I've been looking all over Africa and I couldn't find anybody, so I ended up here. But now I wouldnt. who were then given the title of Princes of Donegal. Using genetics it is possible to trace Nialls DNA and measure his legacy in terms of how many descendants he left. In a survey of Y-chromosomes of Irish men, Prof Dan Bradley of Trinity College Dublin showed a small number of Y-chromosome types predominate in Ireland. Tradition tells us that the story behind the name states the clan are descendants of King Niall of the Nine Hostages, who's descendants landed in Barra and founded the Clan MacNeil of Barra. A renewed interest in the area, which has been fueled by the discovery of Viking remains and the blood of the high king, could lead to new archaeological discoveries. Niall of the Nine Hostages, whose dynasty dominated Ireland between the 5th and 10th Centuries, got his name from taking hostages as a strategy against his opponent chieftains. DNA swabs taken from Barra MacNeils as far away as Canada and Australia have proved that the blood of fierce Norse raiders runs through their veins. by Edward MacLysaght (my grandfather) provides genealogical origins and grouping of surnames. The leading sept were of the Southern U Nill, i.e. The ancient city of Eleusis in Greece was the site of one of the most mysterious and revered religious rites of ancient Greece, the Eleusinian Mysteries. But what of the Vikings? The primary known DNA stream is through the research of 23andMe. Ironically, James Crowley, whose name in Gaelic means "hardy warrior," is also descended from the same line as Gates, having very close links to Niall of the Nine Hostages. He dressed her in purple robes and placed her on a high seat. . There is a large community of M222 men and a very interesting "family tree" of sorts is emerging as these men get into Y-DNA testing . In the 6th century, descendants of Niall, ruling at Tara in northern Leinster, were claiming to be overkings. However, the analysis showed the contrary. Just one grandparent can lead you to many Modern day County Tyrone shares both its name and much of its territory. Does anyone know anything more about this - like how would one know if one is descended from him? Although his primary interest is in the ancient civilizations of the Near East, he is also interested in other geographical regions, as well as other time periods. Read More. Understanding the Mysterious Kingdom of Shambhala, The Green Children of Woolpit: Legendary Visitors from Another World, The Legendary Emerald Tablet and its Secrets of the Universe, The Curious Apparitions of Pagan Goddesses to the German Knights Templar, Neanderthal-Human Sex Caused a Million Covid Deaths, Theyre Alive! Sacred Marvels: 17 Cathedrals That Will Take Your Breath Away, In Pictures, Egyptologists Reveal a Lost Chamber in the Great Pyramid With Cosmic Rays, In Search of the Fabled 1,000-ft White Pyramid of Xian in China, The Red Taj Mahal and the Dutch Hessings of India, The Truth Behind the Christ Myth: Ancient Origins of the Often Used Legend Part I, Library in Stone: The Ica Stones of Professor Cabrera Part I, Two Sides to Every Story: The North American Martyrs Shrines and Indigenous/ Roman Catholic Relations, The Origins of the Faeries: Encoded in our Cultures Part I, Curse of the Buried Pearl: The Hunt for Ancient Treasures Part I, The Enigma of the Shugborough Inscription. [4] Moore (2006)[5] states that: Have you taken a DNA test? Another version of the story states that Saint Patrick was one of Nialls hostages. The Iliad can provide new insights on the role of motherhood among the ancient Greek gods, and by extension, amongst ancient mortal Greek women themselves. The ONeill Clan lived in the province of Ulster around the town of Dungannon. Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours. In particular, one of these Y-chromosomes is very common in the northwest, being found in about one in five men there. His mother appears to have had much influence over his elderly father which helped Niall gain supremacy over his elder half brothers from Connacht. The Picts tired of Nialls' ways and attacked the small Lirsh colony of Dalriada, which is now Scotland. Why are womens bodies under attack from autoimmune diseases? A team of geneticists at Trinity College led by professor Dan Bradley have discovered that as many as 3 million men worldwide may be descendents of the Irish warlord, who was the Irish "High King" at Tara, the ancient center of Ireland from A.D. 379 to A.D. 405. That slave would later escape, and go to become Ireland's patron saint, St. Patrick. The 24 values of the Smith family STR profile matched best with the STR profile of Niall of