Dunseverick in the context of "Dál Riada"

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⭐ Core Definition: Dunseverick

Dunseverick (from Irish Dún Sobhairce 'Sobhairce's fort') is a hamlet near the Giant's Causeway in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The name is also the alias for the townland of Feigh. It is most notable for Dunseverick Castle.

One of the five great highways, or slighe of ancient Ireland, Slige Midluachra, had its terminal point at Dunseverick, running from here to Emain Macha and further to royal Tara and the fording point on the Liffey at what is now Dublin.

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Dunseverick in the context of Dál Riata

Dál Riata or Dál Riada (also Dalriada) (/dælˈrədə/) was a Gaelic kingdom that encompassed the western seaboard of Scotland and north-eastern Ireland, on each side of the North Channel. At its height in the 6th and 7th centuries, it covered what is now Argyll ("Coast of the Gaels") in Scotland and part of County Antrim in Northern Ireland. After a period of expansion, Dál Riata eventually became associated with the Gaelic Kingdom of Alba.

In Argyll, it consisted of four main kindreds or tribes, each with their own chief: the Cenél nGabráin (based in Kintyre), the Cenél nÓengusa (based on Islay), the Cenél Loairn (who gave their name to the district of Lorn) and the Cenél Comgaill (who gave their name to Cowal). The hillfort of Dunadd is believed to have been its capital. Other royal forts included Dunollie, Dunaverty and Dunseverick. Within Dál Riata was the important monastery of Iona, which played a key role in the spread of Celtic Christianity throughout northern Britain, and in the development of insular art. Iona was a centre of learning and produced many important manuscripts. Dál Riata had a strong seafaring culture and a large naval fleet.

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