In fact, researchers have estimated that between 2 and 3 million men with roots in north-west Ireland are paternal-line descendants of Niall.". A second, Niall moved across the Shannon where he founded the dynasty of Uisnech in Westmeath. Crimthann refuses to drink it unless she does too; they both drink, and both die. Especially considering the fact that my paternal line can only be traced back to 1830? signature. In Irish Kings and High Kings (Dublin, 1973), John Francis Byrne prefers a much earlier date for Niall's death and also suggests the Three Collas never existed. He gave rise to the powerful and widespread O'Neil (Ui Neill) dynasty of . They defeat him and win great spoil, but Fiachrae is wounded in the battle and dies of his wounds shortly afterwards. Mong Fionn was a bitter, jealous and ambitious woman, who set her heart upon having her son, Brian, succeed his father as Ard Righ. His body is said to have been buried at Ochann, now known as Faughan Hill at Jordanstown, a few miles west of Navan in County Meath. Privacy Policy. A legendary account of Niall's birth and early life is given in the possibly-11th-century tale Echtra mac nEchach Muimedin ("The adventure of the sons of Eochaid Mugmedn"). [7] Another version has Mongfind try to poison Niall, but she takes the poison herself by mistake.[9]. I may be wrong though. Keating has Eochaid shoot Niall from the opposite bank of the river Loire during his European campaign. One of the first verifiable historical Irish leaders, Niall Nigiallach was king from about AD 400 to his death. Irish tradition had forgotten that the Romans once ruled Britain, and relocated his remembered confrontations with the Empire to continental Europe, with Alba, the ancient name for Britain, being confused with Elpa, the Alps, or being understood with its later meaning of Scotland. Katharine Simms, and Daniel G. Bradley, published in The American Journal of Human Genetics, volume 78, number 2, February 2006 (electronically published December 8, 2005. 5 Reply [deleted] 4 yr. ago Oh, got it. [24] The series suggested that Niall may have been the most fecund male in Irish history. However, the traditional roll of kings and its chronology is now recognised as artificial. In the saga "The Death of Niall of the Nine Hostages", Eochaid's enmity with Niall begins when he is refused hospitality by Niall's poet, Laidcenn mac Bairchid. Muireann herself occurs in the annals, as in a poem quoted in AT s.a. 649, and her great-grandfather.Aed is mentioned again in a separate entry in the Ban Shenchus.. 3) [S10139] "Irish Pedigrees by John O'Hart , part 1, chapter IV". Learning about our ancestry is particularly fun when we can toast to it. There is nothing weird about someone with 0.00% measurable Irish ethnicity being one of his descendants. [5] Byrne, following James Carney, is a little more precise, dating his death to c. He conquered the Uliad aristocracy, which ruled in Ulster, and by this victory and subsequent consolidation of power was able to found a dynasty, the Ui Neill, which gave rise to the O'Neill clan. Menu. These names continue to be most prevalent in the Northwest of Ireland, the 7879 to conclude that the events of the later half of the 5th century have been extended backwards to accommodate as early a date as possible for the arrival of Saint Patrick, with the effect of pushing Niall back up to half a century. He is known in folklore as a raider of the British and French coasts. Even though I dont have a Y chromosome, I can learn about my paternal line through my biological brothers or fathers DNA. Following the genealogists' trail McVoy comments: "There are certain surnames that seem to have come from Ui Neill. [2] The chronology of Keating's Foras Feasa ar irinn broadly agrees, dating his reign from 368-395, and associating his raiding activities in Britain with the kidnapping of Saint Patrick (ca. The geneticists estimated that about 23 million men bear this haplotype. His men carry his body home, fighting seven battles on the way, and his foster-father Torna dies of grief. The findings of the study showed that within the north-west of Ireland as many as 21% of men (8% in the general male population) were concluded to have a common male-line ancestor who lived roughly 1,700 years ago. Niall Noigiallach aka "Niall of the Nine Hostages" was one of the greatest Irish kings. People move. The study mentions that just one of the O'Neill dynasty chieftains who died in 1423 had 18 sons with nearly a dozen women and claimed 59 grandsons. He eventually came to control most of the Northern half of Ireland. The earliest version of the Lebor Gabla says Eochaid killed him on the English Channel, later versions adding that Niall was invading Brittany when this happened. Niall of the Nine Hostages was so named because in his early reign he consolidated his power by taking hostages from opposing royal families. The rise of the U Nill dynasties and their conquests in Ulster and Leinster