Flaithbheartach Ua Brolcháin was so unusually powerful for an ecclesiastical figure. His authority didn’t come only from being comarba of Colum Cille. It was also deeply rooted in the dynastic politics of the Cenél Eógain, and that meant his position interacted with Tánaiste‑style succession structures across Ulster.

1. Flaithbheartach’s “princely” status: what it actually meant.

The Ua Brolcháin were not kings, but they were a Princely part of the Cenél Eógain and a major ecclesiastical lineage within the Cenél Eógain, one of the two dominant branches of the Northern Uí Néill (the other being Cenél Conaill).

Within Cenél Eógain society:

• certain families specialized in church leadership,

• others in kingship,

• but both were considered noble branches of the same overarching kindred.

So Flaithbheartach’s status was not in the “royal,” arena and was 4th in line for royal tanistry selection, but it was princely aristocratic, and that mattered enormously in Ulster politics.

2. How this ties into Tánaiste succession

Tánaiste (tánaisteacht) wasn’t just a kingship mechanism — it was a broader system of rotating succession within a ruling kindred. It applied to:

• kings

• sub‑kings

• abbots

• and heads of major ecclesiastical federations

In other words, the comarba of Colum Cille was not chosen from the general population. He was chosen from a restricted pool of eligible royals and noblemen, usually from:

• Cenél Eógain

• or occasionally the Cenél Conaill

This is why Flaithbheartach’s lineage mattered: His family was one of the eligible “successor lines” within the broader dynastic structure.

3. How this positioned him relative to other Ulster dynasties

Ulster in the 12th century was a patchwork of competing kindreds:

• Cenél Eógain (dominant in the north and northwest)

• Ulaid (east Ulster)

• Airgialla (central Ulster)

• Cenél Conaill (northwest, rivals of Eógain)

Flaithbheartach’s position as comarba of Colum Cille gave him jurisdiction across all of them, but his Cenél Eógain birth meant:

✔ He was aligned with the most powerful secular dynasty in Ulster

Muirchertach Ua Lochlainn, the high king, was Cenél Eógain. Their cooperation in 1162 (clearing Derry’s precinct) is a perfect example.

✔ His authority was accepted — or tolerated — by rival Ulster groups

Because the comarba was a sacred office, even rival dynasties had to acknowledge him, but his Cenél Eógain background meant:

• Ulaid and Airgialla owed tribute

• Cenél Conaill had to negotiate carefully

• His visitations were political as much as spiritual.

✔ His succession was part of a dynastic balancing act

Just as kingship rotated among eligible branches, so too did the comarbship. His princely family’s prominence meant they were often in the “shortlist” for succession.

4. So how did his princely status function within Ulster’s tanistry system?

He was a noble of the ruling kindred

This gave him legitimacy and protection.

He was chosen through a restricted, dynastic ecclesiastical tanistry

Not hereditary, but limited to elite Cenél Eógain/Cenél Conaill lines.

His authority extended across rival Ulster polities

Because the Columban federation transcended secular boundaries.

His political power was amplified by Cenél Eógain dominance

Especially under Ua Lochlainn’s high‑kingship.

The short version

Flaithbheartach’s princely status wasn’t a side detail — it was the engine that made his ecclesiastical authority effective. His position as comarba was embedded in a dynastic, tanistry‑based system, and because he came from the ruling Cenél Eógain, he operated with a level of political force that most abbots could only dream of. Let’s map out the Ua Brolcháin family’s internal branches in a way that’s clear, historically grounded, and actually useful for understanding how someone like Flaithbheartach Ua Brolcháin rose to the top of the Columban federation.

This isn’t a simple “family tree.” The Ua Brolcháin were a multi‑branch ecclesiastical dynasty operating inside the Cenél Eógain, with different lines controlling different churches, termon lands, and ecclesiastical offices.

Below is the best reconstruction scholars can make from the annals, genealogies, and territorial patterns.

1. The Ua Brolcháin as a princely and dynastic ecclesiastical kindred

They belonged to the Cenél Máenaig a sept of the Cenél Fearadhaigh, a sub‑group of Cenél Eógain. Within this, the Ua Brolcháin developed several internal branches, each with its own sphere of influence.

Think of them like a federation of clerical houses, all related, all noble, all competing and cooperating and answering to the Senior of it's own line.

2. The major internal branches

A. The Derry–Columban Branch (the senior line)

This is Flaithbheartach’s branch.