the Nine Hostages a major figure in Irish genealogy who had fourteen sons. This genetic evidence gives independent support for the authenticity of historical and genealogical records. ", When the genealogist tells him he does indeed have Irish links, Gates says, "I find this oddly moving. His campaign brought him as far as the Alps and the Romans sent an ambassador to negotiate for peace. High King Niall was a prolific ruler for many reasons; the first being his penchant for taking hostages from other kingdoms and most famously being St Patrick. There was a story in the news today about "Niall of the Nine Hostages" - an ancient Irish Warlord. In the West it has been often shortened to Geoghan and even Gegan. Niall of the Nine Hostages (c.370 450 a.d) Irelands great King with millions of decendants. He was buried by Saint Caillin at Fenagh, Co.Leitrim. He was apparently very close to his brother Egan mac Nill who died of grief over his brother's death the next year. 8. Niall Nogallach mac Eochaid (abt.0360-0452), Ancient History Encyclopedia - Ancient Ireland, Irish Pedigrees or the Origin and Stem of the Irish Nation, what, when, how: UI NEILL, SOUTHERN (Medieval Ireland), what, when, how: UI NEILL, NORTHERN (Medieval Ireland), Genealogical tables of medieval Irish royal dynasties Table-6, https://familysearch.org/search/catalog/239856?availability=Family%20History%20Library, http://www.thepeerage.com/p11402.htm#i114018, What is Category Day-1904 Recommend PPP Removal. Inspired by his FamilyTreeDNA test results linking him to Niall, author Lance MacNeill embarked upon months of research to uncover the legend of King Niall. Mooney is a family name, which is probably predominantly derived from the Irish Maonaigh, pronounced Om-weeneey. The Y-chromosomes of Irish men with Norse surnames group closely with Irish Y-chromosomes. Video Software we use: https://amzn.to/2KpdCQFAd-free videos.You can support us by purchasing something through our Amazon-Url, thanks :)Niall Nogallach , . MacNeils raided the seas from their base at Kisimul Castle in Birlinn vessels - boats similar to the Viking longships. This geographic area coincides with the ancestral seat of the U Nill family. Around the world, over 3 million people could well be descendants of the Irish warlord, Niall of the Nine Hostages. . He also had seven other sons with his second wife, Roighnech. Genetic evidence accords with historical and genealogical records, which say that O'Briens and Kennedys are close relatives belonging to this clan. WIKITREE PROTECTS MOST SENSITIVE INFORMATION BUT ONLY TO THE EXTENT STATED IN THE TERMS OF SERVICE AND PRIVACY POLICY. Cairenn did not return for her child, nor did anyone dare to pick it up, for fear of the queen. But his mother, terrified that Eochaid's jealous first wife Mongfind would kill the baby. It's where Niall of the Nine Hostages ruled from in the late 4th and early 5th centuries since, according to tradition and myth, it was the seat of rd R na hireann, or the High King of . He is known in folklore as a raider of the British and . The U Nill dynasty dominated Irish politics for centuries and was involved in many of the countrys most famous battles, such as the Battle of Clontarf in 1014. Niall Nogallach (Old Irish for "having nine hostages"),[1] or in English, Niall of the Nine Hostages, was a prehistoric Irish king, the ancestor of the U Nill dynasties that dominated the northern half of Ireland from the 6th to the 10th century. Myth has it that he was descended by an unknown number of generations from Conn Cadcathlach aka Conn of the Hundred Battles, who may have lived in the middle of the 2nd century and was reputedly the first high king of Ireland. For centuries the MacNeil clan based on the Hebridean island of Barra have proudly claimed to be descendants of Ireland's "greatest" King, Niall of the Nine Hostages. He is known in folklore as a raider of the British and French coasts. But centuries ago, the land that is now the United States was a very different place What is the origin of the legend of the Christed Son who was born of a virgin on December 25th? I've taken the full load at family tree dna including BIG Y but no Niall Of The Nine Hostages and you know they put it . Free shipping for many products! According to the legend, Niall had 12 sons, many of which were rulers after Niall's death. "We don't have one participant from Barra that matches the O'Neills of Ireland. Apparently 1 in 12 living Irishmen could be descended from him. The dynasty was succeeded by the ODonnell dynasty, another powerful family of kings who ruled the Kingdom of Tyrconnell in northwest Ireland. By the age of 10, most children in the United States have