New Settlers in Down and Antrim

Or Ulidia

John De Courcy with his forces overran a great part of Orgiall and Ulidia; and for a period of twenty years carried on an incessant warfare with the native chiefs. As already mentioned, he fixed his head-quarters at Downpatrick. After De Courcy had been driven out of Ireland by his great rivals, the De Lacys, lords of Meath, the latter obtained possession of Ulidia, and were created earls of Ulster. The De Burgos next became possessors of Ulidia, and earls of Ulster; which title and possessions afterwards passed to the Mortimers, earls of March, in England. The chief settlers in Ulidia, under De Courcy and his successors, were those of Audley, Bisset, Copeland, Fitzsimon, Chamberlain, Bagnall, Martell, Jordan, Mandeville, Riddle, Russell, Smith, Staunton, Logan, Savage, Walsh, and White. In the reign of Queen Mary, the Fitzgeralds, earls of Kildare, obtained Leath Chathail or "Lecale," a well-known barony in the county Down, anciently called Magh Inis or the Insular Plain.