In medieval
Ireland, the kings of Mide were of the
Clann Cholmáin, a branch of the
Uí Néill. Several were
High Kings of Ireland. After the collapse of the kingdom in the 12th century its dynasty, the Ua Mael Sechlainn or Ó Melaghlins, were forced west and settled on the east bank of the
Shannon. Bearers of the name were still noted as among the
Gaelic nobility until as late as the 1690s, though they had lost any real power long before.
The
Kingdom of Mide itself seems to have existed as a kingdom (though of varying sizes) since at least the early historic era. Its name means "middle", denoting the fact that it was situated in the very centre of Ireland in what is now
County Westmeath, parts of north
County Offaly, south
County Longford and western
County Meath. Its early kings may have been of the
Dál Messin Corb - whose sept, the
Uí Garrchon, were
Kings of Leinster. However, from the late 400's onwards they were driven away from their original homeland in northern Leinster and over the
Wicklow Mountains by the
Ui Néill, whose sept, the
Clann Cholmáin, took their place.
In medieval
Ireland, the kings of Mide were of the
Clann Cholmáin, a branch of the
Uí Néill. Several were
High Kings of Ireland. After the collapse of the kingdom in the 12th century its dynasty, the Ua Mael Sechlainn or Ó Melaghlins, were forced west and settled on the east bank of the
Shannon. Bearers of the name were still noted as among the
Gaelic nobility until as late as the 1690s, though they had lost any real power long before.
The
Kingdom of Mide itself seems to have existed as a kingdom (though of varying sizes) since at least the early historic era. Its name means "middle", denoting the fact that it was situated in the very centre of Ireland in what is now
County Westmeath, parts of north
County Offaly, south
County Longford and western
County Meath. Its early kings may have been of the
Dál Messin Corb - whose sept, the
Uí Garrchon, were
Kings of Leinster. However, from the late 400's onwards they were driven away from their original homeland in northern Leinster and over the
Wicklow Mountains by the
Ui Néill, whose sept, the
Clann Cholmáin, took their place.