| Country | Ireland |
|---|---|
| Ancestral house | disputed |
| Titles |
|
| Current head | Conor O'Brien, Prince of Thomond and 18th Baron Inchiquin |
| Founding | 9th or 10th century |
The Dál gCais (Irish pronunciation: [d̪ɑːɫ ɡaʃ]; also Dal Cais or the Dalcassians) were a dynastic group of related septs located in north Munster who rose to political prominence in the 10th century AD in Ireland. They claimed descent from Cormac Cas, or Cas mac Conall Echlúath, hence the term "Dál", meaning "portion" or "share" of Cas. In later times, for reasons of political expediency, they claimed Cas was a brother of the largely mythological Éogan Mór, son of Ailill Aulom, from whom the established Eóganachta dynasties had earlier claimed descent. The Eóganachta were in fact properly descendants of the later Conall Corc and so both claims and perhaps both tribal names have their origins in Munster mythology.
In early historic Ireland they were an obscure group, one of many of the subject peoples of the Éoganachta. In the seventh and eighth centuries, when the overkingdom of Uí Fiachrach Aidhne fell into decline, they moved north and annexed Tuadmumu (Thomond) or North Munster. Previously part of Connacht, it became part of Munster.
Thomond was to remain the heartland of the Dál gCais and its septs; it is most especially associated with the O'Brien dynasty (Ua Briain, Ó Briain), family and descendants of the famous Brian Bóruma, High King of Ireland (d. 1014), who reigned as its kings from the 930s to 1543, and from 1543 to the present day as Baron Inchiquin. The current incumbent (18th Baron Inchiquin) is Conor O'Brien, a thirty-second generation descendant of Brian. He is also known simply as The O'Brien, and is Chief of the Name, Prince of Thomond (see his profile).
Contents |
The origins of the Dál gCais are among the most controversial in Irish history.
Recent studies suggest the Dál gCais have a genetic signature unique to themselves, referred to as Irish Type III.[1] Belonging to Haplogroup R1b (Y-DNA), this subclade R1b1a2a1a1b4h is defined by the presence of the marker R-L226/S168.
Below is a comprehensive list of the Dalcassian septs of the Kingdom of Thomond. Some of these names are also used by other tribes in Ireland, thus not every single person with one of the names is necessarily a member of this clan, it is rather a matter of specific genealogy coupled with the location origins.[2]
|
|
|
|
Sept names in brackets, under the name of their ancestral namesake. Numerals indicates number of generations between ancestor and descendant.
Conall Echlúath
|
|
Cas
|
|_____________________
| |
| |
Caisséne Blat
(Uí Chaisséne) (Uí Blait)
| |
| |_____________________
Cáirthenn | |
| | |
6 Brénainn Bán Cáirthenn Finn
| | |
Nárgalach (Muinter Bruig) |____________
(Síl Nárgalaíg) (Ua Maol Dhómhnaigh) | |
| | |
|_________________ Óengus Eochu Ballderg
| | (Uí Óengusso) |
| | | |__________________
Corerán Marcín Rónan | |
(Uí Chellaig) (Uí Sída) | | |
(Uí Cholmáin) (Uí Rodáin) | Conall Conall Cáem
(Uí Chiunáin) _________| | |
(Uí Láega) | | | |
| | Fíán Áed
Dímma Máel Cáith | |
| (Uí Fallamain) |
| Aithirne
Róngaile |
(Uí Róngaile) |
| Cathal ?
Dubh dá Leithe |
(Uí Chormacáin) |
(Uí Loingsig) Tairdelbaig
(Uí Uainidi) (Uí Thairdelbaig)
|
_____________________________________________________________|
| | | |
| | | |
Flannán Eochu Ailgel Mathgamain
Sanctus (Uí Echach) (Uí Aingile) |
| | |
__________|__________________ Eochu Anulaun
| | | | |
| | | |______________ |
Conall Animchad Aurthuile | | Corc
(áes Cluana) | | | | |
| 6 3 Fócarta Scandlán |
4 | | Uí Magair) (Uí Scandlán) Lachtna
| (Meic Cétfada) (Uí Chuinn) (Uí Árotháin) | |
Énna (Meic Cormaic) (Uí Aichir) |
(Uí Énna) (Uí Thaidc) Lorcán
|
_______________________________________________________________|
| |
| |
Cennétig, Rí Thuath Mumain, d. 951. Coscrach
| |
| _______________________|_______________________
| | | |
| | | |
| Maine Aingid Aitheir
| | | |
| | | |
| Cathal, abbot Killaloe, Coscrach, abbot Killaloe, Ogan
| died 1013 died 1040 (Ua hOgain)
|
|____________________________________________________________
| | |
| | |
Brian, Rí Éire, d. 1014. Marcán, abbot of Terryglass, Donncuan
(Ua Briain) Inis Cealtra & Killaloe; d. 1010 |
|__________________ ______________________|_____________
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
Tadc, d. 1023 Donnchad, d. 1064. Céilchair Londgargán Cennétig Connaig
| abb.Terryglass | | |
| d.1008 | | |
Toirdhealbhach Ua Briain, High King, Annud Find Dúnadach
died 1086 issue issue issue