are not reliably recorded but have been the subject of considerable study and attempts to reconstruct them. The boy eventually escaped, but returned to Ireland as St. Patrick. As next-generation sequencing has become available, various chief lines have been tested. Niall of the Nine Hostages Irish leader Learn about this topic in these articles: association with Conn In Conn Ctchathach to be the ancestor of Niall of the Nine Hostages (reigned 379-405), who founded the U Nill, the greatest dynasty in Irish history. Some clarity would be welcome if anyone has done extensive research on this pedigree. ", Annala Rioghachta Eireann. He then kills Laidchenn by throwing a stone which lodges in his forehead. Niall of the Nine Hostages leapt from the legends of Ireland We have a common ancestor that 23andMe says is the progenitor of the "Niall of Nine Hostages" dynasty, together with almost 3 million other British Isles males. They defeat him and win great spoil, but Fiachrae is wounded in the battle and dies of his wounds shortly afterwards. The baby is rescued and brought up by a poet called Torna. Niall Nogallach (Irish pronunciation: [%CB%88ni%CB%90%C9%99l noilx], Old Irish "having nine hostages"),[1] or in English, Niall of the Nine Hostages, was a prehistoric Irish king, the ancestor of the U Nill family that dominated Ireland from the 6th to the 10th century. Why not list William the Conqueror or someone else? While Cairenn is pregnant with Niall, the jealous Mongfind forces her to do heavy work, hoping to make her miscarry. About this group. The High Kingship did not become a reality until the 9th century, and Niall's legendary status has been inflated in line with the political importance of the dynasty he founded. powerful people who controlled an area loosely centred on present-day Armagh control of all the island. Geneticists have dated this with this signature is so high, the patriarch must have been prolific. [5] Laidchenn responds by satirising Leinster so that no corn, grass or leaves grow there for a year. [8] Death, The Lebor Gabla renn says there was war between Niall and nnae Cennsalach, king of Leinster, over the brama or cow-tribute first imposed on Leinster by Tuathal Techtmar. Niall exiles him to Scotland. [9] He is succeeded by his nephew Nath . Byrne suggests that Niall's death took place during a raid on Roman Britain. When he had reached budding manhood, Torna brought him back to court to take his rightful place - much to his father's joy. Mongfind, purporting to make peace between her brother and her sons, holds a feast, at which she serves Crimthann a poisoned drink. The Trinity College study also found that about one in ten men in the west The are Munster, Leinster, Connacht, Ulster, the Britons, Picts, Saxons, and Morini of Gaul. Perhaps more myth than man, Niall of the Nine Hostages is said to have been a King of Tara in northwestern Ireland in the late 4th century C.E. Niall of the Nine Hostages, whose dynasty dominated Ireland between the 5th and 10th Centuries, got his name from taking hostages as a strategy against his opponent chieftains. [6], Early in 2006, geneticists at Trinity College, Dublin suggested that Niall may have been the most fecund male in Irish history. concluded that these men descend from "a single early-medieval progenitor" and proposed that this could be Niall. His men carry his body home, fighting seven battles on the way, and his foster-father Torna dies of grief. Here, according to tradition, elaborate rites were carried out between the future high king of Tara and the goddess of sovereignty. Mongfind, purporting to make peace between her brother and her sons, holds a feast, at which she serves Crimthann a poisoned drink. This goes for most large haplogroups. Genealogical pedigrees dating back to the 5th century, when Laedhaire's children and grandchildren were around, are considered accurate. Hi, i've posted my results recently, being of predominantly Italian (paternal) and Polish origin. distinguish one line of DNA from another. Niall releases Fiachrae, who becomes king of Connacht and Niall's right-hand man. County Mayo folks have Viking blood as well as that of Niall of the Hostages. Nearly 37 million Americans claim to have Irish heritage according to a national survey conducted in 2009. Occasional Then Niall makes war against Leinster, and peace is concluded on the condition that Eochaid is handed over. fought his way to become King of Tara in the late 4th or early 5th century. the first high king of Ireland. Variations of this story are told of the earlier Irish high king Lugaid Logde, in Arthurian legendone of the most famous versions appears in both Geoffrey Chaucer's The Wife of Bath's Tale and the related Gawain romance, The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnelleand in John Gower's Middle English poem Confessio Amantis. 1) GENEALOGY: Royal Ancestors of Magna Charta Barons; Page 145; G929.72; C6943ra; Denver Public Library; Genealogy, Niall Mor, "Naill of the Nine Hostages, " 126th King of Ireland. Business, Economics, and Finance. