Clanna Rudraige

The Clanna Rudraige (modern Irish: Clanna Rudhraighe), Anglicised as Clanna Rory, is according to Irish mythology an ancient tribe that ruled the ancient province of Ulaid in Ireland. The people that lived in this province, also called the Ulaid, are claimed as being descended from the Clanna Rudraige and in medieval texts are often referred to by that name.

The Clanna Rudraige may mean "descendants of Rudraige" (a personal name) or "descendants of the Rudraige", a population name like Dartraighe or Osraige. An alternate spelling found in medieval texts is Clan na Rudraige, which would lean towards the latter.

It is suggested that rud is related to ruad meaning "red", which would give Rudraige the meaning "red people". Red also features prominently in the Ulster Cycle of legends: there is the tale of Togail Bruidne Dá Derga, with Dá Derga meaning "red god"; the term Cróeb Ruad translates as Red Branch, a royal house near the Ulaid capital Emain Macha; and the Red Branch Knights, which was a military order wholly in the service of ancient Ulaid.

The Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology is called An Rúraíocht (IPA: [ə ruːriːxt]) in Irish.

The origins and background of the Clanna Rudraige comes from medieval texts, most of which combined myth, pseudo-history and possible real events into an elaborate and largely fabricated legendary history. According to one of these works, the Annals of the Four Masters, the Clanna Rudraige are descended from Rudraige mac Sithrigi, a prince of the province of Ulaid who became High King of Ireland sometime between the 1st and 3rd centuries BC.

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