Mal, son of Rochraide, a descendant of the legendary hero
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 transl ...
, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a king 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 in ...
and later a
High King of Ireland. He took the High Kingship after he killed
Tuathal Techtmar at Mag Line (
Moylinny near
Larne
Larne (, , the name of a Gaelic territory) is a town on the east coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland, with a population of 18,755 at the 2011 Census. It is a major passenger and freight roll-on roll-off port. Larne is administered by Mid ...
,
County Antrim
County Antrim (named after the town of Antrim, ) is one of six counties of Northern Ireland and one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of and has a population o ...
), and ruled for four years, at the end of which he was killed by Tuathal's son
Fedlimid Rechtmar Fedlimid Rechtmar (; "the lawful, legitimate" or "the passionate, furious") or Rechtaid ("the judge, lawgiver"), son of Tuathal Techtmar, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. His mother was Bái ...
. The ''
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 ...
'' synchronises his reign with that of the
Roman emperor Antoninus Pius
Antoninus Pius ( Latin: ''Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Pius''; 19 September 86 – 7 March 161) was Roman emperor from 138 to 161. He was the fourth of the Five Good Emperors from the Nerva–Antonine dynasty.
Born into a senatori ...
(138–161). The chronology of
Geoffrey Keating
Geoffrey Keating ( ga, Seathrún Céitinn; c. 1569 – c. 1644) was a 17th-century historian. He was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, and is buried in Tubrid Graveyard in the parish of Ballylooby-Duhill. He became an Irish Catholic priest and ...
's ''Foras Feasa ar Éirinn'' dates his reign to 100–104, that of the ''
Annals of the Four Masters
The ''Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland'' ( ga, Annála Ríoghachta Éireann) or the ''Annals of the Four Masters'' (''Annála na gCeithre Máistrí'') are chronicles of medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or mediev ...
'' to 106–110.
['']Annals of the Four Masters
The ''Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland'' ( ga, Annála Ríoghachta Éireann) or the ''Annals of the Four Masters'' (''Annála na gCeithre Máistrí'') are chronicles of medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or mediev ...
'
M106-110
/ref> His son was Tipraiti Tireach
Tipraiti Tireach (136 — 187) spelled with numerous different variations such as ''Tibraite'', ''Tipraite'', ''Tiobraide'', ''Thilbruidhe'' and ''Tiobradhe'', was a Celtic legendary King of Ulster according to the ''Annals of the Four Masters''. ...
See also
* Matholwch
References
Legendary High Kings of Ireland
Cycles of the Kings
{{Ireland-royal-stub