been taught all 50 states that make up the country. Our open community is dedicated to digging into the origins of our species on planet earth, and question wherever the discoveries might take us. According to legend, he was descended from Conn of the Hundred Battles, who was reputed to be the first High King of Ireland in the 2nd century. Also list all the Irish Kings back to Heber Scot ect back to Noah ect back to Adam This Book is a digital copy of Irish pedigrees; or, The origin and stem of the Irish nation Published 1892 MacNeil remains the main surname on Barra on the southern tip of the Outer Hebrides with a population of just 1,000. Millions of Irish Americans, especially those in New York, may be directly descended, like Gates, from Niall of the Nine Hostages, the most prolific warrior in Irish history. It is likely that he was a historical figure, though various legends were added to his story by those who wrote about his life. It is also the name of Irish pubs all over the world. Are the Misty Peaks of the Azores Remnants of the Legendary Atlantis? It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times. Giocangga. Son of 'Neill' (champion), this family has an ancient history, dating all the way back to 360 A.D. So the two men who took part in what is now an infamous confrontation outside the Gates home near Harvard this month are actually related through common Irish lineage -- one of the more extraordinary aspects of the incident that has sparked worldwide headlines. Read more about this topic: Niall Of The Nine Hostages, Like to the tree of Tantalus she fled,And seeming lavish, savde her maydenhead.Nere king more sought to keepe his diademe;Than Hero this inestimable gemme.Christopher Marlowe (15641593), Some [adolescent] girls are depressed because they have lost their warm, open relationship with their parents. Each birth order position is like a different part in a play, with distinct and separate characteristics for each part. A Family Forest relationship calculation reveals that King Edward III of England, the subject of the eBook that the DAR is . We have legends and myths that have been passed through generations. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. Often these beautiful works come from historical artifacts, such as the Book of Kells As Greek mythology goes, the universe was once a big soup of nothingness. Y chromosomes that have been traced to a single man living 1,000 years ago 10% of Irish men are descendants of Niall of the Nine Hostages (a warlord during the 5th century) 16th-century Chinese ruler Giocangga has 1 million living male . The Peninsula of Inishowen in Donegal was fought for by the Dochartaigh clan (known modernly as Doherty, Daugherty, Docherty, Dougherty, etc.) Irish annalistic and chronicle sources place his reign in the late 4th and early 5th centuries . And while some people may seem content with the story as it stands, our view is that there existcountless mysteries, scientific anomalies and surprising artifacts thathave yet to be discovered and explained. The U Nill dynasty was a family of kings who ruled the kingdoms of Ailech and Cenl nEgain, two of the five major kingdoms of early medieval Ireland. But one story not told to most Irish elementary schoolchildren was of Niall's prolificacy. They have loved and been loved by people whom they now must betray to fit into peer culture. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for The Irish Empire: The Story of Niall of the Nine Hostages at the best online prices at eBay! heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment. [Online] Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/18/science/if-irish-claim-nobilityscience-may-approve.htmlwww.yourirish.com, 2015. But a check on hundreds of modern day MacNeils has revealed their roots actually lie with the Vikings and not the Irish. In 1807, John Geoghegan of Bunowen Castle, Co. John Geoghegan, Mayor of City of Woodstock, Ontario, Canada, 19942003, This page was last edited on 7 December 2022, at 17:39. Modern scholars, on the other hand, have suggested that Niall actually reigned about half a century later than the sources report. As the number of hostages was nine, Niall earned the epithet of the Nine Hostages. As a result, Niall received the title, Niall of the Nine Hostages. The story of Niall demonstrates the power of faith as well as the strength of the human spirit. Paul McNeil, a 70-year-old clansman, from Washington state, said he was devastated when he got his DNA results. Ne're king more sought to keepe his diademe; Than Hero this inestimable gemme. The chief clans of the northern Ui Neill, whose territory lay in the present counties of