in County Westmeath, but were dispersed
into Connacht as a result of the Anglo-Norman invasion. The Corca Adhaimh or O’Dalys
(O Dalaigh), alias Corca Adam (race of Adam) are a branch of the Southern Ui Neill
descended from Maine, son of Nial of the Nine hostages. They were originally seated in the
present barony of Magheradernon in central County Westmeath. In later times they became a
literary family of highest honor, and sent learned bards of their name to serve kings all
over Ireland. The first of the family to become famous for his learning was Cuchonnacht na
Scoile ("of the school") who died at Clonard in 1139. He was the ancestor of all
the bardic families of the name. Beginning with Cuchonnacht, poetry and learning became a
profession in the family, and he presided over a bardic school in Meath not far from, but
connected with, the original territory of Corca Adhaimh.
From Corca Adhaimh, then, the family sent
forth poetic professors to various parts of Ireland, where they started new literary
families. About 1250 a branch of the O’Dalys, descended from Donough More
O’Daly, a famous bard, became hereditary poets to the O’Loughlins, and settled
at Finavarra, in the Burren of County Clare. To this literary branch belong the DalIys of
Galway, whose ancestor settled in Ui Maine (County Galway) in the latter part of the
fifteenth century. Raghnall O Dalaigh settled in South Munster (Desmond) about 1150 and
became chief ollav (professor) in poetry to the MacCarthy. Other branches served such
great names as the O’Reillys of Cavan, the O’Neills of Ulster, and the
O’Connors of Connacht.
Another professional branch of the Fir
Teathbha were the O’Shiels (O Siadhail), a famous medical family that established
various branches in Ulster and Offaly, serving as hereditary physicians and surgeons in
Oriel, Inishowen and Delvin-MacCoghlan. Owen O’Sheil, the "Eagle of
Doctors," was physician to the armies of the Confederate Catholics of Ireland from
1642 to 1650.
The Four Tribes of Tara were four princely
families of the Southern Ui Neill, settled in the area of Tara in what is now County
Meath. They represent the lineal descendants of the Sil nAedo Slaine kings of South Brega.
From the beginning of the ninth century the Kingdom of Brega had divided into North and
South Brega, with the kings of North Brega residing at Knowth some twelve miles northeast
of Tara on the River Boyne, and the kings of South Brega remaining in the vicinity of Tara
itself. The chief representatives of the original Four Tribes in later times were the
families of O’Hart (O hAirt) and O’Regan (O Riagain).
The O’Harts were dispossessed soon after
the Anglo-Norman invasion of the late twelfth century. Afterwards they migrated westward
to Sligo, where they became chiefs in what is now the barony of Carbury in North Sligo,
where they possessed considerable estates down to the seventeenth century. The
O’Regans were, prior to the Anglo-Norman invasion, kings of South Brega, and had
taken a leading part in the wars against the Danes. They apparently alternated the
Kingship of Brega with their northern cousins, for in |
