Editing Provinces of Ireland (section)

==Prehistory==
The earliest recorded mention of the major division of Ireland is in the [[Ulster Cycle]] of legends, such as the {{lang|ga|[[Táin Bó Cúailnge]]}}.<ref name="MacNeill"/><ref name="Hogan1"/> The {{lang|ga|Táin}} is set during the reign of {{lang|ga|Conchobar Mac Nessa}}, king of [[Ulster]], and is believed to have happened in the 1st century.<ref name="Hurbert169-171"/> In this period Ireland is said to have been divided into five independent over-kingdoms, or {{lang|ga|cuigeadh}} whose {{lang|ga|rí}} (kings) were of equal rank, not subject to a central monarchy.<ref name="MacNeill"/><ref name="Koch"/><ref name="Hurbert169-171"/><ref name="Ossianic75"/> Pseudo-historians called this era {{lang|ga|Aimser na Coicedach}}, which has been translated as: "Time of the Pentarchs";<ref name="MacNeill"/> "Time of the Five Fifths";<ref name="Hurbert169-171"/> and "Time of the provincial kings".<ref name="Ossianic75"/> It was also described as "the Pentarchy".<ref name="MacNeill"/><ref name="Hogan1"/>

The five provinces that made up the Pentarchy where:<ref name="MacNeill"/><ref name="Hogan1"/><ref name="Hurbert169-171"/>
*{{lang|ga|Connacht}}, with its royal seat at {{lang|ga|[[Rathcroghan|Cruachan]]}}.
*{{lang|ga|Ulaid}} (Ulster), with its royal seat at {{lang|ga|[[Navan Fort|Emain Macha]]}}.
*{{lang|ga|Muman}} (Munster), with its royal seat at {{lang|ga|Teamhair Erann}}.
*{{lang|ga|Laigen Tuathgabair}} (North Leinster), with its royal seat at ''[[Hill of Tara|Tara]]'' (before it became the seat of the High King).
*{{lang|ga|Laigen Desgabair}} (South Leinster), with its royal seat at {{lang|ga|Dinn Riogh}}.

Historians [[Geoffrey Keating]] and [[T. F. O'Rahilly]] differ suggesting that it is Munster, not Leinster, that formed two of the fifths.<ref name="Ossianic75"/><ref name="JohnMacNeill102"/> These two fifths were called by Keating: {{lang|ga|Cuigeadh Eochaidh}} (eastern Munster) and {{lang|ga|Cuigeadh Con Raoi}} (western Munster),<ref name="JohnMacNeill102"/> both named after their respective king. [[Eoin MacNeill]] discounts this suggestion citing the {{lang|ga|Táin Bó Cúailnge}}, which makes mention of {{lang|ga|Eochaidh}} as king of all Munster, with {{lang|ga|Cu Roi}} simply a "great Munster hero".<ref name="MacNeill"/> He also cites that the {{lang|ga|Táin}} makes mention of the four fifths of Ireland that waged war on Ulster, which made reference to only one Munster.<ref name="MacNeill"/> Another reason given by MacNeill was a problem made by Keating himself. According to Keating, when the province of {{lang|ga|Míde}} was being founded, it was created from portions of each province which all met at the hill of Uisnech. The boundaries given by Keating himself for the five provinces, however, meant that this would have been highly unlikely, with the boundary between his Munster fifths nowhere near this area.<ref name="MacNeill"/>

Pseudo-historians list 84 kings of Ireland prior to the formation of the Pentarchy. When this mythical kingship was interrupted is a matter of dispute. The Annals of Tigernach state that Ireland was divided into the five upon the slaying of [[Conaire Mór]]; however, it is suggested alternatively that it happened upon the death of Conaire's father, [[Eterscél Mór]], the 84th king of Ireland.<ref name="Ossianic75"/> Keating, however, suggests it occurred in the reign of [[Eochu Feidlech]] who was the 82nd king of Ireland.<ref name="Ossianic75"/>

MacNeill claims that this division of Ireland into five is pre-historic and pre-Gaelic, describing the Pentarchy as "the oldest certain fact in the political history of Ireland".<ref name="MacNeill"/> The notion of Ireland being divided into five permeated itself throughout Irish literature over the centuries despite what the {{lang|ga|cuigeadh}} representing no longer existing by the time of Saint Patrick in the 5th century.<ref name="MacNeill"/> By then, Ireland had become divided into seven over-kingdoms.<ref name="MacNeill"/>

===The Three Collas and the founding of Airgíalla===
The main body of the events in the myth of [[the Three Collas]] may have occurred in the late 4th to early 5th century; however, as the centuries passed the myth underwent updating and alteration.<ref name="Schlegel160-4"/> The most oft quoted version of their story was written by Geoffrey Keating in the 17th century in his work the {{lang|ga|[[Foras Feasa ar Éirinn]]}}, also known as "The History of Ireland".<ref name="Schlegel160-4"/>

In it the Three Collas—Colla Menn, Colla Da Crioch, and Colla Uais—were the sons of Eocaidh Doimlén.<ref name="Schlegel160-4"/> It is from them that the Airgíalla are said to descend, branching off from the rest of the Connachta.<ref name="Schlegel160-4"/> The Northern and Southern Uí Néill dynasties are claimed to descend from Eocaidh's brother, [[Fiacha Sraibhtine]].<ref name="Schlegel160-4"/> According to the story the Collas were told by Fiacha's son, [[Muiredach Tirech]], the High King of Ireland, to conquer land of their own to pass on to their descendants, directing them to wage war on the Ulaid to avenge a slight against their great-grandfather [[Cormac mac Airt]].<ref name="Schlegel160-4"/>

The Collas with their army along with a host from Connacht marched to [[Achaidh Leithdeircc]] in Fernmagh, southern Ulaid, and fought the Ulaid in seven battles over the course of seven days.<ref name="Schlegel160-4"/> The host from Connacht fought the first six battles, and the Collas fought the seventh.<ref name="Schlegel160-4"/> It is after this last battle that the king of Ulaid, [[Fergus Foga]], was killed and his army routed.<ref name="Schlegel160-4"/> The Collas then pursued the Ulaid east of the "Glen Righe" (the valley of the [[Newry River]] in eastern County Armagh), before returning to loot and burn the Ulaid capital, Emain Macha, after which it never again had a king.<ref name="Schlegel160-4"/> They then took possession of central Ulaid spanning the modern counties of Armagh, Fermanagh, Londonderry, Monaghan and Tyrone founding the over-kingdom of Airgíalla.<ref name="Schlegel160-4"/>