Coleraine (barony)

Coleraine (named after Coleraine town) is a barony in the north-east of County Londonderry in Northern Ireland. It connects to the north-Londonderry coastline, and is bordered by five other baronies: Keenaght to the west; Loughinsholin to the south; North East Liberties of Coleraine, Dunluce Upper, and the Kilconway to the east. Before its creation it was once a territory known as "Firnacreeve".

The largest settlement in the barony is the town of Coleraine, which also crosses into the North East Liberties of Coleraine.

History

Before its creation, the barony of Coleraine was a region known as Firnacreeve, or simply "the Creeve", a territory ruled at an early date by the Airgiallan people of Fir na Craoibhe (English: men of the tree/branch). At some point another Airgillian people known as the Fir Li (claimed to be descended from Colla Uais) came to dominance in the region between the River Moyola and the Camus (south of Coleraine), covering over half the territory of Firnacreeve. The Fir Li would eventually fall under the domination of the Cenél nEóghain by the 9th century, with many being driven east across the River Bann.

The Cenél mBinnigh and later Clan Conchobhair, both of the Cenél nEóghain migrated to the Creeve. By the beginning of the 12th century the Ó Catháin (English: O'Kane), a sept of the Cenél nEóghain, had risen to dominance over the territories of Keenaght and the Creeve by subjugating the Ó Conchobhair (English: O'Connor) of the Cianachta Glenn Geimin) and the Fir na Craoibhe. Along with the territory of Tirkeeran; Keenaght and Firnacreeve would form the basis of Tircahan or Cathanaght both signifying "O'Cahans Country" and later County Coleraine.