Clan Sweeney

Clan Sweeney
Mac Suibhne
Profile
Region	Ireland
District	Tyrconnell
Ancestry	Northern Uí Néill
Ethnicity	Irish
Clan Sweeney has no chief, and is an armigerous clan
Historic seat	Doe Castle

Clan Sweeney is an Irish clan of Scottish origin. The Mac Suibhne family did not permanently settle in Ireland before the beginning of the 14th century, when they became Gallowglass soldiers for the O'Donnell dynasty of Tyrconnell. The clan also claims an Irish descent from a prince of the O'Neill dynasty, Ánrothán Ua Néill, son of Áed, son of Flaithbertach Ua Néill, King of Ailech and Cenél nEógain, died 1036. Through this descent the clan can claim a descent from Niall Noigíallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages).

Leabhar Clainne Suibhne (The Book of Mac Sween) states that after Áed's death, although his older brother Domnall was the rightful heir, Ánrothán was chosen instead to be king. Ánrothán then gave up the kingship to his brother and made for Argyll, Scotland where he married a daughter of the King of Scotland. Ánrothán's great-grandson was Suibhne, from whom the clan derived its name.

The history from Leabhar Clainne Suibhne may be a fabrication that provides the clan with a pedigree connecting them to the Milesian kings of Ireland, although historian W. D. H. Sellar believes this history may be genuine. However the statement that the Suibhne/Suibne/Uisseni are first mentioned in Ireland in the 14th Century as Galloglass of the O'Neil may be questioned by the much earlier reference to Suibhne/Suibne/Uisseni 901AD 903AD in various genealogies of the Ui Liathan sept the Ui Meic Caille where in The Annals of the Four Masters, O'Clery's book of Genealogies and Rawlinson to name but a few show Suibhne/Suibne/Uisseni appears as both lord and King of the Ui Meic Caille.

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