Laigin (Paperback)

High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles The Laigin, modern spelling Laighin, were a population group of early Ireland who gave their name to the province of Leinster. Laigin is a plural noun, indicating an ethnonym rather than a geographic term. The use of the word cuige, earlier coiced, literally "fifth," to mean "province," implies the existence at some point in prehistory of a pentarchy, whose five members are believed to have been population groups the Laigin, the Ulaid (Ulster) and the Connachta (Connacht), the region Mumu (Munster), and the central kingdom of Mide. Archaic poems found in medieval genealogical texts distinguish three groups making up the Laigin: the Laigin proper, the Gailioin, and the Domnainn, who are likely related to the British Dumnonii. Early Irish historical traditions credited the founding of the Laigin to the legendary High King Labraid Loingsech. His grandfather, Loegaire Lorc, had been overthrown by his own brother, Cobthach Coel Breg, and Labraid forced into exile.