Historical Background on Niall of the Nine Hostages

A Brief Biography Of Niall of the Nine Hostages - Niall Noigíallach - with some account of his ancestry

Niall of the Nine Hostages (Irish: Niall Noigíallach) was High King of Ireland, who may have been active in the early-to-mid 5th century, (Francie Byrne the Historian places him much earlier around the 2nd century AD). He is said to have died - according to the latest estimates - around 450-455*. But the various Irish annals are by no mean definitive, some indicate a much earlier date, the earliest been 238 a.d. He is said to have made raids on the coastlines of Britain and Gaul: according to hagiographical sources, he is said to have kidnapped Saint Patrick and brought him to Ireland as a boy during his raids. The Nine Hostages are commonly explained as hostages from the various Kingdoms of Britain, Ireland and Gaul. Historian Francis Byrne has shown this is not correct, he maintains it refer's to the subjugated Ulster kingdom of Airghallia, which had nine ruling dynasties.

Niall was the fourth and youngest son of Eochaid Mugmedon, an Irish High King, and his mother Cairenn, the enslaved daughter of a Breton King. Niall was the eponymous ancestor, through his many sons, Conall Gulban, Endae, Eogan, Coirpre, Lóegaire, Maine of Tethba, Conall Cremthainne and Fiachu Fiachrach, of all the various Uí Néill dynasties.

Important: It must be also realised there is no actual proof of Niall's existence. But the written evidence is fairly consistent.

Niall's Lineage:

Sources

*"Irish Kings and High Kings", John Francis Byrne, Dublin, 1973. - Bryne prefers a much earlier date and also suggests the Three Collas never existed.

Lebor Gabála Érenn

Annals of the Four Masters, Annals of Ulster, Annals of Connaught, Annals of Tigernach, Annals of Lough Ce.

Foras Feasa ar Eirenn, Geoffrey Keating, 1636.

Laoise T. Moore et al, A Y-Chromosome Signature of Hegemony in Gaelic Ireland Am. J. Hum. Genet., 78:334-338, 2006

Issued by IHDP - Austin Rock