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. He earned his name, Niall of the nine hostages, by being able to subdue his enemies by taking members of their family and refusing to give them back until they admitted defeat. Are McKenna's descendants of Niall of the Nine Hostages? Niall belongs to Haplogroup R1b1c7 (M222). (Remember that women have two X chromosomes while men have one X and one Y chromosome). Even if you dont have Irish ancestry, we wish you a Happy St. Patricks day and encourage you to explore the hidden stories in your DNA. [3]:81, Niall is placed in the traditional list of High Kings of Ireland. Although its remarkable that nearly 1 in 10 Americans might say Kiss Me Im Irish! on St. Patricks day, its not clear if all these people actually have Irish ancestors or if they simply feel an affinity for corned beef and green beer. Tom Peete Cross & Clark Harris Slover (eds.). water. It is now more commonly referred to as the Northwest Irish/Lowland Scots variety. [5], However, the early annals record the activities of his sons between 429 and 516, an implausibly long time-span for a single generation, leading scholars like Kathleen Hughes[3] and Francis J. Byrne[2]:pp. Three of his sons founded kingdoms in Ulster (collectively the Northern Ui Neill), other sons founded kingdom in the Irish midlands (the Southern Ui Neill). [3] These sons are the eponymous ancestors of the various U Nill dynasties: Egan of the Cenl nEgain and Conall Gulban of the Cenl Conaill, making up the northern U Nill; Fiachu of the Cenl Fiachach dynasty, Legaire (the king who Saint Patrick is said to have converted) of the Cenl Legaire, Maine of the U Maine, Egan of the Cenl nEgain, Conall Gulban of the Cenl Conaill, Conall Cremthainne of the Clann Cholmin and the Sl nedo Sline, and Coirpre of the Cenl Coirpri, making up the southern U Nill. Fiachrae is granted a minor royal line - two of his descendants, Nath and Ailill Molt, will be High Kings. Niall Of The Nine Hostages DNA Match Men of Irish descent who have taken their Y-DNA or higher test with FamilyTreeDNA may discover that you have an exact DNA match to Niall, King of Connachta. Similarly, the Genographic Project is a virtual gathering of humanity connected by myriad migration routes around the world over the last 60,000 years. 452. 78-79 to conclude that the events of the later half of the 5th century have been extended backwards to accommodate as early a date as possible for the arrival of Saint Patrick, with the effect of pushing Niall back up to half a century. However, the traditional roll of kings and its chronology is now recognised as artificial. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. [8] Accession, Sithchenn takes the brothers to the smith, who makes them weapons, and sends them out hunting. however, steps right up to the mark, agreeing not only to kiss her but also to Press J to jump to the feed. Abruptly, the tale then has Niall appearing before an assembly of Pictish bards in Scotland, where he is killed by an arrow shot by Eochaid from the other side of the valley. ), I can investigate my paternal line, which is traced through DNA on the Y chromosome and passed from father to son. The maternal DNA results showed greater genetic diversity than the paternal, including lineages that dated back to some of the islands earliest settlers, and some others that arrived more recently, ie: the Vikings. The Munstermen renew the battle, capture Ailill and cut him to pieces, and war continues between Munster and Connacht for many years. [4 ] A poem by the 11th century poet Cined Ua Hartacin in the Book of Leinster credits Niall with seven raids on Britain, on the last of which he was killed by Eochaid "above the surf of the Ictian Sea";[4 ][1 2] a poem attributed to the same poet in Lebor na hUidre credits him with going to the Alps seven times. Paternal lines are inherited through the Y chromosome, which only men have. Connect to the World Family Tree to find out, Tir Eogain (now Tyron) , Northern Ireland (United Kingdom), Forgotten Monarchy, Scotland (United Kingdom), Conall Gulban mac Nill, King of Tirconal, Eochaid mac Muiredach mac Muiredach, Ard-r na h'ireann {Legendary, Lebor Gabla renn}, http://www.irish-genealogy-toolkit.com/niall-of-the-nine-hostages.html. The little Irish (Scotic) colony in that part of Alba just opposite to Antrim had gradually been growing in numbers, strength, and prestigeuntil they excited the jealousy and enmity of the Picts, who tried to crush them. In 405 he led an expedition against Britain, where it is rumored that he may have captured a young Romano-British boy named Patricus, son of Calpurnius, a local magistrate. His reign dated to the late 4th and early 5th centuries. Their [4] Byrne, following James Carney, is a little more precise, dating his death to c. Adventure of the sons of Eochaid Mugmedon, a young Niall