Editing Connacht (section)

== History ==
=== Early history ===
[[File:Ireland early peoples and politics.gif|thumb|Early peoples and kingdoms of Ireland, c.800.]]
Up to the early historic era, Connacht then included [[County Clare]], and was known as [[Cóiced Ol nEchmacht]]. Later myths state the [[Fir Bolg]] ruled all Ireland before the [[Tuatha Dé Danann]] arrived. When the Fir Bolg were defeated, the Tuatha Dé Danann drove them to Connacht. Sites such as the [[Céide Fields]], [[Knocknarea]], [[Listoghil]], [[Carrowkeel Megalithic Cemetery]] and [[Rathcroghan]], all demonstrate intensive occupation of Connacht far back into prehistory.<ref>{{cite book |last=Meehan |first=Cary |date=2004 |title=Sacred Ireland |url= |location=Somerset |publisher=Gothic Image Publications |pages=580, 641 & 678|isbn=0 906362 43 1 |access-date=}}</ref> Enigmatic artefacts such as the [[Turoe stone]] and the [[Castlestrange stone]], whatever their purpose, denote the ambition and achievement of those societies, and their contact with the [[La Tène culture]] of mainland Europe. In the early historic era (c. A.D. 300 – c. A.D. 600), Ol nEchmacht was not a united kingdom but a region. It comprised dozens of major and minor [[túath]]; rulers of larger túatha ([[Maigh Seóla]], [[Uí Maine]], [[Aidhne]] and [[Máenmaige]]) were accorded high-king status, while peoples such as the Gailenga, Corco Moga and [[Senchineoil]] were lesser peoples given the status of [[Déisi]]. All were termed kingdoms, but according to a graded status, denoting each according the likes of lord, count, earl, king.

Some of the more notable peoples or ethnic groups included the following:
{{columns-list|colwidth=35em|
* [[Conmaicne]] – west coast and northern areas of County Galway
* [[Dartraige]] – north-west County Leitrim
* [[Delbhna]] – south County Roscommon, and both sides of the [[Lough Corrib]]
* [[Fir Craibe]] – County Clare (then part of Connacht) and south-west Galway
* [[Fir Domnann]] – west coast of Mayo
* [[Soghain]] – most of east-central County Galway
}}
By the 5th century, the pre-historic nations such as the [[Auteini]] and [[Nagnatae]] – recorded by [[Ptolemy]] (c. AD 90 – c. 168) in ''[[Geography (Ptolemy)|Geography]]'' – gave way to dynasties. This is demonstrated in the [[noun]] ''moccu'' in names such as [[Muirchu moccu Machtheni]], which indicated a person was ''of the Machtheni people.'' As evidenced by kings such as [[Mac Cairthinn mac Coelboth]] (died 446) and [[Ailill Molt]] (died c. 482), even by the 5th century the [[gens]] was giving way to kinship all over Ireland, as both men were identified as of the [[Uí Enechglaiss]] and [[Uí Fiachrach]] dynasties, not of tribes. By 700, ''moccu'' had been entirely replaced by ''mac'' and ''hua'' (later ''Mac'' and ''Ó'').

During the mid-8th century, what is now County Clare was absorbed into [[Thomond]] by the [[Déisi Tuisceart]]. It has remained a part of the province of [[Munster]] ever since.

The name Connacht arose from the most successful of these early dynasties, The [[Connachta]]. By 1050, they had extended their rule from [[Rathcroghan]] in north County Roscommon to large areas of what are now County Galway, County Mayo, County Sligo, and County Leitrim. The dynastic term was from then on applied to the overall geographic area containing those counties, and has remained so ever since.

=== Kingdom of Connacht ===
[[File:Www.wesleyjohnston.com-users-ireland-maps-historical-map1014.gif|thumb|right|250px|Ireland's main kingdoms as of 1014. Clockwise from the north-east they are [[Ulaid]], [[Airgíalla]], [[Kingdom of Mide|Mide]], [[Laigin]], [[Munster]], [[List of kings of Connacht|Connaught]], [[Kingdom of Breifne|Breifne]] and [[Aileach]]. The city-states of [[Dublin|Dyflin]], [[Wexford|Weisforthe]], [[Waterford|Vedrafjord]], [[Cork (city)|Corcach]] and [[Limerick|Luimneach]] are shown. Missing are kingdoms of [[Kingdom of Osraige|Osraighe]] and [[Uí Maine]].]]

