Domnall mac Áeda Muindeirg (died 804) was a chief of 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) i ...

of the northern

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 t ...

in modern

County Donegal County Donegal ( ; ga, Contae Dhún na nGall) is a county of Ireland in the province of Ulster and in the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town of Donegal in the south of the county. It has also been known as County Tyrconn ...

and sometimes styled "King of the North". He was the son of

Áed Muinderg Áed mac Flaithbertaig (died 747), called Áed Muinderg, was a chief of the Cenél Conaill of the northern Uí Néill in Ireland. He was the son of the high king Flaithbertach mac Loingsig (died 765). His byname Muinderg means "red-necked". His f ...

(died 747) and grandson of the high king

Flaithbertach mac Loingsig Flaithbertach mac Loingsig (died 765) was a High King of Ireland. He was a member of the Cenél Conaill, a branch of the northern Uí Néill. He was the son of Loingsech mac Óengusso (died 703), a previous high king. He ruled from 728 to 734. H ...

(died 765).

Life

During the eighth century the Cenél Conaill vied with the rival

Cenél nEógain 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) i ...

for supremacy in the north. His father had been recognized as King of the North as the representative of the high king Domnall Midi (died 763) of the

Clann Cholmáin Clann Cholmáin is the dynasty descended from Colmán Már mac Diarmato, son of Diarmait mac Cerbaill. Part of the Southern Uí Néill — they were the kings of Mide (Meath) — they traced their descent to Niall Noígiallach and his ...

of the southern Ui Neill. However his successors were not and in 763

Niall Frossach Niall Frossach (or Niall mac Fergaile) (718–778) was an 8th-century Irish king of Ailech, sometimes considered to have been High King of Ireland. Brother of high king Áed Allán (died 743), Niall was the son of high king Fergal mac Máele Dú ...

(died 778) of the Cenél nEógain had acquired the high kingship of Ireland. Domnall succeeded his uncle Murchad mac Flaithbertaig as King of the Cenél Conaill upon his assassination in 767. Domnall began to make a bid for supremacy in the north upon the abdication of Niall Frossach in 770 or 772. In 779 the new high king

Donnchad Midi Donnchad mac Domnaill (733 – 6 February 797), called Donnchad Midi, was High King of Ireland. His father, Domnall Midi, had been the first Uí Néill High King from the south-central Clann Cholmáin based in modern County Westmeath and weste ...

(died 797) of Clann Cholmáin made an expedition to the north and took hostages from Domnall who is given the title King of the North in the annals at this time. Domnall asserted his authority with a victory over the Cenél mBógaine, (a branch of the Cenél Conaill in the barony of Banagh, County Donegal) in 784. In 787 Domnall was defeated in battle by Máel Dúin mac Áedo Alláin (died 788) of the Cenél nEógain and lost his supremacy in the north. Upon the death of Máel Dúin, Domnall made a bid to ragain his supremacy but was defeated in 789 at the Battle of Clóitech (now Clady on the River Finn) by

Áed Oirdnide Áed mac Néill (; died 819), commonly called Áed Oirdnide ("the anointed"), was King of Ailech. A member of the Cenél nEógain dynasty of the northern Uí Néill, he was the son of Niall Frossach. Like his father, Áed was reckoned High King ...

(died 819) of the Cenél nEógain. Áed Oirdnide became high king of Ireland in 798. Domnall was recognized as King of the North in his death notice in the annals in 804 but the circumstances of how he recovered the title are not known.AU 804.1; Byrne (NHI), pg.657

Notes

References

* ''Annals of Ulster'' a

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

External links

a
University College Cork
{{DEFAULTSORT:Domnall Mac Aeda Muindeirg 8th-century Irish monarchs 9th-century Irish monarchs 8th-century births 9th-century deaths 804 deaths