Keenaght (barony)

Keenaght Cianachta (Irish)
Location of Keenaght, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland.
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Country	Northern Ireland
County	Londonderry

Keenaght (from Irish Cianachta, meaning "race of Cain") is a barony in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It connects to the north-Londonderry coastline, and is bordered by four other baronies: Coleraine to the east; Loughinsholin to the south-east; Tirkeeran to the west; and Strabane Upper to the south-west. It was the territory of the O'Connors of the Cianachta Glengiven from the 5th century until its take over in the 12th century by the O'Kanes. The largest settlement in the barony is town of Limavady.

Originally called the barony of Lymavady prior to 1613, the barony of Keenaght gets its name from an anglicisation of the Irish Ciannachta, which is derived from Cianachta Glenn Geimin (race of Cain of Glengiven), also spelt as Ciannachta Glenn Geimin and Ciannachta Glinne Geimin. The principle sept of the Cianachta Glenn Geimin was the Ó Conchobhair (O'Connor), who ruled there from the 5th century until they were succeeded by the Ó Cathaín (O'Kane) in the 12th century.

In 681, Cenn Fáelad, king of Cianachta Glenn Geimin, along with Dungal Eilni, king of the Cruthin and Dál nAraidi, were killed at Dún Cethirinn by Máel Dúin mac Máele Fithrich of the Cenél Meic Ercae of Cenél nEógain.

Some form of combination of the Cianachta Glenn Geimin along with the Cenél Feradaig and Dál nAraidi was suspected of involvement in the death of Eochaid mac Domangairt, king of the Cenél nGabráin of Scottish Dál Riata in 697. This act was carried out by Fiannamail ua Dúnchado who would later become king of Dál Riata, however in 700, he along with Flann mac Cinn-faelad of the Cianachta Glinne Geimin were slain in turn.

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