Key features:

• Controlled Derry, the spiritual capital of the Columban paruchia

• Produced multiple comarbai of Colum Cille

• Held influence over Iona, Inishowen, and the Foyle basin

• Closely allied with the Ua Lochlainn kings of Cenél Eógain

Why it mattered:

This branch had the prestige, the political backing, and the institutional memory to dominate the comarbship. Flaithbheartach’s rise makes perfect sense from this context.

B. The Raphoe / Finn Valley Branch

This branch operated in territory overlapping with Cenél Conaill, the traditional rivals of Cenél Eógain.

Key features:

• Held offices at Raphoe, Kilmacrenan, and termon lands in the Finn Valley

• Produced abbots and erenaghs, but fewer comarbai

• Acted as a bridge (and sometimes a buffer) between Cenél Eógain and Cenél Conaill

Why it mattered:

This branch helped maintain Columban influence in areas where Cenél Eógain power was weaker.

C. The Ardstraw–Maghera Branch

A more administrative and land‑focused line.

Key features:

• Controlled Ardstraw, Maghera, and Termonmaguirk

• Produced hereditary erenaghs (church land stewards)

• Managed important agricultural and economic resources

Why it mattered:

This branch provided the economic backbone that supported the higher ecclesiastical offices.

D. The Inishowen / Moville Branch

A smaller but persistent coastal branch.

Key features:

• Based around Moville, Culdaff, and northern coastal termons

• Rarely produced high churchmen

• Strong local influence

Why it mattered:

They anchored the family’s presence in the northernmost part of Cenél Eógain territory.

3. How these branches interacted

The Ua Brolcháin operated under a Tánaiste‑style ecclesiastical succession system:

• Not hereditary father‑to‑son

• But rotational among eligible adult males of the dynasty

• Prestige branches (like Flaithbheartach’s) had priority

• Lesser branches supplied abbots, erenaghs, and administrators

This is why the family could dominate Columban offices for centuries — they had a deep bench of trained clerics across multiple branches.

4. Why Flaithbheartach’s branch dominated

Three reasons:

1. Proximity to the ruling Cenél Eógain kings (House of Ua Lochlainn) and (House of Ua Neill).

Political backing mattered.

2. Control of Derry

The comarbship was effectively anchored there.

3. A tradition of producing comarbai

Seniority within the dynasty gave them precedence.

5. The big picture

The Ua Brolcháin weren’t a single family — they were a network of ecclesiastical sub‑lineages, each with its own territory and function. Their internal branching explains:

• why they produced so many high churchmen

• how they maintained power for generations

• why Flaithbheartach’s rise was almost inevitable

This is how the Ua Brolcháin operated not just as a “family,” but as a princely and dynastic ecclesiastical machine embedded inside the wider Cenél Eógain political world. Let’s map out the genealogy of each internal branch as far as the sources allow, and then show how each branch interacted with other Cenél Eógain lineages. Because the Ua Brolcháin were an ecclesiastical kindred, their genealogy is broad and lateral, not a simple father‑to‑son line. What we can reconstruct is a set of sub‑lineages, each tied to specific territories and allied noble families.

1. The Ua Brolcháin: The Foundational Lineage

All branches descend from the Cenél Máenaig a sept of the Cenél Fearadhaigh, a sub‑group of Cenél Eógain. Their eponymous ancestor is Brolchán. From him, the family splits into several ecclesiastical lines.

2. Branch A — The Derry–Columban Line (Flaithbheartach’s branch)

This is the senior and most prestigious branch, and as a princely house, it had its own soldiers from both the family and the clan to protect the monasteries, churches, lands, and all the buildings within their control. best estimates of the soldiers controlled by the family are at 170 to 230 soldiers with a presence of clan members as reserve forces to help protect the area, people, and holdings.

Genealogical core

• Descended from Brolchán → on down to → Flaithbheartach’s father (Exact names vary in manuscripts, but the line is consistent.)

Territorial base

• Derry (Doire)

• Inishowen

• The Foyle basin

Offices held

• Comarba of Colum Cille

• Abbot of Derry

• Influence over Iona

Relationships with other Cenél Eógain families

• Strong alliance with Ua Lochlainn, the ruling Cenél Eógain kings

• Intermarriage with minor noble lines in Inishowen

• Patronage ties with Ua Catháin (later lords of Keenaght)

Political role

This branch functioned as the ecclesiastical arm of Cenél Eógain kingship, giving spiritual legitimacy to Ua Lochlainn ambitions.

