Northwest Europe, 04 IRELAND (Hibernia), Late Iron Age (100-400): Celtic Tribes of Ireland (Ptolemy)

Ulaid was a kingdom in northeast Ireland during the Middle Ages. The term also refers to a people of early Ireland, and it is from them that Ulster derives its name. On Ptolemy’s map the Volunti shown in northeast Ulster are assumed to be the same people as the Ulaid. North of the Volunti, the tribe’s name Darini implies its descent from an ancestor/god Daire.

Further north, the location of the Robogdii on the northeast coast corresponds to the Irish part of the medieval Dál Riata that formed an overkingdom with Argyll in western Scotland. On the northwest coast the Vennicnii could have been a branch of the same tribe as the Venicones (first century AD) that occupied Fife in eastern Scotland. The Erdini are shown in the area of Donegal Bay.  

In northern Connacht, the Nagnatae could be or associated with the Fir Ól nÉcmacht, a people of early Connacht. In southern Connacht, the Auteini have been identified with the medieval Uaithni who lived in northeastern County Limerick and the adjoining part of County Tipperary.

In northern Leinster, the Eblani and the Cauci are uniquely recorded in Ptolemy’s Geographia (c.150 AD). South of the Cauci, the Manapii could be related to the Menapii, a Belgic tribe of northern Gaul; and the Coriondi may have migrated there from Britain later than the other Celtic peoples. In southwest Leinster, there is no clear link between the Irish Brigantes and the British Brigantes.

In the southwest, Luceni* was added to Ptolemy’s list by Paulus Orosius (c.375-418<), who referred to Vellabori as Velabri. Also in the southwest the Iverni can be identified linguistically with the Érainn, a people attested in Munster. In the south the Usdiae are perhaps the early peoples of the territory known as Osraige.