A Short and incomplete story of the MacGonaguls
The McGonigle name was extremely rare in Ireland except in the
Inishowen Peninsula in county Donegal. They are also common in
Tyrone, Galway and , to some extent, Sligo county. The name KING
is also common in these areas however, KING is not a rare name
in Ireland. Nothing can be known about the King family at this
point because there were dozens of clans who took the name KING.
Some were not notable, some were heriditary bards and some were
involved in scribing religious manuscripts such as the Book of
Kells.
This information was compiled from different sources and many of
the old Irish words and names are misspelt. Almost all of the names
have multiple spellings varying from manuscript to manuscript with
sometimes as many as 4 or 5 variations.
‘MacGonigal' is derived from the gaelic ‘Mac Congail' or ‘son of
Congail'. This Congail was Congail Gulban, son of Ard Ri Niall.
He was the high King of Ireland at the time that Saint Patrick
was taken prisoner and enslaved in northern Ireland. Congail's
name also means ‘fierce as the wolf' which might reflect his
character. Not very much in the way of folklore surrounds
Congail but his father was legendary. His tag line was ‘of the
Nine Hostages' because he was behind many raids on Britain and
France at the time.
This history is the history of the "Generations of the most
Valorous one" , the history of the families: Mc/Mac Gonigle,
Gonegle, Gonagle, Gonigal, Gonegal, Gonagal, Gonigul, Gonegul,
Gonagul, Garringle. Gunnigle, Carnicle, Conway, Conwey, Convey,
Conwell, Monigle.
Legends and stories about the family:
Gallamh: The sons of Gallamh defeat the Danaans in Ireland, but
the people of Dana do not withdraw. By their magic art they cast
over themselves a veil of invisibility, which they can put on or
off as they chose. There are two Irelands henceforward, the
spiritual and the earthly.
The people of Gallamh are guided by the druid Amerigin, an
embodiment of the idea of poetry and thought. Gallamh married
Scotia, daughter of Pharaoh Nectonibus of Egypt and sister of
King Solomon's Queen. Scotia came to Ireland with her sons and
was fighting the Tuatha De Danaan in the present day parish of
Arnagh in co. Kerry, Ireland in the year 1699 BC. Scotia, after
whom the people of Ireland were know as Scots until the 16th
century AD., also gave her name to Scotland when her remote
descendants settled in Alba in the 5th century AD. Scotia was
buried in co. Kerry.
Heremon: Heremon and his brother were to divide Ireland, his
brother Eber was not happy with this situation. War broke out
and Eber was slain, Heremon became sole king of Ireland and
ruled from Tara.
Tighernmas: Introduced the worship of Crom Cruach which involved
the sacrifice of children for fair weather and fertility. Three
fourths of his people died through this.
He also found the first gold mine in Ireland and introduced a
variety of social colours into the society. A slave might wear
one Collor, a peasant two, etc...
Nuadhat Finn Fail: He was the Lyrurus of Ireland, giving to the
country a code of legislation, and also subdividing it, under
the High King at Tara, among the provincial chiefs. Also
introduced the great triennial fair or festival at Tara, where
Kings, sub-kings, bards, historians and musicians came to Tara
from all parts of Ireland to make up genealogical records, enact
laws, hear disputed cases etc..., surrounded by celebrating
feasts. He is supposed to be buried in the great tumulus at
Loughcrew in Westmeath.
Ugaine Mor: "the Great" Married Kesair Cruithach, dau. King of
France. He ruled a great part of western Europe.
Eochy Foltleathan: "of the Long Hair". Eochy only had his hair
cut once a years, and the man who did it was chosen by lot and
killed afterwards. The reason he did this was that he had big
ears as long as horse's, and he did not want his deformity
known. Once through, the lot fell upon the only son of a poor
old widow who convinced the King not to kill her son. He had to
swear upon the wind and sun that he would tell no person. But
the secret was so intense upon the man that he became intensely
sick and near death. A wise druid was called to heal the man and
he said: "It is the secret that is killing him, he will never be
well until he reveals it." So the druid instructed the man to
tell the secret to a willow tree. The man told the tree the
secret and felt as good as new. Later a harpist named Craftiny
broke his harp and built a new one out of that same willow tree.
At a performance at the king's hall, these words came out of the
harp: "Two horses's ears hath Eochy of the Long Hair." And with
his secret known no man was ever put to death on account of the
King' s misery.
Fiacha "of the white oxen": Fiacha founded the Fianna, who were
a band of warriors who guarded the High King of Ireland. There
were about twenty-five battalions. They were a military elite,
and some scholars believe that they are the basis of the
Arthurian legends. There is an entire mythological cycle
concerning them.
Eochu Mugmedon: Earned his nickname "Slave Lords" from his raids
on Roman Britian, in one of which he carried off and married a
princess of the ancient Britons called Carina, by who he had a
son.
