Sept in the context of "Mac Cárthaigh"

Tanistry was a system of inheritance practised by the Gaelic nobilities of Ireland, the Isle of Man, and parts of modern Scotland. It was distinctive in having an elected heir known as the tanist (Irish: tánaiste; Scottish Gaelic: tànaiste; Manx: tanishtey). This system was used to select the Chiefs of the Name (head of a clan) and the rulers of the various Gaelic kingdoms in Ireland and in Scotland.

When the chief or king died they were immediately succeeded by the tanist, who had typically been elected years earlier. A new election was then held to select the next tanist. This differs from other systems of elective inheritance, in that an heir was elected in advance of a vacancy, not after the vacancy arose. Valid candidates for the election were restricted to male members of the title holder's sept (extended family); the exact eligibility criteria differed between Ireland and Scotland. The electorate was identical to the set of valid candidates i.e. potential heirs would select a tanist from among themselves.

Connacht, formerly also spelled Connaught (/ˈkɒnɔːt, ˈkɒnə(x)t/, Irish: Connachta [ˈkʊn̪ˠəxt̪ˠə] or Cúige Chonnacht [ˌkuːɟə ˈxʊn̪ˠəxt̪ˠ]), is the smallest and least populous of the four provinces of Ireland, situated in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, Conmhaícne, and Delbhna).

Between the reigns of Conchobar mac Taidg Mór (died 882) and his descendant, Aedh mac Ruaidri Ó Conchobair (reigned 1228–33), it became a kingdom under the rule of the Uí Briúin Aí dynasty, whose ruling sept adopted the surname Ua Conchobair. At its greatest extent, it incorporated the often independent Kingdom of Breifne, as well as vassalage from the lordships of western Mide and west Leinster. Two of its greatest kings, Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair (1088–1156) and his son Ruaidri Ua Conchobair (c. 1115–1198) greatly expanded the kingdom's dominance, so much so that both became High King of Ireland.

MacAskill, also spelt Macaskill, MacCaskill, McAskill and McCaskill is a surname. It is an Anglicisation of the Scottish Gaelic Mac Asgaill, meaning "son of Asgall". The Gaelic name Asgall is a reduced form of the Old Norse personal name Ásketill, son of Torquil. Asketil was the last Viking King of Dublin, Ireland. He died circa 1171–2, resisting the English invaders of Ireland under King Henry II. He had placed his family under the protection of the Norse King of Man, and his grandson, Gilbert MacAsgaill, led a party sent by the King of Man to occupy and hold Dunscaith Castle, on the Sleat Peninsula, Isle of Skye. These are the first members of the name we can find in Scotland. The name is borne by a noted family on Skye, the MacAskills of Rubha an Dùnain, who historically followed the MacLeods of Dunvegan, possibly serving them as early as the fourteenth century (although documentation is lacking). In Gaelic the MacAskills are known as Clann t-Ascaill, and Clann t-Asgaill. In Scottish Gaelic, the surname is rendered MacAsgaill. In Irish, the surname is rendered Mac Ascaill. Early forms of the name on record in Scotland are Mackaiscail (in 1766), Mackaiscal (in 1769), and Macaiskill (in 1790). An early form of the name in England is Mac A skil (in 1311).

The Cornovii is a name for a tribe presumed to have been part of the Dumnonii, a Celtic tribe inhabiting the south-west peninsula of Great Britain, during some part of the Iron Age, Roman and post-Roman periods. The Cornovii are supposed to have lived at the western end of the peninsula, in the area now known as Cornwall, and if the tribal name were correct it would be the ultimate source of the name of that present-day county.

The existence of this sub-tribe, clan or sept, is not mentioned in Ptolemy's 2nd-century Geography, as are many of the other Iron Age tribes in Britain. It has been inferred on the basis of a place-name listed in the Ravenna Cosmography of c. 700 CE as purocoronavis, which is considered to be a scribal error for durocornavis (or durocornovium), interpreted as meaning "the fortress of the Cornovii". The British tribal name Cornovii is also implied by its reflexes in Welsh Cernyw, Breton Kernev, and Cornish Kernow, (all meaning 'Cornwall') which Peter Schrijver argues probably derive from Common Brittonic *kornou̯(i̯)ī.

Tanistry was a system of inheritance practised by the Gaelic nobilities of Ireland, the Isle of Man, and parts of modern Scotland. It was distinctive in having an elected heir known as the tanist (Irish: tánaiste; Scottish Gaelic: tànaiste; Manx: tanishtey). This system was used to select the Chiefs of the Name (head of a clan) and the rulers of the various Gaelic kingdoms in Ireland and in Scotland.

When the chief or king died they were immediately succeeded by the tanist, who had typically been elected years earlier. A new election was then held to select the next tanist. This differs from other systems of elective inheritance, in that an heir was elected in advance of a vacancy, not after the vacancy arose. Valid candidates for the election were restricted to male members of the title holder's sept (extended family); the exact eligibility criteria differed between Ireland and Scotland. The electorate was identical to the set of valid candidates i.e. potential heirs would select a tanist from amongst themselves.

The Múscraighe (older spelling: Músgraige) were an important Érainn people of Munster, descending from Cairpre Músc, son of Conaire Cóem, a High King of Ireland. Closely related were the Corcu Duibne, Corcu Baiscind, both of Munster, and also the Dál Riata of Ulster and Scotland, all being referred to as the Síl Conairi in Irish and Scottish legends. A more distant ancestor was the legendary monarch Conaire Mór, son of Eterscél, son of Íar, son of Dedu mac Sin.

While the Múscraige petty kingdoms were scattered throughout the province of Munster, the largest were centred on the present baronies of Muskerry (West and East) in central County Cork.The tribes or septs were pre-Eóganachta, that is before the 6th century. At this time, the territory of Múscraige Mittaine did not extend south of the River Lee (although the river bisects the current baronies). A pedigree of the chieftains of the tribe may be found in the Book of Leinster.The main septs were: