Connacht encyclopedia topics

The name

In Irish the province is usually Cúige Chonnacht i.e. the province (literally, fifth) of Connacht. An alternative anglicised spelling which was officially used before Irish disunification is Connaught.

Irish language

The Irish language is spoken in the Gaeltacht areas of west Mayo and west Galway, the largest being in Cois Fharraige (Irish meaning 'by the sea'), and parts of Connemara, both in Galway.

Geography

The highest point of Connacht is Mweelrea (814 m), in Mayo. The largest island in Connacht is Achill, also the largest island of Ireland. The biggest lake is Lough Corrib.

The largest urban area, and only city, in Connacht is Galway with a population of 72,414 in the city proper. The largest towns are Sligo (pop. 19,402), Castlebar (pop. 11,891) and Ballina (pop. 10,409).

Mythical history

In Irish mythology up to the early historic era, Connacht it was known as Cóiced Ol nEchmacht. It is said that the tribe of the Fir Bolg ruled all of Ireland right before the Tuatha Dé Danann arrived. When the latter arrived in Ireland (which the Fir Bolg called Ériu) and demanded land, the Fir Bolg king refused. When the Fir Bolg were defeated, the Tuatha Dé Danann were so touched by the courage of their enemy that they would give them a quarter of Ireland. They chose Connaught.

History

A long established provincial kingdom, Connacht held the primacy of Ireland under Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair when the island was invaded by the Cambro-Normans of Henry II of England after 1167. Under the Treaty of Windsor (1175) he conceded half of the island to the Normans, and Connacht then became a tributary kingdom.

After earlier attempts, such as that in 1188 by John de Courcy, a Norman knight who had invaded Ulster in 1177, were repulsed , finally in 1225 it was invaded, divided and colonised by the Normans. The Hiberno-Norman De Burgh, or Burke dynasty established themselves as the dominant kinship group in the centuries after the conquest.

The remnant of the O'Conor family maintained the title of King of Connacht during the Middle Ages with kings inaugurated officially up until the late 17th century. The ruling O'Conor Don family have survived until the present day. The "Republic of Connaught" had a brief existence in 1798 with French military support.

Politics

Connacht-Ulster was one of Ireland's four regional constituencies for elections to the European Parliament until it was superseded in 2004 by the new constituency of Ireland North West.