Cóiced Ol nEchmacht is an ancient name for the province of Connacht, Ireland and including the area of County Clare.

Etymology and extent

Cóiced Ol nEchmacht may be translated as the portion/fifth/province of the Ol nEchmacht, also called the Fir Ol nEchmacht ("Fir" means "men"). The name nEchmacht has been linked by some scholars to the tribe called Nagnatae on Ptolemy's 2nd century AD world map. They were divided into three main tribes: the Fir Craibe, or Fir na Criabe; the Tuatha Taiden; and the Gamanraige. Each tribe ruled respective kingdoms within Ol nEchmacht. This territory seems to have been Ol nEchmacht proper. It was only with the rise of the Connachta dynasty that the term Fir Ol nEchmacht was dropped and the province was renamed Connacht.

Nations of Ol nEchmacht

Nations known to have resided in Ol nEchmacht during this era included:

Sources