Laigin

Laigin, or Laighin in Irish, is the designation used in historical Irish sources for the Gaelic-speaking people associated with the eastern part of Ireland, from whom the province of Leinster takes its English name. In early Irish literature and law tracts, Laigin denotes both the population and the territory roughly corresponding to modern Leinster. The Laigin were organized into dynastic groups, with the kingship of Leinster at different times held by the Uí Dúnlainge and the Uí Máil, among others. Their heartlands lay in what are now counties such as Dublin, Meath, Kildare, Wicklow, Wexford, Kilkenny, and around adjacent areas.

From the 8th through the 11th centuries, the Laigin faced pressure from Viking activity and from rival Irish kingdoms, particularly the Uí Néill in the north. The Viking settlement of Dublin and the growth of fortified monastic and urban centers shaped the region’s development. After the Norman invasion in the late 12th century, Leinster became a crown and marcher lordship, though Gaelic culture and the Laigin identity persisted in genealogies and regional law tracts.

Today, Laigin remains a historical term used in Irish-language sources and in discussions of Ireland’s early medieval history. The province’s name in Irish is Laighin, and the term continues to be used by scholars to refer to the people and heritage of Leinster.