Author Archives: Ian Adamson

The Ulster Kingdoms The traditional understanding of the history of the ancient British Venniconian Kingdoms of West Ulster maintained that at some time in the late fifth century the sons of Niall of the Nine hostages, Caipre, Conaill, Enda and Eogan had launched an … Continue reading →

The Ulster Kingdoms The ancient name of the inhabitants of this area were the Eridini or Erpeditani , who were a Pretani or ancient British people known to the Greeks and Romans through Ptolemy’s map of c 150 AD. But … Continue reading →

The Ulster Kingdoms Now we turn to Oriel, or Airgialla, centred on Clogher, the land of ultimate origin of the great Campbell clan of Argyll. The name Clochar refers to something made of stone (‘Cloch’ is the Gaelic word for ‘stone’ … Continue reading →

Ulster Kingdoms Iveagh derives its name from the ancient British Pretani or Cruthin people Ui­bh Eachach, or “descendants of Echu”, and referred to an ancient Irish tuath (district). It is also known more fully as Ui­bh Eachach Cobha (Echu Cobo), … Continue reading →

The Ulster Kingdoms The Country of the Cruthin. The Parish of Glenavy, which is a Brittonic or Old British name, later Gaelicised, is rich in legendary and historical associations. The ancient name of the territory lying along Lough Neagh and … Continue reading →

Ptolemy’s Map (150 AD) The Ulster Kingdoms The Epidian Cruthin or Epidii (Greek Επίδιοι) were an ancient British people, known from a mention of them by Ptolemy the geographer c. 150.The name Epidii includes the Gallo-Brittonic  root epos, meaning horse (Compare with … Continue reading →

 Ulster Kingdoms Dál Fiatach were a group of related dynasties located in eastern Ulster in the Early Christian and Early Medieval periods of the history of Ireland. The Dál Fiatach were supposedly descended from Fiatach Finn mac Dáire, a King of … Continue reading →

Ulster Kingdoms Dalaradia (Gaelic Dál nAraidi ) — which should not be confused with Dalriada (Gaelic Dál Riata) was the foremost kingdom of the Cruthin or Pretani in Northeast Ireland in the first millennium. The lands of Dalaradia appear to correspond with those … Continue reading →

We have looked at the obsessive-compulsive neurosis of modern Protestant Irish Language enthusiasts regarding the censuses of 1901 and 1911. We have also seen the effects of Gaelic League activity on those censuses. But the revival of Gaelic predates the … Continue reading →

We saw a beautiful Raven standing over us in the cove where Trevor rests, in Venniconia, now called Donegal. The Raven is a sacred bird , who follows the spirits of the dead. He is the most wary and intelligent … Continue reading →