Murchad mac Máele Dúin (flourished 819–833) was a

King of Ailech The Kings of Ailech were the over-kings of the medieval Irish province of Ailech in north-western Ireland. It encompassed the territories of the Cenél nEógain and Cenél Conaill. After the battle of Cloítech in 789 its kings were exclusively ...

and head of the

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 ...

branch 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 ...

. He was the son of

Máel Dúin mac Áedo Alláin Máel Dúin mac Áedo Alláin (died 788) was a King of Ailech and head of the Cenél nEógain branch of the northern Uí Néill. He was the son of Áed Allán (died 743), a high king of Ireland. He ruled from 770 to 788. His uncle, the high king N ...

(died 788), a previous king and grandson of

Áed Allán Áed Allán (or Áed mac Fergaile) (died 743) was an 8th-century Irish king of Ailech and High King of Ireland. Áed Allán was the son of Fergal mac Máele Dúin and a member of the Cenél nEógain, a branch of the Northern Uí Néill. F ...

(died 743), a high king of

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 ruled from 819–823. He succeeded to the throne of Ailech upon the death of his cousin, the high king

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 ...

in 819. However the high kingship passed back to 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 in the person of

Conchobar mac Donnchada Conchobar mac Donnchada (or Conchobar mac Donnchado) was High-King of Ireland with opposition (''rí Érenn co fressabra'') between 819 and 833. Conchobar was the son of Donnchad Midi, high-king of Ireland (733– 797); his mother was Fuirseach, ...

(died 833). Murchad meanwhile had to deal with a challenge for supremacy among the northern Ui Neill. In 819 he defeated Máel Bresail mac Murchada of the rival

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 ...

who was slain in the skirmish. In 820 Murchad made a bid for the high kingship and led a hosting of the northern Uí Néill to Druim ind Eich (near modern Dublin) while Conchobor with the southern Uí Néill and the Laigin moved northwards. However no battle ensued. In 822 Murchad made another bid for the high kingship and advanced with the men of the north to Ard Brecáin (County Meath). The men of Brega led by Diarmait mac Néill (died 826) of the Uí Chernaig sept of

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 ...

then went over secretly to Murchad and submitted to him at Druim Fergusa. Conchobor son of Donnchad invaded Brega and camped at Gualu. He invaded southern Brega again and a vast number of the men of southern Brega fell by him, and the Uí Chernaig submitted under compulsion. Murchad had Cumuscach son of Tuathal, king of Ard Ciannachta assassinated in 822 probably in retaliation for his failure. In 823 Murchad's failures led to his deposition by his second cousin

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). Murchad seems to have accepted his fate and he is last heard of cooperating with Niall in routing out the Vikings in Daire Calgaig (Derry) in 833. Murchad may have had a Norse wife and the genealogies name Erulb as his son which corresponds to old Norse ''Herulfr''.Byrne (NHI), pg. 612 Another son Ruadrí was father of Birn, ancestor of Clann Birn (or Muinter Birn) in the barony of Dungannon, County Tyrone.

Notes

References

* ''Annals of Ulster'' a

a
University College Cork
* Charles-Edwards, T. M. (2000), ''Early Christian Ireland'', Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, * Ó Cróinín, Dáibhí (2005), ''A New History of Ireland'', Volume One, Oxford: Oxford University Press

External links

a
University College Cork
{{DEFAULTSORT:Murchad Mac Maele Duin 8th-century births 9th-century deaths Kings of Ailech 9th-century Irish monarchs