Nogiallach is out Father of Fiachu mac Nill, King of Meath; Conall Gulban mac Nill, King of Tirconal; Egan mac Nill; Legaire, High King of Ireland; Min mac Nill and 3 others; Conall Cremthainn mac Nill; Cairbre mac Nill, High King of Ireland and ndae mac Nill less, There are arguments to be made for Niall as an historical figure, but the father assigned to him in the genealogies comes from a long line of legendary kings; his profile can be found here: Eochaid mac Muiredach mac Muiredach, Ard-r na h'ireann {Legendary, Lebor Gabla renn}, http://www.friesian.com/perifran.htm#england. He formed an alliance with the Scots and Picts and sent ships to plunder England, Scotland, Wales, and France. The Gathering, a successful community based year-long project to invite the Diaspora to return to their ancestral homeland was held in 2013, helped first time and frequent visitors rediscover and take pride in their heritage. Myth has it that he was descended by Husband of Inne ingen Lugaid and Roigneach ingen Meadaib Niall releases Fiachrae, who becomes king of Connacht and Niall's right hand man. 222-232 O'Rahilly and Byrne argue that the literary sources, though late and garbled, preserve genuine traditions that Niall led raids on Britain, and perhaps died on one.[2]:pp. The High Kingship did not become a reality until the 9th century, and Niall's legendary status has been inflated in line with the political importance of the dynasty he founded. Sep 12, 2021. Donnelly, Egan, Flynn, Gallagher, Gormley, Hynes, Kane, McGovern, McLoughlin, [4 ] Famous descendants include Niall's great-great grandson Saint Columba, Saint Mel Ruba, theKings of Ailech, the Kings of Tir Eogain, and the Kings of Tr Conaill. [14], Early in 2006, geneticists at Trinity College, Dublin suggested that Niall may have been the most fecund male in Irish history. The Primitive Irish Vendo is a cognate with Finn, and the Fianna were landless, aristocratic young men and women who had not yet come into their inheritance of land. However, M222 is now thought to predate Niall by hundreds of years, so even if it were true that this semi-mythical king really was M222, he wouldn't be the progenitor of it. After this, Tara's importance appears to have declined.". Niall of the Nine Hostages, (in Irish, Niall Naoi Nogiallach) is a quasi-historical character in Ireland's story. [5], This "loathly lady" motif appears in myth and folklore throughout the world. Niall 'of the Nine Hostages', High King of Ireland (1), Niall 'of the Nine Hostages', High King of Ireland gained the title of King Niall of Tara.1 He gained the title of High King Niall of Ireland in 445.1 Children of Niall 'of the Nine Hostages', High King of Ireland, -1. Battles, who may have lived in the middle of the 2nd century and was reputedly When Niall grows up he returns to Tara and rescues his mother from her labour. Based on U Nill genealogies and the dates given for his supposed sons and grandsons, modern historians believe he is likely to have lived some 50 years later than the traditional dates, dying circa 450.[4]. His men carry his body home, fighting seven battles on the way, and his foster-father Torna dies of grief. Fiachrae and Ailill then make war against Crimthann's son Eochaid, king of Munster. Meath) and also captured a Briton, a Gaul, a Saxon and a Scot. The Annals of Inisfallen date his death before 382, and the Chronicon Scotorum to 411. He then kills Laidchenn by throwing a stone which lodges in his forehead. The descendants of Niall Nioghialloch (Neil of the nine hostages) King of Tara ca 405 (some scholars suggest he was still alive a generation later c435, some even suggested he lived to 462. They worshipped a ram god and sometimes called themselves Ghaisonli ('spear-men'), possibly to compete in propaganda with the Lagini ('lance-men'). After obtaining obedience from the Picts, his next foreign raid was into Britain. I'm obtaining my Portuguese citizenship due to this heritage. The rise of the U Nill dynasties and their conquests in Ulster and Leinster are not reliably recorded but have been the subject of considerable study and attempts to reconstruct them. The story then becomes confused. Cookie Notice All sources agree he died outside Ireland. mutations (changes) occur infrequently but, when they do, they help to and McLaughlin, J.D., 2011. Ireland, carry a specific Y-DNA pattern called the M222 sub-clade. [2] The chronology of Keating's Foras Feasa ar irinn broadly agrees, dating his reign from 368-395, and associating his raiding activities in Britain with the kidnapping ofSaint Patrick (ca. Professor Dith hgin seems to indicate that Niall was likely a descendant of the Gaulish seafaring tribe of the Veneti, who originated in south-east Armorica (modern Brittany, France). haplotype likely originated in the 2nd millennium BC, long before Niall is claimed to have lived, so his descendants would only represent a minority of men in this group even if Niall had been a historical figure.