Niall "of the nine hostages": Niall of the Nine Hostages was the
greatest king that Ireland knew between the time of Cormac
MacArt. and the coming of Patrick. His reign was epochal
life not only ruled Ireland greatly and strongly, but carded the
name and the fame, and the power and the fear, of Ireland into
all neighbouring nations. He was, moreover, founder of the
longest, most important, and most powerful Irish dynasty. Almost
without interruption his descendants were Ard Righs of Ireland
for 600 years. and-grow, ever mounting higher and spreading
farther, year by year, for three-hundred years.
Niall was grandson of Muiredeach Tireach. His father Eochaid Mug
Medon, son of Muiredeach, became Ardrich midway of the fourth
century By his wife, Cartbann daughter of a British king,
Eochaid had the son Niall. By another wife,-Mong Fionn, daughter
of the-King of Munster, Eochaid had four sons, Brian, Fiachar,
Ailill, and Fergus. Mong Fionn was a bitter jealous and
ambitious woman, who set her heart upon having her son, Brian,
succeed his father as Ard Righ. As Niall was-his father's
favourite, Mong Fionn did not rest until She had outcast him and
his mother Carthan, and made Canhann her menial, carrying water
to the court. The child was rescued by a great poet of that
time, Torna, who reared and educated him. When he had reached
budding manhood, Torna brought him back to court to take his
rightful place much to his father's joy. Then NiaIl, showing
great strength of character, even in his early youth, took his
mother from her menial task, and-restored her to her place. Of
Niall's youth there are many legends but one in particular shows
the working of his destiny. One day, the five brothers being
in the smith's forge when it took fire, they were commanded to
run and save what they could. Their father, who was looking on
(and who, say some, designedly caused the fire, to test his
sons), observed with interest Neill's distinctiveness of
character, his good sense and good judgement. While Brian saved
the chariots from the fire, Ailill a shield and a sword, Fiachra
the old forge trough, and Fergus only a bundle of .firewood,
Niall carried out-the-bellows, the sledges, the anvil, and anvil
block saved the soul of the forge, and saved the. smith from
ruin. Then his father said "It is Niall who should succeed me as
Ard Righ ofEirinn.
Another story is called the Kiss of Sovereignty. Niall was on a
hunting trip with his four brothers. One of the brothers went to
water from a spring and there met a hideous hag who demanded a
kiss; the boy ran away. The same thing happened to each brother
in turn until Niall went to the spring. He kissed the old crone
and one thing led to another. The old hag turned into a
radiantly beautiful woman, who told Niall that she was the
Sovereignty of Ireland. Her ugliness was a sign that it was not
easy to attain the kingship which he had just won.
Conn "of the hundred battles":
Conn's reign was full of battles, his strenuous militancy and
suggestive title made him famed beyond worthier men. Conn's life
was ended by his assassination at Tara by fifty robbers hired by
the King of Ulster dressed as women.
In an Irish legend called Baile in Scail it tells of how Conn of
the hundred battles discovered a marvellous stone, the Lia Fail
which shrieked to signify the number of his descendants who
would be kings. Conn lost his way in a mist and, guided by a
rider, arrived at a castle in the Other world. There he met the
lord of the castle (who was in fact the god Lugh) and beside him
a beautiful girl. She sat on a throne of crystal and had beside
her a silver vat which never ran dry to ale, a golden cup and
another vessel of gold from which she gave Conn a generous
helping of meat. Then she filled the golden cup and asked; "to
whom shall this cup be given?" to which Lugh replied: "serve it
to Conn of the hundred battles" As the girl repeatedly refilled
Conn's cup she asked the same question and Lugh named in turn
each of the kings who would be descended from Conn. Finally,
Lugh, the girl and the castle all disappeared, leaving Conn with
the golden vessels.
Lineage Chart: This chart was compiled from records kept by the
Irish monastic institutions. I can get a copy of the details
in their original medieval, archaic Irish but I don't think
it would be very useful!
Note: Asterisks beside names indicate that the name is mentioned
in other sections. An @ sign indicates that the individual was a
high king. Numbers other than dates indicates the ruling number
of the Ardrighs (High Kings). + signs show marriages.
