Delbhna
Encyclopedia
The Delbna or Delbhna were an ethnic group in Ireland
. They had a number of branches in central and western Ireland.
The Delbhna took their name from Delbáeth
who is stated as being a legendary High King of Ireland
but was more likely a god of the Tuatha Dé Danann
; he would have been their ancestor-deity in the same way that Woden
was to the Anglo-Saxons
.
Mac Fhirbhisigh names the following families as descendants of various branches of the Delbhna:
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. They had a number of branches in central and western Ireland.
- The Delbhna Tir Dha LochaDelbhna Tir Dha LochaDealbhne Thíre Dhá Loch was a tuath of Gaelic Ireland, located in the west of what is now Co. Galway, Ireland. It is now called Connemara-Overview:It was ruled by the Mac Conraoi clann...
were the most westerly branch, based in Iar ConnachtIar ConnachtIar Chonnachta , was a region covering all of County Galway west of the river Corrib and Lough Corrib; Maigh Seola; and part of the barony of Ross in County Mayo.-Description:The area of Co...
. - The Delbhna NuadatDelbhna NuadatThe Delbhna Nuadat were lords of a large section of what is now County Roscommon, situated between the Suca and Shannon rivers. From the early historic era they were a subject people of the Ui Maine....
were lords of a large section of what is now County RoscommonCounty RoscommonCounty Roscommon is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the town of Roscommon. Roscommon County Council is the local authority for the county...
, situated between the Suck and ShannonRiver ShannonThe River Shannon is the longest river in Ireland at . It divides the west of Ireland from the east and south . County Clare, being west of the Shannon but part of the province of Munster, is the major exception...
rivers. From the early historic era they were a subject people of the Ui Maine. - The Delbhna Bethra were located on the east bank of the River ShannonRiver ShannonThe River Shannon is the longest river in Ireland at . It divides the west of Ireland from the east and south . County Clare, being west of the Shannon but part of the province of Munster, is the major exception...
, in what is now County WestmeathCounty Westmeath-Economy:Westmeath has a strong agricultural economy. Initially, development occurred around the major market centres of Mullingar, Moate, and Kinnegad. Athlone developed due to its military significance, and its strategic location on the main Dublin–Galway route across the River Shannon. Mullingar...
. They may have once formed a single kingdom with the Delbhna Nuada until subjugated by the Ui Maine. By the late 5th century they had fallen under the control of the Uí NéillUí NéillThe Uí Néill are Irish and Scottish dynasties who claim descent from Niall Noigiallach , an historical King of Tara who died about 405....
.
The Delbhna took their name from Delbáeth
Delbáeth
In Irish mythology Delbáeth was the son of either Aengus or Ogma of the Tuatha Dé Danann, and Ethniu of the Fomorians. He succeeded his grandfather Eochaid Ollathair, aka the Dagda, as High King of Ireland. He was the father, by Ernmas, of the three eponymous Irish goddesses Ériu, Banba and Fodla...
who is stated as being a legendary High King of Ireland
High King of Ireland
The High Kings of Ireland were sometimes historical and sometimes legendary figures who had, or who are claimed to have had, lordship over the whole of Ireland. Medieval and early modern Irish literature portrays an almost unbroken sequence of High Kings, ruling from Tara over a hierarchy of...
but was more likely a god of the Tuatha Dé Danann
Tuatha Dé Danann
The Tuatha Dé Danann are a race of people in Irish mythology. In the invasions tradition which begins with the Lebor Gabála Érenn, they are the fifth group to settle Ireland, conquering the island from the Fir Bolg....
; he would have been their ancestor-deity in the same way that Woden
Woden
Woden or Wodan is a major deity of Anglo-Saxon and Continental Germanic polytheism. Together with his Norse counterpart Odin, Woden represents a development of the Proto-Germanic god *Wōdanaz....
was to the Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
.
Extract from MacFhirbhisigh's Cuimire
Dealbhaoth Draoi [=the druid], i.e., Lughaidh s. Cas s. Conall Eachluath, had five (or seven) sons and a daughter named AoifeAoifeAoife, earlier Aífe , is an Irish feminine given name. The name is probably derived from the Irish aoibh, meaning "beauty", "pleasure" or "radiant goddess", although the name has also be associated with the Gaulish goddess Esuvia. The name is sometimes Anglicised as Eva...
(and [=or?] Anghus). These are the names of the sons and territories that they inhabited; Gno Mor and Gno Beag in western Connacht, Baodan in Dealbhna of Eathair, Airdhealbhaigh in Dealbhan Mhor, Samthann, from whom are Dealbhna Nuadhad; Eanna Airgtheach and Eanna Teith, two other sons of Dealbhaoth who seized [territory] in Na Deise, and according to some it was the other Lughaidh, brother of Dealbhaoth, that those two Eannas were sons, and the two Gnos and Baodan, from whom are Ui Mhaoil Bhaodain, and therefore Lughaidh Dealbhaoth was left with only two sons: Aindealbhadh and SamthannSamthannSaint Samthann was purportedly a Christian nun and abbess in early Medieval Ireland. She is one of only four female Irish saints for whom extant Latin Lives exist...
. However, the most common [view] is that the two Gnos, Aindealbhadh, Baodan andSamthann were offspring of Dealbhaoth, and that seven Dealbhna came from that five: Dealbhna Mhor, Dealbhna Bheag, Dealbhna of Cuil Fhabhair, Dealbhna of Eathair in western Midhe (Mide), Dealbhna Duadhad, Dealbhna of Teannmhagh, and Dealbhna of Fiodh Tire Da Loch (or in Tir Dha Loch) in ConnachtConnachtConnacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...
, i.e., Gno Mor and Gno Beg. (A different version: O hEanna (Heeney) over Gno Bheag, i.e., O hAdhnaigh was their chieftain, and Conroy over Gno Mhor.)
Mac Fhirbhisigh names the following families as descendants of various branches of the Delbhna:
- O Fionnallain of Dealbhna Mor,
- Mac Cochlain (CoughlanCoughlanCoughlan may refer to:*Clement Coughlan, Irish politician*Mary Coughlan , Irish Fianna Fáil politician and Tánaiste *Mary Coughlan , Irish jazz singer...
) of Dealbhna Beatha ("Dealbhna of Eathair in western Midhe"), County WestmeathCounty Westmeath-Economy:Westmeath has a strong agricultural economy. Initially, development occurred around the major market centres of Mullingar, Moate, and Kinnegad. Athlone developed due to its military significance, and its strategic location on the main Dublin–Galway route across the River Shannon. Mullingar... - Mac Con Raoi (ConroyConroy-Overview:Conroy is an Irish surname of multiple origins. In some cases it is the anglacised form used by descendants of the Ó Maolconaire bardic family. It has sometimes being used by the descendants of another bardic family, Ó Cíonga, though the most usual form of this family is King...
) of Gno Mhor, ConnemaraConnemaraConnemara is a district in the west of Ireland consisting of a broad peninsula between Killary Harbour and Kilkieran Bay in the west of County Galway.-Overview:... - O hEanna of Gno Beag, ConnemaraConnemaraConnemara is a district in the west of Ireland consisting of a broad peninsula between Killary Harbour and Kilkieran Bay in the west of County Galway.-Overview:...
- O Caibhdheanaigh of Gno Beag
- O Laoghog of Dealbhna Sith neannta
- O Scalaidhe over Dealbhna Iarthair [=western D.].