Tyrone, Derry, Donegal and the north of Co. Sligo, were Cineal Eoghain, Cineal Conaill and Cineal Cairbre; while those of the southern Ui . Its last de jure native rulers fled abroad in the episode known as the Flight of the Earls but, as with all the major Irish kingships, the line of descent continues into the present day. Irish American Descendants. A Family Forest relationship calculation reveals that King Duncan I of Scotland, the subject of the eBook that the Fisher House is receiving the lion's share of, is a 20th great-grandson of Niall of the Nine Hostages. The Chilling Mystery of the Octavius Ghost Ship, Film Footage Provides Intimate View of HMS Gloucester Shipwreck, Top 8 Legendary Parties - Iconic Celebrations in Ancient History, The Spanish Inquisition: The Truth Behind the Black Legend (Part II), The Spanish Inquisition: The Truth behind the Dark Legend (Part I), Bloodthirsty Buddhists: The Sohei Warrior Monks of Feudal Japan, From Ancient Mystery School to Culture Capital: Eleusis Secret Past is Recognized, Iron Age Comb Made from Human Skull Discovered Near Cambridge, Dizzying Inca Rope Bridges Were Grass-Made Marvels of Engineering, Two Centuries Of Naval Espionage In Europe, What is Shambhala? We are lucky at The Herald. These are recorded in patterns of genetic diversity that provide a window into the past and show the lasting legacy of leading characters such as Niall and Brian Boru. Niall Nogallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages) was an Irish king, the ancestor of the U Nill kindred who dominated Ireland from the 6th century to the 10th century. Victory and valor are associated with the red hand. It was noted that family names associated with the cluster were almost entirely Irish or Scottish. Patrick was born into a well-to-do family . FFE 368-395. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to He said: "I nervously awaited the results, and was emotionally devastated when we received them. Legend has it that it was Niall of the Nine Hostages who, on a raid in Wales, captured a young slave and brought him to Ireland. The IMH was documented in a 2006 Y-chromosome population genetics study. Chieftain Niall of the Nine Hostages is one of the recognized fathers of thousands of the Irish, but hundreds of County Mayo residents were fascinated to learn that there was also a little Viking DNA in their makeup, a fact discovered thanks to the National Geographic. Gates is one of many famous African-Americans with Irish heritage, including President Barack Obama and award-winning author Alice Walker. Niall was supposed to have lived 500 years before the Battle of Clontarf. This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's His descendants were known as the Cenl Conaill. In the past, the journalists job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Readers comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. (ZyMOS/ Public Domain ). A very common Irish surname is ONeill (Ui Neill in Gaelic), meaning descendant son of Niall. The Irish kings first wife was Mongfind and together they had four sons. From there the line is sometimes traced to Niul who was married to the daughter of Pharaoh Cingris. Although there is much disagreement between the various sources, they all agree that Niall died outside of Ireland, and that he was killed by Eochaid, the son of nnae Cennsalach, King of Leinster. Legendary Lia Fil - The Coronation of High Kings in Ancient Ireland, Donegal Castle: Home of the ODonnell Clan, Fort of the Foreigner, Captivating Gaelic Castle, Vandal Strikes at Lia Fil, Irelands Ancient Spiritual Heart, Traces Of Viking Ivar the Boneless Dynasty At Waterford, Ireland, St. Patricks Bell: The Story of an Iconic Irish Artifact, The Difference Between Lager and Ale Found in Irish Soil, Why the Ardagh Chalice Is An Irish National Treasure. But rather, many traced their line back to a 5th-century Irish ruler named, dauntingly, Niall of the Nine Hostages. Oral history is wonderful and often there is truth in it. Photograph: Eric Luke. [Online] Available at: https://www.yourirish.com/history/ancient/niall-of-nine-hostages, Wu Mingren (Dhwty) has a Bachelor of Arts in Ancient History and Archaeology. . He was the son of Niall Nogiallach.