The most successful sept of the [[Connachta]] were the [[O'Conor|Ó Conchobair]] of [[Síol Muireadaigh]]. They derived their surname from [[Conchobar mac Taidg Mór]] (c. 800 – 882), from whom all subsequent Ó Conchobair [[Kings of Connacht]] descended.{{Citation needed|date=February 2020}}

Conchobar was a nominal [[vassal]] of [[Máel Sechnaill mac Máele Ruanaid]], [[High King of Ireland]] (died 862). He married Máel Sechnaill's daughter, Ailbe, and had sons [[Áed mac Conchobair]] (died 888), [[Tadg mac Conchobair]] (died 900) and [[Cathal mac Conchobair]] (died 925), all of whom subsequently reigned. Conchobar and his sons' descendants expanded the power of the Síol Muiredhaigh south into [[Uí Maine]], west into [[Iar Connacht]], and north into [[Uí Fiachrach Muaidhe]] and [[Bréifne]].{{Citation needed|date=February 2020}}

By the reign of [[Áed in Gai Bernaig]] (1046–1067), Connacht's kings ruled much what is now the province. Yet the Ó Conchobair's contended for control with their cousins, the Ua Ruairc of [[Uí Briúin Bréifne]]. Four Ua Ruairc's achieved rule of the kingdom – [[Fergal Ua Ruairc]] (956–967), [[Art Uallach Ua Ruairc]] (1030–1046), [[Áed Ua Ruairc]] (1067–1087), and [[Domnall Ua Ruairc]] (1098–1102). In addition, the [[usurper]] [[Flaithbertaigh Ua Flaithbertaigh]] gained the kingship in 1092 by the expedient of blinding King [[Ruaidrí na Saide Buide]]. After 1102 the Ua Ruairc's and Ua Flaithbertaigh's were suborned and confined to their own kingdoms of Bréifne and [[Iar Connacht]]. From then until the death of the last king in 1474, the kingship was held exclusively by the Ó Conchobair's.{{Citation needed|date=February 2020}}

The single most substantial sub-kingdom in Connacht was [[Uí Maine]], which at its maximum extent enclosed central and south County Roscommon, central, east-central and south County Galway, along with the territory of Lusmagh in [[Munster]]. Their rulers bore the family name [[Kelly (surname)|Ó Ceallaigh]];<ref>{{Cite web| url = http://www.ucc.ie/celt/online/T100015/text002.html| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20010914100800/http://www.ucc.ie/celt/online/T100015/text002.html| archive-date = 2001-09-14| title = Part 2 of MAC CARTHAIGH'S BOOK}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.libraryireland.com/names/oc/o-ceallaigh.php|title=Ó Ceallaigh – Irish Names and Surnames|access-date=1 April 2016|archive-date=24 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210924154521/https://www.libraryireland.com/names/oc/o-ceallaigh.php|url-status=live}}</ref> its spelling sometimes varying slightly from scribe to scribe.

Though the Ó Ceallaigh's were never elevated to the provincial kingship, Uí Maine existed as a semi-independent kingdom both before and after the demise of the Connacht kingship.

=== Kings and High Kings ===
{{Unreferenced section|date=February 2020}}
[[File:Rory O'Connor Stone Carving.jpg|thumb|Stone carving of Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair from [[Cong Abbey]] ]]

Under kings [[Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair]] (1088–1156) and his son [[Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair]] (c. 1120–1198), Connacht became one of the five dominant kingdoms on the island. Tairrdelbach and Ruaidrí became the first men from west of the [[River Shannon|Shannon]] to gain the title ''Ard-Rí na hÉireann'' ([[High King of Ireland]]). In the latter's case, he was recognised all over the island in 1166 as ''Rí Éireann'', or [[King of Ireland]].

