Tyrconnell, also spelled Tirconnell, was a kingdom of Gaelic Ireland, associated geographically with present-day County Donegal in Ulster, which has sometimes been called County Tyrconnell. At times it also included parts of County Fermanagh, County Sligo, County Leitrim, County Tyrone and County Londonderry at its greatest extent. The kingdom represented the core homeland of the Cenél Conaill people of the Northern Uí Néill and although they ruled, there were smaller groups of other Gaels in the area. From the 5th century founding of Cenél Conaill, the tuatha was a sub-unit of the larger kingdom of Ailech, along with their Cenél nEógain cousins, fellow descendants of Niall of the Nine Hostages. Their initial ascent had coincided with the decline of the Ulaid, whose kingdom of Ulster receded to the north-east coast. In the 12th century the kingdom of Ailech split into two sovereign territories and Cenél Conaill became Tír Chonaill under the Ó Domhnaill clan. It was the location of fighting during the Nine Years' War at the end of the 16th Century. It continued to exist until the 17th century when it was incorporated into the English-ruled Kingdom of Ireland following the Flight of the Earls.
Geographically
It lay in the area now more commonly referred to as County Donegal, although the kingdom and later principality of Tyrconnell was larger than that, including parts of Sligo, Leitrim, Tyrone, Fermanagh and a southern part of Londonderry. According to Geoffrey Keating, it included the baronies of Carbury, Rosclogher, and Magheraboy and Firlurg. As such it had a size varying between that of Corsica and Lebanon.
The religion which predominated at an official level in Tyrconnell was Catholic Christianity. The territory of Tyrconnell was associated with the Diocese of Raphoe under the Bishop of Raphoe, which had been formed in 1111. It was mentioned at the Synod of Ráth Breasail and covered Tír Conaill and Inis Eogain. Indeed, the Christian religion was of particular significance to the O'Donnell rulers of Tyrconnell, as their kinsman St. Colm Cille, born at Conwal and Leck, was regarded as one of the three patron saints of Ireland. Their founder and namesake of the kingdom, Conall Gulban, had been the first nobleman converted by St. Patrick. Indeed, they later took up the symbol of the cross as part of one of their heraldic identifiers and adopted the motto in hoc signo vinces.
Related bibliography
The History of Ireland, by Geoffrey Keating, D.D., written in the years prior to 1640, and known in the original Gaelic as "Foras Feasa ar Eirinn", published by the Irish Texts Society, London, 1914. Volume IV. See index entry for Tír Chonaill
Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland by the Four Masters, from the earliest period to the year 1616, compiled during the period 1632–1636 by Brother Michael O’Clery, translated and edited by John O'Donovan in 1856, and re-published in 1998 by De Burca, Dublin.
The Fate and Fortunes of the Earls of Tyrone and Tyrconnel, their flight from Ireland and death in exile, by the Rev. C. P. Meehan, MRIA, 2nd edition, James Duffy, London, 1870.
Erin's Blood Royal – The Gaelic Noble Dynasties of Ireland, by Peter Berresford Ellis, Constable, London, 1999,.
Vanishing Kingdoms – The Irish Chiefs and their Families, by Walter J. P. Curley, with foreword by Charles Lysaght, published by The Lilliput Press, Dublin, 2004 ..
