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This article lists the rulers of Tyrone (Irish: Tír Eoghain) from 1185 to 1616. They are listed from their date of accession to date of death, unless otherwise stated.

Prior to this, the ruling dynasty - the Cenél nEógain - were most of the kings of Ailech. During the tenth and eleventh centuries, two main septs within the dynasty emerged; the Meic Lochlainn and the O'Neill. The latter family pushed aside the Meic Lochlainn, and from 1241 onwards the kingdom was ruled exclusively by members of the O'Neill family.

For the offshoot Clandeboye O'Neill kingdom, distinct from Tyrone, that was ruled by the descendants of Hugh Boy O'Neill, see List of rulers of Clandeboye.

Kings of Tyrone, 1185—1607

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriage(s)	Death
Domhnall mac Aodha Mac Lochlainn 1185–1186 1187–1188		Son of Aodh Mac Lochlainn	unknown	1188
Ruaidhrí Ó Flaithbheartaigh 1186–1187		Son of Aodh Ó Flaithbheartaigh	unknown	1197
Muirchertaigh Mac Lochlainn 1188–1196		Son of Muirchertach Mac Lochlainn	unknown	1196
Aodh Méith mac Aodha O'Neill 1196–1201 1201–1230		Son of Aodh an Macaoimh Tóinleasg O'Neill	Bean-Midhe	1230
Conchobhar Beg mac Conchobhair Mac Lochlainn 1201		Son of Conchobar mac Muirchertaigh Mac Lochlainn son of Muirchertach Mac Lochlainn	unknown	1201
Niall Ruadh mac Aodha O'Neill 1230		Son of Aodh an Macaoimh Tóinleasg O'Neill	Nuala O'Connor	1235
Domhnall mac Muirchertaigh Mac Lochlainn 1230–1232 1235–1238 1239–1241		Son of Muirchertach Mac Muirchertaigh Mac Lochlainn son of Muirchertach Mac Lochlainn	unknown	1241
Domhnall Óg mac Aodha Méith O'Neill 1232–1235		Son of Aodh Méith mac Aodha O'Neill	unknown	1235
Brian Chatha an Dúna O'Neill 1238–1239 1241–1260		Son of Niall Ruadh mac Aodha O'Neill and Nuala O'Connor	unknown	16 May 1260
Hugh Boy O'Neill 1260–1261 1263–1283		Son of Domhnall Óg mac Aodha Méith O'Neill	unknown	1283
Niall Culanach O'Neill 1261–1263 1286–1290		Son of Domhnall Óg mac Aodha Méith O'Neill	unknown	1290
Domhnall O'Neill 1283–1286 1290–1291 1295–1325		Son of Brian O'Neill	Gormhflaith O'Donnell	1325
Brian O'Neill 1291–1295		Son of Hugh Boy O'Neill and Eleanor de Angulo	unknown	1295
Henry O'Neill 1325–1345 (Contested)		Son of Brian O'Neill	unknown	1347
Aodh Reamhair O'Neill 1325–1345 (Contested) 1345–1364		Son of Domhnall O'Neill and Gormflaith O'Donnell	unknown	1364
Niall Mór mac Aodha Reamhair O'Neill 1364–1397		Son of Aodh Reamhair O'Neill	unknown	1398
Niall Óg mac Néill O'Neill 1397–1402		Son of Niall Mór mac Aodha Reamhair O'Neill	Una O'Neil	1403
Brian Óg mac Néill Óg O'Neill 1402–1403		Son of Niall Óg mac Néill O'Neill and Una O'Neill	unknown	1403
Domhnall mac Éinri Aimhreidh O'Neill 1404–1410 1414–1419 1421–1432		Son of Éinri Aimhreidh O'Neill son of Niall Mór O'Neill	unknown	1410
Eoghan mac Néill Óg O'Neill 1410–1414 1419–1421 1432–1455		Son of Niall Óg mac Néill O'Neill and Una O'Neill	Catherine MacMahon	1456
Éinri mac Eoghain O'Neill 1455–1483		Son of Eoghan mac Néill Óg O'Neill	Gormhflaith MacMurrough-Kavanagh	1484
Conn Mór mac Éinri O'Neill 1483–1493		Son of Éinri mac Eoghain O'Neill and Gormhflaith MacMurrough-Kavanagh	Cumach O'Cahan Eleanor FitzGerald	8 January 1493
Éinri Óg mac Éinri O'Neill 1493–1498		Son of Éinri mac Eoghain O'Neill and Gormhflaith MacMurrough-Kavanagh	unknown	21 August 1498
Domhnall Clarach O'Neill 1498–1509		Son of Éinri mac Eoghain O'Neill and Gormhflaith MacMurrough-Kavanagh	unknown	6 August 1509
Art mac Aodh O'Neill 1509–1513		Son of Aodh O'Neill of the Fews son of Eoghan mac Néill Óg O'Neill	unknown	1513
Art Oge O'Neill 1513–1519		1470 Son of Conn Mór mac Éinri O'Neill and Cumach O'Cahan	unknown	1519
Conn Bacagh O'Neill 1519–1558		1484 Son of Conn Mór mac Éinri O'Neill and Eleanor FitzGerald	Alice FitzGerald Sorcha O'Neill	16 July 1559
Shane O'Neill 1559–1567		1530 Son of Conn O'Neill, 1st Earl of Tyrone and Alice FitzGerald	Catherine McDonnell Margaret O'Donnell Catherine MacLean	2 June 1567 Cushendun
Turlough Luineach O'Neill 1567–1593		1532 Son of Niall Connellagh O'Neill son of Art Oge O'Neill	Agnes Campbell	10 September 1595
Hugh O'Neill 1593–1607		1550 Son of Matthew O'Neill, 1st Baron Dungannon (legitimised son of Conn O'Neill, 1st Earl of Tyrone to Alison Kelly) and Siobhan Maguire	Katherine O'Neill Siobhán O'Donnell Mabel Bagenal Katherine Magennis	20 July 1616 Rome

