The Clan Conchobhar of Mag Ith

The Clan Conchobair were originally Kings of Magh Ith in Tirconnell, that territory now mostly comprised by the Barony of Raphoe, but also extending into Tyrone in earlier times. According to O'Donovan (Ordnance Survey Letters) the lands of Magh Ith were the mensal lands of the Kings of Aileach (MacLaughlin and O'Neill). The Clan Conor Kings of Magh Ith were at an early date replaced by the line of the Cenel Moain of Cenel Enda (the O'Gormleys and their kinsmen), who were in turn driven from Magh Ith into nearby Derry county by the O'Donnells. At about the same time the O Cathains of Clan Conor were recognised by the annalists as Chiefs of the Cianacht of Glean Geibhin and the Creeve, now the barony of Coleraine in Derry County; and their kinsmen the O Carrollans held the territory of Clandermod in the same county.

Surnames associated with the Clan Conchobhar of Magh Ith.

O Cathain (O'Kane, Kane of Derry)
hui Loingsicch (O Lynch - probably MacGlinchey of Donegal & Derry)
O Cinaith (O Kenny of Donegal)
O Manannan
O Mothlachhan
Ui Muroin
O Gartnen (Mac Gartlan, Mac Gartland)
O Muididen
Muinter Cinnedig
O Chairillan (O Carolan of Derry - also in Donegal)
O Muiredhaigh (MacMurrayl)
O Corrain (O Currin - Donegal; possibly O Corran, MacCarron?)
O Dubda
O Baighill (O Boyle of Magh Ith)
O Merrlighi
O Dublaighi
O Cathalan (O Cahalane)
O Mail bresail (O Mulbraisil - Kings of Magh Ith - Donegal)
O Muircertach (O Moriarty)
O Duibleachan
O Thanaighe
O Flaithri
O Breislen (O Breslin - of Fanad in Donegal?)
O Mail finne
O Dodan
O Muiredaigh (MacMurray - possibly two septs of the name?)
O Branagan (O Branagan, O Brangan - Armagh & Monaghan)
O Mhaelan (O Mallon - in Tryone, O'Mellon's Country, hereditary Keepers
of the bell of St. Patrick)
Clann foghartaigh (O Flynn, O Cionaith, O Mail mail, O Dubagan,
O Chuind [O'Quinn] & O'Kenny - Kings of Magh Ith in Donegal.

O'Dugan's Topographical Poem

The men of noble Mag Iotha ⁸⁷
Who defended the confines,
Delightful their habits in every church,
[Are] the O'Maoilbreasails and the O'Baoighills.
Their dwellings over the house of each hero,
The brave O'Cuinns⁸⁸ and O'Cionaiths.⁸⁹^{O'Donovan's Notes:}87. Magh Iotha, i.e, the plain of Ith, now the Lagan, a beautiful tract in the barony of Raphoe, containing the church of Donaghmore. See Colgan's Trias Thaum, pp. 144, 181; and Leabhar na gCeart, p. 124. The families of O'Maoilbreasail and O'Baoighill, of the race of Eoghan, are now unknown in this territory, and must have sunk into obscurity at an early period, as the Irish annalists have preserved no notice of them. The O'Baoighills or O'Boyles, of the race of Conall, are a different family, and are still well known.

88. O'Cuinns, now Quins, very numerous in Tryone.

89. O'Cionaiths, now Kennys.

Of the race of Eoghan of valour,
The fair king of Cianachta⁶⁹ is O'Cathain,
His host in each quarter are mild towrds you;
Of the race of Tadhg, son of Cian of Caisel,
Tribe of abundant fruit, with brilliance,
O'Conchobhair⁷⁰ was its first king.

O'Donovan's Notes:

69. Cianachta, now the barony of Keenaght, in the county of Londonderry. This territory belonged to the O'Conors, of Gleann Geimhin, who were of the race of Cian, son of Oilioll Olum, King of Munster, in the third century; but they were dispossessed by the O'Cathains or O'Kanes, of the race of Eoghan, a short time previous to the English invasion.

70. O'Conchobhair, now anglicised O'Conor. There are families of this name and race still living in the barony of Keenaght. The late Rev. Hugh O'Conor, P.P. of Culdaff, in Inishowen, and Hugh O'Conor, of Belfast, were of this family.

The Cenel Moain were a branch of the Cenel Eoghain the leading family of which was O Gormley. Their original territory was in Cenel Enda, a territory just south of the Inishowen peninsula in Donegal, but they later displaced the Clan Conchhobhar chieftains as lords of Magh Ith. By the end of the 13th century the O Gormleys had in turn been driven from Magh Ith by the O'Donnells and were later to be found as chieftains under the O'Neills in Derry.

