Editing Provinces of Ireland (section)

===Structure===
Each over-kingdom was divided into smaller territorial units, the definition of which, whilst not consistent in Irish law tracts, followed a pattern of different grades.<ref name="Clontarf8-10"/> In theory in the early medieval period:
*A province was ruled by a "king of over-kings", known as a {{lang|ga|rí ruírech}}. This was the highest rank allowed for in Irish law tracts despite claims by some dynasties to the symbolic title of {{lang|ga|rí Temro}} (king of Tara), also known as the {{lang|ga|ard rí}} ([[High King of Ireland]]);<ref name="Koch"/><ref name="Clontarf8-10"/> The term {{lang|ga|rí ruírech}} was replaced at a later date by the term {{lang|ga|rí cóicid}}, "king of a fifth".<ref name="Koch"/>
*Each province was made up of several petty-kingdoms that corresponded roughly to the size of modern [[Counties of Ireland|Irish counties]] or dioceses, and were ruled by an overking known as a {{lang|ga|ruirí}};<ref name="Clontarf8-10"/>
*Each of these petty-kingdoms was further subdivided into smaller petty-kingdoms known as a {{lang|ga|[[túath]]}} (a group of people), equating at their largest to the size of an [[Baronies of Ireland|Irish barony]].<ref name="Clontarf8-10"/> These túath were ruled by a king, or {{lang|ga|rí}}, and were also known as a {{lang|ga|rí túaithe}}, or "king of the people".<ref name="Clontarf8-10"/> By the 10th century the rulers of a {{lang|ga|túath}} were no longer assumed to be kings but became referred to as {{lang|ga|tigern}} (a lord) or {{lang|ga|toísech}} (a leader) instead.<ref name="Clontarf8-10"/>
This pyramid structure, however, by the later medieval period, had little validity.<ref name="Clontarf8-10"/>

Paul MacCotter proposes the following structure of lordship in the 12th century: High-king of Ireland; semi-provincial king, such as Connacht, Ulaid, [[Desmumu]]; regional king, such as [[Dál Fiatach]] and [[Uí Fhiachrach Aidni]]; local king or king of a {{lang|ga|[[trícha cét]]}}, such as [[Leth Cathail]] or Cenél Guaire; and {{lang|ga|taísig túaithe}} at the bottom.<ref name="MacCotter46"/>