Niall Mor Nóigiallach
Abt 342 - Abt 405 (~ 63 years)
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Name Niall Mor Nóigiallach Born Abt 342 Antrim, Ulster, Ireland 
Gender Male Name Niall Noigillach mac Echu Mor Died Abt 405 Niall's Ford, Boulogne, Gaul (France) Person ID I11835 Brown Genealogy Last Modified 22 Nov 2024
Father Eochaid Muigh-medon, b. Abt 310, Antrim, Ulster, Ireland , d. 365, Tara, Ireland (Age ~ 55 years) Relationship natural Mother Carthann Cais Dubh, b. Abt 320, Britain , d. UNKNOWN Relationship natural Family ID F3085 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family Roigneach ingen Meadaib, b. Abt 350, Ireland , d. UNKNOWN Children 1. Eoghan mac Neill, b. Abt 370, Antrim, Ulster, Ireland , d. 465, Aileach, Tyrone, Ulster, Ireland (Age ~ 95 years) [natural]2. Laeghaire mac Neill, b. Abt 372, Antrim, Ulster, Ireland , d. UNKNOWN [natural]3. Conall Cremthainne mac Neill, b. Abt 374, Antrim, Ulster, Ireland , d. UNKNOWN [natural]4. Conall Gulban mac Neill, b. Abt 376, Antrim, Ulster, Ireland , d. UNKNOWN [natural]5. Fiacha mac Neill, b. Abt 378, Antrim, Ulster, Ireland , d. UNKNOWN [natural]6. Main mac Neill, b. Abt 380, Antrim, Ulster, Ireland , d. UNKNOWN [natural]7. Fergus mac Neill, b. Abt 382, Antrim, Ulster, Ireland , d. UNKNOWN [natural]8. Cairbre mac Neill, b. Abt 382, Antrim, Ulster, Ireland , d. UNKNOWN [natural]9. Enna mac Neill, b. Abt 384, Antrim, Ulster, Ireland , d. UNKNOWN [natural]10. Aongus mac Neill, b. Abt 386, Antrim, Ulster, Ireland , d. UNKNOWN [natural]11. Ualdhearg mac Neill, b. Abt 388, Antrim, Ulster, Ireland , d. UNKNOWN [natural]12. Fergus Altleathan mac Neill, b. Abt 390, Antrim, Ulster, Ireland , d. UNKNOWN [natural]Last Modified 22 Nov 2024 Family ID F3154 Group Sheet | Family Chart
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Notes - Niall of the Nine Hostages
Niall Nóigiallach, or Niall of the Nine Hostages, was one of the greatest Irish Kings. He was the only son of Eochaid Muigh-medon, High King, and his wife Carthann, daughter of an English (Breton actually under Roman control) King. Eochaid later married Mong-Fionn, daughter of the King of Munster, and had another four sons. These sons were Brian, Fiachra, Ailill, and Fergus.
It is said that Mong-Fionn was jealous of her stepson Niall and wanted her first son, Brian, to succeed Eochaid. She did not rest until she had Niall outcast and his mother Carthann reduced to her servant, carrying water for the Court. But the poet, Torna, who had raised and educated Niall, rescued him from his misery.
At this time in Irish history the power of the poet or bard in Ireland was second only to the King. As a priveleged class, they could wander freely throughout the land and any person who refused shelter to them was severely punished and his lands deemed cursed. The power of the poet Torna, in particular, is later shown in the fact that he also fostered Corc, King of Cashel, who helped St. Patrick.
As Niall was entering manhood, he was returned to the Court and welcomed by his father. One of Niall's first acts was to restore his mother to her rightful place. Niall underwent many tests as a young man as did all five of Eochaid's sons. The High King had to choose an heir and young Niall frequently did extremely well. In one story, the five brothers were helping in a smith's forge learning the art when it suddenly caught fire. The King who just happened to be there (it is believed that he set the fire), told his sons to save what they could. Niall's brothers saved the chariots, a sword, a shield, the forge trough and a bundle of wood. Niall saved the Bellows, sledges, anvil and anvil-block thus saving the smith from disaster. After this test Niall was selected as successor of the Ard-Righ or High King.
But Niall's stepmother, Mong-Fionn, still had her hopes for Brian and upon Eochaid's death circa 357 AD, she managed to get her brother Crimthann pronounced King until Brian came of age. Once in power, however, Crimthann betrayed his sister and took full control of the Kingdom instead of regency.
To Crimthann's credit, he proved to be a strong king and ruled for twenty years. His death came at the hands of his own sister who tricked him into drinking a poison drink after taking some herself. Her last effort to make her son Brian king failed, as Niall was crowned High King in 377 AD.
During his early reign, Niall consolidated his power at home by subduing his enemies and taking hostages from the royal families in opposition. Meanwhile the Picts were getting wary of the small Irish colony of Dalriada in what is now Scotland. They attacked and severely damaged the colony. In response Niall ventured to Scotia Minor and the land of the Picts here again subduing all and gaining submission through the taking of royal hostages - hence the name Niall of the Nine Hostages. After a short consolidation, he marched south with his Scot and Pict allies against the Romans in Britain. It was there that Niall's forces took hostage one Succat, who is better known by his later name of St. Patrick.
Niall continued to harass and raid the Romans, for it is said that the bounty from such raids filled his ships. He even raided into Gaul (France) and gained control of a small kingdom there. It is on one of these raids into Gaul in 405 AD that Niall was finally killed. Ironically, Niall was felled by the arrow of an enemy from home. He died on the banks of the River Loire, after being ambushed by Eochaid the son of the King of Leinster, who was hiding in the bushes.
Besides taking St. Patrick in his youth, Niall's reign is known mainly for two things. First, he consolidated the northern region of Ireland and created a dynasty that kept his descendants High Kings of Ireland for 600 years. Second, his military ability led him to the Irish Control of all of Alba and a large part of Britain. He seriously damaged the Romans ability to control Britain and even managed to carve out some Irish controlled territory in France. It is said this Irish Empire was only eclipsed in size by Dathi's, Niall's nephew and successor.
BW, February 2000
http://www.irishclans.com/articles/famirish/niall9hostages.html
- Niall of the Nine Hostages