The name " Connacht " is an apparent anachronism: the stories of the Ulster Cycle are traditionally set around the time of Christ, but the Connachta, after whom the province is named, were said to have been the descendants of Conn Cétchathach, who is supposed to have lived several centuries later.

The Connachta were forced to retreat, but Donn Cúailnge was brought back to Cruachan, where he fought Finnbhennach, killed him, and died of his wounds.

The historical Connachta were a group of dynasties who traced their descent to the legendary king Conn Cétchathach, whose reign is traditionally dated to the 2nd century.

Four were ancestors of new Irish dynasties ; those of Brión ( the Uí Briúin ), Fiachrae ( the Uí Fiachrach ) and Ailill ( the Uí Ailello ) were known as teóra Connachta, or the historical Three Connachta of the province itself ; that of Niall, the Uí Néill, at first surpassed its parent dynasty, establishing or continuing the so-called High Kingship of Ireland at Tara, and became the most powerful dynasty in Ireland down to early modern times.

The dynasties of the Airgíalla, and through them the Uí Maine, were also counted as belonging to the Connachta by medieval genealogists, although this is not likely the case, as they appear to descend from other peoples later added to the genealogical scheme ( Byrne 2001 ).

The older half-brother of Niall of the Nine Hostages and one of the three brothers whose descendants were known as the Connachta, Brión is said to have been king of Connacht.

All these men were in their lifetime known as members of The Connachta dynasty, or as " the sons of Niall.

The purpose of the tale is presumed to have been political, to explain, and to justify, how it came about that the descendants of Art, that is the Connachta, and of Éogan, the Eóganachta, occupied the leading political positions in Ireland — the Connachta and their offshoot the Uí Néill provided the High King of Ireland and the King of Connacht, the Eóganachta the King of Munster — when their ancestral figures had been defeated by Mac Con, whose own descendants the Corcu Loígde were no longer a force after the 7th century.

The Kings of Moylurg were a branch of the Síl Muiredaig, who were themselves of the Uí Briúin Ai who descended from The Connachta.

* AI1095. 10 Ua hEgra, king of Luigne, was slain by the Cenél Dubáin ; and Luigne and western Connachta were vacated and inhabitants came into Mumu.

" This barony was founded by the Uí Fiachrach Muaidhe, who were, themselves, a branch of the Uí Fiachrach dynasty of Connachta.

The Connachta were led by a man known to later history as Tuathal Teachtmhar.

In this year Cluain Moccu Nóis was founded: that is, Nós, swineherd of the king of Connachta, from whom Cluain Moccu Nóis is named.

These sagas are traditionally set around the time of Christ, which creates an apparent anachronism: the Connachta are supposedly named after Conn Cétchathach, who in the usual chronological scheme established by the Lebor Gabála Érenn, lived in the 2nd century AD.

This, incorporating the Primitive Irish language gentilic or demonym moccu — the masculine term, the feminine is dercu — indicates membership of the tribe of Conn, presumed to be named for Conn of the Hundred Battles, a legendary figure, or perhaps a euhemerised divinity, claimed as the ancestor of the Connachta.

However, the name only became applied to it in the early medieval era, being named after The Connachta.

Conn Cétchathach, for whom this division is named, was a retrospective ancestor of the Connachta and Uí Néill dynasties.

This led to a new division of the country into two halves, Leth Cuinn, " Conn's half " after Conn Cétchathach, supposed ancestor of the Uí Néill and Connachta, in the north, and Leth Moga, " Mug's half ", after Mug Nuadat, supposed ancestor of the Eoganachta, in the south.

* Conn of the Hundred Battles, former High King of Ireland and the ancestor of the Connachta

He is said to be the ancestor of the Uí Néill and Connachta dynasties through his grandson Conn of the Hundred Battles.

The Connachta are a group of medieval Irish dynasties who claimed descent from the legendary High King Conn Cétchathach ( Conn of the Hundred Battles ).

Énna later became High King himself and was the ancestor of Conn of the Hundred Battles and thus the Connachta and Uí Néill High Kings, while Fiacha was the ancestor of Ailill Érann and the Clanna Dedad.

The surname rose simultaneously throughout Ireland as the descendants of Conn of the Hundred Battles known as Conn Cétchathach created the Connachta.

According to Lebor Gabála Érenn, they came to Ireland " in dark clouds " and " landed on the mountains of Conmaicne Rein in Connachta ; and they brought a darkness over the sun for three days and three nights ".

( meaning west of the Connachta, or western Connacht ), was a region covering all of County Galway west of the river Corrib and Lough Corrib ; Maigh Seola ; and part of the barony of Ross in County Mayo.

), son of Fedlimid Rechtmar, was, according to medieval Irish legendary and annalistic sources, a High King of Ireland, and the ancestor of the Connachta, and, through his descendant Niall Noígiallach, the Uí Néill dynasties, which dominated Ireland in the early Middle Ages, and their descendants.

According to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, Eochaid was a High King of Ireland, best known as the father of Niall of the Nine Hostages and ancestor of the Uí Néill and Connachta dynasties.

Queen Mongfind (" fair mane ") was the wife, of apparent Munster origins, of the legendary Irish High King Eochaid Mugmedón and mother of his eldest three sons, Brion, Ailill and Fiachrae, ancestors of the historical Connachta, through whom she is an ancestor of many Irish and European nobility today.

In these he is typically succeeded by Niall of the Nine Hostages as High King of Ireland and by Conall Corc as King of Munster, while his sister Mongfind, the first wife of Eochaid Mugmedón, becomes the ancestor of the Three Connachta.

This alliance was likely precipitated by the conquests of the Dál Fiatach king Báetán mac Cairill, one of the very few High Kings of Ireland not of the Connachta or the Uí Néill, who had sought to subjugate all of Dál Riata, and the Isle of Man as well.

Tara was later occupied by the Laigin, who are to some extent strangely integrated with the Connachta in the Ulster Cycle.

The original can only have been the Connachta, whose power, position and prestige in the earliest part of the historical period are unquestionable and who loom large in prehistory as the traditional enemies of the Ulaid.

It was the homeland of the Connachta dynasty, and included such kingdoms as Uí Maine, Delbhna Nuadat, Síol Muirdeach, and Moylurg.

And twenty five boats of these went into Connachta, and a great slaughter of their crews was inflicted there, including Dúnlang, king of Raithlenn, Niall Ua hEirc, Dúngalach Ua Loingsig, and many others.

And by them was slain Muirgius son of Conchobar, royal heir of Connachta.

It was remembered that the Connachta and Uí Néill had not yet taken the kingship.

David Sproule points out that the-acht suffix was used to form only three population-group names in early Ireland, namely the Connachta, Eoganachta and Ciannachta.

It was only with the rise of The Connachta dynasty that the term Fir Ol nEchmacht was dropped and the province was renamed Connacht.

It was only with the rise of The Connachta dynasty that the term Fir Ol nEchmacht was dropped and the province was renamed Connacht.

It was only with the rise of The Connachta dynasty that the term Fir Ol nEchmacht was dropped and the province was renamed Connacht.

In the Banshenchus she is called " Mongfind of the Érnai " ( Érainn ), and given a later son Sidach following the Connachta.