Conchobar mac Tadg,

King of Connacht The Kings of Connacht were rulers of the ''cóiced'' (variously translated as portion, fifth, province) of Connacht, which lies west of the River Shannon, Ireland. However, the name only became applied to it in the early medieval era, being name ...

967–973 and eponym of the

O'Conor The O'Conor family (Middle Irish: ''Ó Conchubhair''; Modern ga, Ó Conchúir) are an Irish noble house and were one of the most influential and distinguished royal houses in Ireland. The O'Conor family held the throne of the Kingdom of Co ...

family of

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 Delbhn ...

Biography

A son of Tadc ''in Túir'' (of the tower), Conchobar's father died in 956 as king of Connacht, but his

sept A sept is a division of a family, especially of a Scottish or Irish family. The term is used in both Scotland and Ireland, where it may be translated as ''sliocht'', meaning "progeny" or "seed", which may indicate the descendants of a person ( ...

of the

Síol Muireadaigh The Síol Muireadaigh or Síol Muireadhaigh (Anglicized as Sil Murray or Silmurray), was a leading sept of the Connachta group of Gaelic dynasties in medieval Ireland. The name Síol Muireadaigh was also used to refer to the territory occupied b ...

were successfully opposed by

Fergal ua Ruairc Fergal Ua Ruairc (died 967) was King of Connacht, Ireland. The annals state that, in 961, he won the battle of Catinchi. References * ''Leabhar na nGenealach'', Dublin, 2004-2005 * ''Annals of the Four Masters'', ed. John O'Donovan, Dublin, ...

of the

Uí Briúin The Uí Briúin were a royal dynasty of Connacht. Their eponymous apical ancestor was Brión, son of Eochaid Mugmedon and Mongfind, and an elder half brother of Niall of the Nine Hostages. They formed part of the Connachta, along with the U ...

of Bréifne, who reigned till 967. According to Ailbhe Mac Shamhráin,

"''Conchobar had inherited marriage-alliances with the principal dynasties of 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 ...
: his sister Bébinn was wife to the king of Brega, Domnall son of
Congalach Cnogba Conghalach Cnoghbha (older spelling: Congalach Cnogba or Congalach mac Máel Mithig) was High King of Ireland, according to the lists in the Annals of the Four Masters, from around 944 to 956. Congalach is one of the twelve "kings of Ireland" liste ...
, while another sister, Muirgel, was married into the
Cenél Conaill Cenél is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Cenél Conaill, the name of the "kindred" or descendants of Conall Gulban, son of Niall Noígiallach defined by oral and recorded history *Cenél nEógain (in English, Cenel Eogan) is ...
. It was his brother-in-law Domnall son of Congalach who slew Fergal grandson of Ruarc in 966, leaving the way clear for Conchobar to assume overkingship of Connacht, the new provincial ruler, however, was not to enjoy an untroubled reign.''"

The death of one of his sons occurred in 967 while supporting Muirgel's husband's kindred against their great rivals, the

Cenél nÉogain Cenél is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Cenél Conaill, the name of the "kindred" or descendants of Conall Gulban, son of Niall Noígiallach defined by oral and recorded history *Cenél nEógain (in English, Cenel Eogan) is ...

. The kings of Bréifne continued to attempt to re-gain the provincial kingship, as attested by Conchobar's defeat of Ualgarc ua Ruarc. The

Book of Leinster The Book of Leinster ( mga, Lebor Laignech , LL) is a medieval Irish manuscript compiled c. 1160 and now kept in Trinity College, Dublin, under the shelfmark MS H 2.18 (cat. 1339). It was formerly known as the ''Lebor na Nuachongbála'' "Book ...

implies that Conchobar died of

colic Colic or cholic () is a form of pain that starts and stops abruptly. It occurs due to muscular contractions of a hollow tube ( small and large intestine, gall bladder, ureter, etc.) in an attempt to relieve an obstruction by forcing content out ...

, and that his successor, Cathal, was killed at the battle of Céis Chorainn, reigning three days. His killer was Murchad Glun re Lar mac Flaithbertaigh of

. Mac Shamhráin states:

"''It seems that the provincial kingship remained weak for the next twenty years, as dynasty from several different lines extended their sway over parts of Connacht. However, through his son Cathal, who eventually emerged as provincial ruler, Conchobar became the ancestor of the royal line of Ua Conchobair (O'Connor), which provided most of the later kings of Connacht.''"

His great-grandchildren were the first to be known by the surname Ua Conchobair, and his senior male descendant is The

Ó Conchubhair Donn The O'Conor family (Middle Irish: ''Ó Conchubhair''; Modern ga, Ó Conchúir) are an Irish noble house and were one of the most influential and distinguished royal houses in Ireland. The O'Conor family held the throne of the Kingdom of Co ...

. A brother of Conchobar's was Máel Ruanaid Mór mac Tadg, ancestor of the

Kings of Moylurg The Kings of or Moylurg were a branch of the , and a kindred family to the Kings of Connacht. Their ancestor, , was a brother to , King of Connacht 967–973, ancestor of the O Connor family of Connacht. is said to have made a deal of some natu ...

and the families of Ua/Ó Maolruanaid (

Mulrooney Mulrooney is a surname of Irish origin. The name may refer to: * Belinda Mulrooney (1872–1967), Irish-American entrepreneur who made a fortune in the Klondike Gold Rush * John Mulrooney (contemporary), American comedian, actor, and television host ...

) and MacDiarmata (

MacDermot Mac Diarmada (anglicised as MacDermot or McDermott), also spelled Mac Diarmata, is an Irish surname, and the surname of the ruling dynasty of Moylurg, a kingdom that existed in Connacht from the 10th to 16th centuries. The last ruling king was T ...

References

* "Conchobar", by Ailbhe Mac Shamhráin, pp. 730–31, volume two, ''Dictionary of Irish Biography'', 2009. * "Mac Dermot of Moylurg: The Story of a Connacht Family", Dermot Mac Dermot, 1996. * http://www.macdermot.com/ 973 deaths 10th-century births People from County Roscommon O'Conor dynasty 10th-century kings of Connacht {{Ireland-royal-stub