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Encyclopedia: Leinster, Murray Leinster, Leinster House, Duke of Leinster, Talk:Leinster, Leinster Rugby, Leinster Hall, Book of Leinster, Kings of Leinster, Category:Leinster

Leinster ; Irish: Laighin or Laigin, ), one of the Provinces of Ireland, lies in the east of Ireland and comprises the counties of Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Wexford and Wicklow. Leinster has the largest population of the four provinces of Ireland. The traditional flag of Leinster features a golden harp on a green background.

Cities

*The largest city in Leinster is Dublin, the capital of Ireland. The Greater Dublin Area has a population of 1,661,185 (2006).

*The City of Kilkenny (& environs) has a population of 23,967 (2006)

Large Towns

*Bray (26,985) (2006 stats below)
*Swords (37,806)
*Dundalk (29,538)
*Drogheda (37,601)
*Navan (26,938)
*Naas (21,715)
*Celbridge (14,790)
*Mullingar (18,529)
*Athlone (16,888)
*Wexford (18,590)
*Portlaoise (14,275)
*Tullamore (13,085)

Leinster: the Name and Early History

In ancient times Leinster was occupied by five major Fir-Bolg tribes, of which the tribe of Laigin rose to dominance and gave Leinster its name. The Fir Bolg may be related to the Belgae, but this has not been firmly established. The tribes of Leinster were united by Úgaine Mor Hugony "The Great", who built the hill-fort of Ailinne Knochawlin, near Kilcullen, County Kildare, and is a likely, but uncertain candidate as the first historical King of Laigin Leinster in the 7th century BC. The "ster" portion of the toponym comes from a Nordic word for state, as the Vikings dominated and held Dublin for a period of time.

The kingdom of Laigin Leinster was re-founded circa 175/185 AD following a period of civil wars in Ireland by the legendary Cathair Mor.

In the fourth and fifth centuries, after Magnus Maximus left Britain with his legions, leaving a power vacuum, colonists from Laigin Leinster settled in north Wales; Specifically Anglesey, Carnarvonshire, and Denbighshire. In Wales some of the Leinster-Irish colonists left their name on the Llŷn peninsula, which derives its name from Laigin.

By the eighth century, Laigin (Leinster), had split into two dynasties:

Northern Leinster dynasty: Murchad mac Brain (d. 727), king of Uí Dúnlainge, and joint leader of the Laigin

Southern Leinster dynasty: Áed mac Colggen (d. 738), king of Uí Cheinnselaig, and joint leader of the Laigin

After the death of the last Kildare-based King of Laigin, Murchad Mac Dunlainge in 1042, the Kingship of Leinster reverted to the Uí Cheinnselaig sept based in the south east (southern dynasty) which comprise later Kings of Leinster.

Some contend it was names after a powerful Welsh colony, meaning Land of the men of the Llyn Peninsulahttp://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Leinster http://experts.about.com/e/l/le/leinster.htm.

Borders of Leinster

Today, made of twelve counties, it encompasses the old province of Meath (modern-day County Meath and County Westmeath). Also in it are County Longford and the Annally and Lusmagh parishes of County Offaly, formerly of Connacht, and County Louth, formerly of Ulster. The borders were redrawn by Cromwell for administration and military reasons.

External links

*http://www.lakelandcc.org/links-clubs.html#Leinster Leinster cycling clubs (Lakeland Cycle Club)

References