Events from the 6th century in

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

500s

;506 * 23 March - Death of Bishop

Mac Cairthinn of Clogher Saint Mac Cairthinn, also Macartan, McCartan (died 506), is recognized as the first presiding Bishop of Clogher from 454 to his death. One of the earliest Christian saints in Ireland, he is known as Saint Patrick's "Threin Fhir", or "Strong Man ...

.List of Published Texts at CELT
—

University College Cork University College Cork – National University of Ireland, Cork (UCC) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile Corcaigh) is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland, and located in Cork. The university was founded in 1845 as one of ...

's ''Corpus of Electronic Texts'' project has the full list of Irish Annals. ;507 * Death of

Lugaid mac Lóegairi Lugaid mac Lóegairi (died ) was a High King of Ireland. He was a grandson of Niall of the Nine Hostages. One of the supposed twelve sons of Lóegaire mac Néill, his mother was Angias, a daughter of (Ailill) Tassach of the Uí Liatháin. Comp ...

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 ...

. * 3 September - Death of St. Mac Nisi, Bishop of Connor (according to some sources, see 509 below). ;509 * 3 September - Death of St. Mac Nisi, Bishop of Connor (according to some sources; see 507 above).

510s

;512 * 29 June - A

solar eclipse A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby obscuring the view of the Sun from a small part of the Earth, totally or partially. Such an alignment occurs during an eclipse season, approximately every six month ...

is recorded. * 2 November - Death of Bishop

Erc of Slane Erc mac Dega ( la, Ercus; kw, Erth), also known (incorrectly) as Herygh, was an Irish saint. He was active in Cornwall. Tradition ascribes the foundation of the original monastery on the Hill of Slane to him. Early life Erc, son of Dago, is b ...

(according to some sources; see 513 below). ;513 * 2 November - Death of Bishop

(according to some sources; see 512 above). ;515 * Birth of Abbot

Cainnech of Aghaboe Cainnech of Aghaboe (515/16–600), also known as Saint Canice in Ireland, Saint Kenneth in Scotland, Saint Kenny and in Latin Sanctus Canicus, was an Irish abbot, monastic founder, priest and missionary during the early medieval period. Cainne ...

at Glengiven near

Dungiven Dungiven () is a small town, townland and civil parish in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is near the main A6 Belfast to Derry road, which bypasses the town. It lies where the rivers Roe, Owenreagh and Owenbeg meet at the foot of the B ...

Ulster Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United King ...

(according to some sources; see 516 below). ;516 * Battle of Druim Derge in

Leinster Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of Ir ...

; the

Laigin The Laigin, modern spelling Laighin (), were a Gaelic population group of early Ireland. They gave their name to the Kingdom of Leinster, which in the medieval era was known in Irish as ''Cóiced Laigen'', meaning "Fifth/province of the Leinsterm ...

finally lose the

Irish Midlands The Midland Region (coded IE063) is a NUTS Level III statistical region of Ireland. It consists of the territory of the counties of Laois, Offaly, Westmeath and Longford. The Midland Region spans 6,524 km2, 9.5% of the total area of the st ...

to the

Uí Néill The Uí Néill (Irish pronunciation: ; meaning "descendants of Niall") are Irish dynasties who claim descent from Niall Noígíallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), a historical King of Tara who died c. 405. They are generally divided into the ...

. * Birth of Bishop

Ciarán of Clonmacnoise Saint Ciarán of Clonmacnoise (c. 516 – c. 549), supposedly born Ciarán mac an tSaeir ("son of the carpenter"), was one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland and the first abbot of Clonmacnoise. He is sometimes called Ciarán the Young ...

("Ciarán the Younger"), one of the

Twelve Apostles of Ireland The Twelve Apostles of Ireland (also known as Twelve Apostles of Erin, ir, Dhá Aspal Déag na hÉireann) were twelve early Irish monastic saints of the sixth century who studied under St Finnian (d. 549) at his famous monastic school Clonar ...

. * Birth of Abbot

at Glengiven near

(according to some sources; see 515 above). ;517–518 * 6 July - Death of St.

Moninne Saint Moninne or Modwenna of Killeavy was one of Ireland's early female saints. After instruction in the religious life, she founded a community, initially consisting of eight virgins and a widow with a baby, at Slieve Gullion, in what became Co ...

(Darercae) at the convent she established at

Killeavy Killeen"Killeen" is the official name of the townland. or Killean () is a small village and townland in the civil parish of Killeavy, County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It lies about four miles (6.5 km) south of Newry, near the border with Co ...

(year varies according to sources).

520s

;520 * Monastery founded in Ballyleague by St.

Faithleach of Clontuskert Faithleach of Clontuskert, Irish saint, . Faithleach was one of the four sons of Fionnlugh mac Olchú, and a brother of Brendan of Clonfert. His other brothers were Domhainghin of Tuaim Múscraighe and Faolán of Ceall Tulach. His associated ...

