AD 400 — AD 431

The Five Fifths

No towns yet, and no writing. Ireland is a patchwork of perhaps 150 small kingdoms, the túatha, grouped under five great over-kingdoms called the cúigí, or 'fifths'. Ulaid, Connachta, Laigin, Mumu and Mide. Kings are inaugurated on sacred hills, cattle are the currency, and the law of the brehons binds everyone.

Open this age on the atlas ↗

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Who holds the land

Counties did not exist yet. The colours lay the dominant power over today’s 32 counties so you can find the place you know — they are not borders anyone drew at the time, and the further back you go the rougher the fit.

Ulaid ↗
The ancient over-kingdom of the north, ruled from Emain Macha and remembered in the Ulster Cycle sagas. Pressed steadily eastward into Antrim and Down by the rising Uí Néill.

Antrim Down Armagh Derry / Londonderry Tyrone Fermanagh Donegal Monaghan Louth
The Connachta ↗
The dynasties of the west claiming descent from the legendary Conn of the Hundred Battles, centred on the royal site of Cruachan (Rathcroghan).

Galway Mayo Sligo Leitrim Roscommon Cavan
Laigin (Leinster) ↗
The peoples of the south-east, who gave Leinster its name. Their kings contested the rich Liffey plain with Mide for centuries.

Kildare Wicklow Carlow Wexford Kilkenny Laois
Mumu (Munster) ↗
The southern over-kingdom, ruled in early centuries by the Eóganachta from the Rock of Cashel, later seized by the Dál gCais of Brian Boru.

Cork Kerry Limerick Clare Tipperary Waterford
Mide (Kingdom of Meath) ↗
The 'middle kingdom' around the Hill of Tara and Uisneach, seat of the (largely symbolic) High Kingship of Ireland.

Meath Westmeath Longford Offaly Dublin

🕯 Unknown history The Irish word for province is still cúige — literally 'a fifth'. And Ireland was never actually isolated: Roman coins, wine jars and even a possible trading post at Drumanagh show constant traffic with the empire that never invaded.

People of this age

Niall of the Nine Hostages — Semi-legendary ancestor of the Uí Néill dynasties
Conchobar mac Nessa — Legendary king of the Ulaid at Emain Macha
Queen Medb of Cruachan — Legendary warrior-queen of Connacht in the Táin

Almost everyone who lived through this age left no name. Records keep kings, abbots and whoever could write, so this is a list of who was written about rather than who was here.

📜 The chronicle — events of this age

AD 431

Palladius sent to Ireland ↗

Pope Celestine sends Palladius as first bishop 'to the Irish believing in Christ' — a year before Patrick.

Quick answers

When was the Five Fifths in Ireland?

The Five Fifths spans AD 400 to AD 431 in this atlas. No towns yet, and no writing.

Who ruled Ireland during the Five Fifths?

Power was divided: Ulaid (9 counties); The Connachta (6 counties); Laigin (Leinster) (6 counties); Mumu (Munster) (6 counties); Mide (Kingdom of Meath) (5 counties). County boundaries are modern approximations.

What is a lesser-known fact about the Five Fifths?

The Irish word for province is still cúige — literally 'a fifth'. And Ireland was never actually isolated: Roman coins, wine jars and even a possible trading post at Drumanagh show constant traffic with the empire that never invaded.

↗ links go to the relevant Wikipedia article for each event and ruler (sources & further reading).

Spotted an error, or know a better story for this age? Suggest a correction.