Niall of the Nine Hostages — founder of the Uí Néill dynasty, c. 4th-5th century AD
Image
Niall of the Nine Hostages
Creator
Modern artistic depiction (Wikimedia Commons)
Physical form
Modern illustration / depiction
Current location
Wikimedia Commons
Provenance
Public domain image from Wikipedia 2026-06-05.
Content note
Niall Noígíallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), legendary High King of Ireland in the late 4th / early 5th century AD, founder of the Uí Néill dynasty. The progenitor — through the Sliocht Airt sept of Omagh — of Brant Hindman's documented O'Neill maternal line (via Bridgit O'Neil Dennan b. 1630 Omagh and her father Hugh O'Neil b. 1605 Omagh). Modern Y-DNA studies of haplogroup R-M222 trace it back to Niall and provide a testable link to documented modern O'Neill descent.