(brother of

Brendan Brendan may refer to: People * Saint Brendan the Navigator (c. 484 – c. 577) was an Irish monastic saint. * Saint Brendan of Birr (died 573), Abbot of Birr in Co. Offaly, contemporaneous with the above * Brendan (given name), a masculine given na ...

). *

Clonard Abbey Clonard Abbey (Irish, ''Cluain Eraird'', or ''Cluain Iraird'', "Erard's Meadow") was an early medieval monastery situated on the River Boyne in Clonard, County Meath, Ireland. Early history The monastery was founded in about 520 by Saint F ...

in modern

County Meath County Meath (; gle, Contae na Mí or simply ) is a county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Ireland, within the province of Leinster. It is bordered by Dublin to the southeast, Louth to the northeast, Kildare to the south, Offaly to the sou ...

founded by St.

Finnian of Clonard Finnian of Clonard ('Cluain Eraird') – also Finian, Fionán or Fionnán in Irish; or Finianus and Finanus in its Latinised form (470–549) – was one of the early Irish monastic saints, who founded Clonard Abbey in modern-day County Meath. ...

. *3 May - Death of

Conleth Saint Conleth (; sga, Conláed ; Modern Irish: ''Naomh Connlaodh''; also ''Conlaeth; Conlaid; Conlaith; Conlath; Conlian, Hugh the Wise'') was an Irish hermit and metalworker, also said to have been a copyist and skilled illuminator of manuscr ...

Bishop of Kildare The Bishop of Kildare was an episcopal title which took its name after the town of Kildare in County Kildare, Ireland. The title is no longer in use by any of the main Christian churches having been united with other bishoprics. In the Roman Cat ...

(in 516 according to some sources). *(approximate year) -

Clane Friary Clane Friary, also called Clane Abbey, is a former friary of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual located in Clane, Ireland. Location Clane Friary is located immediately southeast of Clane village, to the north of King Mesgegra's Mound and t ...

founded by Ailbe of Emly ;521 *7 December - Birth of

Columba Columba or Colmcille; gd, Calum Cille; gv, Colum Keeilley; non, Kolban or at least partly reinterpreted as (7 December 521 – 9 June 597 AD) was an Irish abbot and missionary evangelist credited with spreading Christianity in what is toda ...

(Colm Cille or Columcille) in

Gartan Gartan ( ga, Gartán) is a parish in County Donegal, Ireland. It is best known for being the birthplace of Columba, one of the three patron saints of Ireland and one of the most revered saints in the Christian world. Here he founded a monastery ...

, missionary monk (died

597 __NOTOC__ Year 597 ( DXCVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 597 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era ...

). *7 December - Death of St. Búite of

Monasterboice The Monasterboice ( ga, Mainistir Bhuithe) ruins are the remains of an early Christian monastic settlement in County Louth in Ireland, north of Drogheda. The ruins are a National monument of Ireland and also give their name to the local vill ...

. ;522 * Death of

Eochaid mac Óengusa Eochaid mac Óengusa (died 522) was a King of Munster from the ruling Eoganachta dynasty. He was the son of Óengus mac Nad Froích (died 489), the first Christian king of Munster. The chronology of the 6th century Munster kings is confusing in t ...

, an Eoganachta king of

Munster Munster ( gle, an Mhumhain or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the south of Ireland. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" ( ga, rí ruirech). Following the ...

. His son

Crimthann Srem mac Echado Crimthann Srem mac Echado (died circa 542), also known as Crimthann Feimin, was a King of Munster from the Eoganachta dynasty in the early 6th century. He was the son of Eochaid mac Óengusa (died 522) and grandson of the first Christian king of ...

succeeds him. ;523 * St.

Ninnidh Ninnidh (alias Ninnidh the Pious, ga, Ninnidh leth derc, meaning one eyed Ninnidh, Nennius, Nennidhius, Ninnaid) was a 6th-century Irish Christian saint. St. Ninnidh is regarded as one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland. He is associated with s ...

made the island of Inishmacsaint (''island of plain Sorrell'') in

Lough Erne Lough Erne ( , ) is the name of two connected lakes in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is the second-biggest lake system in Northern Ireland and Ulster, and the fourth biggest in Ireland. The lakes are widened sections of the River Erne, ...

his headquarters around 523. ;523–526 * 1 February - Death of St.

Brigit of Kildare Saint Brigid of Kildare or Brigid of Ireland ( ga, Naomh Bríd; la, Brigida; 525) is the patroness saint (or 'mother saint') of Ireland, and one of its three national saints along with Patrick and Columba. According to medieval Irish hagiogra ...

