Írgalach mac Conaing Cuirre (died 702), also called Írgalach ua Conaing, was a
King of Brega from the Uí Chonaing sept of Cnogba (
Knowth) of the
Síl nÁedo Sláine branch of the southern
Ui Neill. He was the son of
Conaing Cuirre mac Congaile (died 662) and brother of
Congalach mac Conaing Cuirre (died 696), previous kings of Brega. He ruled from 696 to 702.
Írgalach is listed as one of the guarantors of the
Cáin Adomnáin ("Law of the Innocents") of Saint
Adomnán
Adomnán or Adamnán of Iona (, la, Adamnanus, Adomnanus; 624 – 704), also known as Eunan ( ; from ), was an abbot of Iona Abbey ( 679–704), hagiographer, statesman, canon jurist, and saint. He was the author of the ''Life of Co ...
arranged at the
Synod of Birr
The Synod of Birr, held at Birr in modern County Offaly, Ireland in 697 was a meeting of churchmen and secular notables. Best remembered as the occasion on which the Cáin Adomnáin—the Law of Innocents—was guaranteed, the survival o ...
in 697 where he is called King of Ciannachta.
Írgalach's reign began an intense rivalry between the Uí Chonaing and Uí Chernaig sept of Lagore in south Brega of the Síl nÁedo Sláine. His brother Congalach had been defeated by
Niall mac Cernaig Sotal (died 701) of this sept at the Battle of Imlech Pich in 688. In 701, Irgalach killed Niall, who was under Adomnán's protection, at Drumain Ua Casan. The ''
Fragmentary Annals of Ireland'' give the story of the curse the saint laid upon Irgalach for this act:
"Cursed son," said he, "hardest and worst man of God's making, know that shortly you will be separated from your sovereignty, and you will go to Hell."
According to the account in the ''Fragmentary Annals'' Adomnán also cursed Írgalach's descendants. His wife Muirenn (died 748), daughter of
Cellach Cualann (died 715), the
Uí Máil king of
Leinster was pregnant and begged Adomnán to spare her unborn child. This he did, in part, but her child,
Cináed mac Írgalaig
Cináed mac Írgalaig (died 728) or Cináed Cáech, "the one-eyed", was an Irish King of Brega who was High King of Ireland.
Background
Cináed was the son of Írgalach mac Conaing (died 702), a previous King of Brega. He belonged to the Uí Chon ...
, later
High King of Ireland
High King of Ireland ( ga, Ardrí na hÉireann ) was a royal title in Gaelic Ireland held by those who had, or who are claimed to have had, lordship over all of Ireland. The title was held by historical kings and later sometimes assigned ana ...
, was born half-blind, from which he derived his byname Cináed Cáech. . The ''
Annals of Ulster
The ''Annals of Ulster'' ( ga, Annála Uladh) are annals of medieval Ireland. The entries span the years from 431 AD to 1540 AD. The entries up to 1489 AD were compiled in the late 15th century by the scribe Ruaidhrí Ó Luinín, ...
'' record that Írgalach met his death the next year in 702 when invading Britons slew him on the coast opposite Inis Mac Nesáin (
Ireland's Eye
Ireland's Eye () is a small long-uninhabited island off the coast of County Dublin, Ireland. Situated directly north of Howth village and harbour, the island is easily reached by regular seasonal tourist boats, which both circumnavigate it an ...
), and the ''Fragmentary Annals'' link this with Adomnán's curse.
Joan Radner, translator of the ''Fragmentary Annals'', notes that while the deaths of Niall and Írgalach, and Cináed's blindness, are all attested by the
Irish annals
A number of Irish annals, of which the earliest was the Chronicle of Ireland, were compiled up to and shortly after the end of the 17th century. Annals were originally a means by which monks determined the yearly chronology of feast days. Over t ...
, the remainder of the account is of unknown reliability and "the legend fits into the cracks between annal entries".
[Radner, "Writing history", p. 318.]
Notes
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Irgalach Mac Conaing
Kings of Brega
7th-century births
702 deaths
7th-century Irish monarchs
8th-century Irish monarchs