The Battle of Moira, also known as the Battle of Magh Rath, was fought in the summer of 637
by the
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 ...
,
Domnall II, against his foster son
Congal Cáech
Congal Cáech (also Congal Cláen) was a king of the Cruthin of Dál nAraidi in the medieval Irish province of Ulaid, from around 626 to 637. He was king of Ulaid from 627–637 and, according to some sources, High King of Ireland.
Origins
Whil ...
, King of
Ulaid
Ulaid (Old Irish, ) or Ulaidh (Modern Irish, ) was a Gaelic over-kingdom in north-eastern Ireland during the Middle Ages made up of a confederation of dynastic groups. Alternative names include Ulidia, which is the Latin form of Ulaid, and in ...
, supported by his ally
Domnall Brecc
Domnall Brecc (Welsh: ''Dyfnwal Frych''; English: ''Donald the Freckled'') (died 642 in Strathcarron) was king of Dál Riata, in modern Scotland, from about 629 until 642. He was the son of Eochaid Buide. He was counted as Donald II of Scotland b ...
, King of
Dál Riata
Dál Riata or Dál Riada (also Dalriada) () was a Gaelic kingdom that encompassed the western seaboard of Scotland and north-eastern Ireland, on each side of the North Channel. At its height in the 6th and 7th centuries, it covered what is now ...
. The battle resulted in a decisive victory for the High King and his army, and Congal Cáech was killed in the fighting.
The battle was reputedly fought near the woods of Killultagh just outside the village of
Moira in what would become
County Down
County Down () is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the traditional thirty-two counties of Ireland. It covers an area of and has a population of 531,665. It borders County Antrim to the ...
. It was allegedly the largest battle ever fought on the island of
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 ...
, and resulted in the death of Congal and the retreat of Domnall Brecc. However, the location of the battle is not settled and some commentators identify the location as being a few miles outside
Newry
Newry (; ) is a city in Northern Ireland, divided by the Clanrye river in counties Armagh and Down, from Belfast and from Dublin. It had a population of 26,967 in 2011.
Newry was founded in 1144 alongside a Cistercian monastery, althoug ...
,
County Down
County Down () is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the traditional thirty-two counties of Ireland. It covers an area of and has a population of 531,665. It borders County Antrim to the ...
in the vicinity of the townlands of
Sheeptown and Derrylecklagh near to the ancient rath known as the Crown Mound.
Background
Ireland in the period was a patchwork of petty statelets, fused together and driven apart by tribal loyalties, often given to a state of war. Other realms from across the water in
Great Britain
Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is ...
and in particular
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
frequently became involved in the affairs of Ireland, notably the Scottish branch of
Dál Riata
Dál Riata or Dál Riada (also Dalriada) () was a Gaelic kingdom that encompassed the western seaboard of Scotland and north-eastern Ireland, on each side of the North Channel. At its height in the 6th and 7th centuries, it covered what is now ...
, which had originally been from north of
Lough Neagh
Lough Neagh ( ) is a freshwater lake in Northern Ireland and is the largest lake in the island of Ireland, the United Kingdom and the British Isles. It has a surface area of and supplies 40% of Northern Ireland's water. Its main inflows come ...
but expanded across to Scotland. Indeed, the tribal loyalties often spilled across the
Irish Sea
The Irish Sea or , gv, Y Keayn Yernagh, sco, Erse Sie, gd, Muir Èireann , Ulster-Scots: ''Airish Sea'', cy, Môr Iwerddon . is an extensive body of water that separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is linked to the Ce ...
, where the same clans could be found on either side, especially in Scotland. Rivalries and alliances between the petty kingdoms changed frequently. For example, Dál Riata, which fought with Congal in this battle, had seen
one of their kings killed by his brother at the
Battle of Fid Eoin
The Battle of Fid Eoin (modern Irish language, Irish: ''Feadha Eoin'', possibly meaning "Owen's wood") was fought in early medieval Ireland between the kingdoms of Dál Riata and Dál nAraidi in either 629 or 630. The forces of Dál Riata were led ...
(either 629 or 630).
Congal himself had first established his power base in Dál Riata, where he became King, before being recognised as
King of Ulaid
The King of Ulster (Old Irish: ''Rí Ulad'', Modern Irish: ''Rí Uladh'') also known as the King of Ulaid and King of the Ulaid, was any of the kings of the Irish provincial over-kingdom of Ulaid. The title rí in Chóicid, which means "king of ...
in 627. His ambitions soon came into conflict with Domnall II, who became High King of Ireland in 628. Ironically, Domnall II only rose to such a position because Congal had defeated and killed the previous High King,
Suibne Menn
Suibne Menn (or Suibne mac Fiachnai, "Suibne the Stammerer, son of Fiachnae"; died AD 628) was an Irish king who is counted as a High King of Ireland.
Suibne belonged to the junior branch of the Cenél nEógain kindred of the northern Uí Néi ...
, (who was Domnall's distant cousin in 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 ...
dynasty) in a previous battle.
Domnall at first launched a raid into
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 ...
in 628 to secure his authority as High King. Some primary sources state that Congal had initially become the
Ard Rí following his defeat of Suibne Menn. It may be therefore that Domnall seized the position indirectly from his Ultonian rival. Regardless, the two had become enemies.
Domnall pressed this rivalry very quickly, and in 629 the two kings engaged each other at the Battle of Dún Ceithirn in what is now
County Londonderry
County Londonderry ( Ulster-Scots: ''Coontie Lunnonderrie''), also known as County Derry ( ga, Contae Dhoire), is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, one of the thirty two counties of Ireland and one of the nine counties of Ulster. B ...
. On this occasion Congal was defeated and fled to Scotland to seek support, and Domnall was left unchallenged as the High King.
