Umhaill

Umhaill
8th century–1576
Coat of arms
Map of Umaill (dark green) withinCounty Mayo.
Status	TúathaofConnacht(until 1235)
Common languages	Middle Irish,Early Modern Irish,Latin
Religion	Catholic Christianity Gaelic tradition
Government	Tanistry
Rí
• -773	Flannabhra
• 1580–1603	Grace O'Malley
History
• Established	8th century
• Disestablished	1576
ISO 3166 code	IE
Preceded by Succeeded by Partraige Mac William Íochtar Kingdom of Ireland
Today part of	Ireland

UmhaillorUmhall(anglicized asOwillorOwel) was aGaelicterritory aroundClew Bayin the west of what is nowCounty Mayo,Ireland,comprising thebaroniesofBurrishoole(Lower Owel) andMurrisk(Upper Owel).By the 12th century, its ruling dynasty were known as the Uí Máille (O'Malleys). Originally an autonomous part of thekingdom of Connacht,it later became one of thevassal territoriesof theMac William Íochtar.Umhaill's last and most famous ruler wasGrace O'Malley(Gráinne Ní Mháille), nicknamed "the pirate queen". In 1576, during theTudor conquest of Ireland,she agreed to thesurrender and regrantpolicy, accepting English inheritance law in return for officialtitle deedsto her lands. On her death the lands were inherited by her sonTibbot "na Long".Umhaill had a strongseafaringculture.Important sites associated with it includeCarrickkildavnet Castle,Carrickahowley Castle,Granuaile's CastleandClare Island Abbey.

Description

Knox says of Murrisk "With Burrishoole it forms the kingdom of Aicill and Umall, which comes into history at the battle of Moy Lena. Aicill seems to be a descriptive term applied to mountainous country. Umall means low, and applies in this sense to the country lying east of Clew Bay, as Aicill applies to the parts lying north and south of the bay. The title may be translated as King of Highland and Lowland. Aicill survives inAchill IslandandCurraun peninsula.The term was applied to the country between Clew Bay and the Killeries in the thirteenth century. Though at all times an independent kingdom acknowledging supremacy of only the King of Connacht, it was too small to play an independent part, and therefore is rarely mentioned in the annals. "(p. 303).

Legacy

TheGaelic cultureandIrish languagecontinued on in the area longer than most other parts of Ireland. Today,AcaillandAn Corránare part of the MayoGaeltacht.

Kings of Umaill

Main article:Kings of Umaill

Its earliest rulers were the semi-historicalTuath mhac nUmhoir.The Umaill, its early historical rulers, were renamed the Uí Briúin Umaill to claim a fictitious relationship with theUí Briúin.By the 12th century the ruling family adopted thesurnameÓ Máille,and were reckoned with theÓ Dubhda,Ó FlaithbheartaighandMac Conraoias supreme seafaring clans of Connacht.

Annalistic references

• 812.A slaughter was made of the foreigners[i.e.Vikings]by the men of Umhall.
• 813.A battle between the men of Umhall and the foreigners, in which the men of Umhall were slaughtered, and Cosgrach, son of Flannabhrat, and Dunadhach, lord of Umhall, were slain.
• 848. Loch Laeigh, in the territory of Umhall, in Connaught, migrated.
• U913.6.Niall son of Aedled an expedition to Connacht and inflicted a battle-rout on the warriors of the north of Connacht, i.e. on the Uí Amalgada and the men of Umall, and they left behind a very large number either dead or captured, including Mael Cluiche son of Conchobor.
• M1002.10 - Conchobhar, son of Maelseachlainn, lord of Corca-Modhruadh; and Aicher Ua Traighthech, with many others, were slain by the men of Umhall.
• M1219.6. Duvdara, the son of Murray O'Malley, was put to death for his crimes by Cathal Crovderg O'Conor, while in fetters in O'Conor's fortress.
• 1415. A great prey was taken by O'Malley, i.e. Hugh, from Dermot O'Malley. Dermot in retaliation took O'Malley's Island, upon which Hugh went in pursuit of Dermot; and a battle was fought between them, in which Hugh O'Malley, Lord of Umallia, was slain by Dermot and his son Conor, and also the son of Thomas O'Malley, and Donnell, the son of Dermot O'Malley. The chieftainship of Umallia was thenceforth wrested from the descendants of Hugh; and Dermot assumed the lordship.
• 1417. Rory, the son of Murrough O'Flaherty; Rory, the son of Dermot Duv O'Flaherty, and sixteen others of the O'Flahertys, were drowned in the bay of Umallia.

See also

• Iar Connacht

References

• The History of Mayo,p. 303,Hubert T. Knox,1908.

External links

• http:// medievalscotland.org/kmo/AnnalsIndex/DescriptiveBynames/Umaill.shtml