Dál Riata (commonly anglicised as Dalriada) was an early medieval kingdom straddling what’s now County Antrim and western Scotland - a genuine source of local pride in parts of Northern Ireland, given its Antrim origins.
Origins
The kingdom began with groups from the Antrim area - called “Scoti” by the Romans - raiding and eventually settling the islands and coastline of western Scotland, helped by the short distance between the two coasts (as little as 14 miles at the closest point).
Expansion into Scotland
Around 500 AD, Dál Riata expanded its base into western Scotland, with its capital eventually moving from Antrim to Dunadd. The kingdom reached its height under King Áedán mac Gabráin (reigned roughly 574-609 AD), a contemporary of St Columba (his uncle and predecessor, Conall, granted Iona to Columba for his monastery). Áedán extended Dál Riata’s influence but was defeated by Æthelfrith of Northumbria at the Battle of Degsastan.
Legacy
Dál Riata remained influential in Scotland for roughly two centuries - the name “Scotland” itself derives from the Scoti who settled there. The rise of the Picts and later Viking incursions eventually ended the kingdom’s power.
