| Laigin | |
|---|---|
| Parent house | Heremonians |
| Country | Ireland |
| Founder | Labraid Loingsech |
| Current head | MacMurrough Kavanagh |
| Titles |
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| Cadet branches | Various |
The Laigin, modern spelling Laighin (Irish pronunciation: [ˈl̪ˠəinʲ]), were a Gaelic population group of early Ireland. They gave their name to the Kingdom of Leinster, which in the medieval era was known in Irish as Cóiced Laigen, meaning "Fifth/province of the Leinstermen" (Modern Irish Cúige Laighean), where their descendants ruled till the 17th century. Their territory, located in south-east Ireland, is thought to have once extended from the River Shannon to the River Boyne.[1] The surnames[which?] of those descended from the Laigin are still counted amongst the most numerous in Ireland.