Bécc Bairrche mac Blathmaic (died 718) was 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 ...

from 692 to 707 from the

Dál Fiatach Dál Fiatach was a Gaelic Ireland, Gaelic dynastic-grouping and the name of their territory in the north-east of Ireland during the Middle Ages. It was part of the over-kingdom of Ulaid, and they were its main ruling dynasty for most of Ulaid's ...

clan. He was the son of Blathmac mac Máel Cobha (died 670), a previous king. His byname Bairrche refers to the region of the Mourne Mountains in south County Down. Bynames like his can refer to a region or to fosterage and there may be a connection to the

Uí Bairrche Uí Bairrche (Modern Irish: ''Uí Bhairrche'', IPA: �iːˈwaːɾʲɾʲçə was an Irish kin-based group that originally held lands in the south of the ancient province of Leinster (or ''Cóiced Laigen'' "the Fifth of the Laigin"). Another south L ...

of Leinster in his byname.

Background

The Dál Fiatach had dominated the kingship of Ulster from 637 to 674. Family strife was a common theme among the dynasty at this time. The grandfather of Bécc,

Máel Cobo mac Fiachnai Máel Cobo mac Fiachnai (died 647) was a Dal Fiatach king of Ulaid. He was the son of Fiachnae mac Demmáin (died 627) and half-brother of Dúnchad mac Fiachnai (died c. 644), previous kings. He ruled from c. 644 to 647. The Dal Fiatach recovere ...

had been slain by his nephew, Congal Cennfhatar mac Dúnchada in 647. In 674 Congal, now King of Ulaid, was himself slain by Bécc who thereby acquired the rule of the Dál Fiatach. He, however, did not acquire the Ulaid throne until after the death of

Fergus mac Áedáin Fergus mac Áedáin (died 692) was king of Ulaid from 674. He belonged to a branch of the Dal nAraide known as the Uí Echach Cobo in the west part of county Down. They were distinct from the main branch located in County Antrim who were known as K ...

of the rival

Uí Echach Cobo Iveagh ( ; ) is the name of several historical territorial divisions in what is now County Down, Northern Ireland. Originally it was a Gaelic Irish territory, ruled by the ''Uí Echach Cobo'' and part of the overkingdom of Ulaid. From the 12th c ...

branch of the

Dal nAraide In Indian cuisine, ''dal'' (also spelled ''daal'' or ''dhal''; pronunciation: , Hindi: दाल, Urdu: ) are dried, split pulses (e.g., lentils, peas, and beans) that do not require soaking before cooking. India is the largest producer of pu ...

in 692 who may have been a compromise candidate. 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 ...

Fínsnechta Fledach Fínsnechta Fledach mac Dúnchada (died 695) was High King of Ireland. Fínsnechta belonged to the southern Síl nÁedo Sláine sept of the Uí Néill and was King of Brega, in modern County Meath, Ireland. He was a grandson of Áed Sláine. His ...

of the

Síl nÁedo Sláine Síl nÁedo Sláine () are the descendants of Áed Sláine (Áed mac Diarmato), son of Diarmait mac Cerbaill. Part of the Southern Uí Néill—they were the kings of Brega—they claimed descent from Niall Noígiallach and his son Conall ...

may have been married to the daughter of Congal named Conchenn and may have had some personal antagonism towards Bécc. The offensive was struck by Bécc who penetrated into southern Ui Neill territory only to be defeated by the high king at Tailltin in 679. Bécc was also married to Conchenn ingen Congaile probably after the death of Fínsnechta in order to bolster his position in Ulaid. He also married Barrdub, daughter of

Lethlobar mac Echach Lethlobar mac Echach (died 8th century in Ireland, 709) was a Dál nAraide king of the Cruthin in Ulaid, an over-kingdom in Ireland. He was the son of Eochaid Iarlaithe mac Lurgain (died 7th century in Ireland, 666), a previous king. He belonged to ...

(died 709) of the Dal nAraide. He acquired the throne of Ulaid in 692 and as ruler of such was one of the guarantors of the

Cáin Adomnáin The ''Cáin Adomnáin'' (Law of Adomnán), also known as the ''Lex Innocentium'' (Law of Innocents), was promulgated amongst a gathering of Irish, Dál Riatan and Pictish notables at the Synod of Birr in 697. It is named after its initiator Ado ...

(Law of Adomnán) at Birr in 697. In 691 the

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 ...

despoiled the Cruithin (Dal nAraide) and the Ulaid (Dál Fiatach). British marauders were active around the turn of the 8th century. In 697 The Ulaids and the Britons laid waste to Mag Muirtheimne in County Louth, home of a border tribe of Ulidia known as the Conaille Muirtheimne. In 703 the Britons and Ulaid were at war with each other and the Battle of Mag Cuilind was fought in the

Ards Peninsula The Ards Peninsula () is a peninsula in County Down, Northern Ireland, on the north-east coast of Ireland. It separates Strangford Lough from the North Channel of the Irish Sea. Towns and villages on the peninsula include Donaghadee, Millisle ...

. The British enemy, the son of Radgann (known for despoiling churches) was slain. He abdicated and took up the pilgrim's staff in 707 and died in 718.AU 707.6; Mac Niocaill, pg.115 His son by Conchenn ingen Congaile,

Áed Róin Áed Róin mac Bécce Bairrche (died 735) was the Dál Fiatach ruler of the over-kingdom of Ulaid in Ireland. He reigned from 708 to 735. He was the son of Bécc Bairrche mac Blathmaic, (died 718), a previous king of Ulaid who had abdicated in 707 ...

(died 735) was also a King of Ulaid.

Notes

References

* ''Annals of Ulster'' a

a
University College Cork
* ''Annals of Tigernach'' a

a
University College Cork
* Byrne, Francis John (2001), ''Irish Kings and High-Kings'', Dublin: Four Courts Press, * Charles-Edwards, T. M. (2000), ''Early Christian Ireland'', Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, * Gearoid Mac Niocaill (1972), ''Ireland before the Vikings'', Dublin: Gill and Macmillan * Dáibhí Ó Cróinín (2005), ''A New History of Ireland'', Volume One, Oxford: Oxford University Press

External links

a
University College Cork
{{DEFAULTSORT:Becc Bairche mac Blathmaic Kings of Ulster 718 deaths 7th-century Irish monarchs 8th-century Irish monarchs People from County Armagh Year of birth unknown