View source for Aidhne

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{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Use Irish English|date=June 2020}}
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'''Aidhne''' ({{IPA|ga|ˈəinʲə|lang}} {{respell|EYE|nə}}), also known as '''Uí Fhiachrach Aidhni''', '''Mag nAidni''', later '''Maigh Aidhne''' ("Plain (of) Aidhne"), was the territory of the [[Uí Fhiachrach Aidhni]], a túath (tribal kingdom) located in the south of what is now [[County Galway]] in the south of Connacht, [[Ireland]].  (Aidhne is nominative case, Aidhni genitive). Aidhne is coextensive with the present diocese of [[Kilmacduagh]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Connellan|first=Owen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sCcMTLtcJIEC&dq=Aidhne&pg=PA36|title=The Proceedings of the Great Bardic Institution|date=1860|publisher=Johnson Reprint Corporation|language=en}}</ref>

== Borders ==
The territory of Aidhne is bounded on the west by Loch Lurgan (Galway Bay) and the [[barony of Burren]] in County Clare in the province of Munster. County Clare also bounds Aidhne on its south and south-east side. Aidhne is bounded on the east by the low mountains of Sliabh Echtghe / Slieve Aughty (modern Sliabh Eachtaí), which separate Uí Fhiachrach Aidhni from the territory of Uí Maine (modern Uí Mhaine) in eastern County Galway. On the north-east Aidhne is bounded by the plains of Uí Mhaine and on the north by Mag Mucruime (modern Má Mucraimhe, the area around Athenry). On the north-west Aidhne is bounded by the parish of Mearaí (earlier Medraige, Meadhraighe) / Maree (Ballynacourty, Baile na Cúirte) which is in the territory of [[Uí Briúin|Uí Briúin Seola]] (modern Uí Bhriain Seola).

== History and folklore ==
In placename lore the kingdom took its name from the mythological Aidhne, one of the ten daughters of [[Partholón]] by his wife Delgnat. Aidhne was married to [[Breac]]. 

The actual origin of the name may be from the [[Old Irish]] word ''{{lang|sga|aidhne, adna, adnae}}'', meaning "aged, old"; perhaps the Aidhne were considered the oldest tribe in the area, in comparison to other peoples who had arrived more recently.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dil.ie/511|title=EDIL - Irish Language Dictionary}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://anyflip.com/zoay/euer/basic|title=Ti Tra Li My Charts Early O Clerys_and the End of Aidhne-Flip eBook Pages 1 - 50&#124; AnyFlip &#124; AnyFlip|website=anyflip.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4J8MAAAAIAAJ&q=Aidhne++|title=Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie|date=8 November 1901|publisher=M. Niemeyer Verlag.|via=Google Books}}</ref>

Historical tribes in Aidhne included the Hy-Fiachrach, the Ciarraighe Oga Beathra, the Tradraighe of Dubh-ros, and the Caonraighe of Art Aidhne.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Society|first=Irish Archaeological|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=68g_AAAAcAAJ&q=Aidhne|title=The Irish Archaeological Society|date=1844|language=en}}</ref>

In a later age, a branch of the [[Fir Bolg]] made Aidhne their home. [[Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh]]'s ''Book of Genealogies'' states that the ''Tuath mhac nUmhóir''[settled in]''in [[Dál gCais]] and in Uí Fhiachrach of Aidhne.'' Their leader is given as [[Conall Caol]], son of [[Aonghus mac Úmhór]]. Conall was killed at the [[Battle of Maigh Mucruimhe]] in 195&nbsp;CE, and his body brought back to Aidhne where it was interred at a ''[[leacht]]'' called Carn Chonaill (itself the site of a major battle some centuries later).

The territory of Uí Fhiachrach Aidhni is coextensive with the diocese of Cill Mhic Dhuach / [[Kilmacduagh]], which contains the civil parishes of Kinvarradoorus, [[Killinny]], Killeenavarra, [[Drumacoo]], [[Kilcolgan]], [[Ardrahan]], [[Stradbally, County Galway|Stradbally]], [[Killeeneen]], [[Killeely, County Galway|Killeely]], [[Killora, County Galway|Killora]], [[Killogilleen]], [[Kilchreest, County Galway|Kilchreest]], [[Isertkelly]], [[Killinan]], [[Kilthomas]], [[Kilbeacanty]], [[Beagh]], [[Kilmacduagh]], and [[Kiltartan]]. The diocese of Kilmacduagh contains the present Catholic parishes of [[Kinvara]], [[Ballinderreen]], [[Gort]], [[Ardrahan]], [[Craughwell]], [[Beagh]], [[Kilbeacanty]], [[Kilthomas]] ([[Peterswell]]), [[Clarinbridge]], and Kilchreest.

==References==

===Footnotes===
{{Reflist}}

===Annalistic references===
* ''M938.13.Aralt, grandson of Imhar, i.e. the son of Sitric, lord of the foreigners of Luimneach, was killed in Connaught by the Caenraighi of Aidhne.''
* ''M1033.9 - A conflict between the Eli and the Ui-Fiachrach Aidhne, in which Braen Ua Cleirigh and Muireadhach Mac Gillaphadraig, with many others, were slain.''

==External links==
* [http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100005B/index.html Annals of the Four Masters]

[[Category:Ui Fiachrach]]
[[Category:Fir Bolg]]
[[Category:Cycles of the Kings]]
[[Category:Texts in Irish]]
[[Category:History of County Galway]]
[[Category:Kingdoms of ancient Ireland]]


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