Conchobar mac Taidg Mór
Conchobar mac Taidg Mór(died 882) was aKing of Connachtfrom theUí Briúinbranch of theConnachta.He was the grandson ofMuirgius mac Tommaltaig(died 815), a previous king.[1]His father Tadg Mór (died 810) had been slain fighting in Muirgius' wars versus the minor tribes ofConnacht.[2]He was of theSíl Muiredaigsept of theUí Briúin.TheÓ Conchobhairsepts ofConnachtare named for him.
Biography
[edit]The exact dates of his reign are uncertain. According to theBook of Leinsterking-list he is given a reign of 27 years which would synchronise to a reign of circa 855 to 882[3]The death of a co-ruler Mugron mac Máele Cothaid is mentioned in 872.[4]
Connacht was subject to theHigh King of Irelandduring this period. In 860 the men of Connacht participated in the expedition of the high kingMáel Sechnaill mac Máele Ruanaid(died 862) ofClann Cholmáinagainst the northernUi Neill.They halted at Mag Dumai, near Armagh, where their camp was attacked but they beat this attack off and the expedition ended without a clear victor.[5]In 863 the new high kingÁed Findliath(died 879) of theCenél nEógainmade an expedition into Connacht to impose his authority.[6]
Conchobar fought as an ally of the high king Áed Findliath againstFlann mac Conaing(died 868),King of Brega,and his Viking allies at the Battle of Cell Ua nDaigri in 868. Despite being outnumbered, they won the victory.[7]Conchobar's vassal king, Mannachan, lord of Ui Briuin Na Sinna slew Flann; of which was said:[8]
"Great the triumph for Mannachan, for the hero of fierce valour, to have the head of the son of Conaing in his hand, to exhibit it before the face of the son of Tadhg."
TheFragmentary Annals of Irelandrecord a Norse raid through Connacht on their way toLimerickin 867 but they were ambushed and defeated by the Connachtmen.[9]In 873 Connacht was attacked by Dúnchad mac Duib-dá-Bairenn (died 888),King of MunsterandCerball mac Dúnlainge(died 888),king of Osraige.[10]
The heir to Connacht, Abán son of Cinaed was killed with fire by Sochlachán son of Diarmait in 867 and in 872 his apparent co-ruler Mugron mac Máele Cothaid died.[11]Conchobar himself died at an old age in 882, according to the annals.[12]
Conchobar had married Ailbe, daughter of the high king Máel Sechnaill mac Máele Ruanaid. Conchobar's sonsÁed mac Conchobair(died 888),Tadg mac Conchobair(died 900) andCathal mac Conchobair(died 925) were all Kings of Connacht. Cathal's descendants were known as theUa Conchobair(modern O'Connor), the descendants of Conchobar. Another son was named Máel Cluiche (died 913).
Notes
[edit]- ^Francis J. Byrne,Irish Kings and High-Kings,Table 20.
- ^Annals of Ulster,AU 810.3.
- ^Book of Leinster: Ríg Connacht
- ^Annals of UlsterAU 872.9.
- ^Annals of Ulster,AU 860.1.
- ^Chronicum Scotorum,CS 863.
- ^Annals of Ulster,AU 868.4;Chronicum Scotorum,CS 868.
- ^Annals of the Four Masters,M866.9
- ^Fragmentary Annals of Ireland,FA 866.
- ^Chronicum Scotorum,CS 873.
- ^Annals of UlsterAU 867.5.
- ^Annals of UlsterAU 882.7.
References
[edit]- Seán Mac Airt;Gearóid Mac Niocaill,eds. (1983).The Annals of Ulster (to AD 1131).Translated by Mac Airt; Mac Niocaill. Dublin:Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies.
- O'Donovan, John,ed. (1856).Annála Rioghachta Éireann. Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland by the Four Masters... with a Translation and Copious Notes.7 vols. Translated by O'Donovan (2nd ed.). Dublin:Royal Irish Academy.CELT editions.Full scans atInternet Archive:Vol. 1;Vol. 2;Vol. 3;Vol. 4;Vol. 5;Vol. 6;Indices.
- Gearóid Mac Niocaill, ed. (2003).Chronicon Scotorum.Translated by Gearóid Mac Niocaill. Unpublished manuscript made available toUCC– via CELT: The Corpus of Electronic Texts.Editionandtranslation.
- Fragmentary Annals of Ireland,ed. and tr.Joan N. Radner (1978).Fragmentary Annals of Ireland.Dublin:DIAS.(Available from CELT:Editionandtranslation)
- Byrne, F.J.(2001) [1973].Irish Kings and High-Kings(2nd ed.). Dublin: Four Courts Press.