Tairrdelbach was highly innovative, building the first stone castles in Ireland, and more controversially, introducing the policy of [[primogeniture]] to a hostile Gaelic polity. Castles were built in the 1120s at [[Galway]] (where he based his [[Naval fleet|fleet]]), [[Dunmore, County Galway|Dunmore]], [[Sligo]] and [[Ballinasloe]], where he dug a new six-mile canal to divert the river Suck around the castle of Dun Ló. Churches, monasteries and dioceses were re-founded or created, works such as the Corpus [[Missal]], the High Cross of [[Tuam]] and the [[Cross of Cong]] were sponsored by him.

Tairrdelbach annexed the [[Kingdom of Mide]]; its rulers, the [[Clann Cholmáin]], became his vassals. This brought two of Ireland's five main kingdoms under the direct control of Connacht. He also asserted control over [[Dublin]], which was even then being recognised as a kind of national capital.

His son, Ruaidrí, became king of Connacht ''"without any opposition"'' in 1156. One of his first acts as king was arresting three of his twenty-two brothers, ''"Brian Breifneach, Brian Luighneach, and Muircheartach Muimhneach"'' to prevent them from usurping him. He blinded Brian Breifneach as an extra precaution.

Ruaidrí was compelled to recognise [[Muirchertach Mac Lochlainn]] as Ard-Rí, though he went to war with him in 1159. Mac Lochlainn's murder in 1166 left Ruaidrí the unopposed ruler of all Ireland. He was crowned in 1166 at [[Dublin]], ''"took the kingship of Ireland ...[and was] inaugurated king as honourably as any king of the Gaeidhil was ever inaugurated;"'' He was the first and last native ruler who was recognised by the Gaelic-Irish as full [[King of Ireland]].

However, his expulsion of [[Dermot MacMurrough]] later that year brought about the [[Norman invasion of Ireland]] in 1169. Ruaidrí's inept response to events led to rebellion by his sons in 1177, and his deposition by [[Conchobar Maenmaige Ua Conchobair]] in 1183. Ruaidrí died at [[Cong, County Mayo|Cong]] in 1198, noted as the annals as late ''"King of Connacht and of All Ireland, both the Irish and the English."''

=== High medieval era ===
{{Unreferenced section|date=February 2020}}
Connacht was first raided by the [[Anglo-Normans]] in 1177 but not until 1237 did [[encastellation]] begin under [[Richard Mor de Burgh]] (c. 1194–1242). New towns were founded ([[Athenry]], [[Headford]], [[Castlebar]]) or former settlements expanded ([[Sligo]], [[Roscommon]], [[Loughrea]], [[Ballymote]]). Both ''Gael and Gall'' acknowledged the supreme lordship of the [[Earl of Ulster]]; after the murder of the last earl in 1333, the [[Anglo-Irish]] split into different factions, the most powerful emerging as Bourke of Mac William Eighter in north Connacht, and [[House of Burke|Burke]] of [[Clanricarde]] in the south. They were regularly in and out of alliance with equally powerful [[Gaels|Gaelic]] lords and kings such as [[Conor|Ó Conchobair]] of [[Síol Muireadaigh]], [[Kelly (surname)|Ó Cellaigh]] of [[Uí Maine]] and [[MacDermot|Mac Diarmata]] of [[Moylurg]], in addition to extraprovincial powers such as [[O'Brian|Ó Briain]] of [[Thomond]], [[FitzGerald dynasty|FitzGerald]] of [[Kildare]], [[O'Donnell dynasty|Ó Domhnaill]] of [[Tyrconnell|Tír Chonaill]].

Lesser lords of both ethnicities included [[McDonagh|Mac Donnchadha]], [[Costello (surname)|Mac Goisdelbh]], Mac Bhaldrin, [[Mac Jordan of Connacht|Mac Siurtain]], [[O'Hara (surname)|Ó hEaghra]], [[O'Flaherty|Ó Flaithbeheraigh]], [[Dowd|Ó Dubhda]], [[O'Shaughnessy|Ó Seachnasaigh]], [[Monahan|Ó Manacháin]], [[Joyce (name)|Seoighe]], [[O'Malley (surname)|Ó Máille]], [[Rourke|Ó Ruairc]], [[Madudan mac Gadhra Mór|Ó Madadháin]], [[Clan Barrett|Bairéad]], [[Mulrooney|Ó Máel Ruanaid]], [[Eidhean mac Cléireach|Ó hEidhin]], [[Finnerty|Ó Finnaghtaigh]], [[Fallon (surname)|Ó Fallmhain]], [[Welsh language|Breathneach]], [[Geraghty|Mac Airechtaig]], [[Naughton|Ó Neachtain]], [[Ó hAllmhuráin]], [[Fahy|Ó Fathaigh]].

