Umaill

Umhaill
Túatha of Connacht (until 1235)
8th century–1593
Coat of arms
Map of Umaill (dark green) within County Mayo.
Capital		Not specified
Languages		Middle Irish, Early Modern Irish, Latin
Religion		Catholic Christianity Gaelic tradition
Government		Tanistry
Rí
•	-773	Flannabhra
•	1580–1593	Gráinne Ní Mháille
History
•	Established	8th century
•	Disestablished	1593
Preceded by Succeeded by Partraige Mac William Íochtar Kingdom of Ireland

Umaill was a territory located in the west of what is now County Mayo, Ireland. It comprises the baronies of Burrishoole and Murrisk, essentially all the land adjacent to Clew Bay.

The realm was conquered by the Tudor Kingdom of Ireland under the forces of Richard Bingham in 1593. It had then been under the leadership of Gráinne Ní Mháille, who was powerful there in lieu of her nephew, Éamonn Ó Máille, infant son of her brother and previous king, Lochlann Ó Máille who died in 1580. The English forces successfully integrated the realm into County Mayo.

Knox says of Murrisk "With Burrishoole it forms the kingdom of Aicill and Umall, which comes into history at the battle of Moy Lena. Aicill seems to be a descriptive term applied to mountainous country. Umall means low, and applies in this sense to the country lying east of Clew Bay, as Aicill applies to the parts lying north and south of the bay. The title may be translated as King of Highland and Lowland. Aicill survives in Achill Island and Curraun peninsula. The term was applied to the country between Clew Bay and the Killeries in the thirteenth century. Though at all times an independent kingdom acknowledging supremacy of only the King of Connacht, it was too small to play an independent part, and therefore is rarely mentioned in the annals." (p. 303).

The Gaelic culture and Irish language continued on in the area longer than most other parts of Ireland. Today, Acaill and An Corrán are part of the Mayo Gaeltacht.

Its earliest rulers were the semi-historical Tuath mhac nUmhoir. The Umaill, its early historical rulers, were renamed the Uí Briúin Umaill to claim a fictitious relationship with the Uí Briúin. By the 12th century the ruling family adopted the surname Ó Máille, and were reckoned with the Ó Dubhda, Ó Flaithbheartaigh and as supreme seafaring clans of Connacht.