Cairbre Nia Fer (also ''Corpri'', ''Coirpre'', ''Cairpre''; ''Nioth Fer'', ''Niafer'', ''Niaper''), son of Rus Ruad, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a

King of Tara The term Kingship of Tara () was a title of authority in ancient Ireland - the title is closely associated with the archaeological complex at the Hill of Tara. The position was considered to be of eminent authority in medieval Irish literature ...

from 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 Leinster ...

. The earliest reference to Cairbre is in

Tírechán Tírechán was a 7th-century Irish bishop from north Connacht, specifically the Killala Bay area, in what is now County Mayo. Background Based on a knowledge of Irish customs of the times, historian Terry O’Hagan has concluded that Tírechá ...

's Memoir of St. Patrick, a 7th-century Latin text found in the

Book of Armagh The ''Book of Armagh'' or Codex Ardmachanus (ar or 61) ( ga, Leabhar Ard Mhacha), also known as the ''Canon of Patrick'' and the ''Liber Ar(d)machanus'', is a 9th-century Irish illuminated manuscript written mainly in Latin. It is held by the L ...

. Patrick finds an enormous grave and raises its giant occupant from the dead. The giant says he was killed by the sons of

Mac Con Lugaid Mac Con, often known simply as Mac Con, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He belonged to the Corcu Loígde, and thus to the Dáirine. His father was Macnia mac Lugdach, and his mothe ...

during the reign of Cairbre Nia Fer, a hundred years previously – i.e. in the 4th century. Another early reference is in the annotations to the 7th-century ''Amra Choluim Chille'' (eulogy of

Colm Cille 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 ...

) by

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 ...

. Here, the saint's mother Eithne is said to be a descendant of Cairbre, and Cairbre a descendant of

Cathair Mór Cathair Mór ("the great"), son of Feidhlimidh Fiorurghlas, a descendant of Conchobar Abradruad, was, according to Lebor Gabála Érenn, a High King of Ireland. Foras Feasa ar Éirinn, Section 40, page 259, http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100054/ ...

. The 11th century ''

Lebor Gabála Érenn ''Lebor Gabála Érenn'' (literally "The Book of the Taking of Ireland"), known in English as ''The Book of Invasions'', is a collection of poems and prose narratives in the Irish language intended to be a history of Ireland and the Irish fro ...

'' places him during the reign of the High King Eterscél, which it synchronises his reign with that of the Roman emperor

Augustus Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pr ...

(27 BC - AD 14) and the birth of

Christ Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...

, and makes him a contemporary of the provincial kings

Conchobar mac Nessa Conchobar mac Nessa (son of Ness) is the king of Ulster in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. He rules from Emain Macha (Navan Fort, near Armagh). He is usually said to be the son of the High King Fachtna Fáthach, although in some stories hi ...

of 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 i ...

, Cú Roí of Munster and

Ailill mac Máta Ailill mac Máta is the king of the Connachta and the husband of queen MedbMatson, Gienna: ''Celtic Mythology A to Z'', page 2. Chelsea House, 2004. in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. He rules from Cruachan (Rathcroghan in County Roscomm ...

Connacht Connacht ( ; ga, Connachta or ), is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms ( Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, Conmhaícne, and Del ...

. Mac Con of the Dáirine, placed a generation before Cairbre by Tírechán, is dated many generations after him, to the late 2nd century, in the ''Lebor Gabála'', while Cathair Mór, his ancestor in the ''Amra Choluim Chille'', is placed many generations later. Alongside Conchobar, Cú Roí and Ailill, Cairbre appears as king of Tara in stories of the

Ulster Cycle The Ulster Cycle ( ga, an Rúraíocht), formerly known as the Red Branch Cycle, is a body of medieval Irish heroic legends and sagas of the Ulaid. It is set far in the past, in what is now eastern Ulster and northern Leinster, particularly coun ...

, where he is the brother of

, husband of Medb of

. His wife is

Fedelm Noíchrothach :''See also Fedelm'' Fedelm Noíchrothach ("nine times beautiful"), also known as Fedelm Noíchride ("nine-hearts" or "fresh-heart"), is a daughter of Conchobar mac Nessa in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology Irish mythology is the body ...

, daughter of Conchobar, and they have a son, Erc, and a daughter, Achall. In ''Cath Ruis na Ríg'' ("The Battle of

Rosnaree Rossnaree (; Old Irish ''Ros na Ríg'' or ''Ros na Ríogh'') is a small village and townland in County Meath, Ireland, on the south bank of the River Boyne. The Brú na Bóinne complex of neolithic monuments is nearby, on the north bank of the B ...

"), he and his brother Find mac Rossa, king of the Gailióin of

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 ...

, fight a battle against Conchobar and the Ulaid. The Ulaid hero Cúchulainn kills him with a spear from distance, then decapitates him before his body hits the ground. After the Ulaid win the battle, Cairbre's son Erc swears allegiance to Conchobar, marries Cúchulainn's daughter Finnscoth, and becomes king of Tara in his father's place. Erc is later part of the conspiracy to kill Cúchulainn. After avenging Cúchulainn,

Conall Cernach Conall Cernach (modern spelling: Conall Cearnach) is a hero of the Ulaid in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. He had a crooked neck and is said to have always slept with the head of a Connachtman under his knee. His epithet is normally transla ...

brings Erc's head back to Tara, where Achall dies of grief for her brother.Edward Gwynn (ed. & trans.), ''The Metrical Dindshenchas'' Vol 1
"Achall"
Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 1902

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cairbre Nia Fer Ulster Cycle Legendary Irish kings