[[File:Old-Galway.jpg|268px|thumb|left|[[Galway]] map of c. 1651 displaying the medieval town, which now forms the modern city centre]]

The town of [[Galway]] was the only significant urban area in the province. Its inhabitants governed themselves under charter of the king of England. Its merchant families, [[The Tribes of Galway]], traded not only with the lordships around them and in [[Lordship of Ireland|Ireland]], but with [[Kingdom of England|England]], France, and Spain. Its mayor enjoyed supreme power but only for the length of his office, rarely more than a year. Galway's inhabitants were of mixed descent, its families bearing surnames of Gaelic, French, English, Welsh, Norman and other origins.

Connacht was the site of two of the bloodiest battles in Irish history, the [[Second Battle of Athenry]] (1316) and the [[Battle of Knockdoe]] (1504). The casualties of both battles were measured in several thousand, unusually high for Irish warfare. A third battle at Aughrim in 1691 resulted in an estimated 10,000 deaths.

All of Connacht's lordships remained in states of full or semi-independence from other Gaelic-Irish and Anglo-Irish rulers until the late 16th century, when the [[Tudor conquest of Ireland]] (1534–1603) brought all under the direct rule of King [[James I of England]]. The counties were created from c. 1569 onwards.

=== Confederate and Williamite Wars ===
{{Unreferenced section|date=February 2020}}
During the 17th century representatives from Connacht played leading roles in [[Confederate Ireland]] and during the [[Williamite War in Ireland]]. Its main town, Galway, endured several sieges (see [[Sieges of Galway]]), while warfare, [[plague (disease)|plague]], famine and sectarian massacres killed about a third of the population by 1655. One of the last battles fought in pre-20th century Ireland occurred in Connacht, the [[Battle of Aughrim]] on 12 July 1691.

=== Early modern era ===
{{Unreferenced section|date=February 2020}}
{{Main|Republic of Connacht}}
[[File:Green harp flag of Ireland.svg|thumb|Flag of the short-lived "Republic of Connacht"]]
Connacht was mainly at peace between 1691 and 1798. In 1798 Connacht was a major backdrop to the [[Irish Rebellion of 1798]] when French forces under General [[Jean Joseph Amable Humbert|Jean Humbert]] of the [[French First Republic|French Republic]] landed in Killala, County Mayo to link up with the [[United Irishmen]]. Together, the French army and United Irishmen rebels defeated a force of Crown troops at the [[Races of Castlebar]] before proclaiming the [[Irish Republic (1798)|Irish Republic]], which later became better known as the "Republic of Connacht" as its area of effective control never extended beyond the province. The Republic, and the Rebellion itself, was effectively crushed at the [[Battle of Ballinamuck]].

A [[population growth|population explosion]] in the early 18th century was curbed by the [[Irish Famine (1740–1741)|Irish Famine]], which led to many deaths and some emigration. Its memory has been overshadowed by the [[Great Famine (Ireland)]] one hundred years later.

=== The Famine to World War I ===
Connacht was the worst hit area in Ireland during the [[Great Famine (Ireland)|Great Famine]], in particular, counties Mayo and Roscommon. In the Census of 1841, the population of Connacht stood at 1,418,859, the highest ever recorded. By 1851, the population had fallen to 1,010,031 and would continue to decline until the late 20th century.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.libraryireland.com/articles/DeclinePopulationThom1861/index.php|title=1861 Census: Decline of the Population in Ireland (Famine, Disease and Emigration)|website=www.libraryireland.com|access-date=2020-02-09|archive-date=28 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128064110/https://www.libraryireland.com/articles/DeclinePopulationThom1861/index.php|url-status=live}}</ref>