''Cath Sruthair'' () was an aggression by the Ui Briuin against a branch of the Conmaicne in 766 AD. The battle site was probably Shrule in County Mayo.

Battle

Dub-Indrecht mac Cathail Dub-Indrecht mac Cathail (died 768) was a King of Connacht from the Uí Briúin branch of the Connachta. He was the son of Cathal mac Muiredaig Muillethan (died 735), a previous king. He was of the Síl Cathail sept of the Ui Briun and ruled fro ...

and the Uí Briúin were victorious, and Áed Dub mac Taichlech and many Conmaicne were killed. The Annals of Ulster has the following entry-

"766 ga, Bellum Sruthre iter H. Briuin & Conmaicniu ubi plurimi ceciderunt di Conmaicnibh, & Aedh Dubh m. Toichlich cecidit. Dub Innrecht m. Cathail uictor fuit."

"766 English: The battle of Sruthair between the Uí Briúin and the Conmaicne in which very many of the Conmaicne fell, and Aed Dub son of Taichlech fell. Dub Innrecht, son of Cathal, was victor".

Battle site

''Sruthair'' ("stream") was identified as

Abbeyshrule Abbeyshrule () is a village in south-east County Longford, Ireland, on the River Inny and the Royal Canal. History The village takes its name from the Irish language word for a river or stream (''sruth'') and from the early medieval Cister ...

, near the Inny, in County Longford by

O'Donovan The O'Donovans are an Irish family. Their patronymic surname derives from Irish ''Ó Donnabháin'', meaning the grandsons or descendants of Donnubán, referring to the 10th century ruler of the Uí Fidgenti, Donnubán mac Cathail. During the ...

. He considered this the first direct evidence of Ui Briuin expansionism east of the River Shannon. However

Eoin MacNeill Eoin MacNeill ( ga, Eoin Mac Néill; born John McNeill; 15 May 1867 – 15 October 1945) was an Irish scholar, Irish language enthusiast, Gaelic revivalist, nationalist and politician who served as Minister for Education from 1922 to 1925, Cea ...

said "sruthair" was a common place name, Abbeyshrule was "too far south", and another 'Sruthair' was north-west in the barony of Moydow. Mac Neill noted ''

Shrule Shrule (, also anglicised to ''Shruel'', usage deprecated) is a village on the N84 road in County Mayo in Ireland. The county boundary between Mayo and County Galway follows the course of the Black River on the south side of the village. The r ...

'', near

Lough Mask Lough Mask () is a limestone lake of about in Counties Mayo and Galway, Ireland, north of Lough Corrib. Lough Mask is the middle of the three lakes, which empty into the Corrib River, through Galway, into Galway Bay. Lough Carra flows into ...

, in County Mayo could be the battle site.

Walsh Walsh may refer to: People and fictional characters * Walsh (surname), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname Places * Fort Walsh, one of the first posts of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police * Walsh, Ontario, Norfolk ...

agrees. Both Ui Briuin and Conmaicne were settled in Connacht. The battle marks an Ui Briun expansion to the west. "Sruthair", now Shrule, was part of, or adjacent with, the tuath of

Conmhaícne Cúile Tuireadh The Conmhaícne Cúile or Conmaicne Cuile Tolad () were an early people of Ireland. Their tuath comprised, at minimum, most of the barony of Kilmaine, in County Mayo. Origin The Conmhaicne or Conmaicne were a people of early Ireland, perhaps r ...

in Mayo. Francis J Byrne, "Irish Kings and High-Kings", pg.250

References

Secondary sources

* * * History of County Mayo History of County Longford Conmaicne Battles involving the Conmaicne Cuile Toladh {{Ireland-hist-stub

Battle

Battle site

See also

References

Secondary sources