NAME CIRCA ADDITIONAL
Noah d: in 2948-1998 + Titea
Japhet d: in 1846 BC (legend to Niall Mor about ancestry, then recorded)
Magog
Baoth
Fenius "the Antiquary" King of Scythia
Niul +Scota dau. Pharao Cingris, King of egypt
Gael or Gaodhal Glas
Asruth - Heber Scot - Beman or Beouman - Ogaman - Tait - Agnon - Lamhflonn -Heber Glunflonn - Agnon Fionn - Febric Glas - Nenal -Nuadhat - Alladh - Dea - Brath - Breogan - Billius -
Gallamh d: in 1698 BC (means: "Foreign hand") or "Milesius" (meaning " warrior")*King of Spain
Heremon or h-Éremón ruled from 1015 d: in 1285 BC * @ + Tea dau. Lewy son of Ith
Muimne
Luigni
Laigne
Laigne
Irial Faidh or Iarél d: in 1680 BC * @
Ethrial or Ethrél d: in 1670 BC * @
Follac or Falach
Tighearnmas or Tighernmas d: in 1543 BC * @
Eiobiothad or Eanbrotha
Simorgoill or Smiorgall
Fiachadh Lamraein or Flacha Labhrian or Fiachu Labrinne d: in 1472 BC @
Aengus Olmuehada or Aongus Ollmuchach or Óengus Ólmuccaid * @
Maen or Maoin
Roitheachtaigh or Rotheachta or Rothechtaid d: in 1382 BC * @
Deman
Dian or Dien
Sirna or Sírna or Siorna Saghalach d: in 1130 BC * @
Olioll Olchain or Olioll Olchaoin "Pince of Ireland"
Gillacaich or Gilallchadh or Giallchad d: in 1013 BC 37th@
Nuadhas Fionnfail or Nuadhat Finn Fail or Nuado Find Fáil d: in 1001 BC -961 BC * 39th@
Nuadha Fionnfail d: in 961 BC
Aedham Glas
Simeon Breach or Simon Breac or Símón Brecc d: in 909 BC 44th@
Murchad Bolgrach or Muredach Bolgach or Muiredach Balccrig d: in 893 BC 46th@
Fiacha Tolgrach or Fiachadh Tolgrach d: in 893 BC 55th@
Duach Ladrach or Duach Laigrach @
Eochy Buadach or Eochaid Buidhaigh or Eochu Fidmuine
Ugaine Mor or Úgaine Már d: in 747 BC * 66th@
Cobthach Caol Breagh or Cobthach Cóel Breg69th@
Melghe Molbthach or Melog Molghthach or Meilge m. Cobthaig d: in 522 BC 71st@
Iarn Gleo Fhathach or Irereo or h-Irero74th@
Conly caem or Conla Cáem d: in 442 BC 77th@
Olioll "of the Crooked teeth" Caishiaclach or Ailill Casfiaclach*@
Eochadh "of the Long hair" Foltleathan or Eochu Altlethan* @
Aengus Tuirmeach ot Aongus Turmeach- Teamrach or Óengus Turbech 81st @ d: murdered at Tara 324 BC
Enna "the hospitable" or Enda Agneach or Énna Airgdech d: in 312 BC 84th@
Lavra "the fierce"
Beotact
Blatact
Esamon "of Emainia" or Asaman Eamhnadh
Riognen "the red" or Rioghean Rudah
Finn Finlogha or Fionnloach
Fionn +Benta
Eochadh Feidlioch d: at Tara @
Lewy "of the red circles" or Lugaidh Sriabhn Dearg d: in 142 BC 98th@ +Cloth Fionn
Criffan or Crimthann or Crimthann Coscrach d: in the time of Christ's birth 100th@
+Mar Tath Chabob
Feredac "the just" or Feredach or Feradach Find Fechtnach 102nd@ and King of Scotland?
Fiacha "of the white oxen" or Fiatach Find d: in 37 * 104th@
+Eighne
Tuathal or Tuathal teachdmar or Tuathal Techtmar d: in 76?? 106th@
+Baine
Felim "The Lawgiver" or Feideilmid Rechtaid d: in 110 108th@
Conn "of the Hundred Battles"or Conn Cétchathach d: in 123* 110th@ +Eithue
Art "the Lonely" or Art Ean Fhear or Artt Óenfer d: in 226 112th@
+Eachtach
Cormac Mac Art or Cormac Ulata d: (254-277AD) in 226 converted to Christianity 246 115th@
+Eithue Ollamhda dau. Dunlang, King of Munster
Carbry "of the Leffey" Caibre Liffechar or Caipre Liphechair d: 285 killed by the Fiana 117th@
Fiachea Srabhteine or Fiachu Sraiptine d: in 285 120th@
Murdeach Tireach or Muiredach Tírech d: in 326 King of Connaught, 122nd@
+Muirion
Eochy Moyvone or Eochiad Muigh-Medon or Eochu Mugmedón "Slave Lords" d: in 357 124th@ +Inne
Niall Noigiallach 125th@ d: in 378 b: in
Conall Gulban, d: 465 King of Tir Conaill ( co. Donegal, Ireland )Ancestor of the MacGonagul's and the Cinné Conail. Conall's brother Owen began the Cinné Eoghan and from this family and the Cinné Conail came Saint Columba (or Colmcille)
On some island I long to be,
a rocky promontory, looking on
the coiling surface of the sea.
To see waves, crest on crest
of the great shining ocean, composing
a hymn to the creator, without rest.
To see without sadness the strand
lined with bright shells, and birds
lamenting overhead, a lonely sound.
To hear the whisper of small waves
against the rocks, that endless sea-
sound, like keening over graves.
To watch the sea-birds sailing
in flocks, and most marvellous
of monsters, the turning whale.
To see the shift from ebbtide
to flood and tell my secret name:
‘He who set his back on Ireland.'
Clamour of the wind making music
in the elms:
Gurgle of the startled blackbird
clapping its wings.
I have lost the three settled places
I loved best:
Durrow, Derry's ledge of angels,
my native parish.
I have loved the land of Ireland
almost beyond speech;
to sleep at Comgall's, to visit Canice,
it would be pleasant!
-Colmcille