Keenaght (barony)

This article is about the barony of Keenaght. For the townland, see Keenaght (townland).
Keenaght
Cianachta[1] (Irish)

Location of Keenaght, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland.
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Country Northern Ireland
County Londonderry

Keenaght (from Irish Cianachta, meaning "race of Cain"[1][2]) is a barony in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland.[3] It connects to the north-Londonderry coastline, and is bordered by four other baronies: Coleraine to the east; Loughinsholin to the south-east; Tirkeeran to the west; and Strabane Upper to the south-west.[3] It was the territory of the O'Connors of the Cianachta Glengiven from the 5th century until its take over in the 12th century by the O'Kanes.[4]

History

Originally called the barony of Lymavady prior to 1613,[5] the barony of Keenaght gets its name from an anglicisation of the Irish Ciannachta, which is derived from the Cianachta Glenn Geimin (race of Cain of Glengiven). The principle sept of the Cianachta Glenn Geimin was the Ó Conchobhair (O'Connor), who ruled there from the 5th century until they were succeeded by the Ó Cathaín (O'Kane) in the 12th century.[4]

After its fall to the Ó Cathaín, Keenaght became the homeland to their followers, the Ó Maoláin (Mullan).[6] and the Mac Giollagain (MacGilligan). By the early 17th century, the latter controlled what was called "MacGilligans country" along the north coast, which has been preserved in the form of the present-day parish of Magilligan and the Magilligan peninsula.[7]

An Ó Coinne (O'Quinn) is later noted in Annals of the Four Masters in 1218 as being chief of Moy Lugad, which according to the Books of Lecan and Ballymote, lay in Keenaght.[8]

References in the Annals

Keenaght is mentioned in the Annals under a variety of spellings of Cianachta Glenn Geimin:[4]

List of major settlements

List of civil parishes

Below is a list of civil parishes in Keenaght:[9]

References

  1. 1 2 Logainm - Barony of Keenaght
  2. ↑ Dal Cassian Sept
  3. 1 2 PRONI Baronies of Northern Ireland
  4. 1 2 3 Ireland's History In Maps - Northern Ui Neill
  5. ↑ The Conquest of Ireland - County Londonderry Lands and Families in Northern Ireland, page 388, Rev. George Hill
  6. ↑ Electric Scotland - Mullin
  7. ↑ Bell, Robert; The book of Ulster surnames, page 77. The Black Staff Press, 2003. ISBN 0-85640-602-3
  8. ↑ Ireland's History In maps - Baronies
  9. ↑ Map of the baronies and civil parishes of County Londonderry

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