abstract:The Ulaid (Old Irish, ) or Ulaidh (modern Irish, ) were a people of early Ireland who gave their name to the modern province of Ulster (modern Irish: Cúige Uladh, , meaning "fifth-part of the Ulaidh"). The first part of the name Ulster comes from Ulaidh; the latter part of the name ("ster") comes either from the English possessive ending -s and Irish tír (Ulaidhs tír) or the Old Norse staðr, both of which mean "land" or "territory".