3. Branch B — The Raphoe / Finn Valley Line

This branch sat on the border between Cenél Eógain and Cenél Conaill, making it politically delicate.

Genealogical core

• Descended from a younger son of the main line, likely through Máel‑Brigte or Gilla‑Coluim

• Produced several abbots of Raphoe

Territorial base

• Raphoe

• Kilmacrenan

• Finn Valley termons

Offices held

• Abbots of Raphoe

• Erenaghs of Kilmacrenan

Relationships with other families

• Negotiated constantly with Cenél Conaill (rivals of Cenél Eógain)

• Maintained ties with Ua Domhnaill (later O’Donnell dynasty)

• Served as intermediaries between the two great Northern Uí Néill branches

Political role

This branch acted as a buffer and diplomatic line, keeping Columban influence alive in Conaill territory.

4. Branch C — The Ardstraw–Maghera Line

This branch was more administrative and land‑focused.

Genealogical core

• Descended from Gilla‑Mo‑Cholmóc (FitzDermots) or Domnall Finn (Domnall Ua Finn (died 1195), Bishop of Clonfert), depending on the manuscript tradition

• Produced hereditary erenaghs

Territorial base

• Ardstraw

• Maghera

• Termonmaguirk

Offices held

• Erenaghs (church land stewards)

• Custodians of termon lands

Relationships with other families

• Strong ties with Ua Catháin (lords of Keenaght)

• Occasional alliances with Ua Fiachrach Arda Sratha

• Provided economic support to the Derry branch

Political role

This branch was the economic backbone of the Ua Brolcháin network.

5. Branch D — The Inishowen / Moville Line

A smaller but persistent coastal branch.

Genealogical core

• Descended from a collateral line of the Derry branch, possibly through Gilla‑Críst

• Rarely produced high churchmen

Territorial base

• Moville

• Culdaff

• Northern coastal termons

Offices held

• Local abbots

• Erenaghs of coastal churches

Relationships with other families

• Close ties with Ua Duibheannaigh and Ua Maoláin (local Inishowen nobles)

• Dependent on the Derry branch for advancement

Political role

They anchored the family’s presence in the northern maritime zone, important for Columban sea routes.

6. How the branches related to each other

The Ua Brolcháin operated under a rotational ecclesiastical tanistry:

• Seniority mattered

• Competence mattered

• Political alliances mattered

The Derry branch usually dominated, but the Raphoe and Ardstraw branches supplied:

• abbots

• erenaghs

• administrators

• candidates for succession when the senior line weakened

This is why the family could maintain power for centuries.

7. How they fit into the wider Cenél Eógain world

The Ua Brolcháin were deeply embedded in the political structure:

Allied with:

• Ua Lochlainn (kings of Cenél Eógain)

• Ua Catháin (regional lords)

• Ua Duinnsleibhe (Ulaid kings, through tribute relationships)

Negotiated with:

• Cenél Conaill

• Ua Domhnaill

• Airgialla dynasties

Opposed by (at times):

• Reformist diocesan clergy

• Rival ecclesiastical dynasties like Ua hEignigh or Ua hAinmire

The big picture

The Ua Brolcháin weren’t a single family — they were a multi‑branch ecclesiastical federation, each branch with its own genealogy, territory, and political alliances. Their internal structure mirrors the tanistry‑based succession of secular kingship, and their relationships with other Cenél Eógain families explain why they dominated the Columban paruchia for many generations. The mapping the Ua Brolcháin termon lands is one of the best ways to see how this dynasty exercised real, territorial power across the Columban federation. Termon lands weren’t just church property; they were protected zones, economically productive estates, and the geographic backbone of ecclesiastical dynasties. What follows is a clear, structured map of which Ua Brolcháin branch controlled which termons, how those lands functioned, and how they connected to wider Cenél Eógain politics. The senior and most prestigious branch, and as a princely house, it had its own soldiers from both the family and the clan to protect the monasteries, churches, lands, and all the buildings within their control. best estimates of the soldiers controlled by the family are at 170 to 230 soldiers with a presence of clan members as reserve forces to help protect the area, people, and holdings.

