Cenél nEógain and the Donegal kingdoms, AD 800–1200

Brian Lacey

“Donegal’s Inishowen peninsula and the county of Tyrone take their names from Cenél nEógain (the kindred of Owen), a powerful medieval royal house that was part of the northern Uí Neill dynasty. The story of its rise and fall is brought dramatically to life in this terrific new book by Brian Lacey. […] Lacey’s clear, upbeat writing, alongside nearly 100 photographs plus 50 royal family trees makes for an engaging and entertaining read. Anybody travelling northwest for a long weekend could do worse than pack a copy of this gripping book.” Dr Chris Doyle, The Irish Times, December 2025

“If you think medieval Irish history is merely a foggy landscape of saints and scholars, Brian Lacey is here to correct you. In Cenél nEógain and the Donegal Kingdoms, AD 800–1200, Lacey offers a masterclass in historical clarity that cuts through the dense thicket of Ulster’s genealogy to reveal a brutal and fascinating game of dynastic chess ... What makes this book compelling is Lacey’s refusal to take medieval sources at their word. He writes with the scepticism of a detective and the precision of an archaeologist. He demonstrates how the Cenél nEógain did not simply conquer territory. They conquered history itself by rewriting genealogies and sponsoring church propaganda to legitimise their seizures. He shows us the machinery behind the myth of the 'Northern Uí Néill' and reveals it not as an ancient biological reality, but as a political construct forged in the heat of ambition. Lacey navigates the complex rise of families like the MacLochlainns and the O'Neills with enviable ease - for the uninitiated, the Irish dynastic history can often feel like drowning in a sea of similar names, yet Lacey provides a life raft. His writing is crisp as he grounds the soaring political ambitions in the physical landscape of Donegal, Derry, and Tyrone. You finish the book understanding not just who fought, but where they fought, and why the geography made their victory inevitable. The period covered, which spans from the Viking Age through to the eve of the Norman invasion, is often neglected in favour of the earlier 'Golden Age' or the later English conquests. Lacey proves this middle era is where the real action is. It is a story of consolidation, the ruthless expansion, and the frantic struggle for the High Kingship. This is not a dry academic dusty tome; it is a vibrant portrait of a kingdom on the make. Whether you are a serious scholar, or a casual reader interested in the real life struggles of the Irish Northwest, this book is a must. Lacey confirms his status as the preeminent historian of Donegal and delivers a history that is as rigorous as it is readable.” JCM, Ulster Archaeological Society Newsletter, Spring 2026