 By the 6th century AD Islay, along with much of the nearby mainland and adjacent islands lay within the Gaelic kingdom of Dál Riata with strong links to Ireland.The widely accepted view is that Dál Riata was established by Gaelic migrants from Ulster, displacing a former Brythionic culture (such as the Picts).Nevertheless, it has been claimed that the Gaels in this part of Scotland were indigenous to the area.