The medieval Irish dioceses were based upon the borders of the dominant small kingdom at that location. Francis J. Byrne says that when the Dál Fiatach split the Cruithin in two in the Eighth Century and created the new entities called Dál nAraide and Uí Echach Coba, the borders of Dál Fiatach became the borders of medieval the Diocese of Down seen to the left. The Dál nAraide land became the Diocese of Connor and Uí Echach Coba the Diocese of Dromore.
"On the east, the Rhogbogdioi occupy the area around the cape of Rhogbogion and may be related to the Dál Riata of early history who founded a kingdom in Argyll in Scotland in the fifth century. To the south of them are the Darinoi, whose name may be connected with the name Dáire, presumably an ancestor deity. It is interesting to note that Dundrum in County Down in the territory of the Dál Fiatach is known as Dun Droma Dáirine."
"Woluntioi is one of the more recognisable tribal names on the map. It is undoubtedly connected with the Ulaid, occupying an area between Isamnion, possibly Emain Macha, and the Buvinda (the Boyne river) on Ptolemy's map. In the early historic period they were known as the Dál Fiatach and occupied the area between Dundrum Bay and Belfast Lough. Their historic centre was at Dún-Dá-Lethglass (Downpatrick), originally a secular rather than a religious site."
Archaeology Ireland, Heritage Guide No. 21 - Ireland in the Iron Age Map of Ireland by Claudius Ptolemaeus
"This study of the people known as Dál Fiatach, or Ulaid, is not a history of Ulster as a whole. They and the Dál Araidi were the two leading population-groups in N.E. Ireland from the third to the twelfth centuries. The ancient name of Ulster was Ulad, and it included the whole country north of the Boyne and across to the Shannon. It subsequently shrank to the limits of the present counties of Antrim and Down. The Dál Fiatach were predominant in Down. Their records were kept in the monasteries of Saul and Downpatrick and have survived in a compilation of history, tradition and genealogies, known as Senchus Sil hIr. There are other sources for their history, viz., the Annals, the Ban-shenchus, the lives of saints."
"They hold an important place in the life of St. Patrick, for when he landed at Inber Slainge in Loch Cuan, i.e. Strangford Lough, he landed in Dál Fiatach territory. His first converts in Ulster were people of this stock. Dichu was a chieftain of Dál Fiatach. His brother, Ros, helped Patrick to revise the Senchus Mor. They and their kindred held all East Down and the Ards. The early monasteries and schools of Bangor, Moville, Nendrum, Saul, grew up in their midst. St. Finnian of Moville, St. Domongort and St. Tuan of Boirche, St. Mael Cethir of Kerry, Iarlathi, third bishop of Armagh after Patrick, St. Samthann, all traced their descent from Dál Fiatach."
"Members of the race have left their names on the map to this day in Slieve Donard, Ben Madigan, Glengormly, Rademan, Dunsy Island. In the Annals and the Book of Rights they are the leading people in east Ulster from 600 a.d. down to the Norman invasion, 'The Irish have twelve kindreds of noble birth : six in Leth Cuinn = Northern Eire, Dál Cuinn, Dál Cúin, Dál Araidi who are the Picts, Dál Fiatach who are the Ulaid'. Professor McNeill considers this statement to be of great antiquity."
Margaret Dobbs
- The Journey of the Dál Fiatach after the fall of Emain Macha
- The Last 50 Years of the Dál Fiatach
- The list of kings of the Dál Fiatach and the Uladh
-
Spreadsheet of Dál Fiatach Genealogies from old Irish sources
- Francis J Byrne - Irish Kings and High Kings Page 1 Page 2 Original
- O'Clery Genealogies - Genelach .h. Dhuinn shlebhe
- Kings of Ulster by Mac Fhirbhisigh - Leabhar na nGenealach Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4
- Laud 610
- Genelach ceneoil nDeamain - Book of Lecan (Saul) Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8
- Rawlinson
- The Kings of Uladh from the Genealogical Work of Duald Mac Firbis taken from 'Ecclesiastical antiquities of Down, Connor, and Dromore' by William Reeves 1847
- The story of the Dál Fiatach
- History of the kings of the Dál Fiatach
- The Dál Fiatach in the Irish Annals.
- The first member of the Dál Fiatach with the surname Hoy
- The Book of Genealogies of the Dál Fiatach
The Dál Fiatach
Author(s): Margaret E. Dobbs
Source: Ulster Journal of Archaeology, Third Series, Vol. 8 (1945), pp. 66-79
Published by: Ulster Archaeological Society
Read her work on the Dál Fiatach here (PDF)
