Dartraighe (older spelling: Dartraige), anglicized as Dartree, Dartry or Dartrey, was a kingdom in ancient Ireland which stretched north to Clones and south to beyond the Dromore river, once belonging to the O'Boylans and McMahons.
The Dartraighe or ‘calf people’ were an early Irish tribe that dwelt in and around the wider region of north Roscommon, east Sligo, west Leitrim and south-western Monaghan. Their kingdom in the western portion of what is now known as County Monaghan became a sub-kingdom of the larger federated Kingdom of Airgíalla, which at one stage stretched from Lough Neagh to Lough Erne and from the ancient settlement of Derry to the port of Dundalk.
Various anglised forms of the name were used through the years and today a segment of the southern region of kingdom, the former Dartrey Estate or Dawson Grove is now the location of Dartrey Forest.
It was also known as n-Dartraighi, Dartraige Coinn innsi, Dartraige Con-innsi or Dairtre.
The status of the king (and queen) of Airgíalla was such that they sat beside the High King at Tara at great gatherings, and his sword was allowed to touch the High Kings hand - a sign of trust. The larger kingdoms territory decreased as the area took on a more ecclesiastical power structure from Armagh and allied with the with Northern and Southern Ui Neill who dominated the political sphere serving as High King of Ireland from the Hill of Tara. It was further reduced by the conquest of the Normans in the 12th century. The Book of Rights list the tribes of the Airgíalla in the 5th century and their entitlements. The following poem was composed by the bard Benén to preserve these rights.
1. This difficulty rests upon the descendants of the Collas, the bright host of Liathdruim,
that they do not know the amount of their stipend, from the king of bright Fuaid.
2. Here is the tradition—I shall relate it for you— of the descendants of gentle Cairpre:
learn, people of Fál of the fiana, the handsome stipends of the Airgialla...
16. The king of Dartraige, a flame of valour, is entitled to four bondsmen of great labor,
four swords hard in battle, four horses, and four golden shields...
20. Here is the tradition of the hosts, whom Benén always loved:
it is a great difficulty to all the learned, save him who is expert in testimony.
as Gaeilge (original)
1. In cheist sea for chloind Cholla for sluag luchair Liathdroma
can fis a tuarastail tall ó ríg Fuaid na find-fearand.
2. Atá sund, sloindfed-sa daíb senchos cloindi Cairpri chaím:
cluinid, a lucht Fáil na fian, tuaristla áilli Airgiall.
16. Dligid rí Dartraigi, in daig, ceithri mogaid mórastair,
ceithri claidim chruaidi i cléith, ceithri heich, ceithri hór-scéith.
20. Atá sund senchas na slóg dá tuc grád co bráth Beneón;
acht int í bus treórach teist ar cach n-eólach is ard-cheist. IN.