Niall, Earl of Carrick
Níall of Carrick was the second man to bear the title Mormaer, or Earl, of Carrick. He was successor of mormaer Donnchadh of Carrick. He may have been Donnchadh's son, or else as suggested by one recent genealogical theory, his grandson. It has been argued that Niall's father was Nichol, son of mormaer Donnchadh by the daughter of Niall Ruadh, briefly king of Tir Eoghain.
On 12 September 1255 Níall, having no male heirs, granted the chiefship of the clan to his nephew Roland and his heirs, giving them all the powers in respect to the ceann ceneóil. This grant was confirmed by King Alexander III at Stirling in 1276.
Niall was succeeded by his daughter Marjory, who took the title 3rd Countess of Carrick. The latter passed the mormaerdom on to her son Robert the Bruce, who became King Robert I of Scotland.
