallfrequently did extremely well. In one story, the five brothers werehelping in a smith's forge learning the art when it suddenly caught fire.The King who just happened to be there (it is believed that he set thefire), told his sons to save what they could. Niall's brothers saved thechariots, a sword, a shield, the forge trough and a bundle of wood. Niallsaved the Bellows, sledges, anvil and anvil-block thus saving the smithfrom disaster. After this test Niall was selected as successor of theArd-Righ or High King.

But Niall's stepmother, Mong-Fionn, still had her hopes for Brian andupon Eochaid's death circa 357 AD, she managed to get her brotherCrimthann pronounced King until Brian came of age. Once in power,however, Crimthann betrayed his sister and took full control of theKingdom instead of regency.

To Crimthann's credit, he proved to be a strong king and ruled for twentyyears. His death came at the hands of his own sister who tricked him intodrinking a poison drink after taking some herself. Her last effort tomake her son Brian king failed, as Niall was crowned High King in 377 AD.

During his early reign, Niall consolidated his power at home by subduinghis enemies and taking hostages from the royal families in opposition.Meanwhile the Picts were getting wary of the small Irish colony ofDalriada in what is now Scotland. They attacked and severely damaged thecolony. In response Niall ventured to Scotia Minor and the land of thePicts here again subduing all and gaining submission through the takingof royal hostages - hence the name Niall of the Nine Hostages. After ashort consolidation, he marched south with his Scot and Pict alliesagainst the Romans in Britain. It was there that Niall's forces tookhostage one Succat, who is better known by his later name of St Patrick.

Niall continued to harass and raid the Romans, for it is said that thebounty from such raids filled his ships. He even raided into Gaul(France) and gained control of a small kingdom there. It is on one ofthese raids into Gaul in 405 AD that Niall was finally killed.Ironically, Niall was felled by the arrow of an enemy from home. He diedon the banks of the River Loire, after being ambushed by Eochaid the sonof the King of Leinster, who was hiding in the bushes.

Besides taking St Patrick in his youth, Niall's reign is known mainly fortwo things. First, he consolidated the northern region of Ireland andcreated a dynasty that kept his descendants High Kings of Ireland for 600years. Second, his military ability led him to the Irish Control of allof Alba and a large part of Britain. He seriously damaged the Romansability to control Britain and even managed to carve out some Irishcontrolled territory in France. It is said this Irish Empire was onlyeclipsed in size by Dathi's, Niall's nephew and successor. "
http://www.irishclans.com/articles/famirish/niall9hostages.html
The Clans of Ireland
http://www.irishclans.com/

Notes:

The chart in early edition of '"Highland Clans" by Sir Iain Moncreiffeof that Ilk (1967, Bramhall House.)' by Sir Ian Moncreiff of that Ilk& David Hicks, says:
"Slaves-Lord" King of Tara, living 360 (nicknamed from slave-raids onRoman Britain) was head of the pagan sacral Iron Age royal family of theGaels, that descended from ritual incarnations of their ancestralgod-spirit Conn of the Hundred Battles and was associated with thesacrificial slaying (in combat) of the divine king by his successorwithin the dynastic family."

Eochu + Cairenn (Carthan Cais Dubh) Chasdubh. Cairenn (daughter of Scal (Celtic King of Britain) Moen) and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
1 _MSTAT Friends