Uí Fiachrach
The Uí Fiachrach (Irish pronunciation: [iː ˈfʲiəxɾˠəx]) were a royal dynasty who originated in, and whose descendants later ruled, the coicead or fifth of Connacht (a western province of Ireland) at different times from the mid-first millennium onwards.The latter sank into obscurity at an early stage but both the Uí Fiachrach and Ui Briuin and their many sub-septs featured prominently in the history of Connacht for one thousand years.It appears that they once constituted a single overkingdom, and ruled or took tribute from the older tribes and nations situated between Aidhne and Muaide, but lost their grip on power by the early 8th century leaving them confined to their own strict territory.Uí Fiachrach Aidhne was bounded on the north and east by the powerful independent kingdom of Hy-Many or Ui Maine; to the west by Lough Lurgan (Galway Bay) and the Corco Mo Druad (Corcomroe); and to the south by Déisi Tuisceart (later the Dál gCais, later still the O'Brian's of Thomond).The territorial gains made by the Uí Fiachrach were lost and the kingdom seems to have reverted to something of its original size for its subsequent history.