| Leinster, in Ireland, covers the south-east quarter of the
country. In ancient times the province went north as far as the
Boyne but this was gradually encroached upon by the great Uí Néill
kings.
The central core of Leinster was in the vale of Liffey (the river
that runs through Dublin) and the valleys of the River Barrow (Fearann ua
n-Dunlaing or O'Dowling's Country) and Slaney. The great
victorious dynasties were in the plains and river valleys of Leinster
and the vanquished were along the east coast, in the Wicklow Mountains
and bogs to the north-west.
In the eight century the Uí Dúblhaoidh or Uí Dúnlainge, a group
of dynasties settled in the vale of the Liffey and in the plains of
Kildare. They were a new breed who had pushed other kings out into
the poorer areas or badlands. The Uí Dúnlainge allied themselves
closely with the great church of Kildare in a mutual profit
venture. Their main rivals were the Uí Chennselaig who had
threatened the vale of Liffey in the 7th century but were now pushed
down to the south.
By 800AD the Uí Néill had come to dominate Leinster and were also
appointing its kings.
|