Rítheaghlach Chonmhaicne Réin in Éirinn na meánaoise ba ea Muintir Eolais. Le seacht gcéad bliain anuas ón 8ú haois, bhí cónaí orthu agus bhí siad i gceannas ar ceantar i ndeisceart Contae Liatroma, mar a bhí Maigh Nissi agus Maigh Réin, inniu faoi seach na barúntachtaí Liatroma agus Mhaothla.[1]
D'éirigh tionchar Mhuintir Eolais (Mhic Raghnaill, Uí Mhaoilmhiaigh agus Mhic Sheanlaoich) níos laige agus scoilte de réir a chéile le linn na 16ú haoise. Theip an tuath le cliseadh na nGael i gCogadh na Naoi mBliana, agus chuaigh sí as cuimhne le forghabháil na hÉireann ag na Sasanaigh.
The names of families descended from the Muintir Eolais are common today- Reynolds, Mulvey, McGarry, Shanley and Moran.[fíoras?]
Two proven descendants of Eolais are recorded. Today at Clonmacnoise monastery a carved headstone is dedicated to Ódhrán Ua hEolais (d.994), scribe of Clonmacnois, the inscription reading 'Pray for Odhrán descendant of Eolas'. Another scribe named Flannchad Ua hEolais (fl. 1101AD) held the Book of Durrow.[fíoras?]
Parts of Caisleán Seóin at Lough Scur collapsed circa 1908, but repairs were undertaken by a heritage preservation society.[8] Today, badly dilapidated ruins of "Mag Raghnaill" Castles exist at both Lough Scur and Lough Rynn; neither are preserved as heritage sites.[9]
Castle Sean c. 1791
Castle & Jail view
Jail Island c. 1791
After southern Ireland regained independence in 1922, the English county administrative structure was retained. The Muintir Eolais remained largely forgotten. In 1980 Leitrim County Council approved a design of Arms for County Leitrim that included the lion of O'Rourke (north Leitrim, and Carrigallen baronies), but excluded the Muintir Eolais (Mohill, and Leitrim baronies).[10]
The townland of Corryolus (Irish: Coraidh Eolais, "Weir of Eolus"), lying on the junction of the Shannon and Boyle river's, directly north of Carrick on Shannon, obtained its name from "Eolus" from whom the 'Muintir Eolais' are directly descended.Teimpléad:Snf[11] In the remote mountainous Cuilcagh-Anierin uplands, the oligotrophic lake named "Lough Munter Eolas" marks a borderline between west Cavan and south Leitrim.[12][13]
A well established traditional fiddle group, trained by a Fr. Quinn since 1966, adopted the name "Ceolus" preserving his name,[n 1] and they play music garnered from local manuscripts going back almost two hundred years.[15]
The fictional land of "Clan Eolais" populated by "Eolaisans" and Sylphs, appears in the "Solas2" role playing game.[16]
"Occupation of Connaught by the Anglo-Normans after A.D. 1237 (Continued)" (1903). The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland33 (2): 179–189. Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, 1903. JSTOR25507290.
MacNamee, James Joseph (1954). "History of the Diocese of Ardagh". Dublin: Browne and Nolan.
Manning, Conleth (2010), "The grave-slab of Charles Reynolds in Rome", The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, 140: 22–27, JSTOR 24395863