Editing Connacht (section)

=== 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.