Uí Echach Cobo were a branch of the Dál nAraidi

Dál nAraidi

Dál nAraidi was a kingdom of the Cruthin in the north-east of Ireland in the first millennium. The lands of the Dál nAraidi appear to correspond with the Robogdii of Ptolemy's Geographia, a region shared with Dál Riata...

 in Ulster

Ulster

Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...

 (ancient Ulaid). They gave their name to the early medieval Kingdom of Coba located in the baronies of Upper and Lower Iveagh in modern County Down

County Down

-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...

. The name "Cobo" survives in the place-name Moycove.

They were descended from Eochu Coba, son of Crond Ba Druí, a King of Ulaid, and brother of Cáelbad

Cáelbad

Cáelbad , a descendant of the legendary hero Conall Cernach, was a king of Ulster who became High King of Ireland in the 4th century. He gained the High Kingship by overthrowing Muiredach Tirech, but only lasted a year before he was overthrown by Muiredach's son Eochaid Mugmedon. He married Céindi...

, a high king of Ireland. Cáelbad was ancestor of the main ruling line of the Dál nAraidi, the Uí Chóelbad based in Mag Line, east of Antrim town in modern county Antrim. The annals however claim that they descended from Eochaid mac Condlai

Eochaid mac Condlai

Eochaid mac Condlai was a king of Ulaid from the Dal nAraide. He was the son of Condlae mac Cóelbad, also a king of Dal nAraide and grandson of the high king and King of Ulster Cáelbad mac Crond Ba Druí...

 (died 553), king of Ulster. Eochu's son Conall had two sons, Fothad and Cairell. From Cairell mac Conaille descended the Conaille Muirtheimne of Dundalk, modern County Louth. Fothad mac Conaille (died 552) is the first member of the Uí Echach Cobo to be mentioned in the annals.

The title King of Coba (or King of Cuib) is used for the first time in the Annals of Tigernach in 685 and in the Annals of Ulster in 735. The title disappears in the Annals of Ulster after 882. Thereafter the dynasty is referred to as chiefs or lords of the Uí Echach. The Ua hAiteidh family descended from Aitith mac Laigni (died 898) (who was also King of Ulaid) were dominant here from the late 10th to early 12th centuries.

Kings of Coba (Cuib)

• Fothad mac Conaille (died 552)
• ......
• Áedán m. Mongáin (died 616)
• Fergus mac Áedáin
  Fergus mac Áedáin
  Fergus mac Áedáin was king of Ulaid from 674. He belonged to a branch of the Dal nAraide known as the Uí Echach Cobo in the west part of county Down. They were distinct from the main branch located in County Antrim who were known as Kings of the...
  
   (d.692) -King of Ulster from 674
• Bressal mac Fergusa (died 685)
• Eochaid mac Bressail (died 733)
• Conchad mac Cúanach (died 735)
• Fergus Glut (died 739)
• Ailill mac Feidlimid (died 761)
• Gormgal mac Conaille (died 776)
• Eochu mac Aililla (died 801)
• Máel Bressail mac Ailillo
  Máel Bressail mac Ailillo
  Máel Bressail mac Ailello was a king of Ulaid, which is now Ulster, Ireland. He belonged to a branch of the Dal nAraide known as the Uí Echach Cobo in the west part of county Down. He ruled as King of Ulaid from 819-825....
  
  (died 825)- King of Ulster from 819
• Cernach mac Máele Bressail (died 853)
• Conallán mac Máele Dúin (died 882)
• Aitith mac Laigni (died 898) -King of Ulster from 896

External links

• Uí Eathach Cobha at Ireland's History in Maps