Cathal mac Áeda (before 722–737) was a king in southern Brega of the Uí Chernaig sept of
Lagore
Loch Gabhair (Lagore), meaning "Lake of the Goats", is an area in the barony of Ratoath, County Meath, Ireland. It is located between the villages of Ratoath and Dunshaughlin and is the namesake of the townlands of Lagore Big (Loch Gabhar Mór) an ...
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 Cona ...
. He was the son of Áed Laigin mac Néill (died 722) and great-great grandson of the high king
Diarmait mac Áedo Sláine
Diarmait (died 665) was a son of Áed Sláine. According to the Irish annals, he was High King of Ireland.
Sons of Áed Sláine
Diarmait's father Áed Sláine was a son of Diarmait mac Cerbaill, the apical ancestor of the southern branches of ...
(died 665). His father was slain at the Battle of Allen in the great defeat of the Ui Neill by the men 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 Ir ...
. He was chief of the Uí Chernaig from 729 to 737.
An isolated reference in the ''Annals of Ulster'' for the year 733 has 'the overthrow of Cathal by Domnall in Tailtiu, and the overthrow of Fallomun by Cathal in
Tlachtga
Tlachtga ( Modern Irish: ''Tlachta'') was a powerful druidess in Irish mythology and the red-haired daughter of the arch-druid Mug Ruith. She accompanied him on his world travels, learning his magical secrets and discovering sacred stones in Ita ...
'. The consensus view among historians is that the Cathal mentioned was
Cathal mac Finguine
Cathal mac Finguine (died 742) was an Irish King of Munster or Cashel, and effectively High King of Ireland as well. He belonged to the Eóganacht Glendamnach sept of the dominant Eóganachta kin-group whose members dominated Munster from the ...
(died 742), King of Munster. However, the historian Charles-Edwards argues in favor of Cathal mac Áeda. He cites the lack of mention of this event in the Munster oriented ''Annals of Innisfallen''. This theory proposes that Domnall attacked Cathal at
Tailtiu
Tailtiu or Tailltiu (; modern spelling: Tailte) (also known as Talti) is the name of a presumed goddess from Irish mythology. The goddess's name is linked to Teltown (< OI ''Óenach Tailten'') in Co. Meath, site of the
< ...
, where the Uí Néill high kings traditionally held their main óenach. He was attacked there by Domnall Midi of the Clann Cholmáin branch and defeated. This was a step in the rise to Domnall as high king. Cathal however defeated the minor Uí Néill kindred of
Clann Cholmáin Bicc
A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship
and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clans may claim descent from founding member or apical ancestor. Clans, in indigenous societies, tend to be endogamous, meanin ...
under
Fallomon mac Con Congalt
Follaman mac Con Congalt (died 766), also written Fallomon mac Con Congelt, was King of Mide, a kingdom of the Uí Néill in central Ireland in modern County Westmeath and County Meath.
Background
Follaman belonged to the Clann Cholmáin Bic ...
at
Tlachtga
Tlachtga ( Modern Irish: ''Tlachta'') was a powerful druidess in Irish mythology and the red-haired daughter of the arch-druid Mug Ruith. She accompanied him on his world travels, learning his magical secrets and discovering sacred stones in Ita ...
, the
Hill of Ward
The Hill of Ward (, formerly ''Tlachtgha'') is a hill in County Meath, Ireland.
Geography
The hill lies between Athboy (to the west) and Ráth Chairn (to the east). During medieval times it was the site of great festivals, including one at w ...
, the site of another major Uí Néill óenach.
The Uí Chernaig sept had a feud with the Uí Chonaing sept of Cnogba (
Knowth
Knowth (; ga, Cnóbha) is a Neolithic passage grave and an ancient monument of the World Heritage Site of Brú na Bóinne located 8.4 km west of Drogheda in Ireland's valley of the River Boyne. It is the largest passage grave of the Brú ...
) in North Brega going back to the assassination of Cathal's grandfather
Niall mac Cernaig Sotal
Niall mac Cernaig Sotal (died 701) was a king in southern Brega of the Uí Chernaig sept of Lagore of the Síl nÁedo Sláine. He was the grandson of the high king Diarmait mac Áedo Sláine (died 665).Charles-Edwards, ''Early Christian Ireland'', ...
(died 701) by
Írgalach mac Conaing
Írgalach mac Conaing Cuirre (died 702), also called Írgalach ua Conaing, was a King of Brega from the Uí Chonaing sept of Cnogba (Knowth) of the Síl nÁedo Sláine branch of the southern Ui Neill. He was the son of Conaing Cuirre mac Congaile ...
(died 702). In 737 the Uí Chonaing king of Brega,
Conaing mac Amalgado
Conaing mac Amalgado (died 742) was a King of Brega from the Uí Chonaing sept of Cnogba (Knowth) of the Síl nÁedo Sláine branch of the southern Ui Neill. He was the son of Amalgaid mac Congalaig (died 718), a previous king. He ruled from 728 t ...
(died 742) defeated Cathal and his kinsman
Cernach mac Fogartaig
Cernach mac Fogartaig (died 738) was a king in southern Brega of the Uí Chernaig sept of Lagore of the Síl nÁedo Sláine branch of the southern Ui Neill. He was the son of the high king Fogartach mac Néill (died 724). He appears as a leader ...
(d.738) at the Battle of Lia Ailbe in Mag (Moynalvy, Co. Meath) and Cathal was slain.
Tha family descended from Áed Laigin was a sub-sept of the Uí Chernaig known as the Sil Áeda Laigen. The death of Cathal's brother Domnall mac Áeda is recorded in the annals in 759.''Annals of Ulster'' AU 759.1
See also
*
Kings of Brega
The Kings of Brega were rulers of Brega, a petty kingdom north of Dublin in medieval Ireland.
Overview
Brega took its name from ' ('), meaning "fine plain", in modern County Meath, County Louth and County Dublin, Ireland. They formed part of the ...