Throughout the 630s, Domnall continued to wage war on his rivals in the Uí Néill clan. In 637, however, Congal once again rose to challenge the Ard Rí, and enlisted the help of the Dál Riata to do so. Congal returned from Scotland, gathered his native Irish armies which were supported by a more diverse Dál Riata army consisting of many British soldiers, particularly Scots.
Location
In 637, the settlement of Moira was substantially smaller than it is in present times. However, there was at the very least a
motte
A motte-and-bailey castle is a European fortification with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised area of ground called a motte, accompanied by a walled courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade. Relatively easy to ...
(the mound of which can still be seen in the village). The area was also much more forested in the 1st millennium, with the existence of expansive woodland near the hamlet. The location may also have been outside Newry in an area that is today rich in historical monuments.
Battle
Little is known about the actual battle itself. Domnall I of Dál Riata brought a more varied force to the fight. His army included Scots,
Picts
The Picts were a group of peoples who lived in what is now northern and eastern Scotland (north of the Firth of Forth) during Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages. Where they lived and what their culture was like can be inferred from ea ...
,
Anglo-Saxons
The Anglo-Saxons were a Cultural identity, cultural group who inhabited England in the Early Middle Ages. They traced their origins to settlers who came to Britain from mainland Europe in the 5th century. However, the ethnogenesis of the Anglo- ...
and Britons (Welshmen). There were about 50,000 men on either side. At least one side had a substantial cavalry force.
Congal and his army probably landed near
Dunseverick
, translit_lang1 = Irish
, translit_lang1_type = Derivation:
, translit_lang1_info = Dún Sobhairce
, translit_lang1_type1 = Meaning:
, translit_lang1_info1 = Sobhairce's fort
, image_skyline = DunseverickCas ...
on their return from Scotland. He possibly planned on marching to
Tara, as one of the five main roads running from Tara, the High King's Road, ran north and ended at Dunseverick, where there was a bridge that crossed the
Lagan located near modern Moira. Domnall II had gathered his army at Tara and he marched north to meet the enemy forces. Congal marched south to meet him. The two armies comprising 100,000 men in total met at Moira.
According to
Sir Samuel Ferguson "''there appears reason to believe that the fight lasted a week''", at the end of which the defeated force fled towards the woods of Killultagh. The forces of Ulaid and Dál Riata were defeated, with Domnall of Dál Riata forced to flee north to his kingdom's holdings. Congal was killed in the course of the battle.
The scale of the battle was, however, confirmed in the 19th century when the Ulster Railway which ran through Moira was being constructed. The remains of thousands of men and horses were discovered during the excavations. When one considers that the survivors probably numbered quite considerably more, then the reputation of the scale of the battle becomes obvious.
Aftermath
With the death of Congal in the battle the chance for
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 ...
and its local allies to undo the advances of Domnall had been thwarted, and the
Ulaid
Ulaid (Old Irish, ) or Ulaidh (Modern Irish, ) was a Gaelic over-kingdom in north-eastern Ireland during the Middle Ages made up of a confederation of dynastic groups. Alternative names include Ulidia, which is the Latin form of Ulaid, and in ...
had to endure the advances that the High King had made. They were not to be completely subjugated however. By contrast, the consequences were much more keenly felt for Dál Riata. The land defeat at Moira was coupled with a naval defeat on exactly the same day; at the Battle of the
Mull of Kintyre
The Mull of Kintyre is the southwesternmost tip of the Kintyre Peninsula (formerly ''Cantyre'') in southwest Scotland. From here, the Antrim coast of Northern Ireland is visible on a calm and clear day, and a historic lighthouse, the second ...
the Ard Rí's fleet had succeeded in defeating Dál Riata's. As a result of both battles the High King's forces were able to occupy the Dál Riata lands in north
Antrim, unprotected as they now were.
As a direct result of the battle, the
Uí Néill dynasty became dominant in the north of Ireland. Their descendants would claim overlordship of at least some of the land until the
Flight of the Earls
The Flight of the Earls ( ir, Imeacht na nIarlaí)In Irish, the neutral term ''Imeacht'' is usually used i.e. the ''Departure of the Earls''. The term 'Flight' is translated 'Teitheadh na nIarlaí' and is sometimes seen. took place in Sep ...
almost a thousand years later in 1607.
Some of the townlands around modern Moira get their names from the battle, notably Aughnafosker, which in
Irish
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
means 'Field of Slaughter', as well as
Carnalbanagh which means 'The Scotsman's Grave'. In the latter area there was a large stone pillar in a nearby field, which marked the burial site of many of the Scottish princes who were killed in the battle. However, the stone was removed by a farmer in the late 19th century.
References
*
*
Anderson, Alan Orr, ''Early Sources of Scottish History 500–1286'', volume 1. Reprinted with corrections. Paul Watkins, Stamford, 1990.
* Bannerman, John, ''Studies in the History of Dalriada.'' Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press, 1974.
* Byrne, Francis John, Irish Kings and High-Kings. Batsford, London, 1973.
* Ó Cróinín, Dáibhí, Early Medieval Ireland: 400–1200. Longman, London, 1995.
* Marstrander, Carl (ed. and tr.), “A new version of the battle of Mag Rath”, Ériu 5 (1911): 226–247.
* O'Donovan, John (ed. and tr.), "The banquet of Dun na n-Gedh and the battle of Magh Rath", Dublin: Irish Archaeological Society, 1842.
* "The Battle of Mag Rath-Its true site determined" by J . W Hanna 1856 https://www.jstor.org/stable/20608792?Search=yes&resultItemClick=true&searchText=castle&searchText=enigan&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dcastle%2Benigan&refreqid=search%3A1d2bdcc97a8ebca90302eb77acbacc0b&seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents
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Moira
Moira
Moira
7th century in Ireland
637