It could also be argued that Conn Bacach had taken the title Earl of Tyrone in 1542, as part of the process of surrender and regrant, and in the process had waived his title. Whether he could waive it without consulting his clan derbfine is part of this debate.

Conn Bacach's grandson Hugh was not proclaimed king at Tullyhogue in 1593, but assumed the title after arranging to pay Turlough Luineach an annuity.

See also

• List of High Kings of Ireland
• List of kings of Clandeboye
• List of kings of Tyrconnell
• List of kings of Ailech
• List of kings of Airgíalla
• List of kings of Dál nAraidi
• List of kings of Ulster
• List of kings of Dál Riata

References

1. Disputed High King of Ireland 1258-1260.
2. Last king to be styled King of Ailech.
3. ^ Also King of Clandeboye.
4. O'Byrne, Emmett. "O'Neill (Ó Néill), Aodh Reamhar (Aodh Mór)". Dictionary of Irish Biography. His succession to the kingship was the result of the deaths by violence of three of his brothers, in 1318, 1319, and 1325, the last of whom, Cú Uladh, died in the same year as their father. Aodh Reamhar assumed the leadership, but much of his early reign was dominated by his struggle with Henry O'Neill (qv) of the Clann Aodha Buidhe. By the middle of the 1330s Aodh Reamhar had established himself as a rival king of Tyrone in opposition to Henry, and proved to be an astute warrior and politician
5. Also styled as King of Ulster 1364.

Bibliography

• "Kings of Tír Eógain and Earls of Tyrone, 1185-1616", pages 211-213, "A New History of Ireland", Volume 9: Maps, Genealogies, Lists; A Companion to Irish History Part II", edited by T. W. Moody, F.X. Martin, F.J. Byrne, Oxford, 1984.

• Lists of Irish monarchs
• Meic Lochlainn
• O'Neill dynasty