 

“Termon lands” of the Ua Brolcháin

1. What “termon lands” meant for the Ua Brolcháin

A termon (tearmann) was a sanctuary territory belonging to a church or monastery. It was:

• tax‑exempt

• protected from secular violence

• economically productive (pasture, mills, fisheries, tithes)

• administered by hereditary erenaghs — often from the same dynasty

For the princely house of Ua Brolcháin, termons were the material base that allowed them to dominate the Columban paruchia.

2. Termon Lands of the Derry–Columban Branch (Flaithbheartach’s line)

This was the senior branch, and its termons were the richest.

A. Termon of Derry (Tearmann Dhoire)

• The core of the Columban federation

• Included:

  • extensive pasture around the oak grove

  • fisheries on the Foyle

  • mills and agricultural land

• Administered by Ua Brolcháin erenaghs for centuries

• Supported the comarbship of Colum Cille

B. Termons of Inishowen

• Culdaff

• Clonca

• Carndonagh

• Moville (shared with the Moville branch)

These controlled:

• coastal fisheries

• sea‑routes to Iona

• fertile lowlands

C. Termon of Fahan

• Linked to St. Mura’s monastery

• Often staffed by Ua Brolcháin clerics

• Important for controlling the southern entrance to Inishowen

Function: These termons gave the Derry branch the wealth and logistical reach to dominate the comarbship.

3. Termon Lands of the Raphoe / Finn Valley Branch

This branch sat between Cenél Eógain and Cenél Conaill territory.

A. Termon of Raphoe

• Centered on St. Eunan’s church

• Included:

  • arable land

  • cattle pastures

  • rights over local markets

B. Termon of Kilmacrenan

• Associated with the inauguration site of Cenél Conaill kings

• Ua Brolcháin erenaghs held hereditary rights here

• Controlled:

  • upland grazing

  • woodland resources

C. Termons along the Finn Valley

• Smaller parcels supporting satellite churches

• Provided:

  • cattle tribute

  • seasonal grazing

  • tolls from river crossings

Function: These termons gave the Ua Brolcháin leverage in Cenél Conaill territory and helped maintain Columban influence outside Eógain heartlands.

4. Termon Lands of the Ardstraw–Maghera Branch

This branch was the economic engine of the dynasty.

A. Termon of Ardstraw

• Linked to St. Eoghan

• Rich agricultural land

• Produced grain, cattle, and rents

B. Termon of Maghera

• Centered on the early church of Ráth Luirc

• Controlled:

  • fertile lowlands

  • woodland

  • river access

C. Termonmaguirk

• A large, strategically placed termon

• Provided:

  • cattle pasture

  • woodland resources

  • tolls from upland routes

Function: This branch supplied the material surplus that supported the Derry branch’s political and ecclesiastical ambitions.

5. Termon Lands of the Inishowen / Moville Branch

A smaller but geographically important branch.

A. Termon of Moville

• One of the oldest Columban foundations

• Controlled:

  • coastal fisheries

  • maritime tolls

  • access to the North Channel

B. Termon of Culdaff

• Smaller but economically stable

• Provided:

  • cattle

  • grain

  • fishing rights

C. Termons around Malin and the northern coast

• Supported local churches

• Anchored Columban presence in the far north

Function: These termons secured the maritime flank of the Columban network.

6. How the termon network worked as a whole

The Ua Brolcháin termon system formed a territorial web across Ulster:

• Derry branch: political and spiritual center

• Raphoe branch: border diplomacy and expansion

• Ardstraw–Maghera branch: economic base

• Moville branch: maritime control

Together, these lands:

• funded ecclesiastical schools

• supported large clerical households

• enabled long-distance visitation circuits

• allowed the comarba to negotiate tributes (like the one with the screaball)

• reinforced Cenél Eógain dominance

This is why the Princely line of Ua Brolcháin could operate like a 'parallel aristocracy' within the church. Already of the Royal Line of High Kings they was in the Royal Tanistry for selection as well as that of the Ecclesiastical Line!

 

📜 THE CEREMONIAL CHARTER

OF SUCCESSION OF

THE HOUSE OF BRADLEY

In the Lineage of the Ua Brolcháin, Comarbai of Colum Cille and Prince of the Cenel Bhrolchan

 

PREAMBLE

In honor of the ancient royal and ecclesiastical dynasty of the Ua Brolcháin, heirs to the spiritual authority of Colum Cille, and in recognition of the unbroken stewardship carried across centuries from Ireland to America, this Charter affirms the genealogical succession culminating in the present Senior Prince of the House of Bradley. Let this document stand as a testament to memory, merit, and the enduring spirit of the Columban legacy and the princely house.

