Grianan of Aileach

Grianan of Aileach (Irish Grianan Ailigh, English Grianan of Aileach ) is the name of a restored stone fort in County Donegal in the northwest of the Republic of Ireland, about 10 km west of the Northern Ireland city of Derry. The Grianan of Aileach was a historical center of culture and politics in the period of early Irish ruler ( 800 BC to 1200 AD). The ring fort on Mount Greenan ( Grianan ) was the seat of the kings of Aileach. The kingdoms of Ulaidh and Airgíalla were sub- kingdoms under the rule Aileach.

Grianan of Aileach is a ring fort, which was built in the place of an ancient Hill Forts. The Grianan was the 5th -century residence of the Uí Néill and later owned by the clan of O'Donnell. Until the 12th century (around 1177 ), the Kingdom of Aileach had lost a great part of his lands to the Normans, thus also the stone fort lost its importance and was finally destroyed by an army under Murtagh O'Brien ( King of Munster). The fort overlooks the Inishowen peninsula to the north. Today you can see the main walls, which have a diameter of 23 meters visit. Other parts of the fort had been destroyed, but were ( in 1870 ) authentically restored in the 19th century. The site belongs to the Irish Government.

Legends

An Irish creation myth claims that this fort was built by the great king Dagda of the Tuatha De Danann around the tomb of his son. It is said that St. Patrick is said to have in the year 450 baptized here the founder of the O'Neill dynasty, Owen.