The following passages from the Ceart Ua Neill (Rights of O'Neill) describe the standing of the Cenel Moain and in particular the O Gormleys in later centuries.

11. The lordship of O Neill over Cineal Moen. Mac Conallaidh, if he
is senior to the stewards of O Gairmfhleadhaigh in succession to the
office of body-guard, receives the same bounty as O Gairmfhleadhaigh.
The lodging of O Neill due from them is one night from Mac Aodha
and one night from O Ceallaigh and one night from Mac Conallaidh; and
neither O Duibhin nor O Flaitbheartaigh are entitled to compensation,
however long O Neill should stay with them.

If O Neill be with O Gairmghleadhaigh, liability for supplying him
and the retinue to which he is entitled rests upon the four villages.
His mercenaries shall be supplied by Coille Iochtaracha on Friday and
Saturday when he is not with them himself. On the night that he is
in Ard Sratha his table is supplied by Mac Conmidhe from Loch I
Mhaoldubhain, the Reciter's land.

This is the rent of O Neill from Cineal Moen: two hundred beeves
and a hundred and fifty marks of king's money; and rising out when
they are summoned; and provision for a hundred and fifty men as
normal billeting. And Mac Conallaidh has the duty of delivering
the rent and handing it to the stewards; and fourpence with every
beef for them; and if it should go astray, Mac Conallaidh must pay.

l2. O Gairmfhleadhaigh is O Neill's steward of horses and his
chandler. A penny out of the ounce! For the service of the stallion
(O Gormley) gets two screpuls, but the lad who holds the stallion's
head gets a penny of this, and two pence for (the lad who holds) the
mare. The stewards of the prime stallion (attend) for service each
Tuesday. And O Gormley gets half a pig's scull, and its lard and its
guts for his candle-making but he only gets the lard of one pig
per night. Provision for sixty men from Tir Fhiachra, and provision
for sixty from Mac Cathmhaoil or from his territory. Provision for
sixty from Muinntir Bhirn; hosting and encampment in addition
from them all.

Of these families, the following territorial holdings appear in Irish records.

O Gormley and O Lunny, Chieftains of Cenel Moain and Magh Ith
According to O'Hart, the O'Lunnys or O'Looneys were also chiefs of Muinter
Loney, a district known as the Monter Loney Mountains in Tryone.

10. O'Kernaghan and O'Dallan , chiefs of the Tuath Bladhaidh in Donegal.

O'Clery lists the following surnames under Cenel Moain:

.h. Duinechaidh (MacDonaghy), .h. Cridhegen (O Crean), .h. Luinigh (O Luinigh),
.h. Dalbaigh, .h. Gairmleghaigh (O Gormley), .h. Tigernaigh (o Tierney),
.h. Ceallaigh (O Kelly), .h. Cernacan (O Cernaghan).

.h. Faelain, .h. Oirc.

.h. Cleirchen, .h. Craebidhe, .h. Mail thuadaigh, .h. Murghaile

.h. Braicle

.h. Laiginn, .h. Mail croin, .h. Fergalan.

.h. Letnamod, .h. Bedgaile, .h. Datgu, .h. Doilge.

.h. Culrebu, muinter Giolla uidir, .h. Gairbheith (O Garvey)

O'Dugan's Topographical Poem

Many the heroes with spears
Of the active O'Gairmleadhaighs,⁷⁶
A fort of flaming girdles without misfortune,
Over the majestic race of Moen.⁷⁷^{O'Donovan's Notes:}76. O'Gairmleadhaighs, now O'Gormleys. This family has remained in obscurity since the Plantation of Ulster in 1609. They were originally seated in the present barony of Raphoe, county of Donegal, but being driven from thence at an early6 period by the O'Donnells, they established themselves at the east side of the River Foyle, where they retained a considerable trritory till 1609. On an old map of Ulster, preserved in the State Paper Office, london, O'Gormley's country is shown as extending from near Derry to Strabane.

77. Race of Moen - Cinel-Moen. This was the ribe name of the O'Gormleys, and became also that of their country, according to the Irish custom.

The Clans of Magh ith

O Cathain - O Carolan

Clan Conchobhar (Clan Conor) of Magh Ith

O Gormley - O Lunny - O Crean

The Cenel Moain of Magh Ith

The Clans of Magh ith O Cathain - O Carolan

Clan Conchobhar (Clan Conor) of Magh Ith

O Gormley - O Lunny - O Crean

The Cenel Moain of Magh Ith

The Clans of Magh ith

O Cathain - O Carolan