[1]. The King, who died in 405AD, was the founder of the longest and most powerful Irish royal dynasty and known by some as the greatest king that Ireland ever knew. King Niall, who died in 405 AD, was the founder of the longest and one of the most powerful Irish royal dynasties. This suggests that, despite their influence in establishing urban settlements, Vikings didnt leave a dominant genetic legacy. By extrapolating the data, the researchers estimated that there are two or three million men in the world today with the same Y-chromosome. If the tree is straight it need not fear casting a crooked shadow.Chinese proverb. In the next instance, however, Niall was in Scotland before an assembly of Pictish bards, where he was killed by an arrow fired from across the valley by Eochaid. The U Nill dynasty was a family of kings who ruled the kingdoms of Ailech and Cenl nEgain, two of the five major kingdoms of early medieval Ireland. Survey Shows About Half of Brits Wish They Were Descended from Vikingsand Many Probably Are! Its respective royal dynasties, the Kings of Tir Connaill and the Kings of Tr Egain. We may share certain information about our users with our advertising and analytics partners. Were theonlyPop Archaeology site combining scientific research with out-of-the-box perspectives. Carbon food labelling: Could it nudge us in the right direction? Three million people in the world are descended from one Irish High King. Niall of the Nine Hostages Castle is where you'll find him. We seek to retell the story of our beginnings. Two types of DNA markers are used by genealogists to trace family lineage: mtDNA markers and Y-DNA short tandem repeat markers. contact the editor here. The U Nill dynasties, which dominated the northern part of Ireland between the 6thand 10thcenturies, claim descent from him. His father was Eochaid Mugmedn, of the line of Erimhon, one of the sons of Esbain who it is said took Ireland from the Tuatha de Danann. [Online] Available at: http://curiousireland.ie/niall-of-the-9-hostages-c-370-450/IrishCentralStaff, 2017. Niall of the Nine Hostages received his name from the taking of hostages as a strategy for playing mental havoc upon his opponent chieftains. Its last de jure native rulers fled abroad in the episode known as the Flight of the Earls but, as with all the major Irish kingships, the line of descent continues into the present day. Supposedly slain in the English Channel or in Scotland, his descendants were the most powerful rulers of Ireland until the 11th century. The story of Niall of the Nine Hostages is already the stuff of legend, which has been passed on to countless Irish schoolchildren over the years. All times are GMT-6. The prehistoric yeast used in Europes first lagers has been discovered in Ireland. Early Origins of the Mangan family. Could this be the genetic trace of Niall of the Nine Hostages? A coat of arms with the motto The Red Hand of Ireland represents Irish pride. U Niall. In Irish it is Mag Eochagin, from "Eochaidh," a popular medieval Irish and Scottish Gaelic name deriving from Old Irish ech, meaning "horse." Nialls story becomes rather confusing towards the end. The genetic evidence matches the historical story. Irish annalistic and chronicle sources place his reign in the late 4th and early 5th centuries . NiallNogallach or Niall of the Nine Hostages in English, was an Irish king believed to have lived during the 4th/ 5thcentury. Supposedly slain in the English Channel or in Scotland, his descendants were the most powerful rulers of Ireland until the 11th century. Crimthann mac Fidaig. [4]:222232, His son Fiachu mac Nill is said to be the ancestor of the Cenl Fiachach, a clan which included several well known sub-clans or septs such as Geoghegan and O'Higgins, whose lands extended from Birr to Uisnech in southern Westmeath and part of north Offaly and their southern territory became known as Fir Cell (land of the churches), and later the Barony of Moycashel. From these individuals came the tribes of Cenl Eghain and Cenl Conaill who established . The Cenl nEgain, descended from his brother Eoghan, became the other premier U Nill sept in the North. The researchers also found that as many as one in 12 men in Ireland have the same DNA as the Irish king -- and in Ireland's northwest, that figure rises to one in five. Enter a grandparent's name. Wherever the Irish settled, also live Niall's posterity. When Tigernach, the pagan king of Ulster, captured Saint Patrick, Niall was so enraged that he took Succat as one of his own captives. The dynasty was founded by Niall of the Nine Hostages, who . Niall Nogallach, Niall of the Nine Hostages may be mythological. They were one of the 'Four Tribes of Tara'. who were then given the title of Princes of Donegal. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA. Mongfind tried to ensure that one of her sons would be heir to the throne, but she failed to do so, and Niall eventually succeeded his father as king. "If you look at the history of the Clan MacNeils we are probably of Norse descent. Niall of the Nine Hostages. Consider helping the NIALL Project, a DNA descendants group related to Niall Noigiallach, "Niall of the Nine Hostages, a prehistoric Irish King, 368-411. In a PBS series on African-American ancestry that he hosted in 2008, Gates discovered his Irish roots when he found he was descended from an Irish immigrant and a slave girl. He is presumed by some to have been a real person, or at the very least semi-historical but most of the information about him that has come down to us is regarded as legendary. M > mac Eochaid > Niall Nogallach mac Eochaid, Categories: Irish History, High Kings of Ireland | Irish History, Kingdom of Breifne | Irish History, Kingdom of U Nill | U Nill | Medieval Project, Ireland, needs Annals | Medieval Project, Ireland, needs biography | 4th Century | 5th Century | Irish Eponym Names | O'Neill Dynasty | O'Neill Name Study | Irish Roots, WIKITREE HOME | ABOUT | G2G FORUM | HELP | SEARCH. My haplogroup was r-L21 & still is r-L21 but 10,000 years ago says r-m269 also r-L21 both, also it states that I share a paternal line ancestor with Niall Of The Nine Hostages which was not there before. [2] King Conall Gulban was murdered by the Masraige at Magh Slcht (Co.Cavan) in 464. There have been several notable Geoghegans including: The book Irish Pedigrees: Or, The Origin and Stem of the Irish Nation by John O'Hart[8] lists the direct lineage from Niall of the Nine Hostages to the ancestors of the modern day Geoghegans and Gahagans. Niall of the Nine Hostages, whose dynasty was ruling Ireland between the 5th and 10th Centuries, got his attribute because he used to take hostages as a strategy against his opponents. The Irish annals and chronicles date NiallNogallachs reign to between the late 4thand early 5thcenturies. I'm here to find my roots. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. Fermanagh County Museum, Enniskillen Castle. By logging into your account, you agree to our. Aoife McLysaght is a professor in Also, whereas in other countries names reflect professions or townlands, Irish surnames refer to ancestors. Niall Nogallach (pronounced [nil noilx]; Old Irish "having nine hostages"), or Niall of the Nine Hostages, was a semi-mythical Irish king who was the ancestor of the U Nill or O'Cuinn dynasties that dominated the northern half of Ireland, reigning from the 6th to the 10th centuries. Although Niall of the Nine Hostages may not be a historical personage, the U Nill clan was clearly dominant. Also known as Niall . [5] His son Tathal established a northern branch and his son athnemgenn a southern branch. The initial "G" of Geoghegan comes from the prefix Mag, a variant of Mac and the anglicised form Mageoghegan or McGeoghegan was formerly much used. MSN | Outlook, Office, Skype, Bing, Breaking News, and Latest Videos, http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060117/sc_nm/science_ireland_dc, http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/stectid=10363541, If this is your first visit, be sure to Read more about this topic: Niall Of The Nine Hostages, Being in a family is like being in a play. Got an email from 23&me saying my paternal haplogroup had been updated. But a check on hundreds of . [Online] Available at: http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Niall_of_the_Nine_HostagesWade, N., 2006. Geni requires JavaScript! Niall Nogallach or Niall of the Nine Hostages in English, was an Irish king believed to have lived during the 4th / 5th century. Son of Niall of the Nine Hostages, King of the Connachta and Inne ingen Lugaid His by-name Gulban derives from Benn Ghulbain in County Sligo, from which center the sons of Niall set out upon their conquest of the North. The U Nill clan trace their origins to the perhaps mythical Niall of the Nine Hostages. ), Learn how and when to remove this template message, "The Death of Niall of the Nine Hostages", "Geoghegan Family Society Family History Page", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Geoghegan&oldid=1126124187, Articles needing additional references from February 2008, All articles needing additional references, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, John Geoghegan (b. Derived from forename Domhnall, an ancient and powerful family kings and princes and lords of Tyrconnell in Co. Donegal, allies and rivals of the O'Neills. their invasion, took the throne for himself, and fathered a line of kings of Ireland that include Malachi II, and King Niall of the Nine Hostages. King_of_Ailech, The Ui Neill were descended from Niall Nogallach (better known as Niall of the Nine Hostages) who, as his name indicates, was a powerful enough king to have held one hostage each from the five provinces of Ireland and one each from the Britons, the Franks, the Saxons, and the Scots.[1].