Ragnall ua Ímair (died 1035), also known as Ragnall mac Ragnaill, was an eleventh-century King of Waterford. He appears to have ruled as king from 1022 to 1035, the year of his death.

Family

Ragnall seems to have been a descendant of Ímar, King of Waterford. Ragnall's father may have been Ragnall mac Ímair, King of Waterford. Such a relationship would indicate that the

patronym A patronymic, or patronym, is a component of a personal name based on the given name of one's father, grandfather (more specifically an avonymic), or an earlier male ancestor. It is the male equivalent of a matronymic. Patronymics are used, ...

''ua Ímair''—accorded to Ragnall by the

Irish Annals A number of Irish annals, of which the earliest was the Chronicle of Ireland, were compiled up to and shortly after the end of the 17th century. Annals were originally a means by which monks determined the yearly chronology of feast days. Over ti ...

that note his death—refers to Ragnall mac Ímair's father, the aforesaid Ímar.

Reign and death

Very little is known of the Waterfordian kingship in the early eleventh century. Ímar died in 1000. His son, the aforesaid Ragnall mac Ímair, died as king in 1018. Another son of Ímar, Sitriuc mac Ímair, King of Waterford was slain by the King of Osraige in 1022. An apparent brother of Ragnall died in 1015. Ragnall himself appears to have ruled Waterford from 1022 to 1035. The seventeenth-century ''

Annals of the Four Masters The ''Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland'' () or the ''Annals of the Four Masters'' () are chronicles of Middle Ages, medieval Irish history. The entries span from the Genesis flood narrative, Deluge, dated as 2,242 Anno Mundi, years after crea ...

'', the fourteenth-century ''

Annals of Tigernach The ''Annals of Tigernach'' (Abbreviation, abbr. AT, ) are chronicles probably originating in Clonmacnoise, Ireland. The language is a mixture of Latin language, Latin and Old Irish, Old and Middle Irish. Many of the pre-historic entries come f ...

'', and the fifteenth- to sixteenth-century ''

Annals of Ulster The ''Annals of Ulster'' () are annals of History of Ireland, medieval Ireland. The entries span the years from 431 AD to 1540 AD. The entries up to 1489 AD were compiled in the late 15th century by the scribe Ruaidhrí Ó Luin� ...

'' reveal that, in 1035, Ragnall was slain by Sitriuc mac Amlaíb, King of Dublin. The following year, Sitriuc mac Amlaíb was driven out of

Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...

Echmarcach mac Ragnaill Echmarcach mac Ragnaill (died 1064/1065) was a dominant figure in the eleventh-century Irish Sea region. At his height, he reigned as king over Kingdom of Dublin, Dublin, the Kingdom of the Isles, Isles, and perhaps the Kingdom of the Rhinns, Rh ...

. Whilst the parentage of the latter is uncertain, if he was a related to Ragnall—perhaps as either a brother or son—it could mean that Echmarcach's actions against Sitriuc mac Amlaíb were undertaken in revenge for his death. Against this possibility is the fact that there is no evidence that Echmarcach, or his known family, had any connection with Waterford. Whatever the case, Ragnall's fall appears to have been an important benchmark in Waterford's history, and after this date the enclave increasingly fell prey to the machinations of the Uí Briain and the Uí Cheinnselaig. In fact, two years after the killing, the King of Waterford was Cú Inmain ua Robann, an apparent Irishman. ''The Annals of Ulster'' (2017) § 1037.4; ''The Annals of Tigernach'' (2016) § 1037.2; ''The Annals of Ulster'' (2008) § 1037.4; ''Annals of Tigernach'' (2005) § 1037.2; Hudson, BT (2005) p. 129; Etchingham (2001) p. 182; Hudson, BT (1992) p. 355.

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References

Primary sources

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Secondary sources

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ragnall ua Imair, King of Waterford 11th-century Irish monarchs Kings of Waterford Uí Ímair