Muiredach mac Eochada (died 839) was a

Dal Fiatach In Indian cuisine, ''dal'' (also spelled ''daal'' or ''dhal''; pronunciation: , Hindi: दाल, Urdu: ) are dried, split pulses (e.g., lentils, peas, and beans) that do not require soaking before cooking. India is the largest producer of pu ...

king of

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 ...

, medieval

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

. He was the son of

Eochaid mac Fiachnai Eochaid mac Fiachnai (died 810) was a Dal Fiatach king of Ulaid, which is now Ulster, Ireland. He was the son of Fiachnae mac Áedo Róin (died 789), a previous king. He ruled from 790 to 810. Eochaid first appears in the annals in 776. In that ye ...

(died 810), a previous king. He ruled from 825-839. His father had been defeated in battle by his own brother

Cairell mac Fiachnai Cairell mac Fiachnai (died 819) was a Dal Fiatach king of Ulaid, which is now Ulster, Ireland. He was the son of Fiachnae mac Áedo Róin (died 789), a previous king. He ruled from 810 to 819. In 809 Cairell challenged his brother Eochaid mac Fiac ...

(died 819) in 809 and died the next year. Cairell at that point became King of Ulaid. In 819 Muiredach obtained revenge for his father by defeating and slaying Cairell in a skirmish. This gave him the kingship of the Dal Fiatach but he did not acquire the kingship of Ulaid which went to

Máel Bressail mac Ailillo Máel Bressail mac Ailello (died 825) was a king of Ulaid, which is now Ulster, Ireland. He belonged to a branch of the Dal nAraide known as the Uí Echach Cobo Iveagh ( ; ) is the name of several historical territorial divisions in what is now ...

(died 825) of the

Uí Echach Cobo Iveagh ( ; ) is the name of several historical territorial divisions in what is now County Down, Northern Ireland. Originally it was a Gaelic Irish territory, ruled by the ''Uí Echach Cobo'' and part of the overkingdom of Ulaid. From the 12th c ...

. He then became king of all Ulaid in 825. Viking raids had begun in Ireland and Ulster was one of the victims. The monastery of Bangor was attacked in 823 and 824 and in 825 the Norse plundered the Dal Fiatach royal monastery at Dún Lethglaise (Downpatrick) and they burned Mag nBili (Moville) another monastery in county Down. However the Ulaid were able to inflict a route on the Norse in Mag Inis (Lecale) that same year. Viking raids included an attack on Loch Bricrenn (Loughbrickland, modern County Down) in the territory of the Uí Echach Cobo in 833. In 827 a conflict within the important church at Armagh led to war. Cummascach mac Cathail of the Uí Cremthainn, king of the Airgíalla, expelled the King of Ailech's confessor Éogan Mainistrech from Armagh, installing his own half-brother, Artrí mac Conchobair as abbot of Armagh. The King of Ailech

Niall Caille Niall mac Áeda (died 846), called Niall Caille (Niall of the Callan) to distinguish him from his grandson Niall mac Áeda (died 917), was High King of Ireland. Background Niall belonged to Cenél nEógain, a northern branch of the Uí Néill, ...

(died 846) of the northern Ui Neill raised an army and marched on Armagh. Muiredach gave his support to Cummascah and brought his forces to aid the Airgialla. This resulted in the Battle at Leth Cam, near modern Kilmore, County Armagh. It was a decisive victory for Niall and northern Uí Néill. Cummascach and his brother Congalach were killed while Muiredach survived the battle. The defeat broke the power of the Airgíalla who were thereafter subject to the northern Uí Néill kings. Artrí was deposed from the see of Armagh and Niall installed Éogan Mainistrech. Hostility to the Ui Neill resulted in the killing of the son of Niall Caille, Cináed, by the Ulaid in 835. The ''Annals of Innisfallen'' note the death of Indrechtach mac Tommaltaig of the Leth Cathail (Lecale) branch of the Dal Fiatach as co-ruler of Ulaid in 835. This is not confirmed by the other annals however. In 839 Muiredach was killed by his own kinsmen (named as Áed and Óengus, his brothers).AU 839.4; ''Annals of the Four Masters'', FM 838.8 In this notice he is called King of Conchobar's Province, another name for Ulster. His son Matudán mac Muiredaig (died 857) succeeded him. His daughter Gormalaith Rapach ("the harsh") married

Áed Findliath Áed mac Néill (died 879), called Áed Findliath ("fair-grey Áed"; Modern Irish: ''Aodh Fionnadhliath'') to distinguish him from his paternal grandfather Áed Oirdnide, was king of Ailech and High King of Ireland. He was also called Áed Olac ...

(died 879) high king of Ireland.

Family tree

Eochaid mac Fiachnai, died 810. , , ____________________________________ , , , , , , Muiredach mac Eochada Áed Óengus , , _______________________________ , , , , Matudán mac Muiredaig Gormalaith Rapach, died 840. =

Notes

References

* ''Annals of Ulster'' a

a
University College Cork
* ''Annals of Innisfallen'' a

a
University College Cork
* ''Annals of the Four Masters'' a

a
University College Cork
* Byrne, Francis John (2001), ''Irish Kings and High-Kings'', Dublin: Four Courts Press, * Charles-Edwards, T. M. (2000), ''Early Christian Ireland'', Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,

External links

a
University College Cork
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eochada, Muiredach Mac Kings of Ulster 9th-century Irish monarchs 839 deaths Year of birth unknown