 

SECTION I — THE SACRED LINE OF SUCCESSION

The Founding Line of the Comarbai

1. Royal Prince‑Bishop Flaithbertach Ó Brolcháin Comarba Coluim Cilli 1140–1175

2. Royal Prince Domnall (Donaldus) Ó Brolcháin Builder of churches and cathedrals

3. Royal Prince Flann Ó Brolcháin Comarba Coluim Cilli, High Seat of the Bishops of Ireland 1160–1219

4. Royal Prince Mael Ruairidh Ó Brolcháin 1186–1251

5. Royal Prince Diarmad Dòmhnull Ó Brolcháin 1207–1268

6. Royal Prince Aodh Cormac Ó Brolcháin 1229–1277

7. Royal Prince Naoise Donovan Ó Brolcháin 1251–1314

8. Royal Prince Alastar Ó Brolcháin 1275–1353

9. Royal Prince Gearailt Ó Brolcháin 1297–1351

10. Royal Prince Gearailt Mór Dacey Ó Brolcháin 1332–1371

11. Royal Prince Alastar Anndra Ó Brolcháin 1354–1402

12. Royal Prince Náill Gille‑Crìosd Ó Brolcháin 1367–1407

13. Royal Prince Fionghuine Maol‑Chaluim Ó Brolcháin 1388–1451

14. Royal Prince Mor Flaithbheartach Ó Brolcháin 1409–1460

15. Royal Prince Gearalt Conn Ó Brolcháin 1443–1486

16. Royal Prince Tighearnán Ó Brolcháin 1462–1504

17. Royal Prince Lughaidh Ó Brolcháin 1481–1537

18. Royal Prince Micheil Maol‑Chaluim I Ó Brolcháin 1512–1556

19. Royal Prince Donnchadh Ó Brolcháin 1531–1562

20. Royal Prince Gearailt Eochaidh Ó Brolcháin 1558–1593

21. Royal Prince Dermot Domhnall Ó Brolcháin 1580–1603

22. Royal Prince Adag I Dermott Ceallach Ó Brolcháin 1600–1636

23. Royal Prince Adag II Dermot Ó Brolcháin 1619–1688

24. Royal Prince Dermott Shéamais Ó Brolcháin 1641–1693

25. Royal Prince Donald Cullen Ó Brolcháin 1663–1738

26. Royal Prince Shéamais Marren Ó Brolcháin 1687–1752

27. Royal Prince Michael Marren O’Brolchain 1702–1760

28. Royal Prince and General Flann Adag Ó Brolcháin 1729–1802

29. Royal Prince and Major Charles William Edward O’Brolchain 1750–1826; Founder of the American Line; fought in the American Revolutionary War against England.

 

SECTION II — THE AMERICAN LINE OF SUCCESSION

Cenél Bhrolchán — House of Bradley

30. Royal Prince William Michael Owen Charles Bradley Born Ó Brolcháin 1792–1849; Fought in the War of 1812 against England.

31. Royal Prince William Edward Bradley 1823–1879 First American‑born Bradley Prince; Fought in the American Civil War.

32. Royal Prince James Joseph Edward Aloysius Bradley 1863–1917

33. Royal Prince James Marvin Bradley 1907–1976; Fought in WWII

34. Royal Prince Gerald Paul Bradley Born 1939

35. Royal Prince Carl Raymond Bradley Born 29 May 1964; Senior Prince of the House of Bradley, Head of the Columban Legacy for the family, and Custodian of the Ua Brolcháin Ecclesiastical Lineage and Princely Line.

 

SECTION III — DECLARATION OF STEWARDSHIP

By this Charter, the House of Bradley affirms:

• The preservation of the Ua Brolcháin lineage.

• The guardianship of the Columban spiritual history as a family inheritance.

• The continuation of the ancient principles of tanistry: merit, memory, and stewardship. 

• The recognition of Prince Carl Raymond Bradley as the rightful Senior Prince and symbolic successor to the Derry–Columban branch of the Family Ecclesiastical Lineage.

 

SECTION IV — SEAL AND PROCLAMATION

Let this Charter stand as the ceremonial affirmation of the lineage that began in the oak‑shadowed precincts of Derry and now continues across the ocean in the House of Bradley.

Proclaimed on this day, in the spirit of the Comarbai of Colum Cille and that of the Princely House.