(year varies according to sources) (born c.451). ;527 * Death of Illan mac Dúnlainge,

King of Leinster The kings of Leinster ( ga, Rí Laighín), ruled from the establishment of Kingdom of Leinster, Leinster during the Irish Iron Age, until the 17th century Early Modern Ireland. According to Gaelic traditional history, laid out in works such as th ...

. ;527–528 * 12 September or 30 December - Death of Bishop Ailbe of Emly (year varies according to sources; also given as 534 or 542).

530s

;530 *

completes building of monastic cells at

Ardfert Ardfert () is a village in County Kerry, Ireland. Historically a religious centre, the economy of the locality is driven by agriculture and its position as a dormitory town, being only from Tralee. The population of the village was 749 at the 2 ...

*Monastic settlements are established on

Lambay Island Lambay Island ( ga, Reachrainn), often simply Lambay, is an island in the Irish Sea off the coast of north County Dublin, Ireland. The largest island off the east coast of Ireland, it is offshore from the headland at Portrane, and is the eas ...

and at

Clonmore, County Carlow Clonmore () is a village in County Carlow, Ireland. It is located 3½ miles south of Hacketstown and 9 miles east of Tullow in the north-east corner of County Carlow. History Clonmore was named after St Mogue (not to be confused with another ...

. *Birth of

Dallán Forgaill Eochaid mac Colla ( 560 – 640), better known as Saint Dallán or Dallán Forgaill ( sga, Dallán Forchella; la, Dallanus Forcellius; Primitive Irish: ''Dallagnas Worgēllas''), was an early Christian Irish poet and saint known as the writer of ...

Ollamh Érenn The Ollamh Érenn () or Chief Ollam of Ireland was a professional title of Gaelic Ireland. Background An (literally 'most great') was a poet or bard of literature and history. Each chief or had its own . The head ollam of a province such as ...

, on

Magh Slécht Magh Slécht (sometimes Anglicised as Moyslaught) is the name of a historic plain in Ireland. It comprises an area of about three square miles (8 km2) situated in the south-eastern part of the Parish of Templeport, Barony (Ireland), Barony ...

. *Birth of

Saint Moluag Saint Moluag (c. 510 – 592; also known as ''Lua'', ''Luan'', ''Luanus'', ''Lugaidh'', ''Moloag'', ''Molluog'', ''Molua'', ''Murlach'', ''Malew''

Dál nAraidi Dál nAraidi (; "Araide's part") or Dál Araide, sometimes Latinised as Dalaradia or Anglicised as Dalaray,Boyd, Hugh AlexanderIrish Dalriada ''The Glynns: Journal of The Glens of Antrim Historical Society''. Volume 76 (1978). was a Cruthin kin ...

. *Approximate date - Death of St.

Enda of Aran Saint Enda of Aran (Éanna, Éinne or Endeus, died 530 AD) is an Irish saint. His feast day is 21 March. Enda was a warrior-king of Oriel in Ulster, converted by his sister, Saint Fanchea, an abbess. About 484 he established the first Iri ...

. ;531 (or 537) *

Maine mac Cearbhall Maine mac Cearbhall, great grandson of Niall of the Nine Hostages, died 531 or 538. The brother of Diarmait mac Cerbaill, future High King of Ireland. Maine's great grandfather was Niall of the Nine Hostages, making Maine an Ui Neill. Maine's de ...

, 1st King of

Uí Maine U or u, is the twenty-first and sixth-to-last letter and fifth vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''u'' (pro ...

, died 531 or 537. ;534 * 12 September or 30 December - Death of Bishop Ailbe of Emly (year varies according to sources; also given as 527, 528 or 542). ;535 * Possible mega-eruption of Rabual caldera volcano between . *

Extreme weather events Extreme weather or extreme climate events includes unexpected, unusual, severe weather, severe, or unseasonal weather; weather at the extremes of the historical distribution—the range that has been seen in the past. Often, extreme events are b ...

* 20 August - Death of St.

Mochta Saint Mochta (or Mochtae, Mahew, Mochteus, Maucteus, Mauchteus; died 20 August 535, or A.D. 537), was the last surviving disciple of Saint Patrick. Life Mochta was, like Patrick, a native of Britain. His name is British, and Adomnán's ''Life ...

Louth Louth may refer to: Australia *Hundred of Louth, a cadastral unit in South Australia * Louth, New South Wales, a town * Louth Bay, a bay in South Australia **Louth Bay, South Australia, a town and locality Canada * Louth, Ontario Ireland * Cou ...

(disciple of

St. Patrick ST, St, or St. may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Stanza, in poetry * Suicidal Tendencies, an American heavy metal/hardcore punk band * Star Trek, a science-fiction media franchise * Summa Theologica, a compendium of Catholic philosophy an ...

) (in 537 according to some sources). ;536 *

causes

Late Antique Little Ice Age The Late Antique Little Ice Age (LALIA) was a long-lasting Northern Hemispheric cooling period in the 6th and 7th centuries AD, during the period known as Late Antiquity. The period coincides with three large volcanic eruptions in 535/536, 539/5 ...

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 ...

record famine in Ireland. ;537 *

* A plague strikes Britain and Ireland. ;538 *

records famine in Ireland. * Death of

missionary A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Tho ...

Manchan of Mohill. ;539 *

records famine in Ireland.

540s

;540 * Birth of

Columbanus Columbanus ( ga, Columbán; 543 – 21 November 615) was an Irish missionary notable for founding a number of monasteries after 590 in the Frankish and Lombard kingdoms, most notably Luxeuil Abbey in present-day France and Bobbio Abbey in pr ...

Nobber Nobber ( – referring to the description by the local native Irish population, to the development of moat around a Norman castle) is a village in north County Meath, Ireland. The village is located near a river called the Dee () and near White ...

in the

Kingdom of Meath Meath (; Old Irish: ''Mide'' ; spelt ''Mí'' in Modern Irish) was a kingdom in Ireland from the 1st to the 12th century AD. Its name means "middle," denoting its location in the middle of the island. At its greatest extent, it included all of ...

. * Approximate date - The

Paschal Paschal is used as a name. Paschal, a variant of Pascal, from Latin ''Paschalis'', is an adjective describing either the Easter or Passover holidays. People known as Paschal include: Popes and religious figures * Antipope Paschal (687), a riv ...

controversy begins in Ireland. ;542 * 12 September or 30 December - Death of Bishop Ailbe of Emly (year varies according to sources; also given as 527, 528 or 534). ;545 *

Monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which ...

founded at Clonmacnoise by St. Ciarán of Clonmacnoise, Ciarán. ;546 *

founds Derry. * Approximate date - Death of Abbot

(of yellow fever) (according to some sources - see 556 below). ;549 *Roman Catholic Diocese of Ossory, which still exists, founded. *Death of St.

, who founded

550s

;550 * Birth of Bishop Máedóc of Ferns (St. Áedan or Mogue) on

. ;552 * Death of St.

, founder of

. ;556 * Death of Abbot

(of yellow fever) (according to some sources - see 546 above). ;557 * Death of the probably legendary Colmán Már mac Diarmato, a king of Uisnech in Kingdom of Meath, Mide of the Clann Cholmáin.

560s

;563 *

founds a monastery on Iona off the coast of Scotland. *

founds a monastery at Clonfert Cathedral, Clonfert.

570s

;570 * Death of Laisrén mac Nad Froích (St. Molaise). ;573 * Death of Abbot Brendan of Birr, one of the

. ;575 * Convention of Druim Ceat, at which agreement is reached between the

and the king of Dál Riata maintaining the peace and the balance of power. The poets are said to have been saved from banishment by the intervention of

. * Bishop Muiredach of Killala meets with

in Ballysadare. ;576 * Death of Colmán Már mac Coirpre, List of kings of Leinster, King of Leinster. ;577 * Death of

. * Death of Coirpre Cromm mac Crimthainn, List of kings of Munster, King of Munster from the Glendamnach sept of the Eoganachta. He is succeeded by Fergus Scandal mac Crimthainn.

580s

;584 * The foundation of the University of Tuaim Drecain (Tomregan) by the Synod of Drumceat on

. ;585 *Suibne mac Colmáin becomes King of Uisnech in Mide of the Clann Cholmáin. He is the son of King Colmán Már mac Diarmato (died 557 in Ireland, 557) and rules Uisnech until his death in 598 in Ireland, 598. ;588 *Áed Dub mac Suibni (died c. 588) was an Irish king of the Cruthin of

(in modern

). He may have been king of the Ulaid.

590s

;590 *

and twelve companions set sail for France. ;593 * Death of Áed Dibchine mac Senaig List of kings of Leinster, King of Leinster from the Uí Máil branch of the Laigin, the first king of this branch to hold the overlordship of Leinster. ;595 *Death of Saint Berach of Termonbarry ;597 * 9 June - Death of

, missionary monk, on Iona (born 521 in Ireland, 521). ;598 * Monastery established in Ferns, County Wexford, dedicated to Bishop Máedóc of Ferns (St. Áedan or Mogue). * Suibne mac Colmáin, King of Uisnech in Mide of the Clann Cholmáin, is killed by his uncle Áed Sláine. ;599–600 * Death of St. Cainnech of Aghaboe, Cainnech at the abbey he founded at Aghaboe. His feast day is commemorated on 11 October in the Roman Catholic Church (
Catholic Online
') and on the 1 August or 14 August in the Eastern Orthodox Church.

600s

;600 *Death of Uatu mac Áedo a king of Connacht from the Uí Briúin branch of the Connachta.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:6